Khwab-e-Rafu tapestry stitches India-Pakistan peace across borders

The Story in Brief

A tapestry called Khwab-e-Rafu (Dreams of Mending), made from over 100 individual pieces stitched by people in 13 cities across India, Pakistan, the UK and the US, is on display at Mool in South Extension as part of the Taana Baana exhibition. The pieces include a yellow square with fish made from patches of a grandmother's sari who migrated during Partition and died unable to return to Pakistan. The project was conceived by Rubina Singh of Rafunaama, a South Asian textile archive, with stitching sessions held between August 2025 and July 2026.

Hindustan Times reports that collecting the pieces from Pakistan required shipping them to a friend in Dubai before sending them to Delhi, as postal services between the two countries do not operate. The tapestry will travel to the US, London and Pakistan, and is scheduled to be displayed in Karachi on August 14 and 15, 2027, marking 80 years of Partition. The exhibition also includes artist discussions, a documentary about the tapestry's making, and a night walk in Nizamuddin.