Carpet Weavers of Bhadohi

At a T-junction from Varanasi, two roads diverge, one leading to Mirzapur and the other to Bhadohi. Together, these towns form the heart of India’s carpet story. This series is from Bhadohi, a small town with huge carpet factories, and lanes full of people preparing wool and cotton for the carpets.

When I began this project, I had little idea of how detailed and skillful the making of a carpet is. Walking into the small factories, I was taken aback by the sheer range of techniques, patterns, and knots that go into the craft.

The artisans continue to uphold traditional hand-knotting, while also experimenting with machine-made designs to meet newer demands.