LAHORE: The Lahore Museum has opened the Textile Gallery, its new addition, featuring unique specimens of different textiles and fabrics.

“Earlier, the museum had textile pieces scattered in different galleries or in the reserves. All these exclusive and rare material of hand-woven textile specimens have been collected under the Textile Gallery, which is a new and a novel addition to the museum,” Lahore Museum Director Ejaz Ahmad Minhas told Dawn, adding that the gallery will be immensely useful for researchers, textile students and other visitors.

He said a separate textile gallery was direly needed in Lahore, especially for the students of textile designing and home economics, since a long time. “This need has now been fulfilled by the Lahore Museum with allocation of a proper place for the textile gallery.”

The museum director said Pakistan had different natural resources and raw material in the form of cotton, silk, wool and many other materials, which were very artistically used by different artisans and craftsmen, producing very unique specimens of textiles and fabrics.

“Collected by the Lahore Museum from time to time, the beautiful specimens have been displayed at the Textile Gallery. It comprises all traditional handmade fabrics, manufactured in traditional ways and equipment.”

In the gallery, Mr Minhas said, one could see applique work, a patchwork done by using different small colourful pieces of cloth and locally called rilli, from Sindh and Balochistan. Along with this, he added, one could also observe the specimens of tie and dye work (Chunri Ka Kaam), which traditionally belonged to the areas of Bahawalpur and Cholistan.

“Unique specimens of block printing and wax printing from Sindh can be seen. Artistically embroidered phulkaris from Punjab, Hazara and Swat are also exhibited in the showcases. Traditional dresses, robes and wedding dresses, having mirror work and beautifully woven with unique threads are also part of the gallery. Unique embroidery from Kashmir, including Kashmiri robes and shawls, are also displayed here.”

Mr Minhas said the new gallery had been opened in connection with the 75th Independence Anniversary of Pakistan and the students, researchers and the general public were welcome to admire this beautiful addition in the museum.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2022