Princess Gauravi Kumari’s three-day collective holds up a mirror to the courage and craftsmanship of women artisans

Every visit to Jaipur reminds me that everything we seek resides in the trunk of our history. I recall strolling through the City Palace, captivated by the aesthetically pleasing nooks and crannies of the Pink City, and wondering what it would be like to encapsulate all of Jaipur’s flair into one experience. That’s when I came across the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation (PDKF). Led by her daughter, Princess Gauravi Kumari, PDKF is creating something new by drawing from the culture of Jaipur, which she describes as ‘timeless’.

For years, PDKF has been adding the best of Rajasthani arts to our carts and promoting women empowerment. Earlier in March, the foundation introduced a new dialogue in the world of crafts—the Artisan Collective, a three-day celebration of women artisans from across the country. “Maharaja Jai Singh’s vision for Jaipur was that it would become a melting pot of crafts from across the country. Through this collective, we’re reviving what Jaipur was meant to be. It’s been 11 years since the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation’s inception, and at its heart, the mission has always been to promote the heritage crafts of Rajasthan and empower the underprivileged women around us. That mission continues through the Artisan Collective,” shares Kumari.

PDKF is focused on bringing women artisans into the spotlight, with the artisan collective being another step towards raising the profiles of the women working behind the scenes. “Over time and through my research, I noticed that women artisans are always underrepresented at exhibitions. Our goal was to flip that narrative—enabling women not only to be creators but also to take on roles as businesswomen, handling marketing and entrepreneurship,” she explains.

Kumari also points to the growing recognition of Indian artisans, particularly women. She takes pride in how women artisans are now leading the way, citing the Dior and Vivienne Westwood showcases in India as examples. “Throughout the three days, we hosted a variety of workshops. The Museum of Meenakari brought two of their women artisans, which was wonderful, as it is rare to see women working in meenakari. We also had Gul, who makes crochet flowers and works towards sustainability, and Mousomi ji, a Kalighat painter from West Bengal. She had a unique approach to selling her artwork—she created a song for each of her paintings, which was an interesting way of marketing. I wanted this event to be a celebration not only of women, but also of the various crafts they represent and lead,” Kumari concludes.

All images: Princess Diya Kumari Foundation

This piece originally appeared in the April-May print issue of Harper's Bazaar India

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