30.10.2025

Reviving Tukri Craft in Kanoi: Threads of Sindh and Marwar

In the quiet stretch of desert beyond Jaisalmer city—about 34.7 km towards the Indo-Pak border—lies Kanoi, a serene village inhabited by the Sindhi Muslim community. Descendants of people who once lived in the Sindh province of present-day Pakistan, this community carries within them a language that softly braids together Sindhi, Punjabi, and Marwari. Life here moves at its own rhythm—slow, grounded, and deeply connected to the desert’s breath.

Life in Kanoi : Most families in Kanoi depend on farming and cattle breeding. The men spend their days in the fields, while the women, often confined within the home, take care of domestic chores and livestock. Education and exposure remain limited for the women here, yet their hands have always held the quiet strength of skill and artistry.

The Craft of Tukri: Among these women survives a craft known locally as Tukri—meaning “small pieces.” The name beautifully captures its essence: the joining together of tiny fabric remnants into rhythmic geometric patterns. This traditional patchwork technique is also known as Ralli in certain regions and has been part of Sindhi heritage for generations.

The process begins with cutting out shapes—folding the fabric several times to achieve the desired form, often measuring only with fingers or instinct. Older women usually take on this task, their years of experience guiding precision, while the younger women focus on stitching and assembling. With just three tools—scissors, needles, and thread—they bring together pieces of old garments and cloth scraps into new compositions.

Once the patchwork top is complete, a layer of cotton is placed beneath, followed by a backing fabric. The three layers are then bound together with a running stitch, resulting in a beautifully textured quilt. Every Tukri piece is thus a story of touch, rhythm, and intergenerational collaboration.

Sustainability and Spirit: Tukri is an art form born out of need and nurtured by creativity. It reflects India’s timeless ethos of resourcefulness—transforming remnants into something beautiful and lasting. The craft aligns seamlessly with sustainable textile practices, where nothing is wasted and every fragment finds its place.

In these desert homes, nothing is ever discarded; every thread tells a story. This spirit of preservation and adornment is central to Indian design sensibilities—where maximalism is not excess but celebration, and beauty is found in the everyday.

Revival Initiative: Injiri, in collaboration with the I Love Jaisalmer Foundation, has been working to revive and sustain the Tukri craft in Kanoi. What began as a quiet inquiry into local textile traditions has grown into a community-led initiative that honours both heritage and livelihood.

Through workshops and dialogue, Injiri engaged with the women of the Sindhi Muslim community, helping them reconnect with the practice, refine their techniques, and envision new possibilities for their work. The initiative not only supports the craft’s continuity but also provides recognition and fair income for the women artisans who have long remained unseen.

A Living Legacy: In the stillness of Kanoi, amid windmills and cattle calls, the women’s laughter now mingles with the rhythm of needle and thread. Tukri is more than patchwork—it is a story of revival, a gesture of continuity, and a celebration of making.

Through this collaboration, Injiri reaffirms its belief that every craft, however humble, carries within it a world of meaning—connecting land, people, and time through the quiet persistence of handmade beauty.