ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
One always tries to excel in areas, he has been assigned by someone prestigious and
respectable. And the same applied for this craft cluster. We are grateful to NIFT for providing us with an opportunity to do a craft project with the “Chamba Chappal of Chamba ,Himachal Pradesh�. The exposure, field visits and formal/informal interactions opened up several demographics and gave us an opportunity of understanding sustainability aspects of the handicrafts of India. We extend our whole hearted gratitude to our faculty mentor Anupam Jain and Dr.Shalini Sud for their constant encouragement and moral support in organizing our work and giving us valuable feedbacks to give positive and fruitful directions to our documentations. We are indebted to Mr. Anil, the craft Facilitator ,fellow artisans and many other craftsmen, for their incomparable information sharing, co-operation and making our experience worthwhile. We want to express our deep appreciation towards each and every individual who has guided and contributed to our research and making it an informative experience. Lastly, we are also obliged to each other for providing valuable support and suggestions, whenever needed.
ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / Introduction
FIG.1.1
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hamba a sacred town of Himachal pradesh reveals an untold story about it’s natural beauty, historical antiquity , varied culture and exclusive beautiful crafts of the town. Every craft of chamba is distinctive from each other but at the same time they are also connected together by tremendous bond of tradition and similar inspirations. From diverse range of crafts in chamba, the book , research document focuses on one of the intricate and vigourous leather craft, ‘Chamba Chappal’, an exquisite traditional craft which is practiced in chamba since 100s years ago. To understand the evolution journey and present situation of the craft of Chamba Chappal and its artisans, an ethnographic research has been conducted to collect informative data to understand the present scenario through perspective of three important pillars of sustainability, i.e Economic, Social and Environmental situations. During ethnographic research the study was conducted to understand the socio- economic and environmental status ,in the artisan's own environment through use of methods such as 1 observation, face-to-face interviewing and involvement in their work by their co-artisans. Along with ethnographic research, primary research has been conducted by market research in Chamba to understand the demand and supply of Chamba Chappal. Other Places like Rang Mahal and Bhuri Singh museum helped to collect data FIG.1.1: CHAMBA ON GOOGLE MAP FIG.1.2 : THE CHAMBA DISTRICT MAP
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about the history of Chamba Chappal and historical artifacts related. Through observation the present system of government initiatives and policies launched for welfare of artisans were understood and the staff of these organisations were interviewed. The secondary research has been collected through various source of information both through print and digital medium like news journal, government websites, books and articles.
FIG.1.2
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / About Chamba
ABOUT CHAMBA
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he borders of Chamba District include some of the most mountainous regions in the state and it is bounded on north-west by Jammu and Kashmir, on the north-east and east by Ladakh and areas of Jammu and Kashmir state and Lahaul and BaraBangal area of Himachal Pradesh. It also includes a cross-section of the crumbling and gravelly Shivalik Hills and the steeper mid- to high ranges of the Dhaula Dhar and Pir Pangal ranges (Fig 2.1). On the south-east and south is the District of Kangra of Himachal Pradesh and Gurdaspur District of Punjab. GEOGRAPHY The Chamba Valley is an isolated valley system, touched by three mountain ranges. The valley is located between Dhauladhar Mountain Range and the Zanskar Mountain Ranges. While the Dhauladhar Range cuts it off from Kangra Valley, it also has Pir Panjal Range separating it from Lahaul and Kashmir Valley. The River Ravi runs through its entire length in east-west direction often forming deep canyons and ravi river is one of the most important factor of beginning of civilisation of in Chamba.
FIG.2.1
TOPOGRAPHY The city of Chamba is rather elongated in Shape, (Fig 2.2). It has been built in the lap of Shah Madar Hills on successive flat terraces. Although the region is mainly mountainous the town has many large pieces of flat lands. The Chougan flat land,( Fig 2.3.) with 800 meters length and 80 meters width, is the largest among them. River Ravi, runs along its western border is the prime water body in the entire district. FIG.2.2
FIG.2.1:THE DHAULA DHAR AND PIR PANGAL RANGES FIG.2.2 : THE CITY CHAMBA FIG.2.3 : THE CHOUGAN IN CHAMBA
FIG.2.3
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / About Chamba
NATURAL RESOURCES
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he hill sides of Chamba are covered with different varieties of trees such as olive, pomegranate, peepal and sheesham. Different types of aromatic and medicinal plants also grow naturally on these hill slopes. In addition, farmers of this region have traditionally grown cereal crops such as wheat, maize, rice etc. However, today farmers have started diversifying their crops. Now they not only grow different types of seasonal vegetables and flowers, but have also gone into cultivation of fruits, mushrooms and medicinal plants in a big way(Fig 3.1 & Fig 3.2). SEASONS Chamba has five distinct seasons and they are summer, monsoon, autumn, winter and spring. The summer season in Chamba starts in April and ends in last week of June. During this period, the temperature varies from 38 °C to 15 °C. Consequently, the days are rather warm and the nights are pleasantly cold. While light cotton clothes are ideal for day time one may require slightly warmer clothes at night. The monsoon in Chamba starts in the month of July and continues till mid-September. With greenery all around the town looks at its best during this period. Autumn comes after the monsoon and generally lasts up to the November. During that period, the weather remains thoroughly enjoyable. The winter in Chamba sets in December and lasts until February. During this period the maximum temperature hovers around 15°C and the minimum may reach the freezing point. However, because of its low elevation, the town rarely witnesses snowfall. After winter, the town enjoys a brief spring. From the month of April, the temperature begins to rise and summer season sets in once more.
FIG.3.1
FIG.3.2
FIG.3.1: POLYHOUSE FARMING ADOPTION FIG.3.2 : MUSHROOM PLANTATION IN POLYHOUSE
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / About Chamba
HISTORY
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ny settlement that exists today has developed along either a)Reservoir of water or a b)trade route But Chamba had both of these thus increasing the prospects of its becoming a progressive settlment. Chamba is said to have a organic order of development(fig.4.), which was linear at first and later on developed into a cluster. Like any trade route town it grew linear and later growth spread organically. Though the city of Chamba was established in 10th century AD, the history of the region can be traced back to 2nd century BC. At that time the area was inhabited by a Kolian tribe. Unfortunately, not much is known about this clan, except that they were divided into a number of sub groups and were spread over a large part of Himachal. The 4th century AD saw the rise of the Thakurs and Ranas. During the Gupta period, they not only became politically powerful, but also began to hold a higher social position. They considered themselves superior to the tribal population of the area. Their realm ended with the rise of King Maru. King Maru/Meru was a renowned hero, who came to Chamba In the middle of the 6th century AD from Kalpagrama, a legendary place from where the major Rajput dynasties claim to have originated. He was accompanied by his young son Jaistambh. In 550 AD, Maru established his kingdom in Chamba by defeating the Ranas, who were small chieftains occupying small pieces of land. He then set up his capital at Brahamputra.
At that time Chamba region was divided into numerous small territories called Rahnu, each of which was occupied by a Rana. They kept on fighting each other. King Shahil Varman, also known as Shahilla Varman, subjugated all these Ranas and unified the territory under one rule. Then in 920, he decided to shift the capital to a more centralized and secured position. King Shahil Varman chose the area around confluence of River Ravi and River Sal for his new capital. The town was built according to a well laid out plan that confirmed to the ancient texts. Initially, he named the new town Champavati after his daughter Champa; but later it became Chamba. The Chamba town was well protected by mountains and rivers; consequently, it never had to face any serious threat. Muslim invaders, who occupied the neighbouring Kashmir and destroyed its Hindu culture, had little impact on Chamba. Emperor Akbar first tried to bring the mountain territory under his control, but was forced to turn back from south of Dhauladhar mountain ranges. Aurangzeb too tried to assert his control over the state and ordered King Chatter Singh (1664 -1694) of Chamba to destroy all the temples in his kingdom. However, Chamba had a good relation with Emperor Shahjahan. Raja Prithvi Singh (1641 - 1664) was a favorite of the Emperor and visited his court many times. He was the one who introduced different aspects of Mughal Court life in Chamba and also imported the Rajput - Mughal art and culture in the valley.
FIG.4 : GROWTH OF CHAMBA (LINEAR & ORGANIC)
FIG.4
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / About Chamba
THE SOCIETY
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he last quarter of the eighteenth century saw the rise of Sikh power in Himachal Pradesh. Maharaja Ranjit Singh ji, the legendary Sikh hero from Lahore, began to expand his kingdom by systematically subjugating the princely states of Himachal Pradesh. He even occupied the kingdom of Kangra; but spared Chamba. That is because Wazir Nathu of Chamba had helped him on two occasions. In 1809, the Wazir had successfully negotiated on his behalf with the Katoch King Sansar Chand and in 1817 he saved the Maharaja’s life at a crucial point by providing him with a horse. However, Maharaja Ranjit Singh did set up a garrison at Chamba. As a British protectorate, Chamba was subjected to the annual tribute of twelve thousand rupees. The Rajas had a good relation with the British. Political Officers posted at Chamba also enjoyed great hegemony. Chamba also derived many benefits from such cordial relations and saw many improvements in its infrastructure and town planning. India became independent on 15th August 1945. All the princely states were given three options; they could remain independent, join India or join Pakistan. Chamba decided to join India. On 15th April 1948, along with other princely states of the region, Chamba signed the Treaty of Accession and became a part of free India. The hill states together formed the state of Himachal Pradesh. The psychological factor in the case of Chamba were various focuses in the form of temples. The town grew rythemically and in harmony with these focuses. Hence, one can understand the abundance of temples in this region and why Himachal is called ‘Devbhoomi’ (Land of Gods).
SCHEMATIC PRESENTATION OF POSSIBLE SETTING OF TOWN
Road from Bharmaur enters town and turns towards temple and palace complex location of temple can be justified as: • Brahmin settlement already in that area • Some deity already being worshipped • Orientation towards east • Higher and flatter site overlooking the town •The location of palace comes in accordance with proximity to the temple The Sui Mata temple and later on the Hari Rai temple an the edge of the Chowgan completed the axis known as ‘Rajpath’ or the ceremonial axis (FIG.5.1). The road from Bharmaur was part of a major trade route linking Garhwal to Jammu via Tissa. This was the common man’s route and may be called as ‘Janpath’, with the guarding deity of Chamunda Devi at the entrance of the town. Later on as Chamba expanded as far as the bank of Ravi, another guarding deity of Sheetla Devi was built.
FIG.5.1
FIG.5.1: THE LANDMARK ROUTES FIG.5.2 : THE CASTE SYSTEM
FIG.5.2
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / About Chamba
SOCIETY
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he Ist quadrant due to the presence of the palace developed as the ‘kshatriya’ dominated area. This formed the living quarters of the king, his wazirs, advisors, etc The IVth quadrant served as a vacant zone, which was to be later developed as ‘Chowgan’ byh the british. Its function may have been to hold ‘Minjar’, the local fair and resting spot for visitors and traders. The IInd quadrant due to the presence of main Lakshmi Narain Temple and presence of brahmins, led to being formed as the main Brahmin area. The ‘Shudras’ were placed in the IIIrd quadrant-they being separated from the others by a green buffer.
FIG. 6.1
FIG.6.2
FIG.6.1: THE QUADRANT SYSTEM FIG.6.2 : THE GROWTH OF THE CITY
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / About Chamba
DEMOGRAPHICS
FIG.7.1
FIG.1.1
FIG.7.2
FIG.7.3
FIG.7.4
FIG.7.1: POPULATION RATE FIG.7.2 : LITERACY RATE FIG.7.3: SCHEDULE CASTE FIG.7.4 : SCHEDULE TRIBE
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / About Chamba
ECONOMY
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he situation of Chamba has improved in the last few years, in terms of the economy and its owing to the Government there. With the prudent use of funds allocated for Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF), the Government has been able to bring about an all-round development in this region. While agriculture play a major role in the economy of the area, industry (small and cottage) and tourism are also major contributors in that. Agriculture Most of the farmers in Chamba grow cereal crop such as rice, wheat, and maize. However due to smaller land holdings in the district, cultivation of cereal crop can not generate income for the farmers. Fishing Fishing is another important avenue in Chamba. With Ravi river flowing through the valley of Chamba, many people’s livelihood is dependent on catching and selling of fishes. Trading and Commerce Trade and commerce is also another important sector in the economy of Chamba. A large percentage of the residents of the town earn their living by trading. Apart from meeting day to day necessities, some of these shops also sell beautiful handicrafts made in Chamba. Small Scale Industry Chamba does not have any large or medium scale industries. However, the areas like Parel and Sultanpur have few small scale agro and wood based industries. Many units also manufacture steel furniture to be used in offices and homes.
Hospitality Industry Chamba, with its ancient temples and awesome scenic beauty, is slowly emerging as a popular tourist destination. In addition, it acts as the starting point for many popular trekking routes. Consequently, the town today has an effective hospitality industry that is fully capable of catering to the needs of the visitors. This in turn, has contributed significantly to the economy of the town. Government Service Chamba, being a district headquarters, houses many government offices. These offices c ontribute to the economy of the town generating both direct and indirect employment. National Awards Along with its scenic beauty Chamba is also known for its diverse craft, practised by various artisans, like Metal craft, Embroidery - Chamba Rumal, Wood Carving, Stone Carving, Painting etc. and received various prestigious National and State awards for their excellence. The list of distinguished personalities who received National Awards for their excellent work in their field. Name Category Smt. Maheshi Devi Chamba Rumal Smt. Kamla Nayyer Chamba Rumal Smt. Lalita Waqil Chamba Rumal Sh. Prakash Chand Metal Craft Sh. Sohan Singh Metal Craft Sh. Hakam Singh Metal Craft Sh. Vijay Sharma Painting Mohd. Latif Malik Wood Carving
In addition, the Handicraft and Handloom Corporation of Himachal Pradesh runs a shoe making factory in Rang Mahal in Chamba and a weaving center where shawls are being made. Sago Fruit Industry, located on Khajjiar Road near Chamba, is a well known agro-based industry of this region. It also has a unit in Sultanpur in Chamba. The company produces different types of pickles, jams and fruit drinks. They also produce pure honey, collected by domesticated honey bees from rich flora of the region.
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / About Chamba
CULTURE
Clothing
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ust as in rest of India the day to day attire in Chamba consists of trousers and shirts for men and sarees and salwar-kurta for women. However, unlike many other states, Chamba is very rich in traditional costume. In ancient time, men in Chamba wore fine woolen chaddars (blankets) known as ‘pattu’ around their waist; this they tied with a patka. The women too wore full-length dresses made of wool. However, the Gaddi men used to wear a loose fitting woolen garments known as chola; it was always white in color and was girdled with a black woolen rope. This was generally accompanied by a white embroidered cap. Gujjars on the other hand, preferred red, blue and black. However, mode of dressing has undergone a change since then. Today the traditional dresses worn by women in Chamba consist of a pyjama known as ‘suthan’ and a ‘pairahan’ which covers the upper part of the body. She also has a chaddar or dupatta covering her head. However, the ceremonial dresses are more elaborate. In such time, women wear a full length gown accompanied by a blouse that covers the upper part of the body up to the waist. It is known as ‘Pashwaj’. The traditional dresses worn by men consist of tight fitting pyajama and a knee length tunic known as ‘angrakha’. Ornaments Women in Chamba wear different types of ornaments made out of silver and gold. They come in gorgeous designs and look truly pretty. The head ornaments too come in different varieties. Following are few of them. ->Shangli is a long silver chain worn round the head. ->Chudamoni are worn at the parting of the hair and comes in shape of a lotus. ->Chiri Tikka is another gorgeous jewelry worn by the women of Chamba Chiri means bird. ->Shirka Chamkui is mainly used by the Gujjar women and worn in pair at the two sides of the head with its end hooks fixed in the head cloth. ->Chak is mainly used by Gaddi women and come in different varieties. For example, chak-boron-wala consists of several round of beads hung at the edge from a silver chain. Then, there are chak-meena-wala where meena work has been done on them. The chak-phul has two domes at the side of the head interlinked to the main chak.
FIG.9.1
FIG.9.2
FIG.9.3
FIG.9.1: SHANGLI WORN BY A CHAMBA LADY FIG.9.2 : CHUDAMONI WORN BY A CHAMBA LADY FIG.9.3 : VARIOUS JEWELLERY IN A SHOP FIG.9.4 : CHAK
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FIG.9.4
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / About Chamba
CULTURE
Marriage Songs The people of Chamba sing different types of songs to suit different occasions. For example, during marriage ceremony they sing ‘Charlai’ .Through these songs, the relatives of the bride and the groom seek the blessings of the God. Other variant of the wedding songs talks about what kind of groom to select and the bride’s expectation regarding such matters. A different kind of song is sung while the groom’s family sits down for lunch. These songs are very humorous and are meant to tease the groom’s side. Then again, Vidayeegiti is sung at the time of the bride’s departure or vidayee. These songs depict the sadness felt by the bride and her relatives. Ainchali is another genre of song, which is sung throughout the night when there is a wedding in the locality. Festivals and Fairs
The people of Chamba celebrate different types of festivals. Among them, the Minjar festival held in the month of Shravan (July-August) is most important. It is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Chamba over Trigarta and to ensure good crops. Besides, there is the Sui Mata festival, which commemorates the sacrifice of Queen Sunayana, the wife of King Shahil Varman(Sui Mata). This festival is held in the month of April and is celebrated mainly by ladies of Chamba. There is an interesting story behind this festival. While the actual festival is celebrated from 15th Chaitra to 1st Baisakh, the Sui Mata fair is held for four days. The festival begins with the image of Queen Sui/Suhi Mata being carried to her temple in the Shah Madar Hill from her abode in Rang Mahal Palace. Ladies in their finery accompany this procession singing many traditional songs. They also offer puja and ask for boons. They also sing and dance to honor the brave queen.
occasion is complete without them. People sing and dance for their own enjoyment and so these come out spontaneously from the bottom of their heart. At the same time these folk dances and songs reflect the social customs and traditions of the area. Ainchali Songs
Ainchali is one of the most popular folk songs of Chamba. These are not simple wedding songs. They are actually devotional songs sung to gratify the Lord and are mostly sung during the Naula ceremony, which is a sort of thanks giving ritual to Lord Shiva. A unique point is that, these songs are generally sung by women in the house of unmarried girls and by men in the house of married couple. Ainchali songs are sung in three parts. The first part, which is sung in very slow rhythm, is known as Brahmakhara. This part generally involves praise (stuti) of different gods and goddesses. Sometimes, different mythological tales are also told in this part. The second part of Ainchali is known as Bharath. it is sung in a faster rhythm. However, when it reaches the third part known as Varis the beat becomes even faster. In these parts, the theme revolves on different mythological as well as historical tales. The marriage of Shiva and Parbati, the tales about Rama and Sita, birth of Krishna, the events at Vrindavan, Radha Krishna Leela etc are some of the favorite themes of these songs. Sometimes, Ainchali is accompanied by dancing. In such a case, the singers as well as accompanying musicians sit in a semi-circle while the dancers dance to its tune.
Music and Dance
Over the years, a wide variety of dance form has evolved in Chamba. They illustrate the geographical, religious, social, cultural and anthropological difference of this area. Among them, Pharati or Khad-dumbi is a common dance form that is performed during important ceremonies such as wedding. Some other dance form popular here are Gaddi and Gujjar dances, Dandaras, Nat, Nachan, Dhamal, Dangi and Kikl etc. In addition, the area is also rich in vocal music and different types of songs are sung on different occasions and moods. Just as in any hill state, music and dance play an important part in the social fabric of Chamba. No
FIG.10.1
FIG.10.1:THE SUI MATA FESTIVAL FIG.10.2 : GUJJAR DANCE
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FIG.10.2
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / About Chamba
MUSIC AND DANCE Festive Songs Different types of songs are sung during festive seasons. For example, Kunjari Malhar , Sukart and Ghanihar are sung during the Minjar festival. Kunjari is also sung during monsoon festival known as Patroru; in this festival, dishes are prepared and are exchanged among friends. Love Songs Another genre of songs in Chamba is based on popular love stories. Among these, the song that depicts the love between Kunji/Kunju and Chanchlo is most popular. According to folk tales, Kunji was a village boy belonging to a low caste while Chanchlo was a city girl belonging to a high caste and so their love affair was not taken kindly by the girl’s parents. So, Kunju went off to a distant land to become rich so as to win his lady love. The songs talk about the pain of their separation and the longing for each other. However, the story of Phulmu and Ranjhu is exactly the opposite. While Ranjhu was the son of a rich father, Phulmu belonged to a poor family. Although they loved each other Ranjhu’s father forcibly married him into another rich family. When Phulmu heard this she committed suicide. The song, which is sung in typical Gaddi beat, talks about their love and the pain of separation. Then there is the ‘Raja Gaddan’. It speaks of the love between Raja Hari Singh and a Gaddi woman. 'Bhunku Gaddi’ depicts the long wait of Gaddi women, who are left alone during the winter while the Gaddi men take their sheep to a warmer land. ‘Rupanu Puhal’ is also based on the same theme. In this tale Rupanu is married to two sisters and when he does not come back in time one of them dies. This song depicts the feelings of Rupanu when he hears this news. In addition to these many other genre of songs can be heard in Chamba. They talk about historical events, social practices and conditions. As a general practice, most folk songs in Chamba are sung without help of musical instruments. However, in many cases, especially during the festivals, flute, dotara and percussion instruments like dhol, nagara, domoru etc are also used.
unique point about these dances is that most of them start in a slow rhythm and continue for hours before they pick up speed; Another distinctive point is that each unit of these dances consists of eight claps. However, the talas of these dances can be of four/ six/ seven/ ten/ twelve/ fourteen beats; each of which is of three or four counts. Moreover, different instruments are played for different kinds of dances. Among the instruments used, dhol is the commonest of all. At the same time, there are few like Ghurei, where no instrument is played. The beat in these dances are kept with clapping of hands. For women in Chamba, Ghureis the most popular dance form. It is generally performed within the confined of the home. Dancers stand in a circle (ghera in local parlance) and dance to the tune of hand clapping. Often dancers sing different songs. Dangi is another popular dance form for the women in Chamba. It is a very lively dance, which begins with a slow tempo, but gathers speed as the dance proceed. The songs that are sung with this dance come in the form of conversation between two parties. The Sikri is the third most popular dance for women of Chamba and is performed mainly at the time of Sui Mata Fair. The songs in this dance depict the beauty of the season and the flowers that bloom during this period. For the men folk of Chamba, the most popular dance form is Dandaras. It symbolizes the Tandava Nritya of Lord Shiva.; In this dance no song is sung. The dancers stand in a semi-circle and dance to the beats of the drums. The rhythm in this dance form picks up slowly and towards end it becomes very fast. Following are some more popular folk dances in Chamba: Pharati or Khad-dumbi is a common dance form that is performed during important ceremonies such as wedding. Chhatradhi Jatar is a form of mask dance. Dandaras, Nat, Nachan, Ghorda, Dharumsde, Khad-dumbi, Chhinjhat are some of the notable dances performed by male members only. Dance form like Ghurei/Dhurei, Dhamal, Dangi, Sikri and Kikl are mainly performed by female dancers. Sohal, Shain, Sal Kukdi, Ratege, Til-Chauti dances can be performed by both men and women.
Folk Dances Chamba is also rich in its tradition of folk dances. A FIG.11: GHUREIS DANCE
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FIG.11
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / About Chamba
TEMPLES
CHAMPAVATI TEMPLE This temple is located behind the City Police Post and Treasury building. The temple of goddess Champavati is shikhara style. This temple is after the name of Champavati, daughter of King Sahil Verman who built this temple in her memory. It is said that Champavati influenced her father to set-up the Chamba city, at the present location. VAJESHWARI TEMPLE Almost 1000 year old and dedicated to Goddess of lightning, Vajreshwari Devi. This is another temple in Chamba which is built in Shikhara style. It is dedicated to Devi Vajreshwari or the goddess of lightening. The temple is situated on the northern most corner of the town at the end of Jansali Bazaar. HARI RAI TEMPLE Also Called Vishnu temple. This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and has a beautiful bronze image of the lord in its interiors. The construction of the temple, dating back to the 11th century, is credited to Salbahana. The temple itself is constructed in the shikhara style, like most of the other temples in Chamba. Standing on an elevated platform, it is the only temple that is close to Chaugan (Near Chaugan Gate). Much of this temple is hidden behind some unimaginative structures of the British period behind the Gandhi Gate and the Fire Station Building. The temple of Hari Rai is believed to be of great antiquity and legend affirms that the Ravi once flowed in a shallow stream across the Chaugan and the temple had to be approached by stepping. SUI MATA TEMPLE The temple is dedicated to the sacrifice of a rani who laid down her life to ensure that Chamba did not go waterless. The temple is located on Shah Madar Hill between the Chamunda Devi temple and Brajreshwari Devi temple. There is also a fair organised every year from 15th of the Chait to the first of Baisakhi. This fair or Mela is known as the Sui Mata ka Mela. The fair is especially important for the women and children. They sing devotional songs in praise of the rani extolling her supreme sacrifice for the betterment of the people. The temple is decorated with colourful paintings depicting the life of Sui.
FIG.12.1
FIG.12.2
FIG.12.1: THE CHAMPAVATI TEMPLE FIG.12.2 : THE SUI MATA TEMPLE
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / About Chamba
FOOD
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ost of the residents of Chamba are vegetarian by choice. However, the food prepared in a typical Chamba home is unique in ingredients and taste. The cooking method is also different. Gaddi Food The food habit is not same all over the district. For example, Gaddis living in the Bharmour Tehsil are equally fond of non-vegetarian dishes; However, their staple food consists of cakes made out of maize and wheat and this they take it with mah, a kind of black lentil and Rajmah (kidney bean). In addition, they also take limited amount of vegetables and fruits. Nonetheless, one dish that is common among all communities of Chamba is Rajma Madra, also spelled as Madhra or Madrah. The most favourite dishes of all the dishes in Chamba is Rajma Madra. No celebration is complete without it. The dish is unique to Chamba and has a very ancient origin. According to hearsay, Raja Jaistambh, the son of Raja Maru, was very fond of Kashmiri dishes and so he invited a few cooks from neighboring Kashmir and asked them to prepare a unique dish using all kinds of ingredients harvested in Chamba Valley. This was to be offered to the local deity. At that time, the main produce of the state was rajma, different kinds of spices and milk. So, madra was created by using rajma, thirty one different types of spices and lots of yoghurt and ghee (clarified butter); Today, however, one does not use so many types of spices; it has been modified to suit the modern palate. It is to be noted that Madra is also available in other districts; but they use different types of ingredients. For example, in Kangra, chick pea is used instead of red kidney bean; in Hamirpur, the use of black eyed beans is popular etc. The spices are also different in different areas. It is said that a bride from Chamba introduced this dish to Kangra and from there it spread into other regions. Each region adopted the dish, but molded it by using the locally available ingredients. More Chamba Dishes While Rajma Madra is a specialty of Chamba, there are few more Himachali dishes, which are equally popular. Among them we can name Sidu, which is prepared from wheat and Patande, which is sort of a pancake.
Then there is the hot and spicy Chouk; Bhagjery, Kali Dal, Mittha, Aloo palda, Auriya Kadoo, khatta, chutney made from til etc. are few more dishes in Chamba . The Authentic Chamba food is offered to the people invited to a dham (community feast). Meals in these feasts are cooked by hereditary Brahmin cooks known as ‘boti’. Each boti has his own secret madra recipe, which has been handed down from father to son. Dham in Chamba It is a community feast cooked by hereditary cooks. In general, a typical dham menu starts with rice, moong dal and rajma madra. This is followed by boor ki kari and mash ki dal, topped with a sweet and sour sauce known as khatta. The dham ends with the mittha; it is made from sweetened rice and is mixed with lots of dry fruits and raisins.
FIG.13.1
FIG.13.2
FIG.13.3 FIG.13.4
FIG.13.5 FIG.13.6
FIG.13.1: RAJMAH MADRA FIG.13.2 : AURIYA KADDU FIG.13.3: SIDU FIG.13.4 : PATANDE FIG.13.5 : MITTHA FIG.13.6 : DHAM
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / About Cluster
CLUSTER INFORMATION Location
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hamba town is the district center, nestled on an uncommon plateau above the Ravi River and Surrounded by flowing wheat fields and occasional plantations of chir pine. A splendid artistic heritage includes the fine temple architecture, beautiful miniature paintings, and exquisite embroidered Chamba Chappals and Chamba Rumal makes it the ideal holiday retreat. Chamba was formally first settled about the sixth century. the town is named after Champavati, daughter of Raja Sahil Verma of the Bharmaur royal house who shifted his capital here in 920AD. Temples dating from eighth century, protected from destruction during violent overthrows in neighboring areas by the town’s relatively sheltered location, are scattered throughout the town’s architectural layers. Still intact a fine group of six ancient shikhara style stone temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva, Vishnu and other deities. Much of the heritage in Chamba is preserved known for its splendor of artistic hues and master craftsmen. Origin-Chamba ->Artisans -15-20 ->Products- Women and Men chappals in standard sizes Look alike product range for kids also ->Family type and average family size- Middle class family. ->Most of them own their house. Have all basic necessary products and items to lead their life. LEATHER CRAFT The outstanding craftsmen and geographical location of Himachal Pradesh have given rise to stunning varieties of handicrafts. These handicrafts of Himachal have contributed to the glorious culture and heritage of the state. Along with stately fame these crafts have also gained national and international fame for their uniqueness and beauty. These handicrafts are in fact one of the vital attractions for the tourists who visited India. Among the wide range of alluring handicrafts leather craft is one of the chief craft works in Himachal Pradesh. It is no more a craft work but it has become an inseparable part of the life of the Himachalis.
Significance of Leather in State Leather craft is a, major craft of Himachal Pradesh. The place that is extremely popular for their fantastic leather works is Chamba. Leather craft includes varieties of products such as the chappals, sandals, purses, socks, belts etc. The leather crafts that are made by the leather craftsmen are highly comfortable for the feet. Moreover they are designed with colorful embroidery made from yellow, red, green, blue, black, gold and silver. The pieces of leather works are so attractive that they instantly grab the eyes of the tourists. As a result these crafts are highly in demand as the tourists most often desire to take these works as a token with them. This craft not only contributes to the luxury and need of the people but it also gives a hike to the economy of the state of Himachal Pradesh. Popularity of Leathercraft The leather craft of Himachal is very popular all over the world. The chappals and slippers that are crafted in Chamba are highly renowned and the first choice of the tourists. This leather chappal of Chamba is well-known because of its comfort and lightness. It seems that the tourists coming from the distant parts of the world are in love of this exclusive leather works. Due to this overwhelming popularity of leather crafts especially chappals the crafts persons get more inspired to experiment new patterns and designs. ABOUT CHAMBA CHAPPAL The chappals and slippers that are crafted in Chamba are highly renowned . Leather chappal of Chamba is well-known as ‘Chamba chappal” are very comfortable and light. These are made of Leather and purely hand crafted.Chamba chappals are available easily in the markets nearby, in different colours and traditional designs. Although the product is very well known in Chamba but it faces an identity issue beyond its limited area.The tourists coming from the distant parts are in love of this exclusive leather works. There is an interesting anecdote associated with the use of chamba chappals ,it is said that katoch princess was being married to Charhat singh of Chamba.She complained that she was
FIG.14 : CHAMBA CHAPPALS IN A SHOP
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FIG.14
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / Tools & Process
TOOLS & PROCESS
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he chappal making undergoes several stages and processes before it comes to the market as a final product for purchasing. From the sourcing of raw materials to the multiple stages of cutting, dyeing, stitching, pasting to the transportation of the product, the artisans put in a lot of effort in making each pair of chappal. It’s a long series of events that the raw materials undergo to transform into the beautiful Chamba chappals. Raw materials and procurement ->The basic raw material needed for the Chamba chappal is the terracotta leather which is sourced from Jalandhar. Buff leather is used for the ‘upper’ and the sole mostly. Goat and sheep leather is used mostly for the vamp, tongue and quarter. ->The next most important material is the rubber for making the sole of the chappals. In earlier times, the sole of the chappals were made of leather itself but these days rubber is used since it makes the chappals cheaper. ->Wool is another major component for the embroidery. ->Velvet cloth is used for doing the embroidery which is later stitched on to the leather. ->A variety of synthetic colours/dyes like red, green, and yellow are used for colouring the leather. ->Water is also used in preparing the colours. ->Synthetic adhesive or neoprene is used for pasting the various parts of the chappal. ->Metal sheets are cut out into various shapes is used for making the patterns. ->Oil is often used for colouring too. ->A wide range of tools are used for cutting, pasting and lasting the leather chappal. ->Sewing machines are often used for stitching the various parts of the leather chappal.
TOOLS & EQUIPMENTS Swivel knife This is used to make the bold cuts that define the pattern or image being carved.
minimum a beveler, pear shader, seeder, and background tool, but sets often contain other tools and sometimes several variations on the same tool. Rawhide mallet It is used to drive the stamps used to mat down the background and create shading and patterns. Camouflage tool This tool, which creates an impression similar to that of a sea shell, is used to add emphasis to areas of a carving, often in the stem or down the centre of a leaf in a floral design. It is used in a similar way to other stamping tools, by holding it vertically over the leather and striking with the rawhide mallet. When using the Camouflage tool, the impressions created should be equally spaced, starting from the centre of the design and working out towards the tips of the stems or leaves in the design. The impressions should get progressively lighter. Pear shader The Pear shader is used to press down areas of the design that need to appear curved. The action of the pear shader causes the leather tooled by it to appear slightly darker. The pear shader is slightly unusual in that it may be tilted during use to provide the desired effect. It should be moved only slightly between each tap with the mallet so that it creates a consistent shading of the leather. Veiner or shell tool These tools create a curved impression of a series of short, closely spaced lines. They may be used interchangeably, the only difference being that the veiner creates a simple curved line, while the shell tool has a pattern resembling the edge of a scallop along the inside edge. They are used to continue to create the impression of depth created by the beveler, and to create the impression of a curved surface. These tools are used in the usual way, but like the pear shader, may also be tilted to help create the impression of depth where they are used beside a cut.
Stamping set A set of stamping tools used to shape and color the leather to create the final image. Usually contains at
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / Tools & Process
TOOLS Seeder The seeder creates a small circular impression, that is used to represent seeds. As the face of this tool is so small, care must be taken when striking that you do not cut right through the leather. If stamping an area using this tool, stamp around the outside first, then fill in the centre. Background tool This step in producing a carved leather article is used to emphasise the design, and is not even necessary in some cases. It consists of the pushing down of any areas of leather that have not been already carved. The background tool has a crosshatched pattern on its head, which has the effect of significantly darkening the leather it is used on. As with the seeder, the face of this tool is often small, so care must be taken not to strike it too hard. Beveler This tool is used to create an indention on one side of a cut so that one side is raised. This tool, when used correctly, can produce very realistic results. There are many variations of this tool that include a variety of shapes, such as diamonds or ovals. There is also a variety of faces that include striped, checked, rounded, smoothed, and crosshatched. Hind slicer It is a tool similar to a knife used for cutting the leather and rubber.
PROCESS
The complete process of making the product from the first stage to the last is shown below: 1.Designing The item to be manufactured is designed based on market demand and raw material required is estimated. The designs of the vamp, quarter, upper and sole are made into patterns. These patterns are generally made from metal (tin) sheets which are generally the recycled parts of the adhesive tin cans. 2.Sourcing Sourcing and transportation of raw materials (leather, colours, etc.) of various grades come from Jalandhar.
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Earlier, leather was processed and manufactured in Chamba itself but after Maneka Gandhi banned it, the artisans of Chamba bring the leather from outside. Various grades of leather are used for various parts of the chappal. The butt portion of the leather is used for the vamp component of the shoe and the belly portion is used for the quarter component. Slightly defective portions are used for the tongue and the back strap. 3.Wetting the leather The leather sheets are dipped in water for at least half an hour and then laid out for drying. This softens the leather and prepares it for embossing and stamping. 4.Clicking Clicking/cutting is carefully done to extract the right part of the leather for the appropriate part of the shoe. It is done using knives. 5.Skiving The leather pieces cut out are skived to bring out the right finished flat texture. The thickness of the edges are removed using a skiving knife or a beveller. This is done to ensure that the finished product look bulky. Skiving also avoids discomfort in the footwear. 6.Carving leather The process of creating designs on leather is called leather carving. In the process of leather carving several tools are used such as cam, seeder, pear shader, beveler, swivel knife etc. Punching tools are also used in order to make holes inside the leather. The craftsman can create any kind of designs on the leather by proper use of the right tool and his imagination. 7.Colouring / dyeing The leather parts are dyed using synthetic and powdered colours by mixing it with water and other solutions. This is them applied onto the leather using a small piece of cotton cloth. The colour is dabbed onto the leather and then left for drying. This is how the colour gets onto the leather. Dyeing is a very important process of leather craft. For dyeing leathers the craftsman mixes the dyes with spirits and alcohol. Alcohol is used to dye leather because alcohol gets nicely absorbed in leather and thus the color becomes long lasting. Various types of stains like highlighters or antiquing are often used by the craftsman in order to give a definition to some of the specific parts. Sometimes oil and shoe polish are also used for dyeing purpose as oils make the color darker and long lasting.
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES /Process
PROCESS
8. Stamping and embossing First, the craftsman dampens the leather by applying some water on it. As the leather gets damp it will acquire a dark color. When the leather is completely wet then it becomes soft and perfect for creating stamp impressions on it. In the next step the craftsman place the stamp on the piece of leather and creates preferable impressions on it. This is the part where the various designs are stamped or embossed on the leather parts. Metal punches of various designs are used to make the patterns and designs on the leather. This is done for the decoration of the footwear. The process can be done manually or mechanically. 9. Punching and eyeletting This is a process which is done to prevent damage to the shoe when tying shoelaces. Punching is also done for decoration of the footwear. This process is also done manually or manually. 10. Weaving The weaving for the vamp is done after the strips of leather are cut. The intricate weaving lends a beautiful and delicate texture and surface pattern to the chappals. 11. Perforating / Embellishing This is done to improve the aesthetics and hide any existing defects in the product. This is a manual process. 12. Embroidery The embroidery is done on velvet cloth. At first the velvet pieces are cut out in the required shapes using the already existing patterns and then colourful threads (reshmi) are used for doing the embroidery. The designs are inspired by the local flora and fauna. Also a lot of aquatic life motifs are prevalent in the work. Ambi is a three leaf motif which is very popularly used. Tilla is the golden thread used in the embroidery. The embroidery is simple yet beautiful and only chain stitch is used to the embroidery. The embroidery is done by the women only. This is where the segregation of work comes in. The leather work is done by the male while the embroidery is women centric. No pre drawings are done. The designs come spontaneously and are immensely ornate. Sitare is another kind of embroidery which is mainly used for
making bridal footwear. 13. Closing This process involves assembling pieces together by pasting using synthetic adhesives like neoprene or sewing together the various parts on a sewing machine This the part where the embroidered pieces of velvet gets attached to the leather parts of the chappal. 14. Lasting The upper part of the closed footwear is mounted on wood or plastic ‘lasts’ and fixed using adhesives and/or tacks. The process is done manually. 15. Sole attachment The inner surfaces of the footwear are roughened so that adhesives can fixed better. Soles are made of PVC are chemically cleaned for better adhesion. The adhesive is applied, dried, second coat applied, allowed to dry and then pasted to the footwear. The parts are pressed together for better adhesion. It is also hammered at times to make it long lasting. Post the adhesion process, lasts are removed. 16. Finishing The leather is polished and finished using varnish. This is the final step which is done to improve the product’s aesthetics. Post this step, the products are carefully inspected, packed and dispatched for being sold in the market.
FIG.17.1
FIG.17.1: CHIVELLING THE LEATHER FIG.17.2 : DESIGNING
FIG.17.2
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / Process
FIG.18.2
FIG.18.1
FIG.18.3 FIG.18.4
FIG.18.5
FIG.18.1: CUTTING THE LEATHER FIG.18.2 : STAMPING THE LEATHER FIG.18.3: PATTERN MAKING FIG.18.4 : STAMPED BASE FIG.18.5: GLUING THE LEATHER FIG.18.6 : PASTING THE SMALL SCALE SHEETS
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FIG.18.6
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / Tools & Process
FIG.19.1
FIG.19.2
FIG.19.3
FIG.19.4
FIG.19.5
FIG.19.6
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FIG.19.1: MAKING THE COMPLEX DESIGN FIG.19.2 : SHOWING THE TOOL FIG.19.3: ADJUSTING THE BUCKLES FIG.19.4 : THE DESIGN IN FOCUS FIG.19.5: CLEANING THE HEEL FIG.19.6 : CLEANING THE SOLE WITH WATERFIG. 19.7 : SMOOTHENING THE SOLE
FIG.19.7
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / Case Studies
CASE STUDIES
Case Study 1 Name: Rajender Kumar Luharch Age : 53 Address : Moh. Dharog District and Teh - Chamba Pin : 176310 Nature of Work : Practicing artisan Products : Chamba Chappal for both men and women
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ajender ji is a practising artisan of the famous Chamba Chappal and he lives in the Dharog area of Chamba in Himachal Pradesh. With an elaborate conversation with him and constant visits to his house where he practices his leather craft we found innumerable valuable information. He lives with his mother, wife, two daughters and his son. Rajender ji is originally from Chamba itself and he started the leather craft at an early age of roughly 13. He joined the work which was passed down from his ancestors. His ancestral family has always practiced this craft. He lives in his ancestral home which is quite old and and is believed to have been gifts by the Raja to the craftsmen. He lives with his mother, wife and three kids. His eldest kid, the daughter is highly educated. She has recently finished her Masters from Chandigarh and currently back home living with her parents. The second kid is the daughter who is doing her B.Ed and will be getting married next year. Next is his son who is doing his B.A. from Chamba Govt. College. Finally the youngest kid is the daughter who is still in school in 9th standard. Rajender ji’s wife is a housewife and she takes care of the entire household. She binds the members into one happy family. A very jolly and easy going woman she takes care of all the nitty gritties and also at times contribute to the leather craft which Rajender ji practices. Rajender ji’s mother, a lady of great poise and character is another pillar in this craft. She has practiced the craft during her early years extensively. She makes beautiful embroidery for the Chamba Chappal. Now with age she has refrained from the since her eyes doesn’t allow her to do much but once in a while she keeps doing it out of sheer love for the beautiful craft. An important thing to be noticed is that the women in the family function as the backbone as they provide much help in the craft when Rajender ji has huge orders which is at times seasonal. Rajender ji himself is Himachali but his wife is a Sikh.
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Hence they also celebrate Gurupurav. This lends a deep insight into the cultural confluence and open mindedness of the community otherwise. Women in Rajender ji’s family are treated with great respect and love. Girl child’s are allowed to freely explore their academic goals and not bound by societal norms. Sadly enough the future generations are not willing to take this craft ahead since they don't think that this craft has any recognised future. When questioned, Rajender ji is also not willing to put his children into this work since he himself is disappointed with the bleak future of the craft. Rather he intends that his children focus on their academics and career goals and come out with success. Rajender ji, apart from working himself, employs two more artisans under him because he mostly works for bulk orders which caters to the local market mostly. Apart from this he has huge amount of work during the time of Manimahesh Mela which happens during the month of July in Bharmour, a place which is 59.4 kms away. At this time of the year, artisans make on an average 20 to 30 chappals a day. Otherwise in the production is 10 chappals a day throughout the year. Manimahesh is the most famous mela here but otherwise they have a lot of other small melas happening all throughout the year which maintains a decent work flow for the artisans here. The most important complaint that Rajender ji and all other artisans of this practicing craft has is that there is minimal profit in this field. Like all others, Rajender ji sources his leather from Jalandhar. He purchases 20kgs of leather for an average of work for 7 to 15 days under which he makes 10 chappals on a average each day. The primary materials that Rajender ji sources are leather, rubber, colours, equipments and tools, threads and velvet. Since the leather is sourced from outside, the transportation and the current market scenario for leather, material is bought at high prices. Rajender ji and other artisans purchase leather at a rate of Rs 600/- per kg. And since these chappals are sold locally mostly and hardly has a strong foothold in the national and international market, they sell each pair of chappal for a rate as low as Rs 180/-. This is the amount for bulk orders and finally in the local market these chappals are sold at an average rate of Rs 200 to 250/- per pair. Taking into account the costing, labour and transportation of raw materials from outside, there is a profit of Rs 30/- per pair of chappal. And since on an average the production is 10 chappals, the daily income is roughly about Rs 300/-, and thus only Rs 9000/which is sadly a very low rate of income for supporting a family of 5-6 members. other services.
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / Case Studies
CASE STUDIES
This has led to the artisans taking up to alternative sources of income like farming, fishing and families. When asked about the future of the craft and how much contribution the Government is doing in regard to the upliftment and promotion of the leathercraft, Rajender ji explained us how the system has been dysfunctional. He mentioned that though the Government had launched a scheme for three months for learning and teaching the leathercraft process. This was an initiative to promote the craft and endure that the number of artisans are not dwindling and the craft survives since it’s a cultural identity innate to Chamba. The plan never was successful though a lot of people and youngsters joined it since the Government paid for both teaching and learning this craft. Rajender ji personally felt that the people who joined it were more focused on the money that the Government was paying and they were not really keen or serious about the craft. Hence he never enjoyed teaching and realised that it is rather a time waste for him. So with a failed Government scheme, the craft started seeing its downfall. When further questioned, Rajender ji says that after that the Government has not many any further help or interventions. So technically looking at the craft, its is supported by the will power and love of the artisans for the leathercraft. Also, Chamba had a separate leather market earlier, which was long back but with time it has become stagnant and has nearly died by now. Also, since there is no Government funding, this craft has become home based which is limited only to the existing few artisans. When the future generations were asked, that is Rajender ji’s son and his daughters, they are not willing to take the craft ahead themselves since even they think that this craft has no glorious future. The money flow is not smooth, the workload not equally distributed over the year. The artisans are paid in installments by the wholesalers and hence a steady income is not guaranteed., Also, society segregates them as ‘cobblers’ and not as ‘craftsmen’ since it is to do with footwear and chappal making. This societal segregation is strong and hence there is no moving up the social hierarchy with a background of chappal making.
Also, since Chamba is one of the major districts in Himachal Pradesh the little town has an abundance of government services and most people prefer to go into these kind of jobs since it has security, status and respect. Irrespective of being a beautiful craft, it is constantly dwindling and will see its end soon unless it is properly marketed, and the artisans given their due respect and recognition for the craft.
FIG.21.1
FIG.21.2
FIG. 21.1: RAJESH JI’S MOTHER FIG.21.3: HOUSE OF RAJENDER JI
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / Case Studies
CASE STUDIES Case Study 2 Name : Anil Ahir Age: 34 Nature of Work : Works as a Facilitator Address : Moh. Dharog District and Teh - Chamba Pin : 176310
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nil ji belongs to the artisan family and has his own unit where he manufactures the famous leather Chamba Chappal. His house is situated in Dharog, which is the area where the cobbler community of Chamba is based. The name Dharog comes from the the word “Dhori” which is a process of leather tanning. Anil ji runs his unit with help from his father. They jointly look into the workshop and runs it together. The shop was gifted to his great grandfather by Raja Sham Singh as he had once presented a leather clone (animal structure made with leather) to the royal family. His father is an artisan and is still practising the craft and they make the traditional Chamba Chappals. They source Madras leather from Jalandhar after the ban on making and processing of leather in Himachal Pradesh. He works as a facilitator of Chamba crafts, and has been appointed by Himachal Tourism. He guides all researchers and tourists about Chamba, the culture of the place and community and the related crafts practiced. He claims to have struggled a lot for promotion of Chamba Chappal as it isn't as famous as the other practiced crafts in Chamba like, Chamba rumal, stonework, woodwork, etc. He puts out an immensely important point here. He says that the major problem is that footwear / chappals are something that is won on your foot. It also involves the use of leather of animals. Hence it is considered an unholy work by many. Such mentality of people is the sole reason why this craft has never been able to progress with the years. It is still stagnant and the practising artisans are considered nothing more than mere cobblers. He also emphasized on the fact that this is the sole reason why the craft never gained much recognition and reputation and is always back staged. That is precisely why unlike other crafts of Chamba, this particular one has no award winning artisans. According to him there is very less recognition of the craft. Earlier in Rangmahal of Chamba, the slippers were displayed for sale but due to lack of salesperson, maintenance and promotion it doesn't happen
anymore. He also thinks that due to lack of modern designs in Chamba Chappal, people prefer buying other modern slippers over it. He says that old and new artisans are “Lakir ke Fakir”, they practice the same old designs, and only few of them are interested in learning new designs. He mentioned that earlier people used to wear grass shoes with a layer of goat leather socks. These were worn by both the genders with very little difference in design. Bhang and Jujubes plant’s skin were used in making of grass shoes. Anil ji is a very strong personality and is well informed about the leathercraft. Not just that, he is also well aware and well connected to the other artisans of the leather craft and the other crafts of Chamba. He works as a sort of facilitator, a guide and holds the entire network of artisans together. He acts as a sort of representative and is the main initiator in the area. His level of knowledge about Chamba and the crafts is unmatched. From the history of Chamba to how each craft evolved over time and how it is practiced currently to foreseeing the future of these crafts of Chamba, he has it all at its fingertips. He is extremely enthusiastic as a person and takes deep interest in his work. Chamba and the leather craft needs more people like him to ensure the lifeline of the craft.
FIG.22.1
FIG.22.1:ANIL JI IN HIS WORKSHOP FIG.22.2 : ANIL JI SHOWING THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLES ON CHAMBA CHAPPAL FIG.22.2
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / Case Studies
CASE STUDIES Case Study 3 Name : Gurudayal Singh Age: 76 Nature of Work : Practising Artisan
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urudayal ji is a practising artisan of the famous Chamba Chappal and he lives in the Dharog area of Chamba. He is the pradhan of the cobbler community of Chamba. After a long and deep conversation with him we came to know about his family and his profession. He has his own unit outside his house, which he runs all by himself. He outsources for embroidery. He lives with his two sons, daughter in laws and grandson and granddaughter. His wife who was also an embroidery artisan passed away 4 years back. Both his sons are lecturers and have no interest in the unit. He has three daughters and all of them are married. He has done matric himself. Gurudayal ji has no problem with his children who do not want to practice the craft as he emphasises on education a lot. He mentions that education is like a light in the darkness. He is happy that his children are well educated and settled in different fields. When asked about traditional chappals, he told that 200 years ago they were made in the form of juttis with embroidery and only hand work was done, even the buckle was also made by hand. Male chappals were made without embroidery while female ones are made with embroidery. He mentioned that traditional chappals were made entirely of leather and that even the waste of the chappal was also used in the sole and for the binding of chappal. He mentioned that buffalo leather is used for the insole and sometimes for the outsole also. Other than that, sheep, goat and ‘western’ leather is also used for the outsole. Gents chappals are available in 5 sizes varying from 6 to 7 and women chappals are also available in 5 sizes varying from 4 to 8. Earlier he used to take orders from outside Chamba of around 1000 chappals in one month for which he used to sign a contract. For the completion of contract he took help of other artisans and they used to come, sit and work in his unit. But now he avoids taking big orders as he feels he won’t be able to complete. Also with age there is a death of practising artisans and hence finding manpower is difficult. He also said that lack of completion of the order results in paying from one's own pocket. And this is something that he can not afford. Hence he has altogether
stopped taking bulk orders. When asked about selling the chappals outside Chamba he says that a lot of effort has to be done and he has to take care of a lot of factors like taxes, loans, transportation, etc. He feels that the people of Chamba are also attracted towards other footwear because of availability of good, new designs and brands in the market. He said that earlier brides used to wear zari embroidered Chamba Chappal but now they also want to try something new and more appealing and he finds it perfectly fine and genuine. When asked about government initiatives, he feels some promotion should be done for the leather craft. He says that government is planning to patent the Chamba Chappal which he is happy with. He also mentioned that the government has started different schemes for the betterment of Chamba people and Chamba crafts. He said “Government ne khana diya hai, ab khana to khud hi padega”. He also told that traditional and old practices were more sustainable, organic and efficient. Earlier “Kolhu” was used to make oil. The waste oil was used to polish the Chappals which made them more durable. Gurudayal Ji was very humble, broad minded and a vibrant human being.
FIG.23.1
FIG.23.1: GURUDAYAL JI EXPLAINING ABOUT THE CRAFT FIG.23.2 : GURUDAYAL JI INTERACTING WITH THE TEAM MEMBER
FIG.23.2
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / Sustainability Aspects
SUSTAINABILITY ASPECTS
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he survival of every craft is guided by its sustainability aspects which predominantly stands on the three pillars - environmental, social and economic assessments. To get a deeper insight and extensive understanding of the leathercraft of chamba, we looked at fit from the sustainability point of view. This resulted in not just expanding our knowledge base about the craft, how it is practiced, its story of evolution but also a first hand experience of interacting with the practicing artisans, the process involved in the making of the chappals, the various steps, techniques and tools used, the emerging problems and an insight into its future. ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS Raw materials The primary ingredient of the craft is leather. In the traditional method, the excess leather that was generated from the making of the chappal, was reused in making the sole. The small pieces, the cut outs, were organised and stitched together in a way such that it was completely used up and there was hardly any left over. But these days, as the artisans use rubber soles, the extra leather that is generated has no scope of reuse. The leather for the ‘upper’ is usually thicker and buff leather is used. These do not come in proper rolls. The shapes often vary and thus the wastage for this leather comes to around 5 to 6 percent. Unlike the traditional method, powdered synthetic dyes and colouring is used these days. The colours and dyes though are chemicals and synthetic, the are used only after mixing with solutions on the chappals. The process of colouring does not allow any colour to be wasted. Whatever amount required is mixed and the rest stored in bottles. These colours are long lasting and they do not dry up easily. Hence storing them in bottles is not an issue. Also, since there is no process involving water in the colouring, no chemicals get released in the water and hence it does not affect the environment. The patterns for the various chappals are made on reused pieces of tin which is again taken out of the empty neoprene cans. The rubber used for the sole of the chappal now a days is again sourced from Jalandhar. Most of the rubber that is used is often the recycled rubber that is extracted from the discarded aircraft tyres.
Process Pattern cutting of the chappals are done in such a fashion that the wastage of the leather is minimal. Multiple patterns are drawn on sheets of terracotta leather one beside the other in long rows. This avoid wastage which would have otherwise happened if patterns were cut out randomly from the sheets. Another important aspect is that the leather sourced for making the chamba chappals come in the form of sheets. This means that the wastage of leather is further reduced since patterns can be cut out in a much more organised fashion. This accounts to a wastage of only 1.5 to 3 percent. Storage There is a huge sale of the chappals before the Manimahesh Mela, the most famous event in and near Chamba which happens in Bharmour. Hence they have to manufacture huge amounts of these chappals at this time of the year. This results in a huge workload. The problem lies in the fact that they cannot reduce this workload by working constantly over the entire year since storage of leather or leather chappals is difficult. Due to lack of proper packaging and storage facilities, the chappals are left in the open or piled up randomly and results in fungi forming on top of the leather. Another reason is that the flow of work is extremely erratic, there is no guarantee that the chapplas will be left uncared for what period of time. This means that the colour would fade away and the shape and form of the chappal change when lying in a pile. Other climatic and environmental factors The cold moist climate of Chamba is harmful to the chappals. Leather starts rotting and developing fungi when exposed to moisture for a long period of time. Hence the use of Chamba chappals are restricted by climate and temperature.
FIG.24 :STORAGE OF CHAMBA CHAPPAL
FIG. 24
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / Sustainability Aspects
SUSTAINABILITY ASPECTS
SOCIAL ASPECTS Infrastructure and working conditions
T
he working hours of the artisans is on an average 9 to 10 hours a day. As much effort is required and chappal making is a tedious. It takes each artisan 2-3 hours to make one complete pair. This means that production of chappals is limited to a maximum of 6 to 7 pairs a day. Also since chappal making is a manual process, it is time consuming and hence quantity manufactured per day is restricted by time. Leather and other necessary tools and equipments doesn't occupy much space. The leather comes in the form of rolled sheets and hence storage is easily managed. Tools are minimal and do not occupy much space. Hence it hardly required much infrastructure. Quality of life Artisans work from home and hence they are comfortable in their own workplaces. Some even work at their shops and this facilitates selling of chappals. Almost everyone in their family is well educated; at least the next generations and hence they lead a very smooth lifestyle. Social status and recognition The major issue is that the artisans are treated no better than cobblers. Irrespective of the beautiful craft that they practice, the work of leather and footwear is considered unholy and thus positions them on the lower rungs of the social ladder. Thus they prefer to stay in one area of Chamba which is called Dharog and is quite segregated from the rest of the area. Equity of access to key resources The lack of Government interventions and the failure of the existing schemes proves unlucky for the craft. There is no initiative from the end of the Government to promote the craft beyond its local existence. Unlike the other existing crafts, the Chamba chappal is not recognised as a proper form of craft. Artisans are referred to as cobblers. This is the existing social stigma which proves harmful for the craft to survive. As a craft, it must be recognised and the artisans given due honour for the magnificent craft they manufacture. Since this craft has not been patented or identified as a GI, it is copied by others and a lot of fake products are being sold in the name of the exquisite Chamba chappal.
Opportunities and future prospects The future of Chamba chappal looks bleak since neither the artisans want their future generations to pick up this craft as their job. Also the future generations themselves are not interested in taking the craft ahead as they do not see any prospective future in it. Lack of recognition of the craft in the national and international market has led to its localization and hence growth is hard. Role of women The women play a major role in the process of chappal making since the embroidery part of the chappal is entirely done by the women. Thus we see that there is a division of labour based on gender differences. The women play a crucial role since they not only make the embroidery but also are the backbones of the families practicing the craft. They find a balance between work and household chores and still deliver their end of the work since without the embroidery, Chamba chappal for women is impossible. Minute detailing in regard to the embroidery is strenuous to the eye and hence losing the eyesight at an earlier age is a common problem.
FIG.25.1
FIG.25.1: WOMEN ARTISAN DOING EMBROIDERY FIG.25.2 : EMBROIDERY CLOSEUP
FIG. 25.2
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / Sustainability Aspects
SUSTAINABILITY ASPECTS
DESIGN ASPECTS The design of the chappals haven't evolved much over time to compete other footwear markets. These days, there is a huge influx of branded footwear of different styles, most women of Chamba opt for other new varieties of footwear. The new designs are not appropriate for use in the winter season since it does not cover the feet completely and hence unable to protect it from snow and cold. Snow and water is injurious to leather and since leather is the main material, there is no way it can be saved from developing fungi on it.
FIG.26.1
ECONOMIC ASPECTS Unlike earlier times the price of leather has gone up. Nowadays the artisans buy leather at a rate of Rs 600/- per kg. The manufacturing cost of every chappal for an artisan is roughly between Rs 130 to Rs 150. And they finally sell it to the wholesaler at a price of Rs 170/-. And since only a maximum of 8 to 10 chappals can be manufactured, the income remains as low as Rs 300/per day. This means that the monthly income is around Rs 9000/-. The average family size is around 5. And hence an income of Rs 9000/- is not enough for a family to survive. Each chappal is sold for Rs 250/- in the market. This means that the middle man is earning Rs 100/- for each pair of chappal. The payment for the orders are given to the artisans in installments and hence money flow is not constant and thus there is job insecurity. The contribution from the end of the Government is negligible. The Government scheme that was launched a couple of years back lasted only for 3 months and it didn't pay the artisans well since they received on Rs 10,000/- for three months of service. This was too negligible for the survival of each family.
FIG.26.2
FIG.26.3
FIG.26.1: RECYCLING OF TINS IN THE ARTISANS HOME FIG.26.2 : WASTE LEATHER IN THE WORKSHOP FIG.26.3:FUNGUS ON THE CHAMBA CHAPPAL FIG.26.4 : FUNGUS ON THE CHAMBA CHAPPAL
FIG.26.4
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ANONYMOUSLY CRAFTED BEAUTIES / Problems
PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS
Storage Due to lack of proper storage, thin layer of fungi starts appearing on the Chappal. For the removal of fungi, extra labour is done by cleaning it with salt and fitigri and keeping it in direct sunlight. In Rangmahal, earlier Chamba Chappal were displayed but due to lack of proper storage, chappals got deteriorated and their display and sales stopped. Packaging There is no special packaging of Chamba Chappal due to which the form of the Chappal gets disturbed. Recognition of craft Due to lack of marketing there is no recognition of the chappal amongst the people. Marketing of products Due to lack of marketing, there is no recognition amongst the people about the craft of Chamba Chappal. People do know about different shoes/slippers of the respective states but Chamba Chappal still have anonymous identity. Government intervention Missing Links : The district is having huge unutilized Human potentials, besides proper proving, development, and economic utilization of immense natural resources. There is needed (i) Adequate training of local youths in relevant disciplines, (ii) Efforts to establish the quality and quantity of natural resources, (iii) Up-gradation of resources so as they are suitably exploited, marketed as the Chamba brand.
ments. Those who still survive in art and craft productions face the problems related to raw material, institutional support, legal framework, market space, access to capital, technology improvement and social recognition. Additionally, the governments - central or provincial do not have policies supporting the artisans, except the new effort to patent the Chamba Chappal. The artisans rarely get benefits of insurance, cooperative societies, labour unions, health facilities etc. Therefore, the whole community requires preservation, revitalisation and perpetuation to save the traditional craft. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS The Chamba chappals could be registered as Patent ,and as a remarkable product from Chamba,Himachal Pradesh.As in India there is a huge competion in handy crafted footwear market,some are well known and some own Geographical Indication too.So for the upliftment of this craft the important and formost step should be govenment recognisation as a valuable craft Earlier for making the chappals more durable remains of “Kolhu ka tel� was used as a polish on chappal. Now also it can be used for making them last longer. Himachal tourism can take initiative in the promotion of craft by chamba chappal calendar, diary with chamba chappal, Chamba chappal magnets, etc.
In contemporary era, the mountain artisans have been facing a plethora of problems, issues and challenges. The young and new generation do not prefer practicing the ancestral profession; thus only 30% population of artisan communities is engaged in family profession. The cobbler artisan community have given up their ancestral profession as a result of complex social, economic and political develop-
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