SIPAHI
Designed a carpet for ︎︎︎ Pavitra Rajaram ︎︎︎ Jaipur Rugs, addressing geopolitical issues and promoting ancient weaving traditions for ︎︎︎ Salone Del Mobile, 2023, in Milan, Italy.
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Middle Eastern folk tales have several literary depictions of magic carpets that could perform tricks no one has seen or heard of before. While those fictional carpets could fly, could it be possible to conceive a real-life version that gives one important lesson in history, culture, and geopolitics—all at once?
Designed at Pavitra Rajaram’s eponymous design atelier in Mumbai in collaboration with Jaipur Rugs, Sipahi is one of five carpets designed to explore historic design traditions from across the Indian Subcontinent. Inspired by Afghani War Rugs and British Indian soldiers, the ‘Sipahi’ rug tells a powerful story of a painful colonial legacy.
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“Design is always in a continuum. Motifs that have stood the test of time must be revisited and reinterpreted in unique ways. That is how design travels and design legacies are kept alive.
With Majnun, we wanted to create a collection that is as old as it is new, with roots steeped in the iconic carpet traditions from India, Persia, and China, but interpreted in a modern idiom.”
— Pavitra Rajaram
AD100 Award-Winning Designer
Founder and Creative Director of Pavitra Rajaram Design.
︎︎︎ Majnun Collection || Launching at Salone del Mobile
︎︎︎ Architectural Digest || A Look at the India Showcase at Salone del Mobile 2023 in Milan
︎︎︎ Knotting a Global Story: Pavitra Rajaram and Jaipur Rugs present Carpet Collection Majnun at Salone del Mobile Event
︎︎︎ The Hindu || Geopolitics in a Rug
︎︎︎ The Art of Slow Design: In Conversation with Yogesh Chaudhary and Pavitra Rajaram
︎︎︎ Jaipur Rugs and Pavitra Rajaram Knor Majnun for Milan
︎︎︎ Indian Design World || Jaipur Rugs: Majnun by Pavitra Rajaram
THE COLLECTION MAJNUN—
Launched at the global benchmark event for the furnishing and design industry, Salone Del Mobile, 2023, in Milan, Italy, the collection celebrates ancient weaving traditions, generational craftsmanship, and the power of purposeful design.
DEDICATIONS TO MAJNUS:
In the Arabic language, the word Majnun means ‘a crazy person.’ This collection is a testament to those who are besotted and crazy in love. It celebrates designers, dreamers, and carpet-makers across centuries. Each carpet is a meticulously hand-knotted ode to the Majnus of the world.
THE PERSIAN FLAW:
As a collection, the rugs are inspired by traditions from around Asia. The carpets incorporate the concept of the "Persian flaw," intentionally leaving imperfections in each rug to honor the belief that only God's creations are perfect.
“I am passionate about and strongly believe in advocacy, collaborations, and support for those whose lives and livelihoods are connected to craft and traditional practices in design,”
— Pavitra Rajaram
“It’s not just a company vision. It is important to me that we stay invested in keeping a dying art alive, in enabling a whole community of weavers out of generational oppression. Collaborations like Majnun, bring a sense of social responsibility and commitment to ethical manufacturing practices.”
— Yogesh Chaudhary
Director of Jaipur Rugs
THE SIPAHI RUG—
Inspired by design traditions from Afghanistan, that not only capture poignant beauty but are also a reminder of the painful history of their country, Sipahi adapts the tradition in an Indian context. Rendered in the same folk-inspired style, it is a reflection of India’s experience with colonialism, post-1857, and captures the uniform worn by many Indians who served their British masters.
︎︎︎ Architectural Digest:
“The most prominent among the quintet is ‘Sipahi’—a vibrant piece that depicts an elegantly dressed soldier surrounded by floral motifs rendered in pastel shades—which draws notes from Afghan war rugs. Almost all carpet traditions originate in a certain elite circle. But the Afghan war rugs are like an antidote to that aristocratic school of thought, says Rajaram. Originally manufactured in North Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan, these carpets, etched with symbols of violence, gained popularity after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.”
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︎︎︎ Architectural Digest:
“The most prominent among the quintet is ‘Sipahi’—a vibrant piece that depicts an elegantly dressed soldier surrounded by floral motifs rendered in pastel shades—which draws notes from Afghan war rugs. Almost all carpet traditions originate in a certain elite circle. But the Afghan war rugs are like an antidote to that aristocratic school of thought, says Rajaram. Originally manufactured in North Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan, these carpets, etched with symbols of violence, gained popularity after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.”
“The most prominent among the quintet is ‘Sipahi’—a vibrant piece that depicts an elegantly dressed soldier surrounded by floral motifs rendered in pastel shades—which draws notes from Afghan war rugs. Almost all carpet traditions originate in a certain elite circle. But the Afghan war rugs are like an antidote to that aristocratic school of thought, says Rajaram. Originally manufactured in North Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan, these carpets, etched with symbols of violence, gained popularity after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.”
Two colorways were developed for the rug: Bristol Blue and Golden Glow. Each rug is hand-knotted by carpet weavers in Rajasthan, India, using silk, wool, and cotton yarns.
THE COLLECTION —
“Design can be such a powerful record of history. The way they took something painful and turned it into these beautiful works of art is really special.”
— Pavitra Rajaram
Designed by Tanish Malji, Aparna Kale, and Rukaiya Lokhandwala for Pavitra Rajaram Design.
PROJECT DETAILS
Client:
Launched at:
Jaipur Rugs — for Pavitra Rajaram Design
Launched at:
Salone del Mobile, Milan, Italy
Team:
Pavitra Rajaram, Tanish Malji, Aparna Kale, Yukti V. Agarwal, Rukaiya Lokhandwala at Pavitra Rajaram Design.
I designed the ‘Sipahi’ rug with Tanish Malji while I was interning with Pavitra Rajaram.
Timeline:
8 weeks (2020)
Tools:
Adobe Illustrator
Skills:
Product Design, Motif Development, Colorway Development, Market Research
Process:
During my internship, my first project was to develop a carpet for the Majnun collection. Based on the ideas and concept references I was given, I developed this rug with my supervisor Tanish Malji. A year later, the rug was launched after extensive sampling and product development.
Disclaimer:
* THIS WORK WAS UNDERTAKEN DURING AN INTERNSHIP WITH PAVITRA RAJARAM DESIGN
** ALL WORK PRODUCT BELONGS TO PAVITRA RAJARAM DESIGN
*** CONTENT ON THIS PAGE HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM JAIPUR RUGS, PAVITRA RAJARAM DESIGN, AND VARIOUS NEWS ARTICLES