DRP_Banni in Kutch

Traditional Colour Sensibilities & The Role Of Natural Environment Banni in Kutch, Gujarat

DRP under Amala Shah

By Aashni Thakore

Banni in Kutch, Gujarat

Aim

To understand colour perception and process of selection as guidelines, with possible application in contemporary design.

Traditional communities and cultures have evolved their own perceptions and aesthetics over a long period of time as it becomes a part of the internal character. Colour is a

perception of all aesthetics in the particular community/ culture as a way of life encompassing - the built form, textiles, objects of daily use, arts and crafts.

This study is an attempt at following the colour selection and connection to the natural living environment. It will

Key words

Colour perception, light quality, traditional communities, cultural history, way of life

Scope

- Understand a natural design process led by a particular community over years inspired by the immediate context.

Limitations

- The research is oriented to the span of 4 months- January –

AbstractColour perception depends wholly on the quality of light of vision. Colour selection, in terms of preferred colour palettes in traditional communities/ cultures have evolved based on these principals of colour perception. The roles of material availability, socioeconomic factors, psychology and

These colour selections/preferences have evolved life; encompassing the built environment, objects and implements, Arts, crafts and attire. These selections evolved these communities/cultures/regions.

India is a vast country with myriad communities and cultures in their totally varying nattural environments these cultures still retain their original essence with few upon such a study and documentation of traditional colour sensibilities, with the emphasis on natural process of selection – a vital design process. These can possibly be applied to contemporary design processes.

Lens of study

This study is based on understanding traditional colour sensibilities with respect to the natural environment of the chosen region. Light plays an essential role in the perception of colour. “The colour uses light as its vehicle” (Amala Shah), which means that the study of colour is conducted in reference to the quality of light. understand the traditional colour sensibilities of the region.

The study is categorized into two major topics and their interrelation- natural and man-made environments. The fauna and farming. The man-made environment comprises the built form, attires, textile, objects of daily use and crafts. These two layers juxtapose with each other to form the complete pallet. The study is based on a holistic approach where the colours are perceived with the context of the natural environment to connect the interdependencies of each other in terms of tangible and intangible aspects. This research leads to the understanding of the colour aesthetics manifest a way of life in the region.

Methodology diagram

Field visits and data collection in the form of:

Photographs of subjects mentioned in parts A, B and C Time lapse photographs depicting quality of light in the region. Key colour swatches of important references.

References: Meeting concerned traditional people for traditional insights Meeting experts whenever possible Researching through books and the web

Collating the information:

a glimpse/ cohesive picture of selected area covering all aspects of sections A, B and C; including learning

of the selected region, depicting geography, locations of various tribal clusters and various craft clusters Arranging the collected pictures and swatches according to sections A, B and C

Synopsis

to the sections A, B and C with a few photographs to complete the narrative A special note on the quality of

region Drawing parallels between colours of the natural environment and the man made environment (the way of life), using photographs and colour swatches Presenting the insight in terms of the colour aesthetic of the selected traditional community/culture in their region

Banni region in Kutch, Gujarat

Natural environment, Built form,Textile,Crafts and Culture

By : Aashni Thakore Batch 2017, Faculty of Design CEPT University, Ahmadabad

Guide : Amala Shah

All photos are taken by the Author unless mentioned otherwise.

Aknowledgement

This research is about the remote place in Kutch Gujarat which is Banni and would like to acknowledge each and every individual who has supported me with their knowledge and experience. I am grateful to Ms. Amala Shah for her constant guidance and immense support. Without her, this research would not have been possible. Her vast experience and knowledge in the

my research. I am sincerely thankful to her for giving me this opportunity to learn and study colors in such a holistic manner. Thank you for conducting this DRP and teaching the design process and color sensibilities.

First and foremost, I would like to take an opportunity to thank my parents and my little brother. They have stood by my side throughout the entire my entire journey as my backbones. My mom has built me into who I am today, she has taught me to be a strong and independent women. My dad has always supported me to achieve my dreams and goals. I would like to thank my grandparents for always being there for me. My grandfather has taught me discipline and made me learn to go the extra mile to achieve my dreams and develop my future career. My grandmother has molded me with her knowledge in my school days and taught me to give my best. My pets, Leo and Alex have been my constant companions and have helped me to balance my stress. Bauji I am grateful for your kindness and positivity for my growth.

To my friends turned to family. My best friend, Naman has He stood by me as rock support during sleepless nights and

me believe in myself. My co-researchers, Chinmayee and Pooja without whom the journey of last six months of research would’nt have been this beautiful otherwise. My friend, Nidhi thank you for being there whenever needed. Naman, Nidhi and Chinmayee thank you for the constant support, motivation and best memories at college, without you guys

of journey, all my batchmates have been there to build happy and good memories to take along for the rest of my life.

Jaanvi , Preet, Nikhil, Vivan and my school friends have always understood me and supported me to achieve my dreams and goals over the period of education. You have been there for me on my good and bad days. Thank you for always being there.

Hamid Raj sir, thank you for being my mentor and for imparting

shaped me into what I am today and I will always remember the importance of the process of learning and reaching perfection. Your contribution to my learning would be always part of my life. My constant guide and support Mr. Varun shah, has always inspired me and believed in my capabilities to let the best out of me. Mrs. Keta Shah has been very understanding and

senior has been the constant source of motivation, happiness and positivity.

The entire fraternity of the Faculty of design, Thankyou for all

KD sir and Chandra Ma’am for being constant supports. Special thanks to all the faculties who have been part of my journey sir, Ratna ma’am, Ramesh sir , Vishal J. sir, Prashant sir, Ruchee ma’am and the head coordinator , Naandi ma’am.

To my amazing set of seniors for always guiding me when i was stuck and my juniors for always lending their hands whenever needed. My juniors, Ahbishai and Kashvi, Shivam and Devanshi who guided me in this journey .

Thank you wouldn’t be enough to express everything. It has been a memorable and beautiful journey at FD that I am going to cherish rest of my life

To the people of Banni

I am deeply greatful to the people of Banni for their guidance,support and giving their valuable time to share the knowledge and experiences with so much love and warmth.

My guide Kahna bhai took me through the entire experience in the period of a month to every small village in the region and for his support and making my journey easy and smooth.

Bijal kaka and Khimji kaka for providing me with home away from home. Thier warm welcome, hospitality and their help to their guidance helped me to know more insights.

Thank you Pabba bhai (Leather craft person) and his family who were so warm-hearted and accepted me as their family. Thankyou for amazing meals you have served whenever i was there. I will always cherish the time spent at his place with his family.

Irfan bhai (Ajrakh artisan) ,Hussain bhai (Bell making craft person), Sara ben and Abdul bhai (Potters), Tejsi Dama bhai (Kharad craft person), Hira bhai (Leather footwear craft (Lacquer craft person), Mehmood bhai (Mattikaam Artisan), Khaju bhai(Wood carving craft person) , I would like to thank each one of them from bottom of my heart.

For each person I met in Banni during my research, thank you for the time and love. This compilation of research wouldn’t have been possible without them.

Preface

Kutch

The word ‘Kutch’ derives from ‘Kachchha’ in Sanskrit, which denotes a turtle that emerges from the water.

Kutch is believed to be a ‘temporary land’ that will eventually return to the sea.

‘It is a vast crescent shape region located in the western part of India. It is virtually an island that has about 380 km of long coastline. The Arabian Sea borders it to the west and the Gulf of Kutch to the south and southeast. It is bordered by Rajasthan to the northeast, in the north-northwest by Pakistan(Sindh) and in the east by Banaskantha.’ (Shifting sands, Archana Shah).

It is the largest district of Gujarat and the second largest district in India, spreading an area of 45,612 square kilometers and constituting 969 villages, 10 talukas and 6 sub-districts. It is majorly divided into four zones, which are Wagad (Bachau, Rapar and Little Rann), Makpat (Part of Nakhatarana and Lakhapat), Kanthi (Sea coast Mundra and Mandvi) and Banni with pachhaam ( Bhuj, Nakhatrana and surrounding areas).

Kutch has varied landscapes, cultures and people which come communities of people having various traditions, religious practices, social systems, faiths, and languages coexist in an equally rich ecosystem, landscape and terrains.

The diversity of landscape and ecosystem ranges from the white salt marshes plains in Great Rann of Kutch and Little Rann of Kutch, the grasslands and wetlands ‘Charri dandh’ in Banni , the Kala dungar (hills) in Pachhaam, the plains of Lakhpat and Jakhau, the mangroves of Koteshwar and Mundra also the corals and creeks of Gulf of Kutch.

A diverse range of communities and cultures inhabit the region. In the broader context of complex culture in Kutch is the Thar desert, which includes Badmer and Jaisalmer in Rajasthan and Sindh in Pakistan. Although the political boundaries separate them, the cultural integrity of the regions prevails. This is because of the region’s similar physical environment and shared ethnic fabric.

The major communities of people who inhabit the region are the Jats, the Meghwal Marvada, the Sammas, the Umras, the Makranis, the Numarias, and the Baluchs in Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, Badmer in Rajasthan and Sindh in Pakistan. The Bhils and Kolis are the oldest community of people living in Kutch. In contrast, the other communities of people who migrated from central Asia, Afghanistan, Baluchistan, Sindh and Rajasthan, have been established in Kutch for 600 years. The people and Jainism. The local language is Kutchi, but they also speak Gujarati and Hindi. Though there is a complex socio-cultural structure, there is a long history of sectarian diversity and peaceful coexistence.

features such as similarities in their local built forms, attire and textiles, embroidery tradition, crafts, music and lifestyle. The amalgamation of these similarities has formed an ethnic diversity that has enriched the region’s culture.

of colors in people’s attire, the local houses they live in, the objects of daily use and the crafts evolved with the basic human needs. The use of bright colors like pink, red, orange, yellow, blue, green, and violet contrasts with the typical landscape of the region. The celebration of colors amidst the land of white salt leads to understanding the region’s color sensibilities with respect to the surrounding natural environment.

Introduction

Banni, Kutch

Located in the state of Gujarat, the Kutch district has varied geographical characteristics: saline desert, salt marshes, grassland, and water. The grassland region is known as Banni, which covers about 40 percent of the geographical area in the Kutch district.

It is a border region on the northern side of Kutch district, Gujarat. It is separated from the Pakistan border by a vast salt desert – The Great Rann, which is spread over about 24000 km and is one of the largest salt deserts in the world. Banni being in the extremes of Kutch, consists of intricate embroidery, colorful attire, a diverse range of crafts and local contextual dwellings.

green cover blankets the region during the monsoon season, making it a homeland for millions of migratory birds. There are around 40 types of grasses in the region; these grasses

places and settled. Maldhari, cattle rearing communities have migrated from central and west Asia. They have brought cows, of Banni is to milk and embroidery.

Along with cattle, women brought a vibrant embroidery culture. Each community has its unique embroidery as part of its identity, which plays a vital role in the region’s cultural landscape. The women use their creative hands and nimble a combination of bright colors, which add vibrancy to the starkly barren land in the region. Amidst the landscape, the smatterings of the colors represent the lifestyle of people in the region. Embroidery introduces the bride to her new home. Her relocation to her husband’s village will serve as a cultural transference facilitated by the dowry system in marriages.

The intersection of cultures and communities creates a rich and diverse ethnic fabric in the region. It shares borders with Sindh and Rajasthan, resulting in the constant absorption of cultures from the north, west, and east.

About 18 communities are living in 48 villages in the region. It is land that is home to various communities of people like Muslim pastoralists, Hindus and some who are neither Hindu nor Muslims.

Banni can be said ‘beyond political boundaries. Before partition, they moved freely from Sindh(Pakistan) to Kutch(India), taking cattle wherever they found fodder. The border of IndoPakistan had never bounded them. The pastoralists, which are the majority population of Banni, refer to Sindh as their Watan

and the rest of the Kutch district. The families live in a joint family, brothers, parents, grandparents, wives and children. The joint family lives in clusters of bhungas, and a few clusters (vandh) together form a village.

Each family used to have an average of around 500-1000 cattle. With the large numbers of cattle in the region, there are liters of milk and other dairy products supplied in Banni.

The lush green grassland was transformed into an ochre yellow desert. After 1960, life in Banni had a drastic change. A new kind of vegetation called Gando bawaad was grown as part of

the grasses and salinity of the land. Since then, the grassland

Part A-The natural environment

Geography & type of natural environment

Climate and Weather

Topography and Location

Banni was the most extensive lush green grassland in India and Asia. It is a vast arid land with prickly green trees and bushes sparsely grown in the shades of ochre brown soil terrain/ barren land.

It is situated in the Kutch district of Gujarat state, located between the mainland of Kutch in the south, Pachhaam in the north, and Wagad and Bela in the east. The southern part of Banni is separated from the Kutch mainland by a stretch of salty white land known as Little Rann

‘Banni’ is derived from the word ‘bannai’ in the Kutchhi language, which means freshly made from sediments of the

to the tectonic activities of the sea. The soil is received and Bhuj and Ends at Great Rann of Kutch.

It is made from the sediments and detritus deposited by Nirona, Bhukhi, Kaila, Kaswati, and Khari Panjora. Even though the minerals and materials of sediments are similar to River geographically from the north to the east in recent times. Hence the studies suggest that Banni was part of Great Rann of Kutch, which is silted up to Little Rann of Kutch and Banni plains.

Birth of the region 1300 years ago, A saint meditated for a continuous span of 12 years on a hill called Tapu. In all those years of samadhi, he did not have food and water. The mountain was 50 kilometers away from the boundary of Banni at present. When he opened his eyes to break the samadhi, he saw a completely deserted barren power of his eyes, he turned the barren land to lush green grassland. The grass became rich fodder for the cattle. The saint said the words ‘ ban gaya’; hence the word Banni was derived.

There are extreme climatic conditions in Banni. An arid and semi-arid climate resulted in a desert landscape characterized by shaded ochres, browns, and beige. In general, the climate of the region is hot and dry in the summer and cold in the winter. It receives scanty rainfall during the monsoon months. The average minimum and maximum temperature is 10 degrees and 45 degrees, respectively.

In the summer, the land is dry and dotted with thorny scrub and some blades of grass bravely sprouting out of the saline, ochre brown soil. The bright blue skies and harsh sunlight

during the summer. The color of the sky changes from pale shades of blue-gray in the afternoon to pale yellow-orange at sunset during the winter.

The maximum temperature is about 44 degree Celsius - 47 degree Celsius in summer that is month of May and June. Minimum Temperature is 5 degree Celsius - 8 degree Celsius in winter that is month of December and January.

Image 1 -Map of Banni in Kutch

Image 2- Map of Kutch in Gujarat

Image 3-During the summer, in the harsh sunlight the soil appear yellow ochre soil with sparesly located dry shrubs.

Image 4-During the winter, in the pale light the soil appear beige brown with dark and dull green shrubs and grasses.

The average yearly rainfall Is 317 mm on seven rainy days. Yearly rainfall occurs from June to September through southwest monsoon winds. Humidity is high, around 50 percent to 60 percent.

Depending on the rainfall, the diverse colors of green grasses bright colors like pink, yellow, purples and reds, and green shades. The colors of the landscape are like poetry, merging blues of the sky.

Imae 5-The green grassland during the monsoon season

1-The geography and type of natural environment, including seasonal variations

Typical landscape

the region. The climate in the Banni region is dry and arid, so most of the typical landscapes are patches of ocher-shaded barren ground. There are patches of dark/olive green trees and thorny shrubs with soil which has ochre-brown colorations along with the beige and grey browns of the terrain and the changing colors of the skies with time and seasonal variations.

layer of greens in contrast to the dull shades of dusty brown land. Lack of water in an arid region leads to pale and faded greens. The gando bawaad has spread over the entire region with desi bawaad, Khari jar and Mithi jar located in intervals where the soil is favourable.

Across the road are the open grasslands in hues ranging from ochers to browns with desert shrubs. These are scattered across the dry land, where mainly Thor and Akdo are located. There is a small clump of soil at regular intervals that encloses the land around these thorny, stunted, and prickly shrubs of the desert. This rugged terrain is characterized by dark brown rocks and minerals. Overall, the color palette of the trees, shrubs, and vegetation is more dominated by darker and duller browns and greens.

with softer green stems.

perceived in darker shades of grey and black in the frame of the overall landscape.

Most months are characterized by light blues in the morning, a brighter blue shade in the afternoon, and colored skies in the evening depending on the season. The sunsets in winter are yellow-orange in color with pink and purple undertones, while in summer they are yellow-orange with blue undertones.

In the course of a good monsoon season, diverse hues of green

over the desert. These grasses also become a homeland for a range of migratory birds. The grasses also become rich fodder for rearing cattle during the next three-four months.

The green grasses is the transformation layer of from the dry desert land.

By the onset of winters, the grasses start drying and vanishing to barren land. By summer, the land is arid. The land transformation leads to changes in the colors of land and overall landscape with seasonal variations. There is a stark contrast in the landscape’s color during the monsoon and summer seasons.

with pale green leaves.

Soil

The soil in this region is highly saline. It is alluvial and sandy in texture. Various colors of rich alluvial soil are found, including white, sandy yellow ochre, light brown, dark brown, beige-

minerals and is sourced from dry ponds, wetlands, hills and plain terrain. The soil is used as a natural resource for constructing local dwellings, pottery and other daily objects.

The primary reason for the increasing soil salinity is that the region is low-lying alluvial land. Hence, there is a discharge of salt from rivers like Khari, Nara, Bhurud, Panjora and Kaswati.

The second reason is due to the presence of the sea. The tides bring salts. It is an arid region, which exacerbates the salinity problem. When heavy evaporation occurs, the salt comes on top of the surfaces. Due to the high content of clay and silt, also very low, resulting in the salt getting leached during precipitation.

The degradation of the grasslands over time has led to an increase in salinity problems since deposition from the wind settles salt in barren lands.

Image 11-The typical landscape of rough terrain in the hues of ocher and beige browns with a layer of green vegetation juxtapose in the pale blue morning sky.

Image 12-The typical landscape of barren land in the hues of ocher and beige brown land with dots of green with the backgroud of intense blue afternoon sky.

Image 6-The layers of green juxta pose the Shades of brown dessert land.

Image 7-Gando Bawaad grown all over the region.

Kheep. with dark green and brown grass

Great Rann of Kutch

‘Rann’ means ‘desert’ in Hindi which is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Irina’.

The Great Rann of Kutch is located in the Thar desert in Kutch District of Gujarat, India is a white salt marsh desert. It stretches from Kutch district, Gujarat in India to Sindh province in Pakistan. It spreads about 7,500 square kilometres in area and is known to be the largest white salt desert in the world. It is also the largest salt production zone in India. Today the river Luni feeds the Rann of Kutch in from the northwest and the river Rupen from the east and the river Banas from the west.

Being part of a desert, the temperatures are the highest in the sub-continent. The temperature can go up to 50 degrees and higher. However, the winter temperatures can drop equally low with even zero degrees being recorded frequently.

In the northwest Kutch is separated from Sindh by the surreal landscape of shimmering white salt and breath-taking views of sunsets The desert is divided into two divisions, the Great Rann of Kutch in the north as Pachhaam and the Little Rann of Kutch in the south as Pawarpatti area. This connects Pachhaam with Banni. Sumrasar, Loria, Bibar, Jura, Nirona, Kharadia and Dador are included. Kuran, which is 67 kilometres from Bhuj, is the last sparsely populated area in Kutch and the last village before the no-mans-land and the salt desert linking India and Pakistan. The border of India and Pakistan is 30 kilometres from Kuran. The India bridge is the last army post.

Image 13- The surface was absolutely the whitewashed panorama, the horizon where the white earth meets the stark blue sky is seen.

rains in the monsoon season. From June to August, the lowblue sky during the rainy season. After that, evaporation occurs in the winter season, from October to December. The saline crust gets hardened, which forms the white salt marshes. The

snow. By January, the vast span of salt in Great White Rann is immeasurable.

White salt marshes cover the entire landscape; only a camel can be seen walking across the salt plains. A shimmering white salt desert stretches all the way to Pakistan. An endless expanse of marshes stretches across the desert land. At one point during the day, it seems as if the horizon line between the desert and sky blurs seamlessly.

During sunset, the colour variation in the sky allows for clear visibility of the horizon. There is only one boundary between the sky and the land that is crisp and clear. When the sun rays fall on the salt, they appear to shine like crystals. As far as the eye could see were the white crystals of shimmering salt.

Image 15-Evening of whites ,browns, beige and grays which seamlessly merge with the sky and blurs the horizon line.

contrast the brilliance of white surface.

snow in shades of beige browns with tints of mauve, pink, and orange, framed by places of light grey and dark grey moulfs.

Image 16- The salt marsh, where all traces of water evaporate at sweltering temperatures, leaving behind mounds of salt that rise up. By forming moulds from the white salt marshes, patterns and textures are created on the surface which enhance the perception of the changing colors. The slushy snowy white salt is in the shades of mauve and pink browns due to the light falling on it.

Image 14-Sunset

Wetland

Kalo Dungar is the local term given to the black hills. It is the highest point in Kutch, Gujarat, at 462 m. The frame divides into four layers – a foreground of an ochre brown desert with

top. These foreground layers overpower the last layer of the sky, with shades of blue as a background. The hills add a layer black in colour.

They are 97 kilometres from Bhuj and 25 kilometres from Khavda. The structure of rocks reveals that the land of the region was under water. The range of north is around 160 kilometres long and is split into the elevation of Pachhaam, Kadir, Kuvar and Chorad.

The 400 years old temple of Dattatreya is at the top of the hill. Dattatreya is the god with the three head incarnation of Bhrama, Vishnu and Shiva in one body. It is believed that while he was walking on earth, he paused at Kala dungar after seeing a band of starving foxes. He

as he was god, the body kept healing itself as they ate. Out of respect for deity to be blessed and then shared amongst the foxes in the vicinity. Since then, this tradition has been followed by the Pujari/priest of the temple. The Pujari/priest would call the white foxes with the strange whistling sounds. As soon as they hear, they would soon emerge from the wilds fearlessly and eat the prasad consisting of Sukhadi, made

The wetland ecosystem plays a vital role in dry and arid lands. become a source of water there. through heavy rains and nearby irrigation reservoirs. Due to excessive evaporation, water gradually turns saline, and salts get dissolved in the soil. During the migration, a massive amount of water birds host in these ‘dhands’.

Shervo-Dhand, Vekaria-Dhand, Kheerjog- Dhand, Kunjevarithanth, Hanjtal, Abdha-Jheel, Mokaro-Jheel and Luna-Jheel are some of the series of wetlands in this region. During the

heavy rains and nearby irrigation reservoirs. Due to excessive evaporation water gradually turns saline and salts get dissolved in the soil. During the migration , huge amount of water birds host in these ‘dhands’.

Charri dandh

Charri dhand is a huge freshwater jheel which is a saucershaped shallow lake. It is an important feature of the Banni region, Kutch. It is situated on the edge of the region. It is legally protected under the Reserve Forest of India.

‘Charri’ means salt, and ‘dhand’ means shallow wetland. ‘Dhand’ in Sindhi means Shallow saucer-shaped depression. During rains in monsoon time, it becomes a swampy seasonal

from the hills surrounding it. Its area of it is around 227 square kilometres spread. (80 kilometres southwest of the city Bhuj and 8 kilometres from Fulary village, and 30 kilometres from Nakhtrana.) During the monsoon and winter season, about lakhs of migratory and endangered species of birds ground in this area as their homeland. Lai(Tamarix SPS.), Khara Pilu (Salvadora persic), and Mitha Pilu (Salvadora oleoides) are shrubs which are bordered around the Charri dandh

Image 18- The temple

Image 19 - The panoramic view of The White rann from the top of the hill, after sunset

Image 21,22- The charri dandh water body in the monsoon

During heavy rainfalls in the monsoon season, it becomes a ground for many birds in the winter season. Cranes, Dalmatian pelicans, and Rosy Pelicans are mainly found in the region during the winters. The other birds are the common spoonbill, great white pelican, mallard, greylag goose, sarus crane, and Eurasian curlew. It is also home to animals like Chinkara, blackbuck, nilgai, golden jackal, wild boar, Indian hare, Indian wolf, Asiatic wild cat and desert fox.

The hills surround the barren land – mount Dhinodhar stands tall behind the wetland. The hill’s name is after saint Dhoramnath who spent his life meditating on the hill.

During the rainy season and winter season, the area has very shallow blue water bodies and tall green grasses grown creates a dramatic illusion of colours. The diversity of birds of the summer, The sun’s rays fall on the dry grasses during the early sunrise, shining in golden yellow-brown, and thousands brown grasses and the colours of birds merge seamlessly in the overall landscape with a clear distinction between the grey-blue skyline.

Image 23- The yellow-brown grass and pale blue sky has a clear line in between with organic movement the ground.

Image 24- Just beginning the glow sing song and the beautiful hues of morning sky become a back drop during the migration from one place to another.

Image 25-34- species of birds

Part A-The natural environment

2. Flora and Fuana

2-Biodiversity-Flora and Fauna, including seasonal variations

Flora

varieties of plant species in the Banni region, which includes 40 types of grass species, 89 types of herb species,17 types of trees and 18 types of others.

Halophytes (salt-tolerant) low growing plant species with scattered tree cover and shrubs dominate the region. Local trees are Lai, Pilu, Desi Baawad, Kher, Khijdo, Mesvak , Lana, Ooeyen, Kerad , Sedge, meetha neem, and now Gando Baawad. The shrubs found are Kheep, Shan/Shaniyo (Fibers from reeds), Ikal, Akdo and various 18-20 types of grasses are found in the region.

Image 35- The overall landscape with tiny shrubs of distinguishing vegetation. Primarily akdo plant is seen in abundance throughout the region.

It is an arid region that is covered with coarse and low perennial grasses like Dhrab, Dhrabad, Jinjvo, Dhaman, Khevai and Siyarpuchha. The sparsely distributed colonies of Chhabra, Madhanu, Nanu Mandhanu, besides sedge like Nano Chiyo, Chiyo, Kal Kakuro. The coarse and pioneer colonizing grasses like Khariyu and Oin are extensively grown. Undershrubs like Lano, Moto Lano, Unt Morad, and Lai occur abundantly all over, especially in the places where waterlogging occurs in pools during the rainy season and sedges with annual grasses occur around the fringes of such pooling spots. At present, palatable grass and tree species like Desi bawaad, Khari Jar and Mithi Jar are present. However, the abundance has decreased

Kheep: It is an olive green color plant. Having xerophytic characters, it is well adapted to harsh edapho-climatic

yielding plants of Thar Desert. It is also traditionally used as food, medicine and thatching purpose by the desert dwellers. As a drought hardy shrub, it plays an important role in arid ecosystem as a greening vegetation in the time of less and erratic rainfall. It is used in thatching roofs when the leaves turn darker brown due to water loss. The pods of this shrub are ripe

to make ropes. It is consumed by all stock, but particularly by camels, which consider it good fodder.

a small “crown” rising from the center to hold the stamens. It ranges from a pale green color in the winter to a brighter green in the summer. It is a perennial soft wooded plant that is used for medicine, fuel, fodder, as well as for timber construction. Their mud houses are built by using the dried sticks as roof construction and as fuel for their chula. There is a use for this plant for workshipping in the locally.

Euphorbia also called Thor . It is also known as Spurge and produces a latex-like substance when cut. Generally found in temperate zones , they are often related to cacti. The Cactus or Cacti does not produce a milky substance. They are found in areas that undergo a dry season followed by monsoon rains. are an important part of local ecology often providing shelter for small reptiles. The plant is supposed to have medicinal properties as well. Among its uses are the production of biofuel and the treatment of leukemia. Because the plant is able to adapt to local conditions, it is quite hardy and resistant. The cylindrical thorny stem is also used as bio fencing.

These desert shrubs are primarily found in region and are used layer of vibrancy in the dull and dusted desert landscape.

Image 38-Thor blossoms its buds in the red color

Image 37-Akdo blossoms in the shades of white and lilac.

Image 36- Kheep blossoms in the yellow color.

The biodiversity consists of fresh green grasses, dry ochre and are perceived at certain height which adds a layer of green at intervals according to the minerals and salinity of soil in the region. These patches are seen in olive and dark green colours. The trees and shrubs are adapted to the climatic conditions hence they don’t need excessive water to survive. The lack of water results in dull and faded green colours.The tree barks and shrub branches are in mid to dark shades of brown. These stems, branches and tree barks are thicker to store colours in the overall pallet.

arid region. Some of the plants are used as natural local medicines for curing diseases. The stems of plants are

The branches are used for charcoal as well as to create fence for the cattle. The local wood are used for making furniture and also as a constructing material for built forms.

Image 39-Sparse vegeation in the shades of olives and dark greens amongst the sand and normal blue skies of the after noon.

Image 40- The two important features of

Fauna

The wildlife which gets adapted to the grassland and its extreme climatic conditions is found in Banni. Blue Bull, Chinkara, Indian Hare, Wild Boar, Jackal, Indian Wolf, Caracal, Hyaena, desert Fox, Nilgai, wild boar, wild ass and Asiatic Cat are wild animals found in Banni.

Indian Wolf, Caracal, and Chinkara are the extinct mammals found in this region.

Rich numbers and a variety of avifauna, herpetofauna, invertebrates, and micro-organisms are also there. Spinytailed Lizard Uromastyx hardwickii, Common Monitor Lizard and species of snakes such as vipers and sand snakes are the herpetofauna found in the region.

Image 41-Spiny tailed lizard comes out from the burrows due to heat in summer days. They hibernate during the winder days. The spines on their tails and their body is in the beige color. These reptiles belong truly to stark, dry and dusty desert land.

Flamingos, MacQueen’s Bustard, White-winged Black Tit, Stoliczka’s Bushchat, and Grey Hypocolius, White-eared Bulbul, Temminck’s stint, Marshall’s iora, Eurasian stone-curlew, Redtailed shrike are predominately avifauna found in the region. winter season.

Flora and fauna are used as an interpretation for motifs translated to patterns in the textile, crafts, paintings on interior and exterior walls of their local dwelling and other daily life objects. They are a major source of natural dyes used for yarns and fabrics dyeing, block printing dyes, colours for other crafts in the region. These natural colours play a role in imparting

colours to the overall pallet of the dull ochre landscape.

and the selection of certain bright colours in contrast to the aesthetic sensibilities. Hence the materials, motifs, patterns

the region.

The translation of their culture and traditions is seen in the choice of motifs, types of patterns and colors. The natural environment plays an important role in manifesting the way of life.

Wild fox Chinkara

Caracal

Image 43,44,45,46- The shades of beige, brown and greys of the fauna merge with the colors of land.

Wild ass

Image 47- Peacock is a major source of inspiration for the locals

Image 48- Sparrows are found in abundant numbers

Man-made - farmland

Traditionally locally grown crops for generations are Bajra (pearl millet) and jawar (sorghum millet), which are the two staple grains of the region. Heat is generated by bajra; hence it is eaten in winters, the consumption of jowar cools the body; hence it is eaten in summers. Garlic, chillies, and onions are locally grown vegetables.

The digging of bore wells, pumping of groundwater, and building an extensive network of irrigation pipes to supply water from the dam has transformed the landscape into green pastures. Wheat grains are also cultivated in the region since the water supply has started. Castor oil (hirendiyara), mustard seeds (raido), and cumin seeds (jeera) are extensively grown in the farmlands. The sulfur-yellow mustard and snowy white cumin add vibrancy to the landscape. The palette of greens and yellows of mustard farmlands against the pale blue skies stand out in the middle of the general dry and drab environment. while passing by the roads. These patches add an layer of colors to the overall landscape while also acts as distinguishing factor amongst all the other crops. Pomegranates fruits are grown extensively in some parts, which are used as a source for natural colours used in dyeing fabric and yarns.

Domestic- Cattle

The variety of grasses is about 40 species generated in this region which could be a resource of fodder for cattle like Banni roosters.

During the summer days, sparsely located green prickly trees

land and resting under the shed of gando bawaad in harsh sunlight.

its milk production, adaptive to extreme climatic conditions and germplasm. They are disease resistant and can walk long distances. They are adaptive to the grassland in the Banni region. They can walk a 10 to 15 kilometres radius distance according to fodder availability and season.

night. After the second milk is extracted in the evening, the herd leaves their vadas unaccompanied by anyone. The sound of the metal bell worn by the herd while grazing in the desert is enchanting.

The herd follows the head which usually has a bell hung around its neck, and comes back to their vadas early morning. They are not tied in their vadas, even during the milking process.

Kankrej cattle

They have a well-built body with beautiful looks with large halfmoon shaped horns. They are majorly in the shades of whitegreys.

Kankrej town in Banaskantha district of North Gujarat is the native of Kankrej cattle. Locally also called Vadhiyari in Kutch. It is well adapted to climatic conditions of Kutch and Saurashtra. It is also resistant to severe droughts and resilient to stress conditions. They are famous for the good quality of milk production and good fat content even in stressful conditions. They also help in agriculture purposes by the ‘sawai chalk, which is the back leg reaches further, and then the front leg time.

shining copper bells hung around the neck

Image 61 - A men extracting milk

around with gando bawaad branch es loes in their vadas.

Image 66 -The gando bawaad is used as shelter in sunny days to protect from harsh sunlight and scorching heat.

texture on the land while grazing for the fodder.

Cattle

Camel

The Kharai camel breed is one-of-a-kind, and it lives in the land of Kutch. They are in the shades of ochres and browns, which merge with the colors of the surrounding landscape of the region. These camels are owned by the pastoral community -the nomadic people, Jats and Rabaris.In the past, they were used as a mode of transport for movement and migration. The camels are adapted to the region’s arid climate and have low accessibility to water. They can swim 3 kilometres to the islands

on thick mangroves. They then swim back to their home in the vast desert with their herders. These camels are not only capable of swimming, but they can also survive in saltwater in the Great Rann of Kutch.

The cattle leather extracted from the dead body is used for making various leather products. Traditionally, it was used for footwear. It is used for making bags, mirrors, artworks, belts, wallets, etc. The leather is known for its good quality and various colours available, from shades of ochres to browns concerning colour imparted from the skin.

Image 76-Camel with a maldhari

Image 77-Camel adorned with embroidered colored textiles

Image 75-Camel walking in water

3. Natural resources

The natural environment plays an integral role in providing natural sources used in daily life.

A- The gando bawaad branches are used for making fences of cattle, temporary houses for Maldharis and also for making charcoal.

b- The local trees like babool, neem, and desi bawaad are sourced for wood which is used for making the structure of mud houses of local dwellings.

C-The wood is also used for making furniture, storage and other objects of daily use.

D-The dry grasses are used for making conical roofs of Bhunga. The fresh grasses of grassland are a source of fodder for the cattle.

E- The soil is mixed with gobar to make mud walls for the local dwellings,

f- The mud and gobar mixture is also used for adorning the interior and exterior walls of Bhunga with mud relief work- lippan kaam. The mud mirror work is also done for storage and niches in the internal space.

G- The soil is used for making pots and other terracotta objects used in everyday life.

H- The castor oil used for making the paste is Rogan. It is also used for medical purposes as a natural laxative.

i- The lac used for making lacquer is sourced from the insects found on the trees in the surrounding natural environments.

J-The natural colours are obtained from natural sources like pomegranate, onion peels, indigo, turmeric, maddant, which are used as dyes for fabrics, yarns, block printing and so on.

K- the cattle which die, their skin is converted to hide for making leather and its various products.

The people of local communities live in close relationship with the land’s natural resources and the natural environment in their surroundings. Everyday needs such as food, shelter, and other daily use objects depend on these natural resources. Because of the limited availability of these resources, they use the resources judiciously. Their everyday objects and the of technique. These people act as guardians of their natural environment, and their beliefs contribute to conserving it and living a sustainable lifestyle. Along with this their traditional factors of the region.

Food

Punctuated with a distinct favor, the staple diet comprises pickle. Along with this a creamy and chilled pure white chaas ; buttermilk.

The staple food of the local people is Bajra and Jowar nu rotlo. The ratlo is thick with ghee spread over it. They have gud (jaggery) and ghee with every meal.

The vegetables are brought from the local bazaar from the near by village Khavda or Bhuj, as there is no major other agriculture in this region.

They have a glass of chaas (buttermilk) after every meal , as it is considered to be good for digestion purpose.

Masala khara bhaat (spiced rice) and meethi jeera bhaat (sweet rice) are other few dishes made on special occasions.

Milk and the other dairy products are consumed daily by day with a cup of tea. of hospitality and gesture of welcoming.

Banni no mava is one the most famous sweet dishes , made from milk and sugar.

Image 98- Bajra no rotlo, ghee and gud.

Image 97-Dudh no mavo

Image 96-Making of mavo

Image 99-Churning of dahi (yogurt) for making butter milk.

Image 100-The young girl is cooking on chula.

White Rann

White Rann

Charri Dandh

Flora

A-The natural environment

Quality of light

4. Quality of light

Color is the essence of light, and light is the essence of psychological, and physical factors. Physicists examine the energies and frequencies of light waves as well as the interaction between light and matter. Physiologists study visual color perception. The perception of color is one aspect of your visual experience when you look at something. It depends on the wavelength and intensity of the light that illuminates the object. Among these are the wavelengths of light that are the light. Color is experienced by humans as a result of interaction between light, material, and our optical apparatus, eye, and brain.

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS of color sensation are hue, saturation, and brightness. But none of these are directly measurable. In the absence of measurable physical aspects that specify color, the answer lies in a combination of three psychophysical variables: dominant wavelength, purity, and luminance. The eye cannot distinguish between the component together, they form a third color that cannot be seen by the human eye.

COLOR PERCEPTION PHENOMENON

UNRELATED COLOR , color can be perceived as either an isolated or unrelated phenomenon. A distinguishing factor of unrelated color is brightness. The brightness of an object/area is an attribute of a visual sensation that describes how it appears qualitative characteristic. Hueless colors include white, black, and grey, which are known as achromatic. All the other colors are called chromatic and have a hue. There are three basic hues: red, yellow, and blue. There is another attribute to color, called chromaticity, as well as its relative, saturation.

Color’s chromatic quality refers to whether an area appears to display more or less chromatic color. As a visual perception, saturation is the extent to which an area displays more or less chromatic colors in relation to its brightness. The chromatic content of color is measured by its chromatic content regardless of its brightness. In contrast, saturation refers to the chromatic content of colors of equal brightness.

RELATED COLORS, the related colors are those generally used by objects in the presence of other objects. However, depending on the circumstances, the color sensation caused by an object can be related or unrelated. Light from the surround is much so the color appears distinct. There is a continuous transition between related and unrelated colors.

Lightness, The majority of our color experience involves related color. We see colored objects and materials in our daily lives because of a source of light, whether it is natural or

surroundings that incorporates light. The lightness of a color is determined by how it compares to the average brightness of the surrounding colors.

The term lightness is used by observers to distinguish between the lightness and darkness of colored objects. Lightness should according to their whiteness or greyness by the observer’s perception of lightness. It is a comparative term used to describe

greyer, or even black. An area perceived as black is one in which the light does not allow for detailed vision. A white surface is is the perception of a surface between these two extremes.

HUE SATURATION VALUE

Hues are comparable to unrelated and related colors. The chromatic content of a color is its brightness divided by its chromatic content. In other words, it is the desire to have a comparable term for light colors. The term used for the purpose of this purpose is chroma. Based on the lightness or average brightness of the surrounding environment, a similar color exhibits more or less chromatic color.

A related achromatic (a hueless) color with maximum lightness (no darkness) is called white. Its opposite, a color with maximum darkness(no lightness) is called black. Achromatic colors tend to have both lightness and darkness and are gray in color. A particular characteristic of the visual system is the perception of grayness in certain chromatic colors. Thus, brown soil is

Any related color can be described in terms of hue, chromatic content, and white/black or gray content.

Attributes of Color

HUE is the color sensation by which you distinguish the

A psychophysical variable related to hue is the predominant wavelength of light for each color. The color of light samples can be matched by adding monochromatic (spectrally pure) light. For these light samples, there is only one spectrally pure light that will give a precise match. That wavelength is known as the dominant wavelength of the sample, and it can be measured.

SATURATION relates to the degree of hue in a color. This is the color perception that allows you to determine whether a hue is pale or rich, weak or strong. Saturation (Also Referred to as Chroma)A more saturated hue is stronger, more vivid, and/ or brighter. Duller colors are referred to as being desaturated.

Figure 1-Colors that vary in saturation (within each column) or hue (within each row, except the top one).

Wavelength is the distance from the crest of one wave to the crest of the next. The height of a wave crest is its amplitude and is related to the energy of the wave. The human eye sees color over wavelengths ranging roughly from 400 nanometers (violet) to 700 nanometers (red). Light from 400–700 nanometers (nm) is called visible light, or the visible spectrum because humans can see it. The light outside of this range may be visible to other organisms but cannot be perceived by the human eye. The color of light that correspond to narrow wavelength bands (monochromatic light) are the pure spectral colours learned using the ROYGBIV acronym: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

ROYGBIV acronym: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

Figure 2- Three types of color sensationperception of color in respect to light

Although hue, saturation, and brightness sensation variables, they are not independent of one another. When one variable is changed the other two are

for example, can cause a change in the saturation or even in the hue of the color.

VALUE measures the relative degree of black or white that’s been mixed with a given hue. By adding white to the color, it becomes lighter (creates tints), and by adding black, it becomes darker (creates shades).

Wavelength and Color Spectrum Chart-The wavelength of light, which is related to frequency and energy, determines the in the table below. Some sources vary these ranges pretty drastically and their boundaries are somewhat approximate, as they blend into each other. The edges of the visible light spectrum blend into the ultraviolet and infrared levels of radiation.

The Visible Light Spectrum

Visible light is a range of electromagnetic radiation that can be detected by the human eye. The wavelengths associated with this range are 380 to 750 nanometers (nm) while the frequency range is approximately 430 to 750 terahertz (THz). The visible spectrum is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum between infrared and ultraviolet. Infrared radiation, microwaves, and radio waves are lower frequency/longer wavelength than visible light, while ultraviolet light, x-radiation, and gamma radiation are higher frequency/shorter wavelength than visible light.

Visible light is that portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that usually stimulates the sense of sight. Electromagnetic waves exhibit a continuous range of frequencies and wavelengths. In the visible part of the spectrum, these frequencies and wavelengths are what we see as colours. The wavelengths of visible light are what we see as colours. Red has the longest waves, violet the shortest.

Colour temperature may be assigned to any light source by matching it visually against a Black-body radiator. The temperature at which the black body matches the colour of a light source is said to be the source’s colour temperature.

natural source of light which uses nuclear energy. The sun, our primary light source, gets its energy from nuclear processes in its hot interior, which is estimated to have a temperature of about 13 million degrees K. The sun is a ball of glowing

sun highly high pressures and temperatures. The atoms of the sun’s gases are highly ionised; many of the electrons that generally surround the atoms’ nuclei have been stripped away, leaving the atoms—electrically charged. These ionised gases at high pressure emit a continuous spectrum instead of a line spectrum. The wavelength at which we receive the most energy from the sun (the peak of its energy distribution curve)- ‘ is about 5,400 A. This lies in the green part of the spectrum, close to the wavelength the human eye has its most extraordinary sensitivity.

Ultraviolet light-Colors can only be discerned by the human eye and brain within a certain range. In contrast, some animals have a much broader visible spectrum, often extending into the infrared range (wavelengths greater than 700 nanometers) or UV range (wavelengths less than 380 nanometers).

amount falling on th surface.

During the day (when the Sun is the light we receive is brighter with a higher blue and UV content. Early in the morning and late in the evening, sunlight passes through more of the and UV content, leaving the light softer and warmer (less intense, less blue, more yellow and red). Our bodies are programmed to respond to these daily changes in intensity and color.

Colors of Visible Light

The colors of visible light are called the visible spectrum. The colors of the spectrum correspond to wavelength ranges. Sir Isaac Newton divided the spectrum into red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. He later added indigo, but Newton’s “indigo” was closer to modern “blue,” while his “blue” more closely resembled modern “cyan.” The color names and wavelength ranges are somewhat arbitrary, but they follow a sequence from infrared to ultraviolet of infrared, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo (in some sources), and violet. Modern scientists refer to colors by their wavelength rather than name, to avoid any confusion.

Figure 4- wavelength diagram

5- UV light diagram

Geographic location –

Banni is located from 23°19’N to 23°52’N and 68°56’E to 70°32’E and covers around 3000 square kilometers. Located in the Bhuj Taluka of the Kutch district. The Tropic of Cancer passes through the region between Bhuj and Bhirandiyari in Banni. According to its physiography, the region consists of four distinct geomorphic units: the White Rann of Kutch, the grassland, the hills, and the low-lying desert terrain plains. A large part of the area lies between 35°C and 45°C, falling into the sub-tropical climatic zone of semiarid to arid type.

measurements or circles dividing the Earth (the others are the equator, the equator, the Arctic Circle, and the Antarctic). It

northernmost point where the sun is directly overhead, the Tropic of Cancer also marks the northern boundary of the tropics, the region that extends from the equator north to the Tropic of Cancer and south to the Tropic of Capricorn.

the Tropic of Cancer. The amount of solar radiation incoming to Earth is known as solar insolation. It varies over the Earth’s surface according to the amount of direct sunlight hitting the equator and tropics, and it spreads north or south from there. The rays of the Sun are most intense at the sub-solar point (the point on Earth directly beneath the Sun where they strike at 90 degrees to the surface), which migrates annually between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn due to the Earth’s axial tilt.

In June, when the subsolar point is at the Tropic of Cancer, the northern hemisphere receives the most solar insolation. During the June solstice, since solar insolation is greatest at the Tropic of Cancer, the northern hemisphere also receives the most solar energy, keeping the weather warm and creating summer.

Figure 6- The sun rays received in the northern hemisphere on the earth

The sun is the primary source of natural light on earth. Depending on where a region is located on Earth, the amount of light and heat will vary. The intensity and colors of natural light (wavelengths) change with the time of day, the season, and the location on earth. The sky is bright and blue when the sun is overhead, and orange and red when the sun sets. The

atmosphere, which changes based on the angle of the sun, the location on earth, the time of year, as well as the local weather conditions.

The solar azimuth angle projection of the sun’s center onto the horizontal plane and due south.

The azimuth angle indicates the compass direction from which sunlight is coming. Solar noon occurs when the sun is directly south in the northern hemisphere and directly north in the southern hemisphere, which is exactly on mediterian.

Quantity of light - on a scale from blinding bright to very dim

The amount of light depends on the solar altitude which is directly dependent on the azimuth angle of the sun and the location of the region. Regions closer to the equator have higher solar altitudes than the region near the poles.

India is close to the equator and the Banni region in Kutch crosses the Tropic of Cancer, the sun’s rays appear to fall direct overhead in the afternoon. Because of this, sunlight falls directly with high intensity, resulting in harsh and cruel light. Its luminance is blindingly bright due to its intense intensity.

Direction of light-

The direction of light depends on the Sun’s path. It refers to the daily and seasonal arc-like path that the Sun appears to follow across the sky as the Earth rotates and orbits the Sun.

The tropic of cancer is the northernmost point of the earth; hence the sun’s rays directly hit in the afternoon. The direc tion of light in the northern hemisphere is always towards the south, and thus, therefore, facing south will receive direct and harsh sunlight. Hence, the climate due to the Tropic of Cancer is generally hot and dry.

In the early morning, the sunrays fall at an angle from the east and the light intensity is less. As the day progresses into the af ternoon, the sun rays fall at an angle from the south side, and the angle is direct, with a high intensity of light perpendicular to the sun.

The azimuth angle(The solar azimuth angle is a way to identify the illumination of objects all around the clock.

Figure 10-Sun path in Month of January

In the month of January (winter), due to the slanted sun rising

soft and less intense. Winter light is a pale, yellowish color and as a result, makes the surrounding areas appear bright with less luminance.

During the month of March (onset of summer), the same light

surrounding area, enhancing its luminance and making the immediate area more vibrant. The summer light has a more intense yellow tone. An expansive landscape of desert, free

Figure 11-Sun path in Month of March

Shadow-

Light travels directly from its source (here, the Sun). Shad ows are the areas of darkness left behind when light strikes an opaque (solid) object. The shadows are more potent and sharper on days with direct, intense lighting and softer on days

Image 101-The sky are usually cloudless hence there is no hinderence and the un

sharp due to high intensity of light. Also they are quite visible as there is no obstrac tion of dense trees in the plain terrain land. These shadows create a contrast on the dry barren land.

Figure 12- Sun path in Month of June

by the angle at which light strikes an object. If the light is at a lower angle (side on), an object will block more light, creating long shadows; if the light is at a higher angle (overhead), the shadows will be shorter.

Along with the direction, it is the movement of the light that again plays a very important role in perceiving the shadow. This is the case which usually happens during the sunrise and sunset. The light and shadow play create dynamism in the landscape.

Figure 13-Sun path in Month of December

Variations in Natural Light:

Radiation from the Sun that does get through the atmosphere and is visible to our eyes can be described in ways

Twilight is the transitional period between the day and night (before the sun rises and after it sets); the light is

contrast as the sun crosses the horizon and light scatters to shorter wavelengths.

During sunrise and sunset, the sun is near the horizon, due to which the sunlight passes sideways through a much longer and denser section of the earth’s atmosphere. This scatters most of the green and blue wavelengths to produce distinct shades of yellow and red. The warmer colours of light are experienced during this period

Colour of light -

An orange or red Sun in the early morning or late evening is a sight to behold. The sky takes on these vivid hues due to a phenomenon called Rayleigh scattering.

The Sun emits light, which is a type of electromagnetic radiation. It is made up of white light which when hit by the molecules some are invisible. The visible spectrum ranges from 400nm to 700nm with violet having the shortest wavelength and red having the longest. Sunlight is very intense and when it shines through the whole atmosphere, where there’s lots of air, we are able to see the scattered sunlight. The atmosphere also

The Earth’s atmosphere is primarily made up of gas molecules, with oxygen comprising about 21% and nitrogen about 78%. In addition, water molecules in the form of droplets, ice crystals, vapor, and particles such as dust, pollutants, and ash can be found in the atmosphere, which is denser closer to the Earth and thins out as the altitude increases.

When sunlight strikes these gas molecules light of longer wavelengths, like red, yellow, and orange, easily passes through, while light of shorter wavelengths, such as blue and violet, is absorbed and then scattered in all directions by the gas molecules. This is the primary reason for why skies appear blue

Besides making the sky look blue, it is also the reason why the Sun looks yellow during the day even though sunlight is white. When the Sun is high in the sky, the light has to travel a shorter distance through the atmosphere. This means most of the yellow, orange, and red light passes through while a small amount of blue and purple light is scattered and removed from the mix. Therefore, the skies look yellow and red during the sunsets.It is also because of the spherical geometry of the earth, the sunlight travels longer distance in the thick of the earth’s atmosphere during sunset and sunrise when the Sun is at the horizons than when the Sun is at the zenith (midday).

The scattering is also related to the size and quantity of the scattering particles. During the night time the atmosphere is cool and the aerial particles and dust particles settle by morning whereas by evening they get dispersed. Thus, the scattering is more by evening than in the morning.

Figure 14-above diagram clearly indicated that most hue values were associated with warm tones when the morning sun entered whereas the overcast sky created colder atmospheres.

create distinct ambiences in terms of brightness, hues, and contrast.

ultraviolet light but they are actually visible groupings of microscopic water droplets (or ice crystals if it’s cold enough) that dwell high in the atmosphere above the Earth’s surface

When a parcel of air rises from the surface into the sky, it forms clouds. The package goes through lower and lower pressure levels as it ascends (pressure decreases with height).

The air inside the air parcel pushes outward as it moves into lower pressure locations, causing it to expand. This expansion consumes heat energy, cooling the air parcel. The higher it rises, the cooler it becomes. The water vapour inside the package condenses into droplets of liquid water as the temperature drops to the dew point temperature. These droplets subsequently form nuclei on the surfaces of dust,

those that attract water molecules.)

Condensation does not end when a cloud develops. However, when warm, moist air rises and feeds condensation, drier air

column of air, a process known as entrainment. When drier air is brought into the cloud body, the cloud’s droplets evaporate, and sections of the cloud disintegrate.

Clouds in contrast to the blue sky appear white to achromatic gray. The water droplets that make up the cloud are much larger than the molecules of the air and the scattering from them is almost independent of wavelength in the visible range.

receives. The Sun’s light rays collide with the individual water droplets that make up a cloud as they move through the atmosphere and clouds. Because the water droplets are the same size as the wavelength of sunlight, they scatter the light in a kind of scattering called Mie scattering, which scatters all wavelengths of light.

We perceive white clouds because all wavelengths are dispersed and all colors in the spectrum combine to form white light.

In a space capsule, the sky appears black. From the ground, it looks blue because of scattering by atmospheric particles. A cloud may be white where the sun light illuminates it from above or gray where sunlight does not strike directly, or it may possess any of the hues of a tropical sunset. The cloud in itself does not change color but its dues to all these phenomena that our perception of its color changes.

In the case of thicker clouds, such as stratus, sunlight passes through but is blocked. This gives the cloud a grayish ap pearance. Sunlight’s warmth is both enhanced and blocked by clouds. Clouds both cool and warm the earth’s surface. They cool the earth by bouncing sunlight back into the at mosphere; they warm it by bouncing light down to Earth’s surface.

UV rays are blocked to some extent by clouds. UV rays are

allowed to penetrate cloud cover, while less dense clouds re direct the rays in all directions. A combination of high clouds (16,500-45,000 feet) refracting UV rays and low clouds (less

levels on the ground. During the months of January and March, the skies are mostly clear and cloudless. The lack of clouds in the region results in harsh and direct sunlight, making the climate in the area even hotter. During cloudy days (as discussed on the right), clouds like cumulus and cirrus distribute light almost equally to a clear sky. As direct sunlight falls on the area and strong contrasts and highlights are created, perception of color and vision are altered. The many variations, however, can be grouped into one of 10 basic types depending on their general shape and height in the sky. Thus, the 10 types are:

Cirrus

On clear, sunny days, cumulus clouds form when the sun heats the ground directly below (diurnal convection). This is where they get their nickname of “fair weather” clouds. They appear in the late morning, grow, and then disappear toward

hangs low in the sky. They resemble fog that hugs the horizon (instead of the ground).

Stratus clouds are seen on dreary, overcast days and are as sociated with light mist or drizzle.

occurs in patches with clear blue sky between them. From underneath, stratocumulus appear dark and honeycomb-like. Stratocumulus is mostly seen on cloudy days. They form when there’s weak convection in the atmosphere.

Altocumulus clouds are the most common clouds in the mid dle atmosphere. They are in white or gray patches that dot the sky in large, rounded masses or clouds that are aligned in parallel bands. They look like the wool of sheep or scales

“mackerel skies.”

Altocumulus are often spotted on warm and humid mornings, especially during summer. They can signal thunderstorms to come later in the day. You may also see them out ahead of cold fronts, in which case they signal the onset of cooler tem peratures.

Cumulonimbus clouds are one of the few clouds that span the low, middle, and high layers. They resemble the cumulus clouds from which they grow, except they rise into towers with

On clear, sunny days, cumulus clouds form when the sun heats the ground directly below (diurnal convection). This is where they get their nickname of “fair weather” clouds They appear in the late morning, grow, and then disappear

hangs low in the sky. They resemble fog that hugs the horizon (instead of the ground).

Stratus clouds are seen on dreary, overcast days and are as sociated with light mist or drizzle. occurs in patches with clear blue sky between them. From underneath, stratocumulus appear dark and honeycomb-like. Stratocumulus is mostly seen on cloudy days. They form when there’s weak convection in the atmosphere.

Cumulonimbus clouds are one of the few clouds that span the low, middle, and high layers. They resemble the cumulus clouds from which they grow, except they rise into towers with

shape of an anvil or plume. Their bottoms are often hazy and dark. Cumulonimbus clouds are thunderstorm clouds, there’s a nearby threat of severe weather if they are seen (short but heavy periods of rainfall, hail, and possibly even tornadoes).

Nimbostratus clouds cover the sky in a dark gray layer. They can extend from the low and middle layers of the atmosphere and are thick enough to blot out the sun.

Nimbostratus are the quintessential rain cloud. They appear when there is steady rain or snow is falling (or is forecast to fall) over a widespread area.

UV Light:

The spectrum of UV light falls between the visible spectrum and X-rays in the electromagnetic spectrum. The edges of the visible light blend in the spectrum of Ultraviolet rays and infrared radiation levels. Since the UV light has a frequency between 10 and 400 nanometers, however, this light cannot be perceived by the human eye. Although some animals have a (wavelength greater than 700 nanometers) or ultraviolet, they can perceive these colours.

places on Earth. During the day (when the Sun is overhead),

blue and UV content. In the morning and evening during sunrise and sunset, sunlight travels through more of the Earth’s

softer and warmer (less intense, less blue, more yellow and red).

Fluorescence

Many substances, including minerals, plants, fungi, microbes, and organic and inorganic chemicals, absorb UV radiation. Absorption causes electrons in the material to jump to a higher energy level. These electrons can then return to a lower energy level in a series of smaller steps, emitting a portion of their absorbed energy as visible light. Materials that exhibit such absorb invisible UV light and re-emit it at visible wavelengths.

Fifure 15- diagram showing the perception of color with the layer of UV light

yellow (direct sunlight)

Glare refers to a loss of vision or discomfort caused by excessive your eye and interfering with your ability to manage it. Various sources of glare can be distracting and even dangerous and can occur day or night. Glare may come directly from a light discomforting glare, disabling glare, and blinding glare. glare. An example of direct glare would be the sun in front of a person’s eye. As opposed to direct glare, indirect glare is view is known as indirect glare

smooth, shiny surfaces such as water, sand or snow. It can be surfaces, it becomes polarized and produces blinding glare. Blinding glare can block vision to the extent that the wearer becomes visually compromised.

Due to intense and harsh light, the glare is strong in the region of Banni in the afternoon as well as before sunset.Glare blocks vision and reduces color perception almost to zero.The objects and colors around glare are far too exposed to the light, which causes the values of particular hues to shift against saturation.

The color of the overall landscape changes in the presence of salt of the desert.

Image 117-The high intensity of direct light results in brutal and harsh glare. The glare characteristic is blinding bright as there is

When light strikes an object, transmission, absorption, and may be scattered, refracted or polarised. It can also be polarised absorbed, and its energy contributes to the heat energy of the through these processes is responsible for all that we see.

The color of water varies.

Water absorbs colors of the light spectrum as light rays travel through the water, and this is called absorption. Water

interact with light. The red, orange, yellow, and sometimes green wavelengths of light are absorbed so the remaining light seen is composed of the shorter wavelength blues and violets. This is the main reason the color of water is blue. The adjacent areas of water as green, blue-green, and blue. Shallow, clear water with a sandy bottom will produce a light gets deeper, it becomes blue-green because there is more

It gives us information about their shape, size, colour and texture.

from the bottom, the water is a deep blue. At no time is the color a property of the water. It is due to many causes and is best described as a characteristic of the light received by your eye.

The degree of surface roughness determines the proportion wavelength of light. Since the wavelength of light is tiny (about Refraction is the bending of a light ray when it crosses the change in direction is due to a change in speed. Light travels fastest in space and slows down upon entering matter.

Image 118- Reflection of color of sky in water of Charri Dandh

Image 119- Reflection of pink of the flamin gos in the water

Mirage

This optical illusion is caused by atmospheric conditions, especially the appearance of a sheet of water in a desert or on a hot road due to the refraction of light from the sky by heated

masses acts like a mirror. There appears to be a lake in the Mirage, in optics, the deceptive appearance of a distant object or objects caused by the bending of light rays (refraction) in layers of air of varying density. Normally, light waves from the sun travel straight through the atmosphere to your eye.

air.

It occurs when the ground is very hot and the air is very cold. The warm ground warms a layer of air just above the ground. When the light moves through the cold air and into the layer of hot air it is refracted (bent).A layer of very warm air near the ground refracts the light from the sky nearly into a U-shaped bend which creates the mirror like image.

As the mountain gets further away increasing amounts of blue light is seen (sunlight scattered by the air in between you and light. This is because there is more air between viewing point and the mountain. The mountain at medium range now appears brown, green, and blue. As the mountain gets even further away the amount of this blue light from the sky increases and the green and brown light from the mountain weakens. Even tually the mountain gets so far away that only blue light from

The mountain has faded from view. The yellow-brown color of sand and the green color of spa parting the change in color of the natural light with hue of yellow-brown and green in the yellow-white light.

Image 120- The view showing mirage

Image 121- The view facing Kala dungar

Time of day/night

Time of year – seasonal changes

Perception of color with light

In view of the geography and climate of the Banni region, it is very evident that natural light falls upon the area in a harsh and direct. Through the month of January, the morning rays of the winter light were quite subtle and soft in the morning,

vegetation and ocher yellows of the landscape. This perception of color is based on the color yellow-orange of the morning light. Due to the Sun’s early rise and its angle, the shadows are soft and long, and we see yellow hues in the colors.

As the sunlight becomes yellow-white in the afternoon, the blues of the sky appear pale blue-white. Light intensity increases as the Sun rises over our heads, making our perception of colors richer and more vivid. It is also due to the absence of clouds

land is covered in hues of ochre and browns, which blend into the overall terrain covered with sparesely located shrubs and trees. The afternoon light reveals the bright colors of yellowgreen and dark green of these vegetation. The shadows are shorter and sharper and create a strong contrast against the muted palette. As the afternoon light is white and the colors in daylight are almost true to their true hue.

During the descent of the Sun towards the horizon, a glaring particles to shine as beams of the Sun pass through them, of yellow-ochre, beige brown , grey browns and dark browns.

Changes in the angle of the sun decrease the intensity of light, surrounding area. During this period, shadows become soft and elongated, visibility decreases (for far away objects) and

With the setting of the Sun, you can see trails of yellow oranges morph into darker blues and a portion of grey-blue, as lit by the moon and star. The silhouette of the desert contrasts with the shimmering blue sky, creating a calming palette for the evening.

The entire day appears in varying shades of ochers, browns, and dark browns throughout the day due to the changing backdrops of the skies caused by changing light conditions throughout the day. While the entire landscape is monochromatic, the changes in light throughout the day enhance and amplify the various shades of color, which, in turn, impact glare, shadow, and mirage. The combination of all these elements creates an overall palette for the region.

sky turns orange and red as the sun approaches the horizon, causing us to perceive colors through shades of orange and red. Mellow shades of orange and yellow frame the desert scape as the dusk light enhances the softness of the sand. Sand particles previously seen in the shades of ochers and browns now appear in hues of orange and yellow.

• Colour of light – natural colour of light changes based on:

Image 122 B -The view of White Rann desert during the month of March

Image 122 A -The view of White Rann desert during the month of January

Image 123 A-The above image was taken in March. As the day begins, from Dawn to the transition from night to day as the sky gets brighter and the morning twilight heralds the beginning of a new day. The light is soft and subtle with less intensity, and the temperature is between 2000k and 3000k. The morning light is yellow-orange in color, which is why the land back green-yellow colors.The color of the sand yellow-orange light with the clear distinction of the horizon to a dull blue sky. Since the Sun is still at an angle, the intensity of the light is not much; hence the sky is in faded shades of blue-grey.

Image 123 B-The above image was taken in March. As the day progresses towards the afternoon, the sun’s color changes from orange-yellow to yellow-white. As can also be seen in the picture, the color of the sky in the background changes from pale blue to a brighter blue as the Sun passes overhead, and hence, the amount of light increases, resulting in brighter blue. Sand is also seen in more brilliant shades of beige browns and ochre brown with the relection of yellow-white light. The green vegetation is seen in bright colors in the day light adding the layer to the feild of view.

Image 123 C-The above image was taken in the month of March during sunset. dusk as

elevation angle, which is the position of the Sun in relation to the horizon.At this moment, the

Image 123 D-The above image was taken in March after sunset. It marks the beginning of night time and the disappearance of the last shimmer of natural daylight. The sky turns to gray and dark. At midnight turns even darker and reaches a temperature of 10000+k.

shades of orange and red. The colors are intense due to the direct and harsh light and

The color of sand changes with respect to the light. When the Sun reaches the horizon, its intensity declines and results in softer shadows. It is also the time of the day when the glaring of the area,

As the night approach the visibilty reduces as the light intensity decreases. The silhouette of the vegetation on the baren land juxtaposes the night sky.

Image 124 A- The above image was taken in Morning. As the day begins, Dawn refers to the transition from night to day as the sky gets brighter and the morning twilight heralds the beginning of a new day. The light is soft and subtle with less intensity, and the temperature is between 2000k and 3000k. The morning light is yellow-orange in color, which is why the color of the salt in the white desert has yellow hue color saturation. The color of the the surface, hence the atmosphere in general is percived in the saturated yellow hues. There is the clear distinction of the horizon to a dull blue sky. Since the Sun is still at an angle, the intensity of the light is not much; hence the sky is in faded shades of blue-grey.

Image 124 B- The above image was taken in Afternoon. As the day progresses towards the afternoon, the sun’s color changes from orange-yellow to brighter yellow. As can also be seen in the picture, the color of the sky in the background changes from pale blue to a brighter blue as the Sun passes overhead, and hence, the amount of light increases, resulting in brighter blue. The salt is also seen in more brighter white with the increase in amount of light directing the surface directly and white hue which adds up to the brightness in the overall atmosphere.

Image 124 C- The golden hour, during a sunny day, the sun appears warmer and softer when it is near the horizon. This type of natural lighting occurs mostly at sunrise and sunset. The golden hour is most likely characterized by warm sunlight when the Sun is between 6 degrees below and 6 degrees above the horizon. As long as the Sun is just above the horizon, its rays hit the Earth at a low angle, and they have to travel through more of the Earth’s atmosphere before they reach us. The such as dust and water droplets as it travels to the Earth’s surface. Additionally, indirect light is added to the mix, softening contours and reducing contrast.As well as scattering blue and violet wavelengths, the thicker layer of atmosphere through which sunlight travels allows more light in the orange and red spectrum to reach the Earth. Scattering lowers the color temperature of sunlight, causing it to take on a golden or reddish hue. When the Sun is at most 6 degrees below the horizon, illuminating the lower atmosphere and making the sky appear golden and reddish.

Image 124 D- The blue hour, during the darkest stages of the morning and evening twilight, when the Sun is rather low on the horizon and the sky is a deep blue and violet hues from the transition of yellow - orange hues.The term refers to a natural state of lighting that occurs usually at daybreak in the morning and during

The twilight colors are determined by atmospheric conditions. As the solar elevation angle changes during the transition between leaving behind the remaining rays of light to color the sky in ever-changing hues.The blue color spectrum is most likely to appear when the Sun is between 4 and 8 degrees below the horizon.

Clear days can make the transition between day and night a colorful spectacle, with the indirect sunlight tinting the sky yellow, orange, red, and blue. At twilight’s blue hour, the Sun is so far below the horizon that the light’s blue wavelengths dominate.

Changing color of salt when light falls at a direct angle during the mid day.

Changing color of salt when light falls at an tilted angle during the sunrise/sunset

Part B-Colour selection as manifested in the traditional way of life

1. Built form

Built form

Kutch’s traditional architecture results from the region’s topography, extreme climatic conditions, and other natural causes. The traditionally built form blends with the arid natural environment. Traditional architecture is the backbone of the area’s social and cultural structure. This structure must maintain its integrity. It represents and displays the identity of the people who live there.

Banni, where the Bhungas are constructed, used to be a lush pasture area. People’s primary livelihood is still cattle rearing and embroidery. Leatherwork and wood carvings are additional skills and crafts in the region. Perhaps their aesthetic sense is the fundamental cause of these crafts’ emergence as part of their crafts, which feature meticulous details and elegance, and their living houses.

Hence the traditional built form of the region depicts the cultural, social, and contextual background of the people and the region. The regional landscape, climate, and availability of natural sources play a role in the form, material, structure, and design of Bhunga. The built form responds to the region’s environment. It is designed with the idea of human comfort by using locally available material resources and sustainable construction techniques.

climatic context of the region in the unique identity of the architecture, settlement, and clothing. These built forms and their relation to climate and landscape of people and their traditions, which can be seen through colours, motifs, and aesthetic sensibilities.

Image 125-The cluster of Bhunga in a com pound wall in Ludiya village

Settlement

thatch roofs against the ochre landscape looks fascinating.

Human settlements are formed by a cluster of bhungas next to each other called Vaas. Due to scarcity of water, pasture, and other resources, vaas are located far from each other in the entire region. The family needs a certain area to use the resources available in the surroundings to survive; hence they avoid sharing those resources and build vaas away from each other.

A vaas is a large plinth constructed on empty land by a single family, which also depicts the domain of the built form. The size of the plinth is usually in consideration for future expansion. The clusters of bhunga together form a courtyard where various gatherings and activities happen. It caters as a platform for a handful of activities; women are sitting in a group chatting and doing embroidery, children playing, men gather at night for music (bhajan) and socializing, etc.

The larger plinth height is built to avoid the rainwater sweeping in. Randhaniu for kitchen and two bhungas for living and sleeping are created initially. As the family expands, more bhungas are added. They are added as per the requirement of the family. When a newly married couple entires the family , a new bhunga is added to the cluster, this with time results in organic growth of vaas. The warm and dry weather of the desert region encourages them to cook in the open, and hence, kitchen is given a separate semi-open space. The houses are painted with white chuna to minimize the heat radiations, adding another layer of color to monochromatic landscape.

Image 126-The cluster of Bhunga forms a vaas in Misriyadi village.

Material and structure

Material

Stones and aggregates aren’t available sources of material. The mud and thatch are local materials used for the construction.

The foundation of the plinth is done by consolidating earth with stone and bamboo; the wall is made of mud and consists of local wood, split grass, and soil. The roof is made of thatched, maize or wheat straws and other locally available grasses.

Lai, Pilu , Desi Bawaad, Kher, Khijdo, Kerad and Gando Bawaad are the local wood available in the region. Khip, Ikal, Shan/shaniyo, akdo are some other grasses found in the region and used as a building material. The built form has developed through the years with locally available resources like materials, sustainable construction, and sensitivity to climate and natural calamities.

Image 127,128,129- Local built forms with khakhi-beige brown shades of mud walls and vandyk and dark brown shades of thatch roof.

Image 117-The built form is made of local mud and thatch.

The bhunga is in varying shades of brown. The walls are in

in the form of a cylindrical form with the mid-dark tones of Vandyk brown thatch roof in conical form. The colour of bhunga is perceived in light to dark shades of browns from

changes its colour from light to dark as the time passes from morning to evening. These local bhungas merge seamlessly with the landscape in the surroundings.

Image 130-The thatch roof in the shades of vandyk brown.

Image 131-The local mud used as a building material

Image 132-The cluster of mud houses seamless with the land.

Form and Structure

The typical form of the built form is cylindrical form walls made up of beige brown mud above which cone form roof is made of shades of Vandyk brown thatch which is placed on the thick vertical central wooden post which rests on the wooden joist across the walls. The mud wall supports the joist and base of the roof, and the vertical wooden post bears the roof’s load; hence the load of the roof is not transferred to the walls. The roof is extended in beyond the walls in the exterior, and the cylindrical form protects the internal space from direct sunlight and harsh sand storms by maintaining a temperature inside for human comfort.

The thatch roof is in the conical form built on top of the walls, made by the framework of thin branches of Arabic gum tree (bawaad) or bamboo, which is in a spiral formation. These poles are linked together with dried grass rope, and the roof is covered with a thick layer of twigs, straw and grass. The that, the grass and straw layer covers the roof. The edge of the straw roof is braided, overhung from the roof.

A bhunga’s walls are likewise built of bamboo sticks or branches of a local tree tied together by dried grass ropes. The mixture of local mud and dung called lipaan is then applied. To improve the external surface; once applied, it is smoothened by the is applied to the internal surface. The internal and external layer application is made on alternate days; up to seven layers are applied on both surfaces. White colour mud is applied as the last layer of lipaan, sourced from the Banni region.

The bhunga needs to be maintained regularly, with plastering the roof.

Image 133,134 -Interior bamboo roof structure

Image 135,136- Exterior thatch roof structure

Image 137,138- Mud and wood structure for walls

Climate

The built form was built to achieve human comfort by utilizing the locally accessible building materials and construction techniques more responsive to their climatic and geographic conditions; the natural calamities like earthquakes, sand storms, and cyclonic winds.

The bhunga are integrations of exact geometry and properties of materials for the climatic and geological conditions of the region to evolve as a contextual built form. Due to the cylindrical shape of walls, the inertial forces are created in the wall, which resists the formation of lateral forces. The 15-inch (300mm) thick wall provides exceptional performance under lateral loads.

They are not only earthquake resistant as they can withstand lateral seismic stresses but also protect the inside atmosphere by thermal insulation of thick mud walls. The built form is designed to keep the interior cool in the summer and warm in the winter, and it is highly robust. It can endure natural disasters such as windstorms and earthquakes.

To protect the building from direct heat, the roof is extended on the outside. An extended roof provides shade and protects the builtform from the extreme weather conditions of the region, such as heavy rains and dust storms. The windows are small to limit the amount of heat entering the interior.

Image 139- A small window through which light enters the space.

Image 140 -The interiors of the Local mud houses.

Image 141 -The role of window in semi open kitchen.

Image 142 -The role of window in a bhunga.

Exterior

The Bhunga is a unique built form in material and structural form, but also distinct by the vibrant colour patterns made by the natural minerals on the exterior and intricate mud mirror work in the interiors. This colourful bhungas together form yellow-brown mud of land and blues of sky in the landscape of the surroundings.

There are various shades of mud found near the village of Khavda. Khavda is a region sharing its border with the Banni region. Chuno (white lime), geru(red and ochre), Kathai (brown), haldi (yellow) and terracotta tones are available.

The exterior of houses is painted with these mineral colours. The door and window are usually highlighted by bold bands, which create a contrast. The patterns painted on walls are similar to the patterns of motifs in embroidery done by the women.

Every year, during Diwali, these walls are plastered with mud mud.

The cultural and environmental landscape interpretation is seen in the circular mud walls and conical thatch roof hut, which is aesthetically designed. The paintings that adorn the exterior walls, the intricate details of mud and mirror work in interiors, and the richness of colours, motifs, and aesthetic sensibilities form an integral part of the lifestyle, culture, and social dynamics of the people of Kutch.

Image 143-The mirror work on wall appear to be in rythmic pattern with the circular small openings makes the space appear brighter.

Image 144 -The exterior color of wall painted with natural colors; gheru red, yellow and blue.

Image 145 -The exterior color of wall painted in pink,yellow,blue and purple.

Spatial Organisation

Bhunga ideally has no openings except a wooden carved intricate door for entry and two lower-level small windows, symmetrically arranged with the door for cross ventilation. The size of the window is small to insulate the dwelling from the extreme climate. The spatial arrangement is also based on the light entering through the small openings. The storage wall is opposite the door, whereas the two beds are placed next to the windows.

Once one enters from the door, in front lies a lower platform known as Pedlo, on which wooden crafted traditional furniture is placed - maju, sanjeero, panjaro.

Generally on the left is, chaosar kothale, a storage cabinet in the form of cylinder or cuboid which is made of mud and gobar (dung), adorned by mud relief pattern and studded with a mirror.

In the center, maju which is intricate carved wooden furniture, is a unit on which dhadkee-patchwork and embroidered quilts pile is placed on it and with time pile fabric called dhakla.

A narrow shelf runs around the walls in circular form at the 8 feet height on which all the utensils are placed neatly.

Image 146,147,148,149- The interiors of Bhu nga are painted in vibrant color. There is a contrast of white walls to the golden yellow roof. Traditionally yellow and red hues were used as an expression to add colors in the space. The sea blue colors are added in new ly made bhungas to add cool environment in space.

Traditional color Sensibilities

The natural colors like chrome yellow from turmeric and earthy red from gheru contrast the white walls. The yellow line

appear larger. The symmetry of the form is enhanced by the mud mirror work on the interior wall surfaces, which creates a rhythmic arrangement of the objects placed with it. Hence the placement of objects arranged symmetrically also contributes

surface of the wall to be perceived as larger. The patterns created by the form of the roof are also in contrast to the white walls.The roof colors are in the shades of ochres to browns in a arranged manner in the conical form.

Image 150,151-The mirror work on wall ap pear to be in rythmic pattern with the cir the small openings makes the space appear brighter.

Interior

The craft of mud relief and mirror is known as ‘Lippan kaam’. Lippan kaam is also called Chitara kaam in local terms. Lippan means a mixture of mud and dung, and kaam means work. The lippan is made from the soil containing salt from the marshland in the Banni region.

It is a traditional craft form done by various communities as part of traditions. This craft is done in the interiors and exterior walls of bhunga. The communities majorly practising this craft are Rabaris, Harijan, Mutva, Marvada, Kumbhar and also various other sub-communities also practice the craft. The kumbhars, the earthen pot makers from Sindh, who were experts in working with clay and mud, transferred their skills by ornamenting their homes’ interior and exterior walls on a larger scale. The people of the Marvada community migrated from Rajasthan, and the people from Mutva and Rabari communities migrated 400 to 800 years back from Sindh. They primarily are pastoralists, majorly practising embroidery, a distinct characteristic of each community and livestock, rearing cattle. With that, these people do lippan kaam as part of local tradition.

The lippan kaam has a functional advantage adding to the aesthetics. Lippan kaam clay acts as an insulator in extreme weather conditions in the region; it keeps cold on hot summer days and warm on cold winter days. Also, it adds to the wall layer and increases structural stability.

The quality of light

The interior of bhunga is adorned with intricate mud relief work studded with mirrors. The patterns on the wall are similar to motifs of embroidery done by women. The Jars and storage cabinets are made of mud and dung enhanced with mud relief work.

There are small windows which allow very limited light to enter to the space. The size of the window modulate the amount of well as heat and keep the space cooler. The tiny mirrors on the walls scatter the light in all direction and white light in the circular form of walls make the space percieve larger.

The colors like turmeric yellow and gheru red are used to highlight the space , these warm colors have longer wavelength hence even in the less amount of light they apear intense and add the value to the colors percieved.

When the light glows at night, the bhunga is lit up by the

The entire dark space with small window and door openings patterns of mirrors in circular form. The glittered mirrors in the small spaces add up life to it. The mirrors are used as part of local beliefs to ward of the mentioned above.

Image 152-The patterns are made from ror create dynamism in interior space.

Image 153-The play of mirror and light in the interior space.

Image 154-The play of mirror and light in the interior space.

Image 155 -The play of mirror and light in the interior space.

Image 156-The play of mirror and light in the interior space.

Motifs as Aesthetic sensibility

from people’s landscape and lifestyle practices. The motifs churning buttermilk, women bearing water and other daily life activities are depicted by mud and mirror work. The patterns and design are made freehand on interior and exterior walls, geometric forms and shapes. Within the interior space, lippan kaam Is also done in the interior elements and details to add to design and aesthetics. kotholo /the large granaries, koto /the grain containers, sanjiro /the storage for valuables, dhadabla / seats for babies, Chula /the hearth, pedlo /the storage platforms are some traditional elements present in the Bhunga.

Image 157,158,159-The interior elements of bhunga are adorned with the mud mirror work and painted with natural colors like yellow and red.

Rabari community practice thicker lines with a rustic and rough look. Women with pots, and women churning buttermilk are common motifs seen. Flora and fauna of the region and imaginative stories are also depicted in the motifs. The Rabaris excessively use mirrors as they have a belief that negative energy gets repelled by the mirror, and it acts as an evil eye. Whereas the Mutva community practice thin lines and intricate details. Their patterns depict geometrical Islamic forms and shapes. Living forms are prohibited as they are Islamic. The patterns of motifs are similar to the embroidery practised by the same community, Mutva kaam. The Marvada community depict designs and motifs which are interpreted from stitching patterns of embroidery, geometrical forms and women with a water pot are believed to be the most auspicious depiction.

Image 160,161,162- The home of a family of Megh wal Marwada community

Flora motif

Human motif

Plant motif

Image

The home of a family of Muslim mutva community

Part B-Colour selection as manifested in the traditional way of life

2. Textile and attire

Textile and attires

Embroidery

“It is a sight to behold, the women colorfully dressed with pots at their waist and on their head.”

attire in contrast to the dull colors of the natural environment. Every girl and woman were elaborately dressed in a vibrant, long piece of cloth draped on their head’ odhani,’ and an embellished blouse ‘kanjari’ with bright colors of bharatkaam adorned with mirror work and heavily ornamented with silver jewelry worn over the body; neckless, bangles, earrings, anklets and the white bangles on the arm. This colorful attire juxtaposes in contrast with the silence and sanctity of the desert. Embroidery is a medium of decorating textile which has existed for years. They embellish embroideries to adorn their clothing and decorate their home, which is part of the traditional culture. Hence it has a vital role in the cultural landscape of the region. with water as part of their daily routine of morning.

Before the partition, Kutch in India and Sindh in Pakistan both the regions had limited resources available hence nomadic communities of people would keep migrating from one place to another to sustain themselves. The relocation of these ethnic groups of nomadic people led to interaction

The similarity is observed in the traditional embroideries of South West Asia, which are Sindh in Pakistan, Gujarat in India also, Afghanistan and Iran. Sindh was known for the most delicate embroidery work in the world.

Hence Banni, after the partition, has embroidery as part of

of people who had migrated during the separation. Each community has its unique embroidery as part of its distinct characteristics.

Embroidery is not just a medium to decorate the fabrics, but also it is a way to record the stories and historical episodes in every bit of the material a woman wears. It plays an essential part in keeping a tangible record of the history and culture of the region.

Banni being the border and unexplored region, is rich in the diversity of the embroideries. Women of each community have evolved their embroideries at an immense level. Each community has its own unique style that distinguishes its identity from the other.

For women, it’s not just an expression of creativity but also the time when they socialize and interact with other women. They sit and chat with each other while working on their embroidery. This has become a part of their routine. The quality of embroidery

patience and creative skill, which is an essential aspect for a bride.

“The piece of embroidery also unravels the history of the family.”

The trace of craft is passed through generations from mother to daughter as part of an old tradition.

Tradition - Dowry as a social practice

A dowry is a transfer of parental property, gifts, or money at the marriage of a daughter (bride). Dowry is an ancient custom, and its existence may well predate records of it.

Dowry has been a prevalent practice in Banni in the form of a gifts from the bride’s family to the bridegroom’s family upon marriage. There are variations on dowry prevalence based on geography and class.

The traditional knowledge of sewing the bharatkaam is passed on from mother to daughter. Whether in the village or while migrating in a dang (pastoral group), the women gather in a

The women express their aesthetic sense through the portrayal of their myths, culture, beliefs, and life experiences in their craft.

The patterns of embroidery are drawn by hand on the fabric. As there were no pens or pencils available, they used to dip the stick/needle in mud and mark the patterns. Many women inherit the creativity naturally in drawing patterns and designing the kanjari. A sense of balance is observed in their patterns which adds to the aesthetics.

Mothers would start training their daughters as soon as they reach maturity. As the custom developed, it came to be a cause for concern for the community. One condition was that the bride could not enter the home of her in-laws until she had completed the pieces of dowry demanded.

Hence Embroidery plays an integral part in wedding dowry. From the age of eleven to thirteen, the girls start spending months making an embroidered kanjari always a part of lifestyle and never done to earn a living. The girls in Hindu families marry at the age of 18-21. A lot of preparation has to be done by the bride’s family. From the age of 11-13, they start working on building up a collection of her trousseau.

Even the mother has to contribute by using her skills and creativity to make godadis a dowry gift to her daughter. Twenty or more godadis are given with jewelry from the bride’s family. The girl makes twenty-one kanjari paired with ghagara and takes it as dowry.

Image 171-The mixture of mud to make paste.

Embroidery introduces the bride to her new home. Embellishment has traditionally been an essential component of a bride’s dowry as a sign of her skill and diligence. In case she transfers to her new husband’s village, the new style of embroidery will be brought there as well. According to history, the contact of cultures results in both the addition of new styles to local repertoires and constant updates to regional styles. Thus dowry is social practice leading to cultural exchange.

It is believed that the idea of dowry is that she is well equipped to start her new life with all the things she would require for

godadi, jewelry, utensils, and other items.

Image 174-The daughter inherits the skills of embroidery from her mother and starts learning beadwork at an early age.

Image 176,177-The group of women working on their embroidery as part of daily routine

Image 173-Drawing of pattern by mud and needle

Image 172-The mixture of mud and needle used for drawing the patterns

Image 175-A girl practicing embroidery as part of daily routine

The attire of the women of people, but the costume is similar. No two kanjari look the same, even though there is a similarity in embroidery. Women in most Hindu communities wear a kanjari as top, gaghara as bottom, and odhani over the head.

back with string to keep it in place. Gaghara, is a long skirt that is pleated in tie-dye or block-printed textile using tentwelve meters of fabric which is tied by a drawstring at the waist. Women drape ties and dye or bandhani odhani over their heads, covered in upper attire.

The clothing style represents her age, identifying her marital and

Heavy embroidered Kanjari is worn by young brides, and less embroidered blouses are worn by older women. The more ornated Kanjari is worn by the bride, which has pompoms or beaded edge detail. Women cover up their heads to enclose their faces in front of men by odhani, but there is

Ghaghara having no embroidery is worn by young girls who are unmarried. The combination of Bandhani, embroidery, and prints with assorted patterns create a bright multi-colored attire.

The ethnic status of women is by choice of her dress, the layout of embroidery, jewellery and the manner of how it is

and community distinction. The women illustrate the personal adornments as signs of individual identity and group aesthetics, also distinguishing within the groups whose mode of livelihood is similar.

Imae 178-Traditionally they wore odhani and gaghara in the shades of reds.

Image 179-young girl wearing abha Image 180-newly wed bride

181-mid age women

age women

Ornaments

Silver jewellery in Kutch is known as Kutchi jewellery and is famous for its intricate detail, which contrasts with the large bold forms.

Women wear head-to-toe silver and gold jewellery. They wear silver hair ornaments, neckless “varlo”, multiple earrings, and armbands with tassels “chuda” and bangles “banjari”. Wearing a nose ring “velado” represents that the woman is married. The white plastic bangles cover the arms, which were made of bone in olden times. They also wear multiple rings on their jewellery worn by women also shows the wealth of the family.

Imae 183-Traditionally , they wore odhani and gaghara in the shades of reds.

Image 187-Payal, anklet is worn in the leg and every few years it keeps changing as girl grows up to women. Each anklet weighs 1 to 1.5 kilogram.

Rava kaam technique is done to ornament the surface.

Image 186-Vadhlo, neckless is a silver wire torque worn by the girls after the age of 13. Earing it is a circular form made of silver.

Image 184-Nose pin, worn by married women as a symbol of marriage. The nose pin is supported by a beaded strip which is pinned in the hair.

Attire of men

and kurta. The dhoti is a long piece of fabric which is wrapped around the waist and tucked in the leg. Usually, they wear white or light colored dhoti as bottom wear.

Although white being impractical in keeping in mind the dusty desert, but it is the most practical when it comes the warding the desert heat.

The kurta is a top worn to cover the upper part of the body. It also is usually in white color. Normally men wear white clothes with colored turban over the head. The

Phento is a turban worn over the head, It is a cloth wrapped around the head which is usually red or white in color. The maldhari people are dressed in ajrakh print consisting of indigo blue and earthy red colors.

The turban is versatile in use , keeping the head protected from the heat of the desert, also used as pillow when needed.

Image 188-The 100 year old men from Jat community

Image 189-Hindu attire of men in white color attire

Image 192- Nomadic people of Maldhari community in Ajrakh dhoti and turban

Image 190-A group of men and children in traditional attire.

Image 191- Muslim attire of men in colorful attire

Embroidery styles

The translation of their culture and experiences is recorded through embroidery traditions. A style is a way of expressing experiences and history. Hence it varies for every community in

Essentially two kinds of style exist – ethnic and regional.

Ethnic style is usually performed by one community in one unique way only. Expression of lifestyle is seen in the ethnic style. These styles are performed by the pastoralists whose culture and history are rooted in the community and not the region. They live isolated and retain their customs and rituals, also the embroidery tradition.

The Mutva embroidery done by the women of Mutva community is an ideal example of the ethnic style. The people of Mutva community are a distinct group of Muslim herders who live in Banni. Mutva style consists of varied techniques of embroidery like Pakko, Kharek, Jat, and hurmichi. The patterns and designs in Mutva embroidery are uniformly delicate and geometric.

Another ethnic embroidery style that is unusual in Kutch is subgroups, Muslim, Jats pastoralists who are in inhabitants in Banni and Kutch. Panchguli is characterized by tight padded satin stitch, worked in tiny bars arranged in geometric patterns, that are commonly circles or bands of lozenges. Panchgoli

some Jats combine pakka with panchguli. Panchguli remains unique.

Like the Rabari, Jat and Mutava are communities originated outside Kutch and probably outside the subcontinent. The ethnic embroidery style depends on the amount and quality of interaction a community maintains in region. Rabari, Jat, Mutavas maintain contact with the other communities and

The ethnic embroidery indicates that community has a distinct ethnic identity and an embroidery tradition that is considered emblematic.

Image 193- Girl practicing embroidery

Regional style

communities of women having the same aesthetic sensibilities, which is the color pallet and pattern. Hence the overall look

the climate and cultural aspects. These aspects are distinct to the characteristics of the area and not to a community. For a woman, the style she embroiders is regional as a method of communication. A set of embroidery techniques is adapted by every community in the region with their own stitching skills, motifs to create patterns, and the use of colors, which makes a distinct characteristic for each community. Also, the style depends on the availability of raw materials, which results in the thickness and quality of stitches, the shape made by the stitches, negative areas, and the colors and quality traditions, environment, beliefs, customs, and rituals.

One piece of embroidery is done for long time and is an

and self-expression. Few patterns are seen in all of them which depicts the regional style of the embroidery. These particular same pattern are repeated so many times and with time they

The regions such as Samroti,Nagar parkar in Sindh and Banni in kutch , the embroidery styles are predominately regional and remote. The regional embroidery indicates the sharing of cultural traits, the communtiies are in close interaction or interdependent on each other.

The regional style of Banni has 8 sub divisions typology with each having very unique feature. These stitching technique are used individually as well as in combination. Each one has its own distinct identity which depicts the overall look of the kanjari. Based on the type of stitching technique, the use of motifs and layout is decided for the design. The 8 techniques are mukko, pakko, khaarek, kacho, neran, khambira, hurmichi and soof.

Image 194,195 - Women practicing embroidery

Techniques

Regional styles – Pakko and Khaarek

Pakko is a solid square chain and double buttonhole embroidery with slanted stitch black outlining called ankh. The stitch creates dense patterns. Pakka, solid embroidery is the name derived from the notion that the style is long lasting. The motifs are drawn by mud and needle on the fabric. The called jat. It is done in various vibrant colors like parrot green, brick red, cerulean blue, bright pink, white, deep violet, etc. The pattern is designed symmetrically for the overall layout. The primary motif is tak bavariyo, used on the border of kanjari. The motif consists of a circle at the center and an hourglass on both sides. The circle depicts the tak where a mirror piece(abla) is placed, and the hourglass represents the branch of the bavariyo tree. The bavariyo and tak are alternately placed to form the border. Flora motifs are elaborately designed, the remaining area is with concentric circles around it, etc.

It was historically practiced in samroti, the region in the east of Indus river which include Diplo and part of mithi districts. The pakka embroidery then got extended to Garada, the region in west of kutch which is culturally connected to Samroti. Image 196,1197,198-Pieces of Pakko kaam embroidery work.

Khaarek, it is an embroidery style that is counted thread. It is a geometrical pattern measured on the warp and weft of the cloth by short bands of satin stitch. The bands of khaarek look like fresh dates; hence name is derived from it. The embroidery is stitched on the front side of the fabric, unlike soof. The geometrical grid of patterns is created by square and rectangular forms. Each square is of the same size.

There is minimum use of three colors or more, one is used as an outline which usually is a dark color, the second color palette. The primary pattern of kharek is X like and some other patterns formed by the same stitch are gingaro,bevadi

The patterns are outlined in black with a grid around the small squares of a double running stitch called alekh. Figurative motifs of animals, birds, and humans are used; also the peacock is used mainly like soof.

It was practiced farther east in Nagar Parkar, the land that extends from Sindh to Rann of Kutch. Khaarek and Pakko were brought in the form of dowries of Rajput brides from Sindh to Garada. The diversity of pakko with architectural forms in herringbone and couch stitching was brought by Bhanusalis and Lohanas.

Image 199,200,201- Pieces of Kharek kaam embroidery work.

Accent elements –

Mukko , The embroidery with golden and silver metallic thread is called mukko. This style of embroidery highlights the colorful bright patterns and motifs. By the technique of looping and couching, delicate patterns are created. The metallic thread does not pass through the fabric. It stays on the surface and is stitched by a cotton thread.

The various stitching styles like khaarek, pakko and The motifs are in the form of circles like spiral form. There are two techniques involved in this style, pakko embroidery done with metallic yarn practiced by the Marvada Meghwal community. The other is the couching of metallic yarn using thin cotton thread, which is practiced by Maldharis. In the case of golden metallic yarn, yellow or orange cotton thread is used to stitch, and for silver metallic yarn, white cotton thread is used. The other color of threads is uncommon. The

or herringbone stitch, known as jat.

Historically, in the region of eastern Sindh that is Dhat , the mukko style is done in combination with paako embroidery. It is a style associated with Banni Muslims and followed Rajputs communities, also Haleputras.

Image 202,203,204-Pieces of Mukko kaam embroidery work.

Khambiri, it is technique practiced by warp and the weft of the fabric to generate geometric forms in ascending and descending order. It is used in combination with khudi tebha technique, hence is sparsely done to feature the central area or in border. It is a double running stitch in all over patterns of concentric forms and is mainly used for quilts. It is a technique relating to the outline/alekh stitch in khaarek style. Color plays an integral part in creating interesting designs to the simple khambira technique. The

It used to be practiced in Sindh present day in Banni-Pachhaam.

Nen/neran , The word neran is derived from the word eyebrow. The smaller diamond represents the eye and the rest of the colored area is in curved shape which represent the brow. It is a simple form of a stitch. It has black border inside

motif solid. The bright colors are a feature characteristic of neran style. The small diamond is done in white and rest on. The combination of white at center, black in outline

This stitch usually used in combination with Khaarek or pakko embroidery.

Image 205- Details of Khambira work

Image 206- Details of neran work

Image 207- Women working on embroidery

Soof, is done on the back surface by a satin stitch to symmetrical pattern is formed. The stitch is primarily in green

The triangle shape is the primary motif that is referred to soof. There are three feature forms; lath, soof and leher. These forms are used to make various simple and complex motifs. Geometrical arrangements like squares, half, or double are some motifs used to create the pattern. The grid is formed

sparrow, milkmaid human is depicted pictorially. Peacock is the primary form of a motif in soof embroidery. The motifs are not drawn; they are calculated mathematically and hence counted.

Soof embroidery is done on the wrap and the weft with the exact count, similar to khaarek. It is stitched at the backside of the fabric, and the embroidery is delicate and precise on the front side

Historically, soof is originated from Dhat, which is in Thar region located north of Nagar Pakar and spanning Chachro, Umarkot and Mithi sub district. These region are connected to Badmer area of Rajasthan. The style of embroidery is accociated to Sodha Rajputs. These counted techniques of style were origin in Sindh and were brought by the refugees to kutch in 1972 during the partition. Pakko style is also carried by the refugees, and the similarity of the work of refugees and immigrants of 400 years ago illustrates the constancy of regional traditions.

Hurmitch, is a technique dispersed throughout the region of

styles to create a distinct piece of embroidery. Hurmitch is also known as bavaliya as a local term in Kutch. Bavaliya local term for thorny acasia. it is a embroidery style entirely with detached interlacing stitches arranged in geometric pattern.

The stitch is done on reverse surface of the fabric hich contrats strongly with the front. The detached interlacing motifs are attached to base fabric at the other edges of motifs. to create ith a needle. These results in small detached motifs that are interlaced woven fabric and lie on the base of the fabric. overall layout. Interlacing is used simislarly in embroidery styles in kutch. These motifs which are detached interlacng are also prominently seen in evolved regional style in Vaghad the eastern region in Kutch.

It was practiced in Dhat and in regions in SIndh, the area encircling in Hyderabad, Pakistan and the center province in Sindh. Interlacing of stitch and motifs were also mixed with other styles like soof , kharek and pakka styles throughout the Thar Parkar regions.

Image 208 -

of soof embroidery.

Image 209- Women working on embroidery.

Ethnic style : Jat, and mutva

Mutva, they are small group of Muslim herders who live in Muslim Maldhari. The mutva style consists of Pakko, haramji, jat and khaarek work. Haramji is known as ‘tun’ which means darning. Mutva has particular pattern for each, all over grid in haramji, elongate hook forms and white backstitch outline in paako are also distinct to mutva style.

Mutva is intricately detailed and geometric patterns, known for its minute stitches and small mirrors. There are 18 types of embroidery in Mutva style, each has its own unique characteristic. The style is termed as bharat in local terms. Every bharat has a primary stitch which is use to create the entire piece of bharat or a main feature. There are 27 kinds of ornamentation done by mirror, 18 types of

The embroidery is rich, ornamented and very detailed but not only that it is vast and varied.

Pakko or kacho are used as the stitching styles. There are 9 types of stitching styles in both. Pakko consists of chopad, dhoran, gotanv, mukko, pakko, puladi, take jo juno, paake jo golaado and kaaro bharat where as kacho consists of khaarek, jo bharat. The each bharat kacho/pacho has same stitch in Chain stitch, feather stitch, open square stitch, reverse chain, knots, double running, lazy daizy and herringbone are some stitching techniques used.

There is an existing aesthetics adapted in local style. The square chain stitching in orange with white details has traces similar to Saudi Arabia.

Jat, they are nomadic people who are pastoralists. There are three types of sub communities in Jat ; Garasia, Daneta and Fakirani. Daneta Jat live in western Banni. Daneta and Fakira herd only original camels.

The geometric grid based patterns are distinctive feature with mirror at center of every motif, lines radiating within the motifs and all over as well. The yoke is the only part where the embroidery is done. The grid is built by the open stitch and the

stitches are very dense and tight as pakko. The embroidery stitches are thick and the cotton fabric give it a solid and bold appearance. The color pallet is similar to that of Pakko.

Image 210,211,212-Pieces of Mutva work with intricate details and delicate embroidery.

Image 213- old piece of mutva embroidery.

Image 214,215-Traditional, red and black cotton apperel with Jat work.

Image 216,217-Introduction of synthetic colors and fabrics in present days.

Objects of daily use- textiles

Godadi (Quilt)

In Banni, Meghwal marvada term it as Dhadaki, whereas Muslim Maldhari term it as Ralli, commonly known as Godadi. The godadi has a vital role in people’s daily lifestyle in this bed – charpoy, as quilts to protect from the extreme colds in winter. Not only does it keeps them warm, but also it says about the way they live.

Dhadaki is made by stitching old recycled clothes, many layers of old odhani, ghagara, lungi, and ajrakh are stitched together to make dhadaki. Usually, an ajrakh lungi of Maldhari or a printed textile from Bandhani ghagara of Meghwal is used as the base layer. Older fabric is traditionally used at the backside as it is not visible; also, it should not have any kind of ornamentation because it touches the body. The cloth preferred at the back is cotton material. The front side is created by small pieces of triangles and square patches, which are stitched together to form the top layer. Exciting textures and patterns are created by stitching many layers together with running stitch. Women transform these articles into a piece of art by using their creativity. The front side is ornamented extensively for a special occasions. The ceremonial quilts for festivals, weddings, and newborns are elaborately adorned with appliques, embroidery, pom poms, and beadwork detail at the edges. The birth of a newborn is a celebration as the godadi are well adorned with embroidery work. Kambhira technique and patchwork technique are styles used for embroidery of the quilt.

Image 218- Patchwork godadi

Image 219 Mutva work godadi

and fabrics together to create an interesting pattern on the top layer. The Borders are created by multi-colored bands, which dramatically enhance the whole art piece. The overall look of the godadi is rich in vibrant colors.

Image 223- Katab kaam - The applique patterns made on the top layer of the quilt are called Katab. The skill of cutting the patch and applique is rare. The women do the stitching of patches mother and daughter sit and work together on it.

Image 221,222- Kungari, which means toran. The Triangle shape unit is called kungari. The triangles are pathed together by a running stitch (Seba). Three to four color bands of concentric and without these Patti, the godadi looks incomplete.

Image 224,225-There is a precise way of folding and storing these godadi’s. A low carved wooden table called Maju is used to stack up the pile. The new godadi are placed between the old ones, and the stack is covered by an old cloth. The cover protects the godadi’s from the dust spoiling the quilts, which are stacked for a long time till the winters.

The ornamentation is done by adding cowrie shells, mirrors, tassels, and embroideries, especially for weddings and newborns. The addition of these little details has its own stories and tradition. It is believed that the cowrie shells protect from the evil eye because of their shape and form. They were used as currency around 4000 years ago in South Asia and Africa and were brought from the Indian ocean.

Image 226,227-Mutva embroidery is very intricate and delicate with meticulously stitched tiny mirrors.

which helps make amazing motifs. The Mirrors are the most strikingly unique features of Kutch embroidery, apart from their stunningly intricate patterns.

Mirrors or abhla are an essential part of Kutchhi embroidery, making the fabrics sparkle. The mirrors are believed to represent water – as its importance in such a dry region cannot eye.

They are said to be adapted from traditional Islamic art and the sun. The mirrors add a dynamic layer to the textiles.

The embroidery of Banni is an authentic emblem, the mark of the density, and the integration of the surface as the base of the fabric. The use of seven colours, satrangi, is a distinct feature of the embroidery work. The colour combination, motifs, pattern, and material that create the overall

The dense patterns on the surface are inspired by the Islamic aesthetics in the larger context of Sindh. stories interwoven into the intersection of patterns, identity by the feature characteristics and motifs, and their family history. It is an expression of the impact of culture and history.

Image 228-Mutva work godadi

Motifs as aesthetic sensibilities

The motifs used by the selected communities, the major inspiration for all embroidery patterns are nature and objects inspired by berries, which are embroidered in Bhoriful. The

arranged in circular patterns known as Gul, the term used in

called buttis in the local language. The motifs are also inspired by the ripple pattern created during summer in the desert and the ripples created in water, known as Lor (meaning waves). In addition, Gingri (tiny bells of anklets) and Rano band (from the jail) are used. Ler and Gingri have disappeared with time.

Recently, Rano bandh has been very popular in embroidered pieces. The motifs are also inspired by insects, such as vinchi (scorpion). Animal motifs are not embroidered by these communities, but peacocks appeared in a variety of placements. They are also inspired by dry fruits like Badam (Almond) and Kharek (Dates). Kharek is mostly embroidered by Meghwar artisans.

They also embroider Bhoriphul like Darbar and Meghwar

A very popular motif is Chakkan jo gul, probably because of its minute segments and intricate embroidery. To create Chakkan jo gul, the segment of three petal butti is repeated in all four directions. Over the years, the interlacing stitch has been used Kanio (5 sections) and Adhad motif consisting of half units are currently being used. Since the last three decades, the motif known as Dhoran has been included in embroidery, which has been adopted along the migration route, but the locals are

decades, the Mutwas employed the Phuldi motif originating from Jat embroidery. The motif Ginni (coin) is also very popular among the Mutva community.

Among the other motifs was zarmar (necklace), similar to the

usually be seen in Pakko practised by Sindhi memons. In ancient times, the main motifs were tevrani ful, sinye nu ful, the inspiration for Tevrani ful and Sinye nu ful. This leaf-like triangular shape is placed together in a circular format as a taadi valo gul taadi. Fuldi motif was taken from the nose pin, which has now disappeared.

Traditionally, human, animal and bird motifs were not included in their embroidery, but recently motifs like Kagda na pag (crow’s legs) have been introduced. Embroidery practised by Jat had maintained their motifs till the date. Traditionally, Fuladi were only depicted in their marriage attire, but it is currently very popular among all three subgroups. Fakirani-Jat most commonly used the Fuldi motif. In addition, there were embroidery motifs known as Gheta sing (horns of sheep), Khes khudi (printed on men’s shoulder cloth), and limbodi aako (fruit of the neem tree-Azadirachta indica). At the end of the yoke they always embroider a zigzag pattern known as to embroider by counting the warps and wefts of the fabric, than other Jat groups’.

Embroidery traditions as part of cultural exchange

The style of embroidery is unique to the entire culture; it region. Kutch in Gujarat, Badmer in Rajasthan, Sindh, and parts of Punjab in Pakistan form the large and diverse regional community of western India. It is the interconnection of people and their various communities that represent the ethnic, caste,

context. The concept of style, the connection of embroidery style to community identity, is fundamental to both Pakistan and western India.

Women stitched the embroidery purely for themselves and their families. Accordingly, the stitches, motifs, and overall pattern make up the style. The concept of style goes beyond embroidery.

patterns, and colours, which is governed by a set of unwritten rules. The elements are interrelated to create a distinct style. For example, a motif paired with a particular stitching technique creates a motif-stitch unit.

The aesthetic preferences of each community are expressed by their colors, motifs, and layouts. With time, the designs adapt contact with other cultures. deep meaning and are interpreted from their daily lives and environments.

Combinations of colors are crucial to style. Each community has uses yellow or white thread for stitching, and these colors embroiderer is also dedicated to color as a design sense. In a soof heirloom style has red as cloth and green as silk thread.

a particular ethnic community’s interpretation of a style. The own. Regional distinctionEmbroidery styles are distributed regionally in the subcontinent. by climatic conditions as well as cultural features.

pre existing traditions, visual stimuli, customs, and religious requirements.

Embroidery styles of Sindh,Pakistan and Gujarat. Historical embroidery styles in Sindh and Kutch can be traced directly to the cultural regions. The Kutch district of Gujarat includes Banni, Vaghad and Garada, and the Thar Parkar district of Sindh, Pakistan, includes Samroti, Nagar Parkar and Dhat. Sindh and Gujarat have distinctive embroidery patterns stitched with a range of bold, geometrical and pictorial motifs in a range of vivid colours and adorned with mirrors. There has long existed a system of dividing the subcontinent by cultural features such as language, customs, and art that runs parallel to the system of political delineation.Cultural contact and evolution of style

to regions of historical concentration: pakka, soof, and khaarek. Style distribution is due to the contact between the embroiderer and people from other cultural groups.

Both Sindh in Pakistan and Kutch in Gujarat are desert areas with few people. Hence, over the years the ethnic group have moved in and out of the region. As a result of these

Relocation of style

The movement of people led to changes in the styles of embroidery in various regions. The Pakka and Kharek are examples of embroidery styles that are originating from Thar Parkar and came to Banni region in Kutch about 200-300 years ago. During their migration to Banni, Muslim herders and hindu artisans brought these embroidery styles with them.

Redistribution of styles

When migrating people who bought the particular embroidery

factors leads to adaptations in patterns and stitches which result in evolution of the style.

The practice of marriage across the region has instigated type

regions. As a consequence, brides have played a major role in disseminating embroidery styles in Sindh and Western India.

The brides for the Sodha were taken throughout the Thar parka and Kutch. As Rajput society is strictly patrilocal, where wives settle in their husbands’ villages, these brides bring their dowries, which act as agents of change.

The brides from Dhat, for example, bring dowries of embroidered articles stitched in the regional style of their inlaws’ village in Samroti or Nagar Parkar. Upon settling in a new home, they share their techniques with other women in neighborhood. As a result, Sodha Rajput redistributed Pakka and Kharek styles as well as soof, which they were associated with. During the years, soof was distributed in Nagar Pakar and samroti in Thar and Kutch. For generations, Pakka and Kharek have been practiced in the three regions of Banni and Garada in Kutch as well as the regions of Thar Pakar.

the units of stitching and motifs of each style are exchanged when more than one style is learned.

The styles have evolved and developed so that there is a combination of soof and kharek, as well as kharek and pakka. Soof and kharek are not used in combination considering the origins, Samroti and Dhat are far away, and also the two styles

The evolution of style

A third type of change in regional style occurs when a new

The embroidery style is a set of combinations of stitch, motif, and color, and since community members conform to one the new style.

For instance, a regional variation of pakka embroidery

Communities of Nagar Pakar stitched traditionally in Kharek, styles and also came into contact with communities of pakka they learned double buttonholes and square chain stitches. People living in nagar pakar region did not follow the pakka style exactly but rather embroidered traditional peacock and that originated in the nagar pakar region. By combining pakka stitches with kharek embroidery, these adopted motifs were stitch.

The astar soof, which originated in Dhat, is another example.

elements. Normally only hindu practice soof in Sindh, but astar soof was also practiced by Muslims, who by tradition do not use any living forms as a representation. The combination of red and black is preferred by Muslims.

When the embroidery style comes in contact with another unbleached cotton base.

Other products of daily use

Kothli / kothlo

The brides make kothli to carry the dowry items. The smaller pouches/bags are termed kothli, and the bigger bags are termed kothlo. The kothli is made in a rectangular shape.

To attach two or more layers, khambira or the running stitch technique is used, similar to making the quilt. The fabric, once quilted, is folded in half and stitched at the longer length and a base by blanket stitch. It does not have any mechanism to close it. Another kothli is made with a square shape by stitching the three corners together, and the edge is closed. The fourth edge remaining has a string used to open and close it by turning it around the kothli.

Topi

Young kids of age 3-6 years old wear topi. During special occasions, the kids wear the topi. The mother gauges the size of it by keeping a cloth over the head of the child, which gives them an approximate measurement of circumference and width.

Chattu – these are triangle shape soft toys hanging from the cotton. The detail of beadwork and tassels is added to all three edges. It is a bright-coloured toy with a mirror, attracting the kid’s attention.

Gudiya and gudyo- the soft puppet toys are made for children to play with.

Bead craft

This traditional technique is used in diverse products to create exclusive technique of embroidery or weaving beads without the use of fabric. Throughout Gujarat, Kutch and Saurashtra terracotta in Gujarat date back to the Indus Valley Civilization. Beadwork, however, became popular in urban culture through European colonization. Terracotta, glass, stone, metal, and even plastic are raw materials used to make beads.

In Kutch and Saurashtra, beadwork is a counterpart to embroidery. The beadwork style is favored particularly in Kutch and Saurashtra in India. The Saurashtra region has recovered steatite micro-beads from the Harappan levels of Prabhas, Rajodi, Rangpur and Lothal. By the mid-19th century, the oldest examples had been knitted using Venetian beads from indigenous sources.

This craft is recently spread over the many communities in the Kutch region, which also includes Banni.

Image 235-Sera made by colorful beads

Image 236,237-The process of making beadwork

Image 238-Beadwork is used for adorning the Kanjari

Image 239-Beadwork is used for adorning the Kanjari

Traditionally, beads were made from seeds, cowrie shells, clay, agate, wood and ivory; now, they are made from plastic and glass. As with many other crafts of the state, evidence of its his toricity has been traded across the globe since ancient times. Moti bharat is an important element in Rabari clothing. The middle bottom part of the Kapadu / Kapada (upper garment of Rabari women) and the Dhadi / pet which covers the stom ach are decorated with moti bharat. They fasten their kapadu at the back with a drawstring made primarily through moti bharat, also known as “kah”, which can be made in three vari ations.

Mooti bharat is seen in a variety of accessories like batwa (purses), baghchi (coin purses), toplo (caps for the young), myan (sword covering for the bridegroom), countless articles of home décor are designed in 3-Dimensional designs.

Almost all the articles created by the people are made of threebead netting or tribead netting known as “tran moti no tanko”. Items created include objects for personal adornment, decor for the home, items for auspicious occasions, and ornaments

among them: Toran , Pangra , Popat , Nariyal , Thali , Batua , Bansuri , Kalash , Mukut , Jhummar , Mobile cover , Shisha , Jhule ki bel , Vatka , Joda na panja, Chotlo, Dhabak , Hindoni, Myan.

make it look like fabric tiny beads are placed very close to each other. The piece made from beadwork can be attached to a cloth or used individually as a chocker.

The motifs are simple and similar to patterns of embroidery work. The bead creates a grid hence the pattern turns geo metrical. The colourful beads are used to make motifs over a single colour background grid of bead. The colours like green, blue, orange, red, yellow, black, white and so on are used. moon), the Char-Patti with its four petals, the Mangal Kalash with mango leaves, and the Bullion rose.The beadwork pieces are used as patches which are stitched in kanjari. It turns out to be very intricate and delicate with the addition of the bead work.

Glass beads are considered auspicious by the ethnic groups;

ceremonies. When the bridegroom and family arrive at the bride’s house with the guests, the bride’s mother and sisters welcome him with an aankhein (akshat) and gently throw glass beads instead of rice to give their blessing and best wishes.

Image 240-249- showing various bead work products

4. Crafts

Part B-Colour selection as manifested in the traditional way of life

Woodwork

Banni region is rich in its culture. It has various forms of crafts

the Banni region in northwestern Kutch cannot be seen as an isolated entity as it has a context of the vast cross-cultural position of the Thar desert. The Thar desert, also called The Great Indian Desert, spreads from northwest India to southeast Pakistan. Sindh in Pakistan, Barmer and Jaiselmer in Rajasthan and Rann of Kutch in Gujarat are part of the desert’s unique cultural complex. Even though political boundaries exist between these regions, there is a cultural unity, partially because of the same characteristic of its physical environment and the standard ethnic fabric of the region.

Some central communities like Jat, Meghwal Marwada and Maldhari are found in Sindh, Rajasthan and Kutch. These communities have several cultural features rooted in a common past, which leads to a correlation of the socio-cultural context. The design, material, form and structure of their dwelling, the embroideries of their clothing and attire, the shape and adornments of the terracotta objects, and the crafts of the various communities living in the cultural context have similar appearances to each other.

Wood carving craft spread its broader tradition in the region of Barmer and Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, Baluchistan, Sindh in Pakistan,

The traditional craft of wood carving with geometric patterns done by shallow relief work is practised in villages of Pachhaam, Banni, Nakhatrana, Dhamadka, Lakhpat, Rapar and Bachau in Kutch. The people from the Vadha community and the semimigratory community practice lathe turnery and wood carving. The people of the Vadha community follow part Hindu and part Muslim culture and rituals.

They moved from one village to another in Banni and Pachhaam

the necessity of the people living in local communities. They made windows, doors, charpoys, cabinets, chests, cradles, chairs, farm implements, toys, dandiya, spoons and ladles, churning rods, spice boxes, cloth beaters and other products. A similar craft with identical material and technique is also present in Sindh, known as Hala work.

Image 250,251 -Wooden carved door

Lacquer craft/lathe turning

Vadha would move from village to village and sits under a tree to shelter from the harsh sun to set up the hand lathe. The Vadha would carry a shoulder bag that consists of simple handmade lathe tools. It would contain two rods of iron which were bent at 90 degrees and sharpened like a pencil at one edge.

second one is kept loose in a similar position. The hand lathe also comprises a stick and rope to rotate the object to be made. shapes and varying degrees.

After that, it is cleaned and adorned with natural lacquer. Mineral colours are mixed with natural lacquer to achieve colours in shades of red, green, black and yellow. Traditionally,

The Lac insect known as Carteria Laca is used for secreting the lac resin. They are found in the forest as they thrive sap and juices of many plants and trees. Thousands of insects are sourced to make a few grams of lac from the Thar desert as these insects would feed on Kandi, Babul, Ber and Sires. Babul was the primary source of lacquer. Lac is a red colour substance that female insects secrete to protect themselves and their babies.

The powder is mixed with wax, and sulfur is heated on the Chula to make colour pigment. A thick gum-like paste is beaten with some lac to create a colour stick/cake.

In Kutch and Sindh, both the craft person involved in the lac turning would source local timber of babul or Baval (Accasia arabica), Khau (Olea Ferruginea/wild olive), Neem (Azadirachta indica), Raido(Tecoma undulate). Khau is highly suited for carving, and Baval is used for the lathe. At present, only two families are practising the craft. Fakira Bhai and his family are the only family in Misriyadi; Banni taluka is practising the lacquer craft. The other family is in Nirona, Nakhratana taluka. The local Baval (Arabic gum tree) timber is used to make the products. The basic form is given by chisel and hammer to the wooden block; then the hole is made on each side to attach it to the lathe.

Image 252,253-Tools fo lathe turning

Image 254,255-Cutting of local wood for making objects

Image 256,257-Making of color from lac.

The coloured stick is pressed against the wooden object. The rotation creates heat and friction; hence the lacquer stick melts, and colour gets applied. The heat also spreads uniformly on the surface of the wooden object.

until the ground colour reappears. This process is repeated according to the layers of colours and design achieved at the end. Hence the variation of colour and type of pattern can solely depend on layering.

Later, coconut oil is applied by rubbing it with the cloth on the wooden object as it rotates on the lathe to give the piece

and designs. Movement and rotation of lath rubbed horizontally by oilcloth with high pressure creates zig zag and wavy ringlike patterns in various colours. The heat produced results in partial melting of coloured lac. Hence, one ring emerges in another, making a rhythmic pattern appear like marbling.

of

of creating patterns

made by the lacquer craft

color sticks

utensil

spoon/ladle

Wood carving

The composite cultural circle is a striking feature of wooden carving craft. The vast neighbouring cultural strata in Thar include Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, and the other regions with grazing lands and deserts in central Asia comprising Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan have this craft existing with strong similarities in patterns and motifs.

The role of migration of nomadic people would spread the particular techniques and motifs, which is why its lotus medallions, interlocked circles, diapers of squares and triangles, dogtooth, chevron, billets and frets. The carving is

The bright-coloured lathe-turned elements are combined with natural shades of brown wooden carved surfaces. For instance, in charpoy, the legs are made of a coloured lathe-turned technique, whereas the frame structure and backrest are made of natural brown coloured carved wood

cultural worship. The primary characteristic of this craft is swirl, sunburst, lotus medallion, patera and diaper pattern with

The varying shapes and proportions of squares and diamonds create other motifs, such as elongated diamonds creating are designed for an object or panel by piles of dense parallel or straight lines.

trenches are cut such that the raised portions create a shadow inside the depressed counterparts. The shallow relief pattern

Image 267-Tools for wood carving

Image 268-Making of charpoy

Image 269-Raw woodem table without polish

Image 270-Finished table with polish and finish

Image 271-Wooden table top with carving details

The primary patterns governing in Kutch are quatrefoil and six over a grid of squares. The perpetuation and combination of these motifs create a pattern in the kaleidoscopic from which similar patterns are observed in embroidery, exterior wall painting, interior mud mirror work and geometric block printing on textile. The geometrical borders and lotus medallions are seen in the exterior wall painting on bhunga in the Banni region, the quatrefoil, sunburst medallions and herringbone patterns are seen in the textile products such as quilts made diamond and composite lozenge pattern in combination with quatrefoil are also found in embroideries in Banni, Kutch as well as in Sindh, Pakistan and Badmer, Rajasthan. The square and triangle grid pattern is observed in the mud mirror work in the local dwellings of Banni.

The carved wooden chest, locally termed Maju, is found in Kutch, as well as in other regions of the Thar desert; Afghanistan, Baluchistan and Swat. The elements of the chest are interpreted from the fort and palace architecture. The legs resemble the vertical column elements in the architectural building type.

Image 272,273,274,275-Stages of making Maju

Image 276-283-Stages of making wooden products

Nirona , Nakhratna (sharing border with Banni)

It is a unique village home to various kinds of craft like Rogan, Bell making, Leather, Lacquer work and embroideries like Ahir kaam done by the local communities who inhabitants in the village.

Rogan

Rogan is a unique form of painting on fabric practiced by Muslim Khatri community. The patterns are similar to the embroideries done by the women of local communities.

At present day , Only one artisan family is practicing this

his family. It is believed that art of Rogan painting is dated back to centuries ago. The word ‘Rogan’ is a Persian word which means ‘paste of oil’, perhaps the artform may have originated in Persia and came to Kutch 400 years ago. There are various theory that it may have come to India from Africa, or is originated in Syria and came to India through Persia, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

forefathers. His great grandfather , Harunbhai , a Muslim Khatri shifted to Nirona to live and work with his sons including

craft of Rogan painting is practiced by the family, at current Dating back, the Rogan craft was used as technique to decorate the fabric used for clothing, Ghaghara and odhani were painted by Rogan for many regional communities living in Banni and Pachhaam region. Also it was used in toran, animal adornments, cushion covers and other household products. these fabric for clothing. hence , Rogan craft is practiced to create artwork only.

Process

It is a form of artwork on fabric crafted from a bright-coloured paste made from castor seed oil. The Castor plant is locally grown on farms in Kutch, and the artist would source it directly from the farmer.

The castor oil is boiled for almost 12 hours for two days until it becomes a thick gum-like paste. The natural pigments are added to the castor oil to add colour to the paste. Once the colour paste is ready, it is kept in water to prevent drying. The paste is not soluble in water.

There are 6 color paste made to create intricate design; yellow (pavadi), red (lal), blue (vadadi),white (safed),green (leelo) and black(kalo)

Image 284-Oldest chaniya with rogan work

Image 285-The making rogan painting

Image 286-The colors of rogan

Image 287-variety of rogan paintings

A 6 inch steel stick is used as a stylus, having a pointed tip, used for painting. The palm of the hand is used as pallet, the Rogan paste which is gummy viscous dye is rubbed vigorously to achieve a proper consistency in room temperature.

The stylus is then dipped and rolled in the paste to draw out the outline freehand on the fabric on one side of the folded fabric. It is a skill to move the hand such that the stylus doesn’t touch the fabric and the drawing happens like a thread that is used to create the patterns on the fabric.

The painting is done for an hour before the colour gets dried up, the other side of the plain folded fabric is placed over the painted area gently and pressed to create the mirror image by the impression.

symmetry followed due to the mirror impression. The motifs life, roots of trees, and bavariyo tree. The motifs appear to be was also observed in Persian alphabets. A border or an arched

drawing to make it appear like a running stitch. To add some glitter , mica powder is sprinkled at the wet painted places. The painted artwork gives an embossed appearance which is the distinct characteristic of the craft.

Image

in red with light blue, lemon yellow and light pink details

black with light blue, lemon yellow,

Image 293-Painting in green with light blue, lemon yellow and white details

blue with light blue, lemon yellow, light

Bell making

The craft of the iron-coated bell has evolved with time. Before partition, there used to be persistent movement of people between the regions. The major occupation of people was rearing cattle; livestock. The local community brought this craft to Kutch from Sindh. This craft of making bells for cows of the Maldhari community has been practised over 400 years ago in Nirona. Very few families are practising this craft, around 4 families in Nirona and around 8 families in Jhura.

Traditionally, Iron bells with a clapper made of local babool wood that create the soothing sweet sound were brought by the people of the Maldhari community. The bells are made in various sizes; Maldhari selects the size of the bell according to the size of the herd. One of the herd cows has a bell tied around its neck. By the sound of the bell rest of the herd follows it. The sound of the bell is tuned as per the choice of the Maldhari customer. With time, the cows would soon get and move in groups during grazing in the grasslands of the Banni region. Each cow is given a name by the master. Once the Maldhari calls the leader cow wearing the bell by its name, it would listen to the master’s voice and head back; the rest of the herd would follow the leader cow by the sound of the bell. The sound of a bell depends on the size and tuning; hence the soothing sound by hammering is a special skill required. Sarai, human and othad are three terms used locally for sound. The mouth organ called morchang is also made by these bell makers. Maldhari people play morchang when they take their cattle for grazing in the grasslands.

Hussainbhai in Nirona has continued the tradition of making bells and evolved the craft by creating new products as local demand for the bells has decreased with time.

Process-

A rectangle strip is cut for the main body of the bell from the raw iron sheet. The circle is drawn by the metal radius tool and then cut for the top part of the bell. The hammer beats the circle to form the shape of the dome.

To insert a hook on the top of the dome, a hole is drilled. All the pieces are hammered to achieve the shape and form of the bell. The two parts, which include the main body joined with the groove to form a cylinder, and the top, which is in the form of the dome, is attached by hammering.

rolled into the clay mixed with water. The clay is sourced from

of copper, bronze, borax, iron, and metal waste. Then the bell is wrapped with roti made of clay. The cotton wool is used to bind the roti and bell.

The metal bell packed with clay roti is placed in the kiln for around 2 hours to bake. The heat generated in the oven melts

The heat fuses the metal during this process and creates a coat over it.

Image 296-Acient bell with carving details.

Image 297,298-Making of base of the bell

Image 299,300-Cutting the circle plate

Once the bell is taken out of the oven, it is left open to cool it’s temperature and then kept in water. The water cools down the bell and cleans the roti coating. This process of immersing bell in water gives it a beautiful raw copper patina look.After that, sounds. At the end, a wooden clapper is hung from the inside

piece

dome

of hook

Image 303-Fixing of hook in the dome

Image 306-Fixing of wooden clapper

Pottery

Before the partition, pottery was spread in the entire region of Kutch, Gujarat and Sindh, Pakistan. There was a time when potters’ families used to live in every village in Kutch to make household requirements for the local people living in the villages. At present, only 7 clusters in Kutch practice the craft; Anjar, Bhuj, Ratadia, Gundiyali, Lodai, Tuna and Khavda.

The craft person would make products used for day to day life, such as storage vessels varying in size and form, utensils

and toys for children. Potters were known for their skills of painting their terracotta products with intricate details, which were celebrated by depicting motifs. The pottery has a strong

on it.

At present, Abdul Ibrahim and his family are the only potters continuing this craft in Khavda, Pachhaam, which shares a border with Banni. Their family is keeping the traditional craft alive. The terracotta is replaced with steel and plastic; hence this craft has started discontinuing.

The potter would source suitable soil for making the clay from nearby water bodies during the months of summer when the ponds are dry. The soil is brought from the Sarge village in the Banni region, which is 10 kilometres from Khavda. The characteristic of soil is supposed to be sweet and not saline; hence the potter has to be very judicious while selecting the soil.

Image 309,310-Various products made from terracotta.

The range of clay sourced is primarily red and white in colour.

ProcessThe soil is beaten completely with a wooden batten to grind

kept for drying in sun, after that it is passed through a sieve. Once the soil is ready to use, it is mixed with dry donkey or horse dung to increase the strength. Water is combined with the mixture to make the clay. The clay kept under a cover for two days and after that it is kneaded. The making and kneading of clay is usually done by women.

Image 311 A-Making of clay from the local mud Image 311 B-Kneadinng of clay

As the clay is kneaded and ready, it is placed on the wheal to make the products. The making of products on the wheel is done by the men.

Once the pot is made on a wheel, it is kept for drying for two days and later beaten with a wooden batten to make the walls of the pot thin and uniform and to achieve proper form and size.

After this gheru (red mud) is applied over it. It takes about a day to dry, after which it is painted with black color obtained from rock and white khadi with a wooden stick. Then the pot is ready to be baked in a kiln.

Crafts in Khavda, Pachcham. (Sharing border with Banni and White Rann)

Image 312 A-Making of pot from the clay

Image 313,314-The natural color gheru red,white khadi and black color for adding details and adorning

Image 312 B-Making the form of the object

The primary motifs on the pottery depict living forms from the nature and surroundings which include flora, fauna and human forms. The floral motifs are of pipal tree, bawal tree and flowers. The fauna motifs are of deer, birds, peacock, fish. The presence of human form is represented graphically and not realistically.

activities like hunting, dancing , women carrying water are painted. There are other variety of motifs and symbols represented apart from these main features.

The craft is rooted in its culture as painted terracotta products appear to be similar to pieces found in Dholavira and other Indus valley civilization sites.

“Apde matti na banya chiye ane mati ma aj samai jaiye chiye.”

This means “the pottery is a representation of elements of

spirits journey from birth to death, we embrace the pottery at each milestone in our transition through life. The use of earthen pots and elements in our rituals, at birth, marriage and death also marks the emotional attachment to the elements of nature within us, as that which makes a pot, a celebration and surrender to the clay that has made us and to which we return.”

The terracotta pots in Kutch have a distinct characteristic , which

there is similarity in motifs , style and technique between Sindh and Kutch region. Hence it is believed that the forefathers of the potters migrated to Kutch, Gujarat from Sindh, Pakistan

Image

Traditional terracotta products

Kharad

Lifestyle in Kutch is based on the tradition of animal husbandry.

sheep and so on. Originally, camel and goat wool was used for making kharad carpets. The artisan would source the wool of goat and camel from the Maldhari and Rabari (pastoral communities), who would shear the hair from the cattle. rasa (thick cloth to cover the grains).

Before partition, Kharad weavers would move from one village to another in Banni, Pachaam and Sindh to sell the products. Kharad rugs are woven on traditional looms which could be easily set up, taken down and moved from one place to another.

In a village called Mugdan at the Indo Pakistan border, people would buy many pieces of kharad and khunjani. Also in Sindh, the camel herders would buy the khunjani in large numbers. and Sindh, the kings were regular buyers of kharad as it had a very unique look, strength and durability, considering it easily lasted for more than 100 years.

At present, kharad weaving is getting extinct. There are only two families at present practising this craft, one at Kukma and the other at Khavda in Kutch.

Tejsi Danabhai and his sons are practising the craft in Kuran, Pachhaam.

Image 320- The kharad weaving structure

Image 321- Making of yarns from the raw material

Kharad rug is woven on a horizontal loom. Two rods are pegged to the ground in the opposite direction. The basic frame structure is created and then twisted threads are stretched strongly to make the warp for weaving. The technique is termed as cut shuttle, in which the weft is cut into pieces, and the warp is interlaced.

The threads used for wrap are stretched extremely tight from one peg to another and also are arranged such that they the wrap thread. Once one line of weft thread is done , it is tightened by beating with a hatho. This tightening creates a crisp texture which results in good quality of rug. After the weaving of rug is completed , the unbound wraps at two ends are cut from the loom and the warps are tied in gaanth(knots)

added called meri.

Image 325- Hathdo tool

Image 324- Making of kharad

Image 323- Weaving of yarns

Image 322- Initial step of sorting threads

interesting patterns by interlacing the weft.

The patterns on the kharad are geometrical and the motifs are an interpretation of the surrounding natural environment, the desert. The bold patterns with natural wool create the overall aesthetic and design of it. To add colour, the wool is dyed with natural dyes available as local resources.

The natural dyes are obtained from natural resources like pomegranate, indigo, lac, iron and other sources. The wool dyed with the natural dye enhances the rug to great beauty.

Image 326-Black and white wool made from sheep and goat

Image 328-Dark brown and rust wool made from camel

Image 327-Dark brown and rust wool made from camel

Image 330-Naturally dyed yarns in various colors

Image 329-Naturally dyed indigo cotton yarns

The traditional weaving techniques such as kangri, dholak, sadi patti, Chaumukh, dantiyo are used to create a geometrical pattern.

Kangri is a motif shaped in triangle form with variations. This motif is also seen in the shawls woven by the people of Meghwal community.

Dholak, is motif with two inverted triangles , it is a pattern interpreted from Indian instrument dhol (drum).

Sadi patti, is a motif in the form of simple stripe which is used between the rows.

Chaumukjh, is a motif shaped with two dholaks, it consist of two triangles facing each other up and down.

Datiyo , is a motif in shape of comb. The word is derived from Gujarat word ‘daat’ which means teeth in English.

The Kharad artisan from Meghwal community in Kuran, Pachhaam used to make belts for camel for the people of Maldhari community in Banni and Pachhaam. The Maldhari people ornamented their camels to express their love for them. While grazing cattle, Maldhari themselves also braided the belts while the herd is grazing in the grassland. Tejsibhai who is a kharad craft person in Kuran is continuing the tradition to keep the craft alive.

Taang is seven feet long and 4 inch wide braided belt for camels. The ply-split braiding technique is used to braid goat hair in its natural colour of black and white. The goat hair needs to be cleaned and sorted by colour then handspun. The spinning needs to be done precisely as yarn made for braiding needs to be properly twisted and even. Usually four ply black and four ply white or 8 ply either one colour is used to create one piece of rope which is used for braiding. The interesting feature using two colours is that one side the pattern would be white whereas the other side it would be black. The two colour interlacing is done with two colour cords while braiding it alternately split and split. The braiding is done by the wooden needle inserted in the rope to lift only one colour at one time. The technique of creating motifs is very complex and timeconsuming hence it requires exceptional skill to practice this craft. One piece of taang takes four to six months to complete depending on the design and its complexity.

Since the famine, the Maldhari people have replaced their expensive for them to buy. The craft is now extinct and is surviving in the form of an artform.

brown, red

white piece of kharad

brown, black and white piece of kharad

Image 333-Black piece of taang

Image 334-Black and white piece of taang

Ajrakh

It is one of the oldest printing methods on cotton fabric with geometric patterns, which has found its evidence at sites of Indus valley civilisation. For 4500 years, Ajrakh is one of the oldest forms of block printing technique on textile, which is practised in Kutch in Gujarat, Badmer in Rajasthan and Sindh in Pakistan.

Each craft gets associated with various stories for its origin and as it gets evolves with time the stories, interpretations and myths also intertwine. The Ajrakh word is derived from the “Azarukh” word, which means blue in Arabic and Persian. The blue colour plays an important role; hence traditionally, ajrakh was recognised by the blue colour background of the cloth.

Ajrakh is practised by people of the Khatri community, whose main occupation for generations has been block printing on colour.” It is believed that during the famine in the province of Sindh in 16th century, the Khatri people started migrating in 1542 AD till 1600 AD to Kutch.

Traditionally, Ajrakh is known for the hand block printing technique, and its special feature is that the print matches exactly on the front and back sides. To achieve this outcome, an extraordinary skill is required. The process of making a piece of Ajrakh takes around three to four weeks. The resist dyeing is done using natural vegetable and mineral colours such as madder, fermented iron and mordants like harde and alum, Indigo.

The colours and patterns in Ajrakh are interpretation of sky and universe. The sky is symbolised by blue colour, the twilight is symbolised by red colour, the night is indicated by black and stars on a dark night are represented by the white motifs sparse throughout the fabric.

The people from the Maldhari community inhabitant in Kutch and Sindh wear ajrakh turban and lungi as traditional attire. It is worn by the rich as well as poor. The old ajrakh is reused for making godadi (quilt) , godyu (hammock) for baby, a cover for bullock cart and often used as backing the patchwork quilt.

The two parts of size 36 inch width and 100 inch length are printed in ajrakh for lungi and then later joined by a multicoloured thread with a lace pattern called kheelvat. Two pieces when joined together will make lungi in 72 inch width. Tras hanso (three lines) and be hanso (two lines) with many variations in the background design are the two types of border. A single piece of 48 inch width and 100 inch length with a single small border called narewali is printed for Turban.

Image 335 - Stages of Ajhrakh

Image 336, 337 - Indigo Ajrakh piece

Image 338-Natural dye ajrakh print in red and indigo

Image 339,340,341- 3 layer stage of block print

Image 342-Final block printed piece

earlier generation. They celebrate the natural environment. The amalgamation of colour as well as motifs to create a pattern is interpreted from nature. The symmetry followed in block printing, and the motifs of geometric patterns also represent the Islamic principles of balance. Symmetrical geometric motifs

The trefoil motif depicts the three sun discs joined together to represent the unity of earth, water and sun. The motifs are block printed in a central area in the form of a repetitive pattern grid which appears to be web/jali. The grid is made of horizontal, vertical or diagonal lines. A border is block printed vertically and horizontally around the central block printed

can have a double or triple margin according to the design desired to distinguish the layout of borders.

Image 343,344,345-3 layer step for block print border

Color

Ajrakh reprinted and dyed by alum and in selected areas over printed with resist paste before indigo dyeing to achieve for deeper and vibrant colour is called meenakari ajrakh. The whole is piece gets a deeper tone after this process.

Traditionally, only natural dyes were used hence the colour pallet was limited to shades of red, green, blue, yellow and black.

ColorsIndigo – blue Pomegranate peel – yellow Indigo dyed fabric with pomegranate peel - green

Madder root – red Haldi – yellow Iron – black

Image 349,350,351-Steps for dyeing

used for printing ajrakh. For every pattern and colour a separate block is needed. Set of blocks used for printing border to create patterns like tinaro, madhagulo, ajhrakh, butto, kanwali, hanso, riyal, gini, kharekh, kanwali kharekh, kakar, mifudi, ambi mohar, champakali, mohemadsahi, pinjro, char pe ek, pencho. These raindrop, bird, date so on. There are innumerable combinations patterns.

Image 346,347,348-Blocks for

Image 352-Final printed pattern

Leather craft

Long back, Meghwal Marvada migrated from Sindh and Rajasthan to Kutch; along with them they brought the leather craft- Wrinkled brown, like the cracked parched expanses of the Rann, dotted with multi-coloured droplets as if sun tanned skin is punctuated with tribal tattoos.

The migration movement of people led to the intersection of culture and community. They sourced the leather from the nomadic Maldhari people who were involved in cattle rearing. The dead skin of Maldhari cattle was converted to rawhides which were later processed to make leather. The relationship between these communities resulted in an amalgamation of culture, which is observed in the crafts, embroidery clothing,

Since the Indus valley civilzation, leathercraft has its prominence. Using animal skin for making objects of daily use for basic human needs was part of traditional practices. To soften and preserve the animal skin, the hide was treated with smoke, greases, and bark extract. -the blend of hard material; the bark of the tree for tanning of the soft material; hide to the leather balanced and creates a distinct texture.

The artisans have migrated from Rajasthan to kutch; the pastoralists would move around in search of fodder for their cattle in the Banni grassland. Hence the abundance of leather is available in the region. This craft was traditionally practised for storing water from goat hides. The water was inserted in the entire goat skin through its mouth, and the legs were used, holding it by the shoulders. The water stored remained cold and was insulated from the extreme heat in the region. They also made mojari with intricate embroidery and silver mochi kaam, used as footwear in the hot desert areas.

Process -Tanning

The process of tanning the skin stabilizes the proteins, prevents putrefaction, and preserves it. The natural leather is warm and has individual features as it breathes, enhancing the hide’s each hide, and their variation adds value to its appearance. The tanning also changes the texture of the original hide. It of it.

The tanning prevents it from decaying and makes it resistant to wetting. The cleaning and curing of it are done by treating it with salt for temporary preservation. After that, the salt is removed by soaking it in water that has certain chemicals to protect it from bacterial and fungal growth. The soaking of hide in lime and sodium sulfates leads to the removal of natural fats and hair. tanning.

Traditionally tanning was done by the bark and leaves of the tree. The hide is placed in the drums for fermentation and deposition, which results in a distinct color. required thickness and strength for the product desired.

Image 353-Ancient shoe -leather craft

Image 354- Natural tanned leather

marking the template on leather. The leather is cut using raapi, under which a wooden block is placed on a stone so the tool does not blunt its edge. The raapi’s edge is sharpened by the stone. After cutting, it is dyed by the colour as per the required aesthetic. The stainers are used to create shades of browns, and natural dyes are used to make colours like red, yellow, and blue. These natural colours are in the form of powder mixed with water and solution to make the dye. The variation of colours to create pink, purple, and green is also done by mixing powders.

Fabric backing is done after punching. The bright color waste fabrics are used for backing which is composed precisely in respect to the patterns. The layer of color of the fabric adds bright hues under the punched holes in leather. Using basic tools and techniques, myriad geometric patterns are created by the craftsmen, breathing new life and character into the leather, transforming it from it’s rough nature. Once done, the pieces of leather are hand stitched with Kundi aar/stitching awl by passing thick thread by slits.

green are stiched along the border of the entire product to add vibrancy. These threads are alternately stichched which brings in a typical tradtional detail of tassel known as Phumka.

While the men work on making of the product , the women is involved in adorning it by adding embellishments. The leather is detailed with bright color embroidery , enhanced with gold/ silver jari kaam and mirror to add the traditonal touch in the aesthetics.

Once the leather is dyed, it is adorned with punching or jari

used to make patterns in geometery, trianlges, squares, ovals,

on the bottom of the leather before punching to prevent the damage or breakage of punching tools. Hathodi/thukni hammers the punch.

The punching technique creates various patterns and geometric designs to add a vibrant character to the leather. With less pressure, the punching technique is used to create relief patterns.

These engraved relief patterns on the leather surface add a

in kutch. People of kutch adorn their bodies with tattoos as an expression of belief and livelihood, which merge with the way of life.

Image 356-Application of colorImage 355- Cutting of farma

Image 357-Punching technique

Image 358-Backing technique

Image 359- Backing technique

Image 360-Traditional colorful tasells

Image 361-Steps of making footwear

Image 363-Leather Bag adorned with jari kaam and embroidery

Image 362-Craftperson practicing jari kaam

Wood carving craft

Ajrakh block printing

Leather craft

Rogan art

PART C - Culture

Banni belongs to the Kutch district in Gujarat state; the region has witnessed a history of migration of people. Kutch is an ethnic site of Gujarat’s art and crafts as well as diverse culture and natural environment. Its distinct characteristics also lie in its history and social systems. The complex structure of co-existing ethnicity, religions and language has formed the region. The geographical location of Kutch as a larger part of the Thar desert, which includes Sindh, Rajasthan and Gujarat, makes it inseparable from the socio-cultural context and geoclimate context. These cosmopolitical dimensions led to the movement of people, trade, culture, crafts, embroideries and lifestyle.

Kutch in Gujarat, Badmer in Rajasthan, Sindh in Pakistan and the other parts of central Asia share the same context

culture. The linguistic division between Rajasthan and Gujarat separates them from each other, whereas the international boundaries between India and Pakistan separate each other intangible aspects. Banni is part of the composite west which makes cultural imaginary of the region in intangible aspects.

In isolated, homogenous villages in the remote and rural northern part of the district, within an incredibly physical environment, the largest group of the Muslim community is concentrated in scores of endogamous subgroups. Nonetheless, there is a sense of Kutchi identity (with its interpretation of Sindhi drawn more from Gujarati than Gujarat) that has helped create a more integrated society; this in turn has created commonalities with Hindu rural communities. Similarly, pastoral culture establishes bonds with Hindu groups that are based in a way of life shared by both groups, one that is characterized by a harsh existence in which survival at the margins and the struggle with nature

own group or clan - like the Fakirani Jats or the Rabaari - and their established culture have proved so strong that it can transcend a broader religious identity like Islam or Hindu.

Throughout history, Kutch has experienced several variations in geographical conditions, creating a unique terrain. The

but then changed its course after earthquakes. Kutch has been an important trade route between Persian kingdoms and the Indian Subcontinent. Located near the coast with the Rann desert in the north, the virtually isolated location provided a constructive environment for creativity. Several ethnic groups settled on this land, such as the Marwari Meghwals, Rabaris, Maldhari Muslims, and Jats. These migrants took to cattle and camel breeding which is the main source of leather in this area when they migrated from Halab region of Iran about 500 years ago in search of new grazing lands. Originally from the Thar Desert, the Rabaris migrated to new lands in search of food and water. They roam the terrain nine months a year in search of fodder to feed their livestock. The Banni grasslands have a

the human population, as all the tribes rear livestock. Leather craft in this region developed due to an abundance of leather and a need for various types of products.

Trade links of kutch

Kutchi communities weave, dye, print, and embroider these textiles, which tell their legacy and history. Kutch’s diverse and rich cultural traditions originate from its intersection between cultures and communities. In the past, people from Africa, the Middle East, and the Swat Valley traded with Kutch by land and sea. Kutch has a long tradition of sea trade, spanning Mandvi, Mundra, and Kandla ports that served as a global hub. Kutch, Sindh, and Rajasthan shared a river system. Pastoralist tribes migrated from Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and around Kutch across Sindh and Pakistan; their distinctive vibrant clothing, heritage. Kutch has constantly absorbed cultures from the north, west, and east in the past and in the present.

Due to the arid climate, communities have evolved ingenious ways of meeting their needs by converting diverse resources they have into products for daily living that are examples of sustainability. The embroidery craft that has become synonymous with Kutch has been joined by other arts and crafts that give this land colour and identity. Kutch is inextricably linked to craft because of its numerous communities, connected through trade, agriculture, and pastoralism.

In the north-eastern region, which is the White Rann and Banni grasslands, the primary source of living and earning is animal husbandry. In the central Kutch, which is between the Gulf of Kutch and Rann, the cultivable lands are located hence the major source of income is agriculture, mining and industry, whereas on the south-western side there are trade and seaports in the coastal areas. The coastal regions –Mundra, Mandvi and Lakhpart are the seaports for carrying trade to Bombay, Saurashtra, Karachi, Konkan, Malabar, Multan and fared to the regions like east Africa, Arabia and the Persian Gulf. Kutch is known for the seafaring tradition, which involves merchants and traders who are Muslims and Hindus. The trade links provided Kutch a permeable passage for overland trade and migration.

In the past, Kutch was an island that was part of the Arabian sea. Due to seismic disturbance, it resulted in the great white rainy seasons. The Rann was a link between Sindh and Kutch; hence pastoralist community people migrated with their time, people transverse through the desert in and out on the way to Kutch. The movement of people took place in all the directions in the region. The carpenters, artisans, masons and shepherds came from Sindh, and traders came from Kabul to trade at the harbours of Kutch.

The people from Khatri communities who practised dyeing and pottery came from Sindh, the Rabaris who did animal husbandry moved with their camels and cattle from Marwar, Merchants and brahmins came from Gujarat, Lohanas and Bhatias are traders who came from Multan, and some people used Kutch as a strategic location for transit to pilgrimage to Mecca or Hinglaj in Baluchistan. The trade links between sea and desert resulted in the rich history of immigration.

The sea coast led to contact with the outside world, the land terrain led to contact with the rest of the sub-continent. The parts of the world like Africa, Persia and Arabia as well as the migration between the interior of Asia by the nomadic ethnic group of people led to complex cultural diversity which was seen in the design and aesthetics of textiles, woodwork and other crafts.

Kutch was blessed with rulers who had a keen interest and involvement in developing the art and artisans of their state. Hence the Jadeja dynasty which ruled for more than 400 years

contribution of welfare and growth of the people of Kutch was provided by giving patronage to many craftsmen and artisans of the region by sending them to Europe for training and

Nomadic culture

The long history of pastoralism, more common than agriculture, is associated with Kutch and Saurashtra. It is the region that is known for pastoral-ism traditions and regional ecology. The identity of the central part of Banni is constituted by the Maldharis.

Maldhari ss the ‘ones who own the wealth of cattle’. Their identity is the ones for whom their ‘herd’ is considered as their wealth than the land, as in the case of agriculture. “ The word traditionally means cattle-breeding rather than cattle-tending.” (Memories and movements, Rita Kothari) The practice of animal husbandry and grazing is an integration of men, women and nature. The women daily would extract milk from the cattle, feed the cattle, churn it into curd also buttermilk and would make a large quantity of ghee out of the milk produced. The people from Dalit Meghwal community would extract skins from the dead cattle and make leather objects from the hides.

The pure ghee produced was used for trading. They would carry ghee on camelback to Sindh and barter it for other household products with the Wadssss, Khatris and people of other communities.

The pastoralists of Banni were known for raising the best brought from Sindh; hence the livestock, according to the owners, was ‘Sindhi’. To maintain their rich cattle, they would not breed them with the other breeds. The cows represent the simple love that Maldhari had for his animals.

The seasonal migration was an inalienable part of pastoralism in Banni. Depending on the available resources and fodder, the pastoralists would move from Sindh to Kutch or vice versa. During extreme conditions like drought, famine or heavy rainfalls, these pastoralists would set up a temporary nature of homes in another place for the time period. These movements between people, communities and regions resulted in to and the dwellings.

After partition, Banni became a border region and since then trans-border movements have stopped.

In the absence of rain and lack of fodder, the pastoralists would migrate to Sindh to Kutch or visa vera to share the grazing pastoralists got restricted, which caused a major change in the migration pattern. The Banni grassland got degraded after the invasion of Gando species of plants and grasses were damaged, which led to the deterioration of the ecology of the region completely. The scarcity of fodder caused major famine in the region, which led to owners selling their large amounts of cattle. At present, due to a lack of resources and fodder for the cattle, the pastoralist’s migrated to Saurashtra.

Political boundary

In 1947, “ Hindustan azaad theeyo , par Kutch gulaam theeyo.” This statement was based on before the pre-independence in India, Kutch had its own political identity, linguistic traditions and aesthetics. After independence, Kutch got marginalized as it got integrated with India. During the British rule, the status of Kutch was separate and independent but after 1948 it came under the central administration of the country. Kutch was part of Bombay for 8 years, after 1980, when Bombay split into Mumbai and Gujarat due to bilingual reasons, Kutch was formed as a district in the new state of Gujarat on the basis of language.

Western Rajasthan was an important part of Sindh before partition, this region was called the Thar region and the locals would speak in Sindhi language-dhatki. The dhatki language is a combination of Marwari, Gujarati and Sindhi. At a geographical expanse, Jodhpur, Badmer and Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, Palanpur in Gujarat, Kutch in White Rann and Sindh in Pakistan were part of the Thar region and thus shared a common culture and history. Hence northern Kutch is close to White Rann, people of Banni speak Sindhi-Kutchi as their local language.

Body adornments in attires as part of ritual acceptance as part of traditional practice in the cultural background. The embroidered cloth, the mud paint or rice pots a done with a red dot. and their community, also their religion and religious practices. The women dressed in beautiful jewellery and elaborately in addition to jewellery and elaborated hairdo.Adornment serves humans in many ways; attracts gods, protects people and communities, identity of ethnic groups, and reveals history and daily life of the people. The adornment gives people a creative outlet that can support the society, it gives them a social structure being in lower class or higher class of caste. Adornments and ornamentation is intertwined with the entire fabric of Banni region.

The ethnic group of people roam around the desert and plains, it is believed that these group of indigenous people have a peculiar physiognomy, migrated from the Iranian plateau more than a millennium ago.

Image 364- A women wearing traditional ornaments.

The interesting fact is one that the ethnic group of people have that they adorn along with the silver ornaments.

The tradition of tattooing has been prevalent among the Bhils and Santhals in Kutch and central India, The Kanbi and warlis in the Gujarat, and among the Banjaras of Rajasthan. The characteristic symbol that was tattooed is of a tree and its leaves and as well as a totem. Many women wear tattoo marks of the peeple tree or acacia tree, which is of religious purpose in the Hindu culture. Men of these communities get tattooed the to adorn their body as well as a mark of the community. The women of these communities wear small motifs on the throat, chin and entire arm and on their hands.

The women are black color tattooed heavily withs than that the men. This is a painful procedure altogether since the needle marks makes the body swell. It further led to itching, however to get rid of it by the neem leaves are bound to them. For being used as a sign of status to jewelry- like marking, tattoos have been around in the region since ancient times.

jewelry- a kind of jewelry which no one could take away from them even If they lose all their worldly possessions and can adornment , which can be carried even after death. These women are tattooed at a very early age.

Image 365 A-Hand with tattoo

process of application of tattoo

The Adornment of built form as part of ritual

The home is the womb of existence for the people of Banni, a place where life sprigs grow, a place of nurturing and nourishment. Every action, every decision, every movement has some connection to a home in one way or another, hence it is a medium of the identity of the ethnic group of people.

The built forms in the region are the seeds of a family from decades ago, its identity permeating the space within its walls. The home is an abode of sacred tradition. Ritual is at the heart of traditional beliefs, and the home is a part of the ritual. Everything begins and ends at home.

Every aspect of the universe, animate and inanimate, is imbued with spirit according to the belief. It is therefore essential to respect and honour the spirits within a home. In a world rife with overpopulation and confusion, the home is the sanctum of safety, personal and individual privacy. The sanctuary boundaries must be protected against the intrusion of unwanted elements, both natural and spiritual.

In order for a home to thrive, the built form and its gated means of access, as well as the doors and windows, must be protected. Various problems and misfortunes are believed to be caused by evil spirits by local beliefs. By observing hereditary rituals vigilantly, homes can be protected from evil and families can feel safe within their walls.

Most rituals intended to protect the home involve decorating the entry of evil and encourage the proliferation of good. By adorning the home with paintings and mud reliefs, malice is defeated and the health and welfare of the inhabitants are safeguarded. Decorative patterns applied to the surface of a house are not only prophylactic, protecting from evil, but are protect it.

Home is governed by women, they make household decisions, and they regulate family activities. Since women represent the heirs and prime practitioners of traditions and rituals, they are the ones who are responsible for creating sacred drawings, paintings, and bas beliefs which honor and protect the goddess.

In some cultures, certain symbols and designs are used believed to protect the wearer from harm and the evil eye. decoration, passing it from generation to generation.

To ensure the safety of their families, hindu women beautify the exterior of their houses. Adornment for homes is intended to

application and reapplication of the design ensures household participation in the process of protecting the home.

It acts as a continuous activity to re-enact the protection ritual by using materials that crumble, disintegrate or can be washed

Most bhunga are constructed from mud and dung walls and

cleansing agent. It is usually from cattle, and the dung is mixed with mud or clay in the correct ratio. By applying a fresh layer to the surface of the mud, this mixture temporarily absorbs the

Women in the house spread a new layer of gobar-mitti (muddung) by hand. The decoration is painted after it is applied, and sometimes the surface of the clay is manipulated and sculpted for bas relief designs. The designs are pictographs and heirographs, which deliver the messages directly to god. The application ritual and accompanied prayers, songs, and stories were the primary means by which the women of household communicated with their deity.

Image 366,367,368- Application of mud relief work

the year, such as the beginning of winter, planting season, harvest time, and before summer also often in occasions like makar sankranti, holi, dushera, navratri and diwali.

Diwali, the hindu festival of new year, marks the beginning of a new year and is also the festival of honoring Lakshmi. It

through executing new designs. The use of vibrant colors and adornments are painted in during this period.

The re-embellishment of the home is done not only for festivals, but also for sanskara celebrations, which mark the passage of a family member from one stage of life to another, such as birth, marriage, and death.

Every festival and important event has its own set of ornamentation. Even though there are sometimes depictions of animals and birds, most of the motifs are geometric patterns and abstractions of primary symbols. There are subtle geometric patterns in the shade of terracotta and yellow on the door frames and windows of the front of the house, which are similar to motifs found in herringbone, interlacing, and chain stitch embroidered textiles. Round wall surfaces are decorated with elaborate friezes reminiscent of local embroidery techniques.

Large geometric forms and shapes are formed by large bands of red, yellow, and white. There is a stark contrast between the airy and forbidding landscape and the vibrant patterns created in the outer spaces during the festivals and special events. The vivid patterns give the houses a positive identity that would otherwise blend into the dusty brown world of the desert.

decoration are made from natural organic substances, although chemical powdered dyes and paints are becoming increasingly popular. In many homes, white is the colour used for outlines and motifs, while red is used to emphasise details.

White and red are traditionally used, while white is chalk from the local area; white lime which is associated with purity. Vermillion is a red organic pigment, which is often associated with deities. Other traditional colors are yellow from turmeric, from burnt coconut/coal dust.

are found on walls, partitions, doorways, lintels, niches, and found in local embroideries.

Several communities in the region continue to practice ritual drawing, painting, and bas-relief at some point in the year. manner represents the traditions of the people.

Landscape as surrounding environment, availability of natural resources as material for construction, geology as a determining

motifs, use of minerals to add to colours, regional lifestyles, and traditional practices all contribute to the built form’s regional value and aesthetics. The built form of Banni not only stands as a tangible manifestation of the distinctive landscape, characterized by the geo-climate context of the natural environment, but they also contribute as an expression of the

Along with the broader view, it addresses a way of living.

Image 369-The exterior of bhunga in gheru red and turmeric yellow traditonal colors.

Kutchi folk music has existed since ancient times. The ancient people invented new sounds to express their emotions and sentiments. Over time, this music evolved into Kutchi folk mu sic.

Instruments are also related to the origins of Kutchi people, their taboos, and the way they worship.

Some of the musical instruments of Kutch include Numerous instruments never seen before are used by Kutchi people to produce music, including tabla, sharnai, nagara,

damaru, daklu, nagfani, and bhorrindo. A number of aspects these instruments.

Raag, Bheth, etc. The popular instruments include morchang, jodia pava, santaar, surando.

Jodiya Pava

The Nar has eight equi-distant holes for maintaining a drone, or Sur. The Madi weaves the melody on top of the drone with twelve holes. Out of the twelve holes of the Madi, only the six upper holes are used to manipulate music, the six lower holes are left open and unmanipulated.

Surando

This is a very ancient stringed instrument of the Kachchh peo ple. An instrument like this is played with a bow, referred to as a ‘Gaz’. It is thought that ‘Suranda’ was originally played in the North of India and in Sindh in Pakistan as ‘Sarinda’.

Morchang

It is a simple instrument made of brass or iron. A Morchang or Chang is a simple but stylish sounding device made of iron or brass. While grazing the cattle, the Shepherd Community usually plays this instrument for a long time. It is hard to play, as it causes pain in the tongue, lips, and lungs.

Image 370-Music forms a very important part of a maldhari’s life. The maldhari men use various kinds of instruments while go ing out with their herd for grazing.

Social systems

-Oral tradition

The musicians of Langhas were inhabitants of Jaisalmer and Badmer in the western regions of Rajasthan. They sang songs about the Sindhi patrons of India and Pakistan. The Langhas were found in Saurashtra and Kutch in Gujarat, Jaisalmer and Badmer in Rajasthan and Sindh. They are the community who contributed in circulation of culture and history through narratives by oral traditions in the western region. They earned their living by singing songs for their patrons in these three regions.

with people of Sindh. The movement of people from Sindh to Banni led to spread of this tradition. People would gather and

important part of Banni and its version of ‘Islam’. The word Piri-muridi means, the peers and the followers which is

Image 371-Muslim mutva men singing

1-Quality of light region in Kutch receives a tremendous amount of light with high intensity due to its geographic positioning, which is near the Tropic of Cancer. In places receiving a considerable amount of the direct sun, such as those that get a great deal with the amount of sunlight which characterizes harsh, brutal and blinding bright light. Consequently due to strong light, the colors in need to be intense to stand out and also need to have a longer wavelength in order to travel farther and thus be perceived from far. Hence the warm colors , the hues of red and orange which have longer wavelength are primarily seen in the regional palette of built environment.

In the course of the day from morning to evening, the colors become more intense due to the changing quality of light; color, temperature, amount and direction.

In the afternoon the light is overhead, its direct with high intensity in whitish yellow color and the colors are perceived less saturated hues. During the sunrise and sunset, the light falls at an angle with less intensity in orangish yellow color. Consequently, colors are perceived as more saturated. The colors of an object are perceived not in isolation but with the rest of the surrounding. Hence the color of light change the perception of colors seen as the day passes from morning to evening.

white light creates intense brightness causing disabling glare. The sky conditions in Banni are usually clear and cloudless throughout most of the year. As a result of these factors, the colors appear brighter and more intense. Due to sparsely situated desert vegetation and low-roofed clusters of built form at far distances, direct sunlight can produce shadows that contrast greatly with the overall color

the blinding glare, a person’s visibility almost disappears, so soil adds a layer to the amount of light creating the blinding

Due to the changing light conditions throughout the day, the region experiences spectacular sunrises and sunsets, which create a colorful sky with changing hues of colors from yellow, orange , red to pink and purples. These colors act as the primary source of inspiration for their colors sensibilities in adorning their homes and textiles, In addition to changing light conditions throughout the day, the light changes dramatically from season to season. This changing color can be observed in sunset colors, which change from mellow oranges- reds in winter to stark bright hues of yellows-orange-red in summer. During the winters the fog and haze leads to blurring the sight of vision.

desert) and colors are seen as more bright and intense in summer than in winter.

In the built environmentIn order to create optimal lighting conditions inside the factor. The smaller size of the window modulate the amount of light entering in the space and the tiny mirrors inside the the white walls of mud houses hence the space appears larger hut. The warmer colors like yellow and gheru red are added in adornation to add brightness in the interiors in respected to the light conditions. The climate remains hotter due to the high intensity of light. A layer of protection is created by using white chuna and cow dung in the interiors of the house in order to maintain a cooler temperature. The vibrant colours shine bright with respect to the light quality

the embroideries as well as interiors of built form. The colors, context and cultural context of the region.

2-Natural resources

The use of natural colors; gheru red, indigo blue, pomegranate derived from the natural sources found in the region such as vegetation. They can be regarded as the traditional colors which have evolved with time the shades of colors; red, orange,yellow ,green,blue,pink, purple, white and black.

Built form

The mud houses they built are constructed with local material readily available which is mud mixed with gobbar (dung), Thus, region. The colors range from shades of ochre to brown found in the region.

Lai, Pilu , Desi Bawaad, Kher, Khijdo, Kerad and Gando Bawaad are the local wood available in the region. These local wood with various shades of natural browns are used for making the structure.

Khip, Ikal, Shan/shaniyo, akdo are some other grasses found in the region and used as a building material for thatch which form of roof.

The exterior of houses is painted with the mineral colours. The door and window are usually highlighted by bold bands, which create a contrast to the surrounding dull environment. There are various shades of mud found near the village of Khavda. Khavda is a region sharing its border with the Banni region. Chuno (white lime), geru(red and ochre), Kathai (brown), and terracotta tones are available. White is primary color used for outlines and moitfs in many homes and red is used for accentuate details. White and red are traditionally employed. The white is locally escavated chalk ;white lime. Red is generally organic vermillion, the primary color associated with deities and workship. Other traditonal colors are yellow from turmeric, and black from burnt coconut/coal dust.

The cultural and environmental landscape interpretation is seen in the circular khakhi colour mud walls and Vandyk shades of brown in the conical thatch roof hut, which is aesthetically designed. The paintings that adorn the exterior walls, the intricate details of mud and mirror work in interiors, and the richness of colours, motifs, and aesthetic sensibilities form an integral part of the lifestyle, culture, and social dynamics.

Textiles

The natural colors are obtained from natural resources like pomegranate, indigo, lac, iron and other sources for dyeing yarns and fabrics.

Pomegranate Rind , Punica granatum , the edibble pomegranate fruit yields a ochre ellow dte and the skins are rich in color fastness. The pomegranate dye lacks the brilliance so it is often mixed with turmeric roots to make brighter color.

Indigo colour is made from the powder of Indigofera tinctoria plant. Shades of blue from dull grey-blue to dark ink Persian blue is yield by it.

Turmeric, Curcuma longa belongs to the family of ginger. The natural dye is taken from it roots. Bright yellow color is obtained from it. It is mixed with alum to achieve orange and red colours and with indigo to achieve green color.

Onion skin, allium cepa the outer skin is used to obtain Pomegranate, punica granatum. Ochre yellow is obtained from it ,also, it is used for improving the colourfastness.

Lac is a deep red colour secreted from the insect which is usually found on local trees in the region. Violet, red and brown can be obtained by modifying the colour. sandal wood( sappan).

Primaraly, the hues of red were used traditonally in women attire as odhani and ghagara, and the ajrakh printed indigo fabric was used by local tribes as men attire as lungi and turban.

Traditionally the colors of Ajrakh, only natural dyes were used hence the colour pallet was limited to shades of red, green, blue, yellow and black. The natural dyes as stated above from the maddar roots, iron, turmeric, indigo and pomegranate peels. These colors are also used for yarns of Kharad carpet and other weaving products.

The clay for the pots is sourced from nearby region, and the red. The pots are decorated in white khadi and black stone color with intricate details representing the tradional motifs and patterns.

Leather colors range from light browns and beige growns. Additionally,(oil and water) polishes impart the colors in the shades of red-browns like burnt siena, maroon, orange brown and so on. At present colored pigments are used for bright colors like blue,red,green,yellow,pink, purple,black and so on.

The wood used in making furniture is sourced from Lai, Pilu , Desi Bawaad, Kher, Khijdo, Kerad and Gando Bawaad.Due to less availability good quality of wood and the high presence of knots , the sag, barma and teak wood is sources from Bhuj, Rajkot and Ahmedabad to make carved wooden furniture for local uses.

In rogan art, the paste of color is made from the local sourced caster oil from farms and Lac from insects. The castor oil is boiled for almost 12 hours for two days until it becomes a thick gum-like paste. The natural pigment of colors are added to the castor oil to prepare the color paste.

Lathe turning craft uses lac sourced from the insects to make colored lacquer sticks.

3-Psychological aspect-The landscape around

The landscape of Banni is a tone-downed pallet with shades of ochre, beiges and brown with patches of dark, olive and pale shades of greens. The white colour of the Great Rann is in the shades of white with the tint of pinks browns, mauves browns, beige browns, light oranges and shades of grays.

The subtle landscape encourages them to add bright colours to

objects of daily use and crafts. The colors used in adorning their homes and their attire is combination of various vivid colors coming together in a composition of traditional motifs and patterns inspired from the natural environment and physical context.

Physiologically, it is the process by which the human brain is able to adapt to the prevailing environmental conditions. The colours diverge into contrasting tones that stand out rather than blending into the surrounding dry desert environment.

On the color spectrum, red, orange, red, orange, yellow, and brown colors belong to the warm area, whereas blues, greens, and grey colors belong to the cold area. Colours of red, orange, and yellow are associated with excitement, cheerfulness, stimulation, and aggression; those of blue and green with security, calmness, and peace; and those of brown, gray, and black with sadness, depression, and melancholy.

Hence the meaning associations on this spectrum range from “active, “hot, and “vibrant” (red) to “calming, “gentle, and “peaceful” (blue-green-white).

In climates with a lot of sunlight, people prefer warm, bright colors; but in climates with less sunlight, people prefer cooler, less saturated colors.

Their daily lives are governed by this logic of colors. They used vivid colors in their attires and clothing, such as reds, oranges, and yellows, in contrast to the muted palette of the natural and their perception of life. The vibrant colors they wear in this harsh environment encourage them to carry on with their daily lives.

The use of seven colours, satrangi, is a distinct feature of the embroidery work. The colour combination, motifs, pattern, and their beliefs. The use of red, pink and green is seen evidently in the textiles and attires of Muslims. Whereas the shades of red to maroon are seen in the attire of Hindus. The proportion of seven colours used in bharatkaam of the Hindu community is nearly equal, whereas the proportion of one colour is more than half the percentage with intricate details of the other colours used coming together is seen in the Muslim communities.

Mirrors are the most strikingly unique features of Kutch embroidery, apart from their stunningly intricate patterns. They are said to be adapted from traditional Islamic art and of the sun.

The embroidery of Banni is an authentic emblem, the mark of pattern density, and the integration of the surface as the base of the fabric.

With an environment that already exists in a certain way (a muted palette, for example), the people of Banni use colors to add character to their built forms, textiles and clothing. They have a highly innate sense of color and it serves as their most basic instinct for survival.

White chuna as well as a number of other colors such as yellow and gheru red along with green, blue, pink,purple colors are used in order to give their mud houses a distinctive colors created harmony with the environment, while colors, form. The cultural and environmental landscape interpretation is seen in the circular khakhi colour mud walls and Vandyk shades of brown in the conical thatch roof hut, which is aesthetically designed. The paintings that adorn the exterior walls, the intricate details of mud and mirror work in interiors, and the richness of colours, motifs, and aesthetic sensibilities form an integral part of the lifestyle, culture, and social dynamics of the people of Kutch. peacocks and sparrows as a part of the decoration is inspired by the surroundings

psychological connotations of the people who live in it.

4- Cultural identity traditions in the broader view of the cultural landscape. Each culture has its own color and pattern tradition, the symbolism of color controls many aspect in culture, from traditions of adorning homes ,textiles and objects of daily use.

The meanings of colors in culture is rooted deep in religions, but decision-making in their everyday life. The meaning of Colours in Religions is important to remember that religion is an important part of culture, and that in every religion colours have their associations. An inappropriate use of colour can be

Colour terms, the associations, symbols and implied meanings of colour terms vary from place to place due to a variety of external factors as well such as environmental, climate, and physical context and its relation with the neighbouring regions.

emotions, individual experiences, highlight cultural and activities, their state, their mood and psychological state.

In Banni, colours play a very important role in religion and values. The color symbolism in all aspects of their culture, including their builtform ,attire, textiles, and crafts. It serves important roles in religous practice, social systems and special ceremonials events, as well as in everyday life. Its strong color has a rich and complex connotation, particularly in terms of time, space, and region.

Color symbolism has been a part of their tradition for generations since years. With time forever changing, some colors have remained the same while others have evolved to remain unaltered as a result of their availability from nature.

RED-BLOOD/AUSPICIOUS

Red is the primary color associated with worshiping the deities. Red is an auspicious and sacred color used widely in social systems and religious practices as part of culture.

and action in one’s personal life. It remains the core symbol of power and spirituality, protection and commitment. strength and bravery.

Red is often connected to Durga, a warrior goddess who symbolizes strength and power. The color red has played an instrumental role in Hindu customs and beliefs, perhaps the

The almost red henna on her and the pinch of red powder sindoor on head symbolically marks a girl’s arrival into her role as a married woman. The sindoor or vermilion is the symbol of Goddess Parvati or Sati.

of dipping her feet in red water and walking bare feet on the

The lord of Aries is Mars. Since the colour of Mars is red, it is believed to be auspicious. It is the sign of soubhagya or good fortune.

The bindi, in particular, is a symbol of feminine energy and supposed to protect both the wife and the husband. The tiny red dot on the foreheads symbolize spirituality.

The tilak is put in the place where the third eye of Lord Shiva,

the tilak one gains the all pervading powers to protect the inner wisdom.

Red is also used in the form of Gheru to adorn the houses with patterns to representating the workship of dieties.

India, it is the deep hues of red and ochre that symbolize wealth and grandeur.

role in culture and religion. The proper use of color aims to create an environment that will keep individuals happy. culture.

It symbolizes all aspects of Hinduism, – the colour of Agni or

symbolic of knowledge burning ignorance. A colour of purity, it represents religious abstinence, purging and resultant purity.

brightness, encouragement and happiness.

it provides feelings of satisfaction, and helps sustain mental balance.

autumn, the dusk hours, and the sun sets.

YELLOW-LIGHT/ENERGY

Yellow is the color of haldi or turmeric. Haridra, the Sanskrit word for turmeric, means ‘the golden one’. Yellow also represents earth and sand.

It stimulates the mind, promotes mental development and represents knowledge and wisdom.

Yellow in Hinduism is the color of Lord Vishnu, the color of purity, victory, chastity and surprisingly.

Some tribes believe that the color yellow has powers to keep evil spirits away. Holy thread is tied on the wrist of disciples by the spiritual Guru as a mark of protection.

BLUE-SKY AND WATER

The creator has given the maximum of blue to nature the sky, the oceans, the rivers and the lakes. The deity who has the qualities of bravery, manliness, determination, the ability to deal

is represented as blue colored. Lord Rama and Krishna spent their life protecting humanity and destroying evil, hence they are colored blue.

Blue corresponds to a strong mind, strength of character and determination – Lord Krishna embodies all these qualities; hence his idol is always coloured blue.

eye.

In Hindu culture, the color blue can have a variety of meanings. Blue is a symbol of water, so it represents life and power. It is

Banni having arid climate, they consider water as a precious resource , hence it also represents importance of blue.

GREEN-FERTILITY/LIFE-MOTHER NATURE

Green represents nature, life and happiness. It has a calming

The story of the blue of the sky and the golden yellow of the sun combining to create the colour green, which then spread out across all of nature.

Green symbolizes a new beginning, harvest and happiness. It also symbolizes nature and therefore is a manifestation of God himself. Trees, shrubs, and plants are all green in nature. Hence, green is considered to be a color associated with life and fertility. Due to the small number of greens in desert land, they are worshiped through numerous pujas and protected at all costs

Communities who live in this region believe their green trees and plants are sacred, they stand out as an oasis of life in the stark, dry desert landscape.

Textiles and attire of Muslim communities are also green in color, signifying Islamic culture.

The lightest color, white represents perfection and purity,as well the new, and neutrality. Despite having no hue, white plays a colorful role. The white in the region is stark contrast and representation of white desert.

little bit of the quality of each. It represent purity, cleanliness, peace and knowledge.

In addition to these universal meanings, the colour white has a sombre undertone in the Indian culture. White shows the as the absolute color of light. It symbolizes truth, purity, innocence, and the sacred or divine.

Other important meanings of white are knowledge and spiritual enlightenment. That is why Goddess Saraswati, the deity of learning and knowledge, is dressed in pure white.

During their marriage, women wear sarees in the combination of both white and red and hence depict masculinity and femininity, depicting simplicity and solace,. White is also seen as male color and is worn extensively by the man of all communities.

White chuna is used as layer on mud houses to purify and protect their homes. They adorn the interiors from white mudrelief and mirror work.

BLACK- NEGATIVE/INAUSPICIOUS

The color black is associated with negative energy and evil. It stands for darkness, gloom and death. But, the most common longstanding custom among Indians is to put a tiny black dot of kajal on the forehead of infants, or for that matter, on any person looking attractive as part of belief.

Black is the darkest color, the result of the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, literally a color without hue, like white (its opposite) and gray. It is often white represents light.

The color black also stands as a strong contrast against the muted palette of the desert. It is used in their textiles and craft especially as borders to achieve contrast to other bright colors and create a unique palette with it.

Also the border in local tern is called Ankh, which acts as an eye in purpose of protection against the evil.

BROWN- EARTH

The color brown symbolizes earth and warmth. The mud houses and pots made from the local mud are browns and beiges in color and are considered an integral part of Earth. It appears naturally in stone, wood, and Earth.

INDIGO – EVIL

The color indigo is a darker shade of blue and is associated with evil and impurity. A cotton thread dyed in indigo was also

The indigo is an important dye in ajrakh block printing, the fabric used as an attire by the maldhari people in Banni. Ajrakh is one of the oldest textile craft being practiced in the region.

PINK – SPRING

Pink is associated with feminity and contentment. It is seen mainly in the odhnis and attires of women. It is found in a delicacy.

5-Emotional aspect

Psychological aspect is the emotional need of colors due to dull, drab and dry lifeless land in the region. By adding the colors to their life to deal with the harsh environment. The warm palette of red, orange and yellow is visually balanced with the cool colors like green, blue and violets. The harmony of colors are created by creating contrast in the pallet. Hence the overall palette is vibrant and in spectrum range of all the colors coming together by complementing each other.

The main focus about color psychology is that it has both a emotionally.

Scientists have discovered that human beings undergo physiological changes after being exposed to certain colors. Depending on the colour, it can stimulate, excite, depress, calm, increase appetite, and create a feeling of warmth or coolness. This is referred to as chromodynamics.

It is important to understand that colors, and our emotional responses to them, are determined by their saturation and brightness. The saturation of a color refers to its degree of purity. Colors that are less saturated are more grayish, for example pale green of akdo is less saturated than softer green of thor. A color’s brightness is determined by how light it appears. Colors that are less saturated but bright, such as a bright sage green, are relaxing, while more saturated and less bright colors, such as sapphire blues, are energizing. and cultural associations. Colors are perceived as warm or cool mainly due to long-held (and often universal) associations. Yellow, orange, and red are associated with the heat of the coolness of leaves, the sea, and the sky. Seeing warm colours is more engaging than seeing cool colors, but bright cool colours can overwhelm subtle and soft warm colors.

The perception of depth is enhanced by using warm colors for foreground and cool colors for background. Though red, yellow, and orange are high-arousing colours and blue, green, and most purples are low-arousing hues, the brilliance, darkness, and lightness of a colour can alter the psychological message. Despite the calm, cool and serene appearance of a light blue green, a bright turquoise used in modern built forms contrasts the dull landscape which is more exciting. Often, a colour’s psychological association is more meaningful than its visual appearance.

A positive application of colour psychology requires the use of colour combinations. People tend to attribute their emotional response to a single color on which they are conscious, but in reality, responses are not triggered by single colors, but by color combinations. Colors do have universal psychological properties, but, as with music notes, it is only when they are combined that they produce an emotional response - either positive or negative, depending on the colour. There is no such thing as a good or a bad color viewed in isolation.

Colour is probably one of the most important aspects of daily and attires, crafts and objects of daily use and even physical psychology. The logic of colors is applied in their daily lives. With their bright colors in the built environment (red, orange, and yellow) against the muted palette of the dull and dry landscapes, they

This establishes a connection between the environment and the people’s emotional and psychological connotations

Glossary

Abha-kurti-top

Akdo- Sodom apple/ Rubber bush-Calotropis gigantea

Bhunga- Built form

Bhajan- Music

Bajra- Pearl millet-Pennisetum glaucum

Chattu- triangle toy Chuno- White lime

Chaosar kothale-storage Chula- hearth

Desi bawaad- Babul/ Black Babul/ Indian Gum arabic treeVachellia nilotica

Dhands- Wetland

Dhadkee- Patchwork quilt

Fumta-tassels

Gheru- Red

Godadi- Quilt

Gharghara- long skirt

Godyu- cradle Gaanth-knots

Hatho- tool for kharad weaving

Jowar- sorghum/ great millet/ broomcorn/ guinea corn/durra/ imphee

Khari jar- Miswak/ tooth brush-Salvadora persica Kheep- Jiwanti/Dodi -Leptadenia pyrotechnica

Kher- catechu/ cachou/ cutchtree/ black cutch, and black catechu-Senegalia catechu

khijdo- khejri-Prosopis cineraria

Kathai- Brown

Kotho- cylindrical grain container Kotholo- large storage granaries

Kothli- bag Kalo-black Khurjani-bag kharkhanas- workshop Kerad- candleberry/ Indian walnut/ kemiri/ varnish tree/ nuez de la India/ buah keras/ godou/ kukui nut tree, and rata kekuna-Aleurites moluccanus

Kanjari- Blouse Lana- Cape edelweiss/ lambtailsLungi-drape cloth as bottomwear

Lippan- mud and dung mixture Lal-red Leelo-green

Mithi jar- Bada Pilu-Salvadora oleoides

Morchang- music instument

Maju- storage to pile Godadi (quilt) Neem-Indian lilac -Azadirachta indica

Odhani- Long piece of cloth draped on head

Pipal-bodhi tree/pippala tree/peepul tree/ peepal tree/ pipal tree/ashvattha tree- Ficus religiosa

Pedlo- Storage platform

Panchani- used for stacking utensils Pavadi-yellow

Shan-brown hemp/ Indian hemp/ Madras hemp, or sunn hemp -Crotalaria juncea L.

Sukhadi- local sweet Safed-white Sanjeero- Storage for valuables

Thor- Indian Spurge Tree/ Hedge Euphorbia/ Sudu/ Sudu Sudu/Sesudu- Euphorbia Caducifolia

vadas- fenced area for cattle Vaas- settlement of cluster of Bhunga Vaadi- blue

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