In the painted havelis of Mandawa, where every fresco narrates a tale of romance, valour and imagination, walls have long served as enduring canvases of Rajasthan’s artistic legacy. Today, those magnificent murals find a remarkable new expression through Sri Tana Bana, an inspired weaving atelier conceived by Thakurani Darshana Kumari of Mandawa and her two daughters, R.K. Geetanjali Shah of Tehri Garhwal and R.K. Priyanjali Katoch of Kangra-Lambagraon. Together, the three women have undertaken an extraordinary mission—to preserve the looms of Mansa while reimagining the painted heritage of Shekhawati in luminous handwoven textiles.
Born a princess of the erstwhile State of Mansa in Gujarat, Thakurani Darshana Kumari inherited a rich legacy of silk weaving from the Chavda dynasty, whose kingdom was renowned for the sacred Ambaji Temple, its magnificent stepwell, and an exceptional tradition of textile patronage. Marriage brought her to the storied Castle Mandawa, where the exuberant frescoes adorning every haveli and palace left an indelible impression. It was here that memory and imagination converged. The lustrous silks of Mansa met the painted walls of Shekhawati, giving birth to Sri Tana Bana—a collection where woven fabric becomes a canvas for history.
At the heart of the atelier lies a fascinating dialogue between two princely traditions. The celebrated frescoes of Mandawa are painstakingly translated into exquisite handwoven textiles, crafted in the finest silks and enriched with shimmering pure silver zari. Every weave is a work of scholarship as much as craftsmanship, preserving an artistic vocabulary that is increasingly vulnerable to time.
What makes Sri Tana Bana particularly captivating is its refusal to confine itself to conventional motifs. Much like the whimsical frescoes that decorate Mandawa’s havelis, its textiles surprise and delight. Alongside timeless paisleys, flowering vines and sacred Mata ni Pachedi imagery emerge soaring gliders, vintage automobiles, radiant suns—the ancient emblem of the Suryavanshi rulers—and majestic tigers inspired by the forests of the Aravallis. These unexpected motifs, lifted directly from the painted walls of Mandawa, lend the weaves an unmistakable personality, transforming them into living chronicles of royal India.
Rendered into elegant saris, regal poshaks, flowing odhnas, refined dupattas and bespoke achkans, every creation embodies the meeting of two royal worlds—Mansa’s celebrated weaving heritage and Mandawa’s unparalleled fresco tradition. The result is not merely a textile collection, but a rare cultural archive woven in silk and silver, where every thread preserves a fragment of India’s princely imagination.
Sri Tana Bana stands as a testament to the enduring role of royal patronage in safeguarding India’s artisanal heritage. Through the vision of Thakurani Darshana Kumari and her daughters, fading murals have found new life on the loom, ensuring that the stories once painted across palace walls continue to shimmer, not in museums alone, but in heirlooms destined to be worn and cherished for generations.
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