Odisha’s culture is not just expressed through dance, music, art and architecture but also through its living textile traditions. While Ikat and Bandha Kala are among the more well-known of Odisha’s handloom weaves, the state also has a rich heritage of weaves based on extra weft techniques. And almost every district had its own distinct weave. At our Online Talk #WovenSplendour, handloom enthusiast and Odisha native Vijayalaxmi Chhabra discusses Odisha’s weaves cluster-wise and her own journey into the wondrous world of handloom sarees.

About the speaker

Vijayalaxmi Chhabra is a former Director General of Doordarshan, the world's largest public service broadcaster. After a 35-year career in broadcasting, she started writing about Indian handlooms, which had always been a passion, on social media. Her social media pages have become a resource on various weaves from different Indian states. She is a leading influencer when it comes to handlooms and has a following of over 53,000 people. She also writes about women empowerment, family values and travel.