For generations, Kutch has been home to nomadic tribes whose traditional work in animal husbandry and craft has lent themselves to forming a rich cultural heritage. Waves of migration and cross-cultural exchange have introduced distinct art, craft, and folk traditions from Sindh and northern India to the region, giving birth to a culture of syncretism — blending different faiths and folk traditions. These elements, inherited skills, and community identities are deeply embedded in the region’s culture. Today, Kutch is a melting pot of various art forms, crafts, and folk music traditions. New Delhi-based atelier Sunira Designs’ festive 2025 campaign, ‘Goonj’, celebrates this living heritage of Kutch.

Filmed throughout Kutch, ‘Goonj’ is a journey through the villages and tribal communities of the region. From the Fakirani Jats, a semi-nomadic Muslim community whose life, music, and art are woven with the spirit of the desert, to the once-nomadic Wadha tribe of Bhiradiyara Village known for their artisanal wooden lacquerware, the campaign pays homage to communities whose lives move to the rhythm of herds, the mystic verses of Sufi poetry, and the ancient ways of pastoralism.

Rooted in this heritage, ‘Goonj’ features Ajrakh block prints, festive silk brocades, and embroidered motifs that reflect the region’s cultural vocabulary. As the sounds of the jodiya pava, surrando, morchang, or dhak fade away, so do these crafts — sustained by artisans who weave, stitch, and print, preserving their livelihood and legacy.

A follow-up to Sunira Designs’ music-inspired pre-festive ‘Dhun’ collection, where two musicians carried the sound of Kutch to Delhi, each piece in the ‘Goonj’ collection reflects this celebration and showcases traditional brocaded, embroidered, and block-printed Ajrakh patterns inspired by Kutch’s tribal textiles. The understated, minimalist South Asian silhouettes layered in Ajrakh-inspired silks, brocades, and embroidery highlight the detailed craftsmanship and generational skills of the artisans, striking a delicate balance between the old and the new.

The campaign is accompanied by a raw, unfiltered soundtrack composed of live field recordings of the region’s fading musical traditions, featuring Noormamand Sodha on the Jodiya Pava, a pair of double flutes played together, and Kheraj Manu Marvada performing on the Ghado Ghamelo, a pan-shaped percussion instrument. The campaign is an intimate glimpse into the living heritage, enduring crafts, and fading folk music traditions of the region.

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