Jun 02, 2026

Legacy treasures unique to India

Aanya Mehta

Banni Grassland Embroidery

From Gujarat’s Banni region comes an intricate embroidery style filled with mirrors, colour, and patterns unique to local communities, beautiful and rare.

Source: unsplash

Bombay Dabbawallas

A system unlike any other in the world, Mumbai’s dabbawallas have delivered homemade lunches across the city for generations using a famously precise colour coded network.

Source: wikimedia commons

Kodinhi Village of Twins

A small village in Kerala known for an unusually high number of twins, Kodinhi remains one of India’s most intriguing and talked about places.

Source: facebook: Suvin Muthukumarana

Living Root Bridges

In Meghalaya, bridges are grown from tree roots over decades by local communities, a remarkable blend of patience, engineering, and nature.

Source: wikimedia commons

Apatani Rice-Fish Farming

The Apatani community practices a rare farming method where rice and fish are cultivated together in the same fields, an ingenious tradition passed down for generations.

Source: research gate

Raghurajpur Pattachitra Village

This artist village is famous for preserving the ancient Pattachitra painting tradition, with intricate artworks created and passed on within families.

Source: wikimedia commons

Shani Shingnapur Doorless Homes

In this Maharashtra village, many homes and shops traditionally have no doors or locks, an age old custom tied to faith and trust.

Source: facebook: hot_oddity

Toda Embroidery

Created by the Toda community of Tamil Nadu, this distinctive red and black embroidery is instantly recognisable and deeply tied to tribal heritage.

Source: wikimedia commons

Meet the Artists of the Bombay Revivalist Movement