In the Indian state of Rajasthan, quilt-makers have developed a tradition of making a warm, snuggly, lightweight quilt called a "Jaipuri Razai". The translation is fairly straightforward. "Jaipuri" means "coming from Jaipur," the capital city of Rajasthan, and "razai" simply means "quilt".

Tourists usually shop for these quilts on their trip to Jaipur. Moreover, these quilts are not boring like other quilts and available in striking colors with Sanganeri prints, bright tie-dyed materials, marble prints on cotton and velvet to suit your mood.

A Jaipuri razai is unique both for its artisan and for its functionality. First, in handmaking these beautiful quilts, the artisans use the traditional textile-making skills of cotton carding, cotton voile-making and quilting. Cotton carding is the process of preparing cotton to use as cotton fill in a quilt.

In a typical Jaipuri razai, the worker starts with a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of cotton and works at carding it for a full week. After fully carding the cotton, the worker is left with a mere 100 grams of cotton to use to fill the comforter. The lighter and fluffier the cotton fill, the warmer and cozier the quilt will be.

Once the fill is prepared, the artisans go on to make the quilts. It is important to layer the cotton evenly throughout the quilt. This is another characteristic of the handmade quilt that gives it its warmth.

The shell of the quilt is usually a high-quality soft cotton voile. Cotton voile is a lightweight, gauzy cotton fabric with a soft, smooth surface. The softness of the voile adds to the very snuggly, cozy nature of the comforter. Sometimes the quilter uses velvet covering instead of cotton voile.

After being filled, the quilt is stitched together. Of course, in times gone by, the quilt-makers did all the stitching with a hand-held needle.

Modernly, however, quilt-makers use a sewing machine to stitch the sides of the quilt together. The machine-stitched sides increase the durability of the quilt. Quilters then use a running stitch on the interior of the quilt panels to hold the fill in place and add to the beauty of the quilt. All this work, from the carding to the filling to the quilting, is typically done by artisans whose families have been practicing these skills for generations.

Jaipuri razais may be handmade and lightweight, but they are hardly flimsy. In fact, they are quite durable. Of course, they would need to be, considering their origins on caravan routes.

Name	Address
Palki	5, New Colony, Gopinath Mg, Jaipur Gpo, Jaipur - 01 0141-2363234
Rajasthali	Ajmeri Gate, MI Road, Jaipur Ph: 0141-5103329, 2372974 Jaipur - 340201
Handicraft Plus	340 - A, Tagore Nagar, Ajmer Road Jaipur - 302 006 Ph:0141- 327 1830, 236 0589
Crafts Bazaar	69 / 187 Ganga Marg Veer Tejaji Road, Mansarovar Jaipur - 302 015 Ph: 0141- 645 6272, 402 4997