Google’s Independence Day Doodle highlights India’s diversity through its varied weaves

Highlighting the essence of India’s identity, heritage, history and rich diversity through textiles is what the Doodle on Google’s homepage does today as the nation celebrates its 77th Independence Day.

The US multinational tech company before launching into details about the cultural aspect, briefs the viewer about the significance of August 15, India’s Independence Day. It states: “Today’s Doodle celebrates India’s Independence Day and is illustrated by New Delhi-based guest artist Namrata Kumar. On this day in 1947, a new era dawned as India became independent from British rule.” It then goes on wish a happy Independence Day to India.

Artist Kumar shares with the viewer about the idea and her inspiration behind the doodle. According to her it represents the different geographical regions of the country in a balanced way. “Throughout the creative process, the overarching goal was to honour and celebrate India’s textiles and their profound connection to the nation’s identity,” she observed.

The textile prints in the Doodle include Kutch, Kantha embroideries, Benarasi, Pattu, Jamdani, and Kasavu weaves, fine ikat, Naga woven textile, Ajrakh block printing, Kanjeevaram, Bandhani resist dyed, Ilkal handloom, Kamalkari block printing and Mekhela chador weave among others.

The doodles are created by Google by temporarily altering the homepage logo. Its objective is to commemorate important holidays, festivals, and the lives of famous personalities from the world of art and culture, science and other fields.