India-Pakistan Tapestry Khwab-e-Rafu Goes on Display at South Extension in Delhi
A collaborative tapestry titled "Khwab-e-Rafu" featuring over 100 stitched pieces from across India, Pakistan, and diaspora communities has gone on display at Mool in South Extension, Delhi, as part of the "Taana Baana" exhibition.
Conceived by Rubina Singh, founder of the textile archive platform Rafunaama, the project aims to shift conversations around India and Pakistan towards shared history, culture, and memory following Partition. The pieces were created during more than 20 stitching sessions held across 13 cities in India and Pakistan, as well as London and the United States, between August 15 and July 25, when they were assembled into a single tapestry.
The individual fabric squares carry diverse depictions and personal narratives, ranging from a person offering a flower across a fence to messages reading "open the borders." One yellow square features four fish stitched onto blue fabric cut from a sari that belonged to a woman born in Pakistan who migrated to India during Partition and died wishing to return.
Assembling the tapestry required extensive cross-border logistics. While contributions from India, London, and Chicago were carried by facilitators or shipped directly, pieces from Karachi, Lahore, and Balochistan had to be gathered through family connections and routed through Dubai before reaching Delhi. A participant named Phalgun volunteered to stitch the individual components into the completed tapestry over two to three days in Delhi.
The broader exhibition, curated by artist Fatima Juned, examines Partition alongside contemporary subcontinental realities. The programming includes textile contributions by other collectives, artist discussions, a documentary on the creation of Khwab-e-Rafu, and a night walk in Nizamuddin on August 14. All events are free to the public.
Following the South Extension showing, the Rafunaama team plans to approach the Partition Museum to display the tapestry. The artwork is also scheduled to travel to the United States early next year, followed by London, before heading to Karachi for an exhibition on August 14 and 15, 2027, marking 80 years since Partition.
