edgeresponsibilityonly.learningandF&LAPhotoAllwww.nift.ac.in/gandhinagarGujarat,GH-o(MinistryvcopyrightNIFTFashionDocumentedMinistrySponsorredby:O/oDevelopmentcommission(Handicraft)oftextile,Govt.ofIndia,NewDelhiBy:andLifestyleAccesoryDepartmentSemesterV-2022GadhinagarPublishedintheyear2022byfashionandLifestyleAccesoryDepartmentNATIONALINSTITUTEOFFASHIONTECHNOLOGY(NIFT)oftextile,GovertmentofIndia)CIrcle,Ghandhinaga-382007IndiaTel:079-23240832,23240834,23265000Fax:079-23240772imagesandtextNIFTcredits:Kamakshikaur,KhushiShriwalker,Neviksha.T,VidhiKatrodiyagratefullyacknowlegesfinancialsupportfromNIFTtowardsenhancingresearcheducationdisseminationactivitiesofinstitute.ThisdocumentisoriginallysubmittedasapartofacaemictoNationalInstituteofFashionTechnology(NIFT),GhandhinagarandisforacademicpurposeTheopinionexpressedinthedocumentaresolelythoseoftheauthorsandNiftdoesnotbearanyforthenatureofthiscontent.Reproductionofanypartofthisdocumentmustacknowl-theauthorsandNIFTGandhinagar.
The DC Handicrafts Office has communicated its efforts by conducting various development programs. In 2001-2002 they established a Design and Technical Development centre. DC Handicrafts is evaluating and redefining its role in a changing global scenario.
The handicrafts sector is vital in the country’s economy as it generates foreign currency through exports and creates employment. As crafts are a national af fair, their development and promotion are primarily the responsibility of state governments.
The main activity of regional craft design and technology development centres is primarily to make crafts successful in the current market, thereby improving income and employment opportunities. The second is to protect the beauty of traditional crafts’ creativity. Craft shops in these centres host design workshops on various crafts by designers from NID and NIFT.
About DC (Handicraft)
5
The National Institute of Fashion Technology was established in 1986 under the auspices of the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. It has grown into a leading design, management, and technology institute, training professionals to take leadership roles in the fashion industry in new global scenarios. NIFT was granted statutory status under the Act of Indian Parliament in 2006, giving the institute powers to confer degrees and other academic awards. The institute promotes the domes tic fashion business through a network of 15 professionally operated national centres in Bangalore, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Gandhi nagar, Hyderabad, Jodhpur, Kangra, Kannur, Raebareli, Shillong, Pat na, Kolkata, Mumbai, and New Delhi. NIFT has established itself as a thoughtful leader by setting academic standards and providing a pool of creative geniuses and technically competent professionals. The institute provides a common platform for education, research, and training in fashion.
About NIFT, Gandhinagar
A strong industry orientation allows students to gain extensive design experi ence. Areas of expertise include design, management and marketing. We have a well-defined curriculum to develop integrated expertise in design method ologies, materials and production processes, consumer behaviour and market dynamics, interpretation of trends and forecasts, business practices, and proj ect management in the fields of fashion and lifestyle accessories.Fashion and Lifestyle Accessory Design department’s product range includes: fine jewellery, costume jewellery, silverware, precious metals, and jewellery gifts.
9
The Accessory Design program prepares students for careers as designers, vi sual marketers, product managers, and entrepreneurs. Students get placements in renowned companies such as Titan, Tanishq, Gitanjali, Ganjam, CKC, Orra, and Farah Khan.
National Institute of Fashion Technology was established in 1986 under the a Gandhinagar’s Fashion and Lifestyle Accessory Design department is unique in the country, specialising in jewellery and refined products. The curriculum is well-defined to develop integrated expertise in design methodologies, ma terials, and production processes, consumer behaviour and market dynamics, interpretation of trends and forecasts, business practices, and project manage ment in fashion and lifestyle accessories.
Accesssory Design
We would like to express our gratitude towards our faculties, Mr. Sunil Kumar Kaliha, Craft Based Design Research coordinator and Assistant Professor, Accessory Design depart ment, NIFT Gandhinagar, for offering us some helpful references that were key to the completion of this project. We are grateful for the support, guidance and insightful suggestions given to us by Mr. Gaurav Sharma, Associate Professor, Accessory Design department, NIFT Gandhinagar.
Craft Research Documentation is a part of the Fashion & Lifestyle Accessory Design depart ment curriculum at NIFT, Gandhinagar. This document is a product of the efforts of several people who provided us with much-needed guidance, support, fortitude, and incentive. We are grateful to the Ministry of Textiles for pioneering this initiative. Our utmost gratitude to Mr. Shant Manu, Director General, NIFT. We thank Prof. (Dr.) Sameer Sood, Campus Di rector, NIFT Gandhinagar, for giving us this fantastic opportunity and enriching our experi ence. We also thank Mrs. Kruti Dholakiya, CIC, NIFT Gandhinagar, for her support. We are genuinely grateful for their patience and consideration. Our many thanks to Mr. Abhishek Sharma, Associate Professor and Campus Coordinator of the Fashion and Lifestyle Accesso ry Design department, NIFT Gandhinagar. We want to express our gratitude towards our Accessory Design faculties. Mr. Sunil Kumar Kaliha, Craft Based Design Research Coordinator and Assistant Professor, Fashion and Lifestyle Accessory Design department, NIFT Gandhinagar, for offering us some helpful references that were key to the completion of this project. We are thankful for the support, guidance, and insightful suggestions by Mr. Gaurav Sharma, Associate Professor, Fashion and Lifestyle Accessory Design department, NIFT Gandhinagar. We are grateful to Mrs. Ruchi Shah, Founder at GCO Designs and Guest Faculty NIFT Gandhinagar, and Mr. Jalp Lakhiya, Manager of design publication, Graphic Design, for their sessions that gave us a new perspective on specific aspects of the project and brought us on the right track. Ms. Nikita and Ms. Jyoti at the Gujarat State Handloom and Handicrafts Development Corpo ration graciously took some time to give us a short tour, showing us some samples of Moti Bharat work, and patiently answered our questions and queries. We sincerely appreciate Parul Dave, President of Shivani Mahila Mandal, the organisation behind the Shivani Handicraft venture and Hare Krishna Bha for his help. They conversed with us and shared their valuable revelations significantly to this craft. Lastly, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude towards our artisans, Mrs. Nanda Yogesh Dole and Mrs. Sita Ben Thakarsibhai Chavda, for their unparalleled kindness, knowledge, and time, with out which this document would not have been possible.
Craft Research Documentation is a part of the Fashion & Lifestyle Accessory Design de partment curriculum at NIFT, Gandhinagar.
This document is a product of the efforts of several people who provided us with their much-needed guidance, support, fortitude and incentive. We are truly grateful for their patience and consideration.
11
ACKNOWLEGDEMENT
Our many thanks to Mr. Anupam Rana, Associate Professor and Campus Coordinator of the Accessory Design department, NIFT Gandhinagar along with Mrs. Ruchi Shah, Founder at GCo Designs and Guest Faculty, NIFT Gandhinagar for their sessions that gave us a new perspective on certain aspects of the project and brought us on the right track. We thank Prof. (Dr.) Sameer Sood, Campus Director, NIFT Gandhinagar, for giving us this amazing opportunity and enriching our experience. Ms. Nikita (surname) and Ms. Jyoti (surname) at the Gujarat State Handloom and Hand icrafts Development Corporation graciously took some time out to give us a short tour, showed us some samples of Moti Bharat work and patiently answered our questions and queries.
Our sincere appreciation towards Mrs. Parul Dave, President of Shivani Mahila Mandal which is the organization behind the venture Shivani Handicraft and Hare Krishna Bhai who conversed with us and shared their valuable revelations and who also have contrib uted greatly to this craft
Lastly, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude towards our artisans Mrs. Nan da Yogesh Dole and Mrs. Sita Ben Thakarsibhai Chavda for their unparalleled kindness, knowledge and their time without which this document would not have been possible
ACKNOWLEGDEMENT
PREFACE
This Craft Research Documentation focuses on the craft of Moti Bharat. Through this document, we wish to share information about this beautiful craft, its origins, the tools and techniques used within its domain, the present scenario and market of this craft, insider views from accomplished artisans, and the illustrious city of Ahmedabad, where this craft lives. We wish to take you along on this journey with us, navigating through the advent of beads in the ancient world, their utilisation across the globe, and how they came to be in old India and Gujarat, all leading up to the emergence of Moti Bharat. We take our readers through a tour of the city of Ahmedabad with an overview of historically significant places. From there on, we divulge all our learnings and con versations with the artisans. After presenting the macroscopic view, we dive below the surface and get a microscopic view, discussing the artisans’ daily life, struggles, ideals, and thoughts on the craft’s past, present, and future. Our goal is to reach the patrons of art & crafts across the globe to every age. It brings attention to this intricate craft, the endless possibilities in terms of its products, and the conditions of the artisans. It hopes to ignite a passion in their hearts about the importance of Moti Bharat.
14 INTRODUCTIONAHMEDABADMOTIBHARATGujaratCraftsofGujaratIntroductionDemographyCulture&HeritagePrimeLocationsAboutHistoryIndia&GujaratRabari&KathiEvolutionTypesofbeadsTools&TechniquesDesign&Motif
15 SWOT ARTISANALCONCLUSIONEXPERIENCEANALYSISPROFILENandaBenSitaBenStrugglesGovermentalinterventionsProductcatalogueTECHNIQUEStopperBeadPhulPeyoteStitchExplorationsDESIGNERPROFILEGLOSSARY
“ThebanditofbeadstraveledallovertheworldandlefttheremarkonHindustan”
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17
collageofGujarat
where“InthelapoftheAravallitheheartofAmbalies wherewomenaren’tafraidtoshowtherepowerwhereeverydayisafestivalwherepeoplecelebrateshaktibeingtherighthandofmightymotherlandGujaratisnothingbutastounding”
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MapofGujarat
21
Gujarat is known for its rich culture, festivals, temples, gastronomy, tourism, handicrafts, woodcrafts, jewellery and accessories, clay items, paintings, needle work, and textiles, among other things
Gujarat, India's most industrially developed state and home to Mahatma Gandhi and the world's tallest statue, the "Statue of Unity," also is a huge manufactur ing centre. Despite having the ninth greatest population (60.4 million) and fifth largest area, it has the 11th highest GDP per capita, is ranked 21st among Indian states in the HDI index, and has a low unemployment rate.
GUJARAT
Meenakari form of art is one of the metal craft of Gujarat.After the metal surfaces crafted into its desired shape,it is colored and decorated with shining colours and intricate design Ajrakhpur,a village in kutch,traditionally practice hand block painting or ajrakh. The fabrics are naturally treated with vegetable and mineral colours.The art includes fine and detailed process of resist - printing using blocks Copper bell craft came to kutch from Sindh, one of the provinces of pakistan centuries ago.Bells are casted in vari ous shapes and sizes and then singularly or in a group it is displayed to perform musical functions.Beadwork is done by the local craftsmen from homeSaurashtrajkot,Amreli,AhmedabadJunagadh,Raandregion.Theymadedecorproductsandjewellerybystringingmulticolouredbeadstogether.
CRAFTS OF GUJARAT
Lipan/mud craft is a traditional mural craft of kutch,Guja rat. The mud work frames anddetailsmirrorsincorporateandlittleoflocalflorafaunainanaestheticpattern.Sankhedafurniture is a com mon item in most of the Guja rati households.The furniture is made using teakwood that are shaped using lathe and chiselled into its desired shape by the villagers of Sankheda. Floral and geometrical patterns are painted on the wood and then furnished. Patola uredItsitsPatan,Gujaratfromisfamousfordoubleikatwovensaree.wellknownbecauseofitscolourfulfigbodywithsubtlemergingofcolours.
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“Theplacethathaveseenthechange ThetheplacethathaveabsorbedtheheritageofIndiaTheplacethatwecallAmdavad”
AhmedabadkaSafar
25 thecityofflyingcoloursAMDAVAD
halohalochaloAmdavad
One of India’s largest cities and the former capital of Gujarat is Ahmedabad, also known as Amda vad is known for its local delicacies, world-famous cotton textiles, diamond cutting, etc. Ahmedabad’s population of 8,253,000 (per the 2021 population census) makes it the fifth most populated city in India. The concentrated urban population in cludes an estimated 6,357,693, the seventh most populated city. Ahmedabad is close to the banks of the Sabarmati River, 25 km (16 min) from the Gu jarat capital Gandhinagar, also known as its twin city. The latitude and longitude stand at 23.0225 degrees N, 72.5714 degrees E. Ever since the 11th century, when it was still known as Ashaval, peo ple have lived in the area surrounding Ahmed abad. Karna, the Chalukya (Solanki) monarch of Anhilwara (modern Patan), defeated the Bhil king. In the 14th century, The Delhi Sultanate ruled Gujarat. However, the local Muslim governor Zafar Khan Muzaffar declared his independence from the Delhi Sultanate and proclaimed himself Muzaf far Shah I, making Gujarat his new capital by the early 15th century. In 1411, his grandson Sultan Ahmed Shah, who, while at the banks of the Sa barmati, eventually took control of this region. He built a new walled city next to Karnavati and gave it the name Ahmedabad in honour of the four lo cal saints with the name Ahmed. Other sources claim that he gave it his own name. At 1:20 pm on Thursday, February 26th, 1411, the second day of Dhu al-Qidah, Hijri year 813, Ahmed Shah I laid the City’s foundation at Manek Burj. That is how Ahmedabad was born. Mahmud Begada fortified the City in 1487 with an outer wall measuring 10 km (6.2 mi), 12 gates, 189 bastions, and more than 6,000 battlements. The Muzaffarid dynasty ruled Ahmedabad until it got wrenched by the Mughal emperor Akbar in 1573. By 1758, when they gave the city to the Marathas, the Mughals maintained Ahmedabad as their provincial capital. During the Third Anglo-Maratha War in 1818, the Brit ish East India Company seized control of the city. It became the centre of a burgeoning textile in dustry, earning the moniker “Manchester of the East.” Ahmedabad served as the focal point for the settlement of Hindu migrants from Pakistan, who increased the city’s population and changed its de mography and economy. The city faced communal violence between Hindus and Muslims in 1947. By 1960, Ahmedabad had grown into a metropolis with just under 500,000, and the city’s main thor oughfares are structured in the classical and Eu ropean colonial styles. After the State of Bombay was divided on May 1st, 1960, it got selected as the state of Gujarat’s capital. The capital shifted to the brand-new City of Gandhinagar in the late 1970s.
27
INTRODUCTION
The population of the Muslim community is large and cultural ly significant in Ahmedabad, dating back to the days of the Sultan ate. The city is additionally home to a substantial population of Par sis in India. There’s also a small population of 300 Bene Israel Jews that live in Ahmedabad. Because of the religious and cultural influ ence of Jains and many Hindus, there’s widespread vegetarianism. Ahmedabad had an average literacy rate of 88.16 percent. Four hundred thirty-nine thousand eight hundred forty-three people live in the slums of the city throughout all the seasons. The Arabian sea influences the climate and weather in Ahmedabad. The three main seasons of the place are sum mer, monsoon, and winter. Besides the monsoon season, it’s very arid— most rainfall happens in July and August. May has a median maximum temperature of 41°C (106°F) and is the year’s warmest month. The coldest month is January, with a mean maximum temperature of 28°C (82°F).
DEMOGRAPHIC
For 700 years, the Gujarati language has been spoken mostly by Amda vadis (people of Ahmedabad). Gujarati is India’s 6th most popular lan guage, and is part of an Indo-Aryan language, and is said to be one of the 14 regional languages of India. More than 46 million people speak Gujarati.
CULTURE AND TRADITION
The Hathee Singh Jain Temple, built by Merchant Hathee Singh in 1850 A.D., serves as an example of the heritage of the city of Ahmedabad. The temple is known for its architectural styling and intricate carvings.
Ahmedabad, known for its variegated culture and the celebration of large festivals with great zeal, transcends religious and demographic lines. The kite flying day Uttarayan is celebrated on January 14th. The joyous, colourful night of Navratri, is traditionally celebrated, with peo ple staging Garba at the pre-arranged ground, the folk dance of Gujarat.
Ahmedabad is relatively famous for handicrafts and arts. The Paldi area is renowned for embroidery from the Kutch and Saurashtra regions. Rangeela pol is prominent for bandhani (tie and dye work), while Madhupura is famous for its tradition al mojari footwear. The Gulbai Tekra area is renowned for mak ing vast numbers of Ganesha idols. Law Garden in Ahmedabad is famous for its mirror work handicraft with many more crafts. Not only that but the city’s people are also known for their love for food. A typical Gujarati meal consists of Roti, Rice, and Dal Shaak (cooked vegetable curry). There are a vast reaching number of restau rants that serve people of all tastes and likes. Almost all the eat ing joints serve only vegetarian food as most people are vegetarian.
SwaminaranyanTemple,Kalupur
31 PRIME LOCATIONS
One of the oldest universities in the city is Gujarat Vidyapith univer sity, founded in 1963 by Mahatma Gandhi and Gujarat University. It is also home to prominent institutions such as the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, which ranks first among management insti tutions in the country, the National Institute of Design, the Indian In stitute of Technology, and CEPT (Centre for Environmental Planning).
Ahmedabad, like East Manchester, is famous for its street shopping and lively bazaars. Some famous markets are Lal Darwaja Market, Manek Chowk Market, Teen Darwaja Market, and Sindhi Market.
Ahmedabad city was built on the banks of the Sabarmati River. The city is home to many tourist attractions of various kinds, including tem ples, mosques, museums, and forts. One of the famous places is Sabar mati Ashram. This site was built by the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, after returning from South Africa to engage in work related to Khadi Udyog, agriculture, and livestock farming. The complex carv ing and architecture of the temples of Swami Naryan and Dada Hari Vav made this place culturally rich. Bhadra Fort built by Ahmad Shah in 1411, Siddhi Sayad ni Jali, a mosque in 1573, and evening strolls along the Sabarmati Riverfront are some of the city’s main attractions.
“Throughthethreadallthebeadsgathereduptoperformtheballadofbeads”
MOTIbeadworkBHARAT
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ABOUT Beadwork is a traditional craft of Gujarat where one bead is attached to another with the help of a needle and thread. In Gujarat, beads are known as Moti, and Beadwork is called Moti Bharat. Moti Bharat was traditionally done by joining seed beads on clothes. Later, people developed different materials, techniques, and motifs to take this craft to the next level.
YaandonkaKhazana
37
Native Indian Americans used bead products made of shells, pearls, bones, claws, teeth, and stones. They exchanged their gold and diamonds with glass beads from Europe. African tribes made ornaments and household decor products of beads from Ostrich eggshells. Zanzibar port of Africa regularly exported Moratorium beads from Italy to India in the 14th century.
Beadwork originated in Egypt around 2200 B.C. as the place was rich in precious metals. The tomb of King Tut of ancient Egypt had beadwork on it.
HISTORY
By the 1st century, Romans brought the glass bead trade to their coun try. The mosaic glass beads and Mosaic face beads were famous in Rome. People in Venice acquired skills in turning round tubes into seed beads. Murano, in Italy, initiated the development and production of seed beads.
In India, traces of beadwork were also found in Harappan civilization, at Lothal & Chanhu-Daro valley sites which date back to the 9th century B.C. People of the Indus Val ley Civilization made beads of silver, copper, clay, and ivory. During the Mughal era and Colonial era, beads were made of precious & semi-precious stones and transparent & semi-transparent stones, respectively. Ports of Bombay, Kutch, and Saurash tra imported Venetian beads from African and American mer chants. Banaras exported glass beads in large quantities. Ear lier, beadwork was done with Sinew, a cord made
38
INDIAhistoryofbeads
Professional Embroiders of Mochi caste were the first one to produce beadwork along with embroidery.In the 1st half of 19th century,the Batia’s and Mania’s established the craft in Kutch & Saurashtra.Around 20th century, women of Kathi community who owned lands started to do bead work.They replaced embroidery by making home craft products.Junagadh, Rajkot, Amreli , Ahmedabad and Saurashtri an region people predominantly practised bead craft.Traditional bead jewellery was made by the tribal artisans of Panchmahal & Vadodara. Mainly, products of beads were used to decorate Rajput houses and Saurash tra’s Darbar halls.Peasant women of Kutch & Saurash tra region made garments out of beads and later gave them to their daughters as dowry.Beadwork was an ornamentation for tribal women.
GUJARAT
Gujarat is known as the centre of beadcraft in India. In 16th and 17th century trade of Cambay and Pa tan Embroidery prospered here.In Gujarat, trac es of terracotta beads used during Indus valley civ ilization can be found. After collonialisation, Beadwork was established in urban culture.Guja rat imported seed beads around the 19th century.
RABARIcommunities
The Rabari are an ethnic group from the region of Kutch, Gujarat. They traditionally practised Moti Bharat. White and primary colours domi nated Rabari beadwork. They used beadwork to edge the bags. They made bags & belts for the bride & groom. The girls who belonged to Rajkot & Bhavnagar took torans, small bags, decorative boxes, plate covers, puja thalis & indhoni (women’s head
KATHIcommunities
41
The Kathi belong to the peninsular Kathiawar, now known as Saurashtra. The use of white background and clear glass beads was the style of beadwork done by this community. Peacocks, deities, elephants, and flowers were the com mon motifs made using the three-bead tech nique. Girls of this region started to practice this craft very young. These products were taken along with these girls after marriage as dowry. This community’s people bought many products made out of beadwork. Some of them are torans, Palli, wall hangings & box es. They also bought nearly 15-20 kilo grams of beads to adorn their ox vehicle.
People of the Meghwal commu nity used strands of beads made of shells to cover the faces of their brides and grooms as per their tra dition. Meghwal’s school used low-grade beads for their beadwork, and they started to use chequers as a motif in their beadwork.
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EVOLUTION
Needle numbers 9 and 10 are in high demand among artisans.
In primitive times, people used natural materials such as bone, coral, horn, ivory, stone, and seeds as a bead. Synthetic beads such as ceramic, glass, alloy, and plastic are currently used in bead weav ing. Artisans drew inspiration from everyday life and made motifs such as gods, goddesses, flora and fauna, people, and geometric shapes. The colourful beads on a white background, such as red, green, blue, and yellow, were used to make motifs. There are end less pearlescent options on the market. Any colour is in demand.
There are various beading techniques for the net, loom, and handloom, and different beading techniques like the Ek Moti technique, Bay Moti technique, and Tran Moti technique. In addition to beads, nylon K.O. threads are used for bead weaving.
Moti Bharat is primarily from the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, along with Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Amreli, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, and Panch Mahal. Mochi was the first caste professional embroiderer to make beadwork. Later, embroidery gave way to handmade handicrafts and jewellery. Gujarati communities traditionally practised Moti Bharat. They made beadwork products for various occasions such as weddings and festivals given to young girls as a dowry. They used beadwork on clothes, bags, indhoni, belts, pieces of jewellery, etc. Today, beads of the desired shape and size are available on the market.
TYPES OF BEADS
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Sometimes called “rocaille” (French for small pebble) the seed is the general term for tiny glass beads also called Jacko beads These are thin-walled, large-holed glass seed beads. The large hole allows for many passes of thread. A type of seed bead that is cut (faceted) on one side to give it a shine. Originally made only on 13/0, other size charlottes are sometimes called "True Cut" Bugle beads are These are tubular cut glass rods spun to have smooth edges. These beads range in size from 15mm to 35mm. Pearls are hard, lustrous, globular masses that are usually creamy white in crystalcolour.beads are often heavier, more delicate, and more expensive. Special ised cutting and polishing processes make the crystal sparkle. Plastic beads are commercially avail able beads. They are inexpensive and pocket friendly.
BUGLEPEARLBEADBEADCRYSTALBEAD CHARLOTTEPLASTICBEADBEADCYLINDERBEADS SEEDBEAD
Pitara
TOOLS & TECHNIQUE
A good tool improves the way we work. Jacko (seed) beads are the pri mary material for bead craft and are accessible in diverse colours and shapes. Also, the thread used for weaving beads is usually nylon. Nymo and K.O. are some good beading threads. There is no worth of yarn without a needle. The needle should be the same size as the bead. A cut ter/ scissor is used to cut the excess thread. These were additional tools, but nowadays, bead machines are costly in the spirit of folk expression.
As someone said, the best techniques are the simple ones exe cuted right. Some are netting, loom weaving, knitting, and cro chet. The netting technique is one of the most widely used tech niques for constructing beadwork. It can be worked around, over an object, or used as an edging or on a complete fabric. Netting is characterised by the number of beads used for a single mesh, re ferred to as ‘three bead netting’ or ‘five bead netting’, and it goes on. Embroidery is the technique of creating beadwork on a fabric. The fab ric is mounted on an embroidery ring of wood (khatframe)or plastic. The beads are then strung on the material along the marked design. The most common in beadwork is EkMotiNaThansiya(beads closely set in one row after another), BaeMotiNaThansiya, and TranMotiNaThan siya(tri bead) (3D OBJECTS). While executing the beadwork, care and patience need great vigilance. It also provides an invisible bond of unity.
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Women decorating their homes admired beadwork. To create these motifs, they used beads of primary colours such as yellow, red, green, and blue on a white background.
The Saurashtrians did not depict living things, only geometric patterns. Plants and animals are one of the most common motifs in beadwork. They made animal designs, horses, elephants, birds (peacocks), lions, trees, and flowers. The design has many graphic shapes and forms similar to Patan Patola and Tangalia designs.
DESIGN &MOTIF
Design inspiration comes from everyday life. They represent people who engage in daily activities such as cows ploughing fields, churning milk, and the folk tales of the Dhora Mala of the Ramayana. Symbols of gods and goddesses, mainly Lord Ganesha, Lord Srinath Ji, and Lord Krishna, are made.
MARKET
The beadwork market is expected to grow signifi cantly worldwide in the coming years. Due to the in creasing use of beadwork products, the demand for bead products has increased significantly, especially in the last decade, and this trend is expected to contin ue during the evaluation period. Bead work products are now used in a wide variety of products includ ing jewellery, pet supplies, models and accessories.
The bead work products market is expected to grow significantly worldwide in the coming years. Grow ing interest in beaded products for home decor is ex pected to lead to generational and management op portunities for bead makers, while demand from the fashion industry is expected to drive the expansion of the global beadwork products market to increase.
ballad“Understandingtheofbeadsthroughtechnique”
51 TECHNIQUEbeadwork
CREATING STOPPER BEAD
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Pass the needle through this loop and pull tight to secure. Use the leftover 1-2 inches of thread at the end to make another knot around the bead and cut off the excess.
Thread your needle and leave one end of the thread slightly short compared to the working end.
Take one bead and thread it through your needle. This will be your stopper bead. Push it almost to the end of your thread, leaving 1-2 inches for knotting it later.
Pass your needle through this stopper bead from the back side and pull tight. Pass it through the bead again in the same fashion but instead of pulling it tightly, pull it enough to leave you with a small loop.
Then, we need to take 3 more beads and thread through next bead leaving 2 beads to make a circle. Then, secure it with several knots and the process is completed.
To make the petals we need to thread 5 more beads through a needle.
The first step would be creating the STOPPER BEAD
Then leave one bead, and thread the needle inside the next bead. So, this forms a triangle.
55 PHUL
To bridge the gap between two petals we need to thread one extra bead through the next petal.
Then, pass the needle through the stopper bead and bead next to it.
Repeat this process till all petals are completed
The next step we need to thread 11 more beads and pass the needle through the back of all 11 beads to make a circle.
Hold the beads so that the end of your working thread is facing you.
EK SARKHA MOTI NU
Make sure your thread comes back out on the right side and keep the beads secure between your index and thumb.
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Skip the bead through which the thread is coming out and insert a needle with one bead through the next.
Continue till you have four beads in your second column of your second colour.
Flip the piece vertically so that once again the thread faces you.
Repeat this process by alternating between the colours for each column.
Insert a stopper bead into your needle and secure it with a few knots and cut off the excess thread behind the bead.
Insert your needle with a bead of a different colour through the second last bead of those initial eight.
Insert seven more beads of the same colour .
After reaching your desired length, secure the piece with several knots. peyotestitch
59 EXPLORATIONS
“spectatorsweresointriguedbytheballadofbeadsthattheythemselvesgaveitatry”
ARTISANAL PROFILE thepeoplebehindthecreationoftheballadofbeads
65 NANDABEN uQk ysusdkA ywVusdk ugha fdfldksA
She retired from her bank job to care for her family and started an appar el business, but she realised her true passion lay in creation. She taught herself techniques of other jewellery making along with Moti Bharat. She used to make jewellery and dresses for her daughter’s Bharatanatyam performances, and she knew she had a knack for this field. Her sister who lives in Bombay, initially supplied her with materials and shared some basic techniques. It took her five years to sell and make jewellery success fully. She has been giving workshops at NIFT for about 5-6 years. She loves Moti Bharat because only a few are ready to do this tedious work.
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In her words, it’s unique, simple, sober, and for highly skilled workers.
Nanda ben’s immediate family consists of her husband, a son, a daugh ter, a daughter -in-law and a nine-year-old grandson. Her son is a sales and marketing engineer in Baroda, and her daughter-in-law is a language teacher at a Jila panchayat school. Nanda ben has a very adorable relationship with her grandson. She reminisces the mo ments when coming from home and how she used to play Thappo in the back of the car with her grandson. He keeps telling her to vis it their home as much as possible. She told us the story about how some confusion was created by her grandson when he was in school. In his Gujarati subject, how he thought baa and aji were two dif ferent people, and the teacher felt that he had no grandma. But later, the teacher confirmed and learned about this confu sion that he calls his grandma “aji ‘’. It is one funny incident.
69 SITABEN rdyhQksa ls Mjuk ugha pkfg,A viuk dke idM+ks vkSjvkxs c<+ksA
Sitaben started her business by making simple things like torans and selling them but later when she joined Garvi Gurjari, they gave or ders in bulk, and she needed more materials but didn’t have them then, so she took a loan of 500₹ from Madhur Madan, now Mahila Seva Sanstha, 42 years ago. She gave 30₹ each month at that time as a deposit. After she eventually repaid this loan, she then took a loan of 1000₹ and then, 1500₹, and then 3000₹, and she kept increasing the amount. She kept her jewellery as a mortgage for the sake of the loans. A sample was given to Sitaben from her grandma’s grandma, which inspired her. Before, the motifs used by her were primari ly motivated by nature or household activities. She said it’s in the blood of Saurashtrian people that they learn beadwork themselves.
She is the sole practitioner of Moti Bharat in her neighbourhood. Her brother and sister-in-law live away while she manages her house alone. She was born in Amreli, Saurashtra, and moved to Ahmedabad at just three months old. Her old house was at the Pole Naka, and she moved to her current one in 1992. Since her first marriage at age 18, she has divorced twice. Her father passed away in 1995, and her mother passed around 15-20 years ago. Since her divorce in 1978, she has gone on to work with Garvi Gurjari, collaborations with designers, and teach ing workshops in several states. Now, she has stopped those ventures since her age and health implications prevent her from extended travel.
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WNanda ben uses prescription spectacles, especially during work, and Sita ben does not have spectacles. She told us that to avoid the strain, one must rest regularly during work, wash their eyes often, and only work in daylight. Other issues are back pain, sore neck, waist pain, etc. There is no concrete way to evade this, but one must ensure a healthy posture and use a backrest.
2020-21 was difficult for most people, but it was increasingly hard for artisans and home-grown businesses. For Nanda ben, it comes from her jewellery business that had stopped entirely during covid. She chose to sit and look at the brighter side of things and invested her time into learning new techniques, honing her skills, and making many pieces with unique designs and patterns, which sold like hotcakes when the market reopened 8-9 months later.
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There is also no set timetable for daily life in this field, unlike the 9-5 grind. It is difficult to maintain social relations due to the business’s restrictions and limitations. Other than these unavoidable issues, there is a standard list of everyday problems that both Nanda ben and Sita ben face due to this craft. Eye strain is the major problem.
STRUGGLES
KahiSarkarenbadliKahibadlavaaye
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The Office of the Development Commissioner is implementing the Government’s National Handicrafts Development Program to address these issues and develop and promote handicrafts.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also proposed duty-free imports when she presented the Union Budget 2021. She did this to encourage handicraft exporters and industrial development.
GOVERMENTALINTERVENTION
The unorganised sector of the Indian economy consists mainly of handicrafts. It often requires manual dexterity and essential tools and is, in some ways, symbolic of Indian her itage. They have supported thousands of artists in India over the years. But the reality is quite different: lack of market knowledge, financing difficulties, limited adoption of tech nology, and little institutional support for artisan groups.
77 PRODUCTCATALOGUE GOODAPARANDA(NECKLACEsitabenHAIRACCESSORY)KEYCHAINPIN(HAIRACCESSORY)3DOBJECTSRAKHIBRACELET
81 PRODUCT CATALOGUE HANDNECKLACENandabenEARRINGCHAIN
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Competition between artisans stops the growth of craft for the future. No income during covid threats
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SWOT ANALYSISstrength weakness opurtunities
¤ Cultural intervention ¤ Budding art market ¤ Cheap Labour charges ¤ Low capital investment ¤ Intense labour work leads to eye, neck, back problems and compara tively less profit ¤ Unawareness of current market ¤
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Requirement of handicraft prod ucts develops the fashion and retail Industry. Increase in demand of products in different states and different countries. Better distribution channels like social media and the internet have provided markets to sell these crafts. Less profit margin compare to other crafts Low strength of beadwork products: if one bead damages the whole piece is damaged. Health problems due to intricate work. No budding artisans of this craft due to the need of fixed work hours. Less social and personal interaction due to running business
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Lack of interest in craft by young sters Confined to rural areas and small cities, Comparatively less people and communities practise this craft.
For all of us, this cluster has been a chance to step outside our own lives and into the world of Moti Bharat. Through the course of this week, we imbibed values such as discipline, empathy, and a drive to learn. Bonding with the artisans was the best thing we got out of this. Their welcoming words, insightful exchanges, and the knowl edge we gained will always stay with us. It’s exhilarating to add this skill to our roster and have the chance to freely exercise our cre ativity with the foundation of the basic techniques we learned. The craft cluster taught us to be patient, understanding, and willing to learn. It gave us a glimpse into creative individuals’ work, routines, and styles. We reinforced our skills in time management, organisa tion, decision-making, and having a presence of mind in unfamil iar situations and contexts. Our love and appreciation of Moti Bharat continues to grow with each new nuance we encounter. We bonded deeply as a team after a few initial challenges. We learned to turn over a new page, look at things from someone else’s perspective, and listen to and reflect upon everyone’s opinions and suggestions. The memories we made while with the artisans and walking around and exploring the gullies of Ahmedabad are etched onto our hearts. Overall, this experience made us realise that work becomes fun when you’re doing something you care about. We were fortu nate to have shared this lovely sentiment with our artisans. In the future, we hope more opportunities such as this will come to us.
87 EXPERIENCE
It has been an experiential journey rather than a project. A craft we knew nothing about revealed its several layers and facets. We learned the true extent of the work that goes into creating each piece, one stitch at a time. Moti Bharat’s popularity will ideally always remain up there. Why?
Because there are endless possibilities. We can see pieces with abstract, modern designs, palettes, and patterns up to the traditional styles with whites, blues, reds, greens, and yellows. What we can say for sure about this craft is that it needs dedication, something not many are ready to offer. The artisans we talked to shared a common point that no one else in their immediate circle has put all their eggs in this one basket of Moti Bharat. It isn’t that the craft has evolved much in the traditional sense, but the history of its origins has provided insight into its pur pose. In this documentation, we started at the roots by diving into the advent of beads, their prior applications, and their inception in old India and Gujarat. The Indian women have had this craft’s back for generations, and through our research, we concluded that is still the case with a majority. The artisans, Nanda ben and Sita ben, helped us understand their outlook on this field’s craft, life, and future. They were incredibly gracious and cooperative and readily answered ever y question we asked. Even when going on tangents, our conversations aided us all in connecting on an intrapersonal level and left a lifelong impact on all of us. Other than collecting the data about the craft itself, we had the opportunity to explore Ahmedabad and visit many places of historical importance to the city. It was essential to under stand what makes this city so rich in culture and craft and why Moti Bharat continues to thrive here. On an ending note, we hope this doc umentation was as enriching and informative as we strove to have it be.
89 CONCLUSION
91 DESIGNERS ANCHAL VIDHIKHUSHIKAMAKSHISINGHKAURSHIRWALKARHEEMANIVADHELNEVIKSHATASHWINKATRODIYA .
93 KHUSHI SHIRWALKAR retaininglasting“MotiBharat,tome,isabeautiful,ever-craft.Ithaslivedthroughthetimes,it’straditionalcharmwhileadaptingtomoderntrendsandwillcontinuetodoso”
95 AANCHAL SINGH cate“Everyvibrantbeadonstringhasitsintri-journeywhichgivescolorfulvisiontothiscraft”
97 KAMAKSHI KAUR to“Beadsarenotjustanobject,theyconnecthumanemotions;theyaredeeplyrootedintothecultureandlifeofourpeople”
99 NEVIKSHA beads“Beadingthecultureandtraditionusingisanemotionwhichmeansdifferenttodifferentindividual”
101 VIDHI KATRODIYA “Grittyasabead”
103 HEEMANI VADHEL more“Fromtravelingtothatplacetoexploringaboutthecraft.Itwasoneinspiringjourney”
Sankhedafurniture:This handicraft is characterised by brightly colored teak wood furniture lac r quered and painted in classic brilliant colours of maroon and gold.
Beadwork:Beadwork is a craft of decorative work made from a collection of beads. (PgAgglomeration:25) A clump or gathering of things.
Meenakari:The art of adorning and embellishing a metal surface with mineral compounds.
Lipan:Lippan Kaam is mud-relief artwork with mirrors decorated on it.
Patola:A double ikat handwoven sarees manufactured in Patan, typically of silk.
GLOSSARY Gastronomy(Pg-19):
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Copperbellcraft:It is manually crafted bells in various forms and sizes that are presented either indi vidually or in groups to provide musical functions.
Burgeoning:Starting to develop or rise speedily.
It is the science or practice of selecting, preparing, and eating wholesome food.
Ajrakh:Ajrakhpur is home to Kutchi craftsmen and artisans who do block printing. This is also why it's called Ajrakh.
Amdavadis:(Pg-26)The people that live in Ahmedabad. Bandhani:(Pg-27)It is a tie-dye textile ornamented by plucking the fabric into multiple bindings that form a
Lathe:(Pg-21)A machine moulds wood or metal parts by clamping and rotating them against a set cuttingChisel:tool.A sharp-edged tool used during chopping or carving wood or stone.
106 Mojari:design.It is handmade leather footwear worn in northern India.
Sinew:It is a tough and durable thread made of caribou.
Indhoni:Women put a round cloth cushion on their heads when transporting water pots for comfort.
Terracotta(Pg-37)beads:The product is composed of natural terracotta clay. Darbarhalls:It means the royal court.
Uttarayan:Also known as Makar Sankranti, celebrated in Gujarat.
Meghwalcommunity:Meghwals are classified as Scheduled Castes in Gujarat and Maharashtra. (Pg-43)
Garba:A Gujarati folk dance in which the dancers dance in circles.
(PgToran:39)A decorative door hanging embellished with marigolds and mango leaves. Palli:The group of houses in rural areas.
(PgMosaic35)glassbeads:Glass mosaic is a typical Burmese mosaic made of glass fragments that are used to decorate beautiful art. Mosaicfacebeads:It is among the rarest of ancient glass. (PgHarappan36)civilization:Also known as the Indus civilization, it is the Indian subcontinent’s earliest recognized urban culture.
Venetianbeads:The Venetian bead is manufactured by first gathering a little ball of white or match ing colour transparent glass, then by rolling it over small slices of the millefiori cane or gently setting them on the ball.
Kathicommunity:The Kathis are a tiny group of clans from Gujarat’s peninsular Kathiawar (nowRabari(Pg-38)Saurashtra).community:The Rabari are a nomadic pastoral clan indigenous to northwest India.
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Ek(Pg-53)SarkhaMotiNu:is a technique where beadwork is done in an even way.
Woodenkhatframe:it is a khat frame made of wood.
The(Pg-71)Goodapin:A hairpin to tie a bun.
Knitting:Handicraft made by intersecting yarn in a sequence of linked loops with classic straight needles or by technology.
Nylonthread:Nylon threads are artificial threads commonly used as plain monofilament threads ortextured fuzzy threads.
EkMotiNaThansiya:Beadwork done with only one Moti.
BaeMotiNaThansiya:Beadwork is done using two Motis.
The(Pg-51)Phul:is a technique of making a flower with five motifs.
TranMotiNaThansiya:Beadwork is done with three Motis used.
Paranda:A hair extension.
(PgTangaliya:44)It is an old classic hand weaving technique created by the Dangasia community in Gujarat. (PgMotifs:45)A design or pattern of some structure.
Needle:A short, slender steel device with an eye for stringing one end and used for sewing.
Crochet:A method of manufacturing garments, cloth, and other items involving cotton or wool with just a spindle with a catch at one end.
Loomweaving:Loom weaving is the polar opposite of fast fashion manufacturing.
Garvi(Pg-67)Gurjari:A place where handloom and handicrafts of Gujarat are found.
Cutter/scissors:A pair of scissors is used to cut fabric for sewing.
Stopper(Pg-49)bead:Bead Stoppers are great for holding other beads in place.
109 REFERENCES ¤ beadwork - strands of joy - 2014 ¤ Beadwork - 2011 ¤ Books referred in NID ¤ The embroidery of Saurashtra and Kutch by Balvantray Mehta - 1964 ¤ Craft Documentation by Meenal Khowala PGDPD , TD , 2005 ¤ Books referred in Garvi Gurjari ¤ Books on Bead Craft of Gujarat and Beadwork of Rajkot ¤ tentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst&from=mdrea-halves-in-ahmedabad/articleshow/18908599.cms?utm_source=conhttps://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/fruit-cultivation-ar ¤ https://www.ahmedabad.org.uk/culture/language.html ¤¤ http://www.handicrafts.nic.in/schemes.aspx ¤ sans-schemes-boost-exports/amphttps://yourstory.com/smbstory/indian-handicrafts-arti ¤ lery/18719/13.jpg?itok=Kf_FnjnK×tamp=1515577768tom_user_tablet_1x/public/resource/moti-bharat/introduction/minigalhttps://www.dsource.in/sites/default/files/styles/mini_responsivecus
ofMotiyonKaRangmanchisadocumentationaboutthecraftthebeadworkwhichisprevelentallovertheworldbuthasitsuniquestyleinGujarat.Theplayofbeads;thereperformanceisshowcasedinthebook. ;g eksfr;ka flQZ dkap dh xksfy;ka gh ugha gS| ;g ml Hkkouk dk çrhd gS tks gj ,d O;fä ds Hkhrj lek;k gqvk gS| tks buds jaxeap ls :c: gS|s
