Hanaphabi and Saidambi Naik, two women from Karnataka's Siddi community, traveled to Chennai to display their beautiful hand-stitched quilts called kavands. These quilts have strong cultural value in their community. Saidambi explains, "The most ornate quilts are reserved for marriages. It is an heirloom passed on to our daughters. If you do not take a quilt to your in-laws’ house, you might not be treated well." The Siddis historically faced discrimination and rarely left their villages, but since 2015, more women have started showcasing their craft. At Chennai’s DakshinaChitra museum, the Siddi women exhibited 50 colourful quilts as part of the Threads of Confluence show. For the first time, they used Madras Checks, a famous cloth from Chennai with a long history of export, especially to Africa and the Caribbean. Art historian Anitha N. Reddy, who has worked with Siddi communities, says, "The vibrant Madras Checks is a symbol of prestige in African nations." The quilts are unique, with a mix of designs including Roman alphabets; Siddis see them as patterns rather than letters. This fusion of Siddis’ African roots and Chennai’s heritage cloth forms a powerful cultural link. Old Madras Trading Company provided the fabric. Its co-founder Ranvir Shah now owns these 55 one-of-a-kind quilts. Siddi women and Chennai fabric weavers even bonded through songs during the quilt-making. This craft offers hope for better livelihoods for a community that faces many challenges. Reddy hopes to take some of these women and their quilts to an international folk art market in the US soon. The exhibition continues at Kadari Art Gallery in Telangana until February 19. Despite economic gains, Hanaphabi and Saidambi remain cautious about larger problems like floods affecting their homes. Still, their determination shines as they carry forward a rich tradition of stitching hope and history together.