Vintage Wood Block Archive & Custom Prints
Explore our studio’s extensive archive of rare teak blocks, where heritage South Indian motifs meet sustainable, natural-dye printing.
Our artisan Banu shares stories from our vintage design archive. She shows how these patterns, inspired by architectural arches and ornate pillars, are used to create beautiful borders for sarees and necklines for dresses.
Our artisan Banu shares stories from our vintage design archive. She shows how these patterns, inspired by architectural arches and ornate pillars, are used to create beautiful borders for sarees and necklines for dresses.
Our artisan Banu shares stories from our vintage design archive. She shows how these patterns, inspired by architectural arches and ornate pillars, are used to create beautiful borders for sarees and necklines for dresses.
Our designs are deeply rooted in our South Indian heritage. We are proud custodians of vintage blocks featuring motifs like the Gandabherunda, the emblem of Mysore, and patterns inspired by the Dravidian architecture of the Vidhana Soudha.
Our designs are deeply rooted in our South Indian heritage. We are proud custodians of vintage blocks featuring motifs like the Gandabherunda, the emblem of Mysore, and patterns inspired by the Dravidian architecture of the Vidhana Soudha.
Our designs are deeply rooted in our South Indian heritage. We are proud custodians of vintage blocks featuring motifs like the Gandabherunda, the emblem of Mysore, and patterns inspired by the Dravidian architecture of the Vidhana Soudha.
Our designs are deeply rooted in our South Indian heritage. We are proud custodians of vintage blocks featuring motifs like the Gandabherunda, the emblem of Mysore, and patterns inspired by the Dravidian architecture of the Vidhana Soudha.
Our designs are deeply rooted in our South Indian heritage. We are proud custodians of vintage blocks featuring motifs like the Gandabherunda, the emblem of Mysore, and patterns inspired by the Dravidian architecture of the Vidhana Soudha.
Our designs are deeply rooted in our South Indian heritage. We are proud custodians of vintage blocks featuring motifs like the Gandabherunda, the emblem of Mysore, and patterns inspired by the Dravidian architecture of the Vidhana Soudha.
The peacock is a recurring motif in our vintage block archive, symbolizing the arrival of the monsoon. This collection shows the incredible variety of peacock designs we hold, from simple outlines to intricate, multi-part blocks.
About A Legacy in Wood: The Block Archive
These blocks are the heartbeat of our studio. Every pattern you see here, from temple architecture to the Gandabherunda motif, is a functional tool we use for our custom commissions. When you choose a motif, we aren't just pulling a design from a library; we are selecting a piece of Karnataka’s visual history to print onto your silk, cotton, or linen, using natural, plant-based dyes.
Since my mother Lakshmi started this journey in 1977, our studio has become a living library of South Indian heritage. We don’t treat these as museum pieces; we treat them as a dialogue between the past and your personal style.
The Archive
Our archive houses hundreds of teak blocks, some dating back to the 1960s. We see arches, pillars, and local flora reimagined as borders for sarees or necklines for dresses. You will find distinct Karnataka motifs like the Gandabherunda emblem and intricate floral jaals that are rarely seen in mainstream textile design today.
Your Customization
Want a specific motif on a saree or a scarf? You can pick from these patterns. We work with you to integrate these heritage designs into modern apparel. Whether it is a traditional saree or a casual cotton dress, every print is executed using GOTS-certified natural dyes, ensuring your garment is as kind to the earth as it is to the eye.
The Craft
It is a slow, deliberate process. We do not rush. The printing involves a multi-step technique to ensure the design embeds into the fabric fiber rather than sitting on top. This is the difference between a mass-produced print and a Tharangini keepsake. Each piece is hand-printed by our artisan family, some of whom have been with us for over three decades, ensuring that every block-printed item carries the soul of our studio.
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