Saarathi - A Textile Sculpture

Category: Interior

Saarathi, meaning guide, is a textile sculpture inspired by the student–teacher dynamic at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. Unlike conventional models of education, learning at NID is rooted in collaboration, with teachers seen as guides rather than instructors. This sculpture serves as a physical manifestation of the intangible qualities that define this relationship. The institute's history, pedagogy, and architecture informed the design, resulting in a piece that aligns both aesthetically and philosophically with its context. The use of materials in their natural colour draws from NID's modernist architecture, where every element remains true to itself without ornamentation. In contrast to the predominantly geometric environment, the sculpture's organic form reflects how the campus architecture coexists with and is softened by its abundant greenery. The weft material, Saccharum munja (locally known as Munj), is a perennial grass native to northern and western India and is widely available in the region as rope, making it a locally accessible and renewable material. Throughout the making process, the material itself informed many design decisions. By responding to its inherent qualities rather than imposing predecided outcomes, the process became one of collaboration with the unconventional. In many ways, the material became a guide itself, echoing the very idea of Saarathi.

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