TAPI

Welcome to the
TAPI Collection

One of the finest private collections
of Indian historic textiles and art

Hanging or floor cover (pha kiao)
Coromandel Coast, South-east India; traded to Thailand
18 th century; cotton, painted, mordant and resist- dyed
TAPI Collection

UPCOMING EXHIBITION

EXHIBITION

When Indian Flowers Bloomed in Distant Lands

Masterworks of Trade Textiles 1250-1950 in the TAPI Collection

8th December 2024- 9th March 2025

Kasturbhai Lalbhai Museum, Ahmedabad

ABOUT US

TAPI is a private collection in the city of Surat, a testament to the rich and colourful tapestry of India’s textile and art heritage. An acronym for Textiles and Art of the People of India, it venerates an artistic legacy spanning 5000 years.

Founded by Praful and Shilpa Shah, it is named after the River Tapi of Surat as a tribute to the city- its home. TAPI is not a brick-and-mortar museum; it transcends walls and borders. Through exhibitions, events, and publications, TAPI shares its woven and pictorial narratives across communities and continents.

TAPI SPOTLIGHT

Our Latest Publication

WHEN INDIAN FLOWERS BLOOMED IN EUROPE: Masterworks of  Indian Trade Textiles, 1600-1780, in the TAPI Collection

By: Ebeltje Hartkamp-Jonxis (Author)

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TAPI SPOTLIGHT

Our Latest Publication

THE SHOEMAKER’S STITCH: Mochi Embroideries of Gujarat in the TAPI Collection

By Shilpa Shah,  Rosemary Crill (Authors)

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COLLECTION

Get a glimpse of the different genres of TAPI’s textile and art collection and discover the essence of India.

INDIAN TEXTILES

The TAPI Collection consists of over four thousand textiles of historic value, encompassing a wide range of techniques, materials and motifs.

INDIAN ART

In addition to textiles, the TAPI Collection also preserves examples of other forms of Indian art. Noteworthy are the Miniature and Company School  paintings in the collection.

PUBLICATIONS

Trade Temple & Court

Trade Temple & Court

Masters of the Cloth

Masters of the Cloth

In Adoration of Krishna

In Adoration of Krishna

“What India’s textile artisan was, and still is, able to achieve is awesome and humbling.”

Shilpa Shah – Collector