Rathbistar
Rathbistar
Beyond the need of creation.
Rathbistar Beyond the need of creation.
Komal Jain & Heer Patel SMA-FMA [GDPD] 2012-2016 Guide - Mr. SG Ranjan.
©First Published in 2014 Digital publication of student document for private circulation only UG,SMA-FMA, 2012-2016 Indian Institute of Crafts & Design, India Text ©Komal Jain & Heer Patel , Indian Institute of Craft & Design Photographs © Komal Jain & Heer Patel unless otherwise mentioned All rights reserved under international copyright conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any other information storage and tetrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.Upio, nensicibut
R
athwa tribe is a group of people connected to one another, connected to a leader, and connected to an idea. For over millions of years, humans have been a part of one tribe or another. A group needs only two things to be a tribe, a shared interest and a way to communicate it.
Contents Acknowledgement Preface Introduction to the tribe Matikaam Vaskaam Sonikaam Motikaam
Acknowledgements We take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude and deep regards to my faculty Mr. Ranjan for guiding us for our first craft exposure trip. We thank Ms. shailee for giving us references to different books, library and people which helped us in our research prior to our visit on field. We would thank the guard of the Chotta Udaipur museum to tell us about the history and facts of these tribes. We thank Mr.Devi to introduce us to the Bhasha kendra and Mr.Narayan to show us the visual library. We thank Ms. Nupur who helped us in getting all the legal permissions to dive in the deep villages which is not allowed otherwise. We thank Mr. Hari for taking us to the artisans. We even would like to thank all the artisans to spend their precious time for demonstrating us the crafts and giving us all the possible information regarding the craft they could. We also take this opportunity to thank Mr. Nirdesh and Mr. Punit to help us in the facilities of our stay, travelling and food. That had been a great help to us. I would like to thank each and every single person for all the help they did to us. It was too generous of all these people whom I’ve mentioned the names, with out them my project would have been totally incomplete.
Preface This book has been written as a part of our module in which we came across an amazingly interesting tribe named ‘Rathwa’, who dwell inside a village named Chotta Udaipur and it’s near by villages. As humans they are extremely kind and generous. They are skill full and open to accept change. These tribes still work on the basis of barter system. They live a happy and a satisfied life. They adorn themselves with a lot of beautiful fabrics and jewellery. Craft is something they also perform for earning their livelihood and use them in their day to day life as well as rituals. One can find crafts in a lot of things they still use. Observing this tribe which is still full of beautiful handicrafts and use no technology and industrial tools for their production was an amazing experience. This research has not been easy to come by and we have learnt through endless hardwork and some discouraging facts that handicrafts are coming to an end because of industrialisation in this area which has been bought down by the increase of dolomite factories and mines which provide them money for physical labour. This has made the craft sector fall down in this society extraordinarily.
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
ABOUT CHHOTA UDAIPUR Chhota Udaipur is a city and a municipality in Chhota Udaipur district in the state of Gujarat, India. It is newly formed district from Vadodara and district. It has population of 1,022,185. Area is 3,237 km2 and density is 316. District has 6 talukas. Talukas :- 1. Chhota udaipur 2. Kvant 3. Nasvadi 4. Jetpur-pavi 5. sankheda. As of 2011 India census, it had a population of 27,165. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%.
Location
The nearest city to the place is Vadodara. You may reach there by air, train or car. After reaching the place you need to go 110km towards the east of Vadodara You can reach the place either by train or by road. One may get the train at Vadodara junction. The local trains to get to chotta udaipur depart at 7am , 11am, 3:30pm and 7:30pm. It takes 3-4 hours to reach there by train. They charge Rs.25 for general coach. The train will have a stoppage at chotta udaipur junction and then you may travel to different villages by road.
One may even prefer to go by road either by bus or by car. Going by car takes 3 hours and by bus it takes 4 hours. One can get a bus from bus depo near railway station. We can get the bus anytime over there.
ABOUT RATHWAS The name of the tribe has been derived from the term “Rathbistar� which means the forest and hilly areas. Thus the people who are the inhabitants of the Rathbistar are called Rathwas. They are also known as Rathawa Koli.
ORIGION: They recall their migration from the adjoining state of Madhya Pradesh. They are .mainly distributed in the Chhota Udaipur, Jabugam and Nasvadi talukas of Vadodara district and also in Halol, Kalol and Baria talukas of Panchmahal district. HISTORY : They mark their descendence from Mangoloids, Negroids, Cuscasoids. Thus they inherit features of all of these. They are dark, short, have blunt features. Black, straight hair. They have a flat looking face.
POPULATION: According to 1981 Census, their total population was 3, 08,640. According census 2001 the population of Rathwa was 535284 out which 273296 were male and 261988 female.
FOOD HABBITS: The Rathwa are occasionally non vegetarian. They take meat fish, eggs and chicken. They take rotla (homemade bread), rice, dal (pulses) and sabji (vegetables) as a staple food. Pemoline oil is the cooking medium. Seasonally available vegetables are consumed. They take non-alcoholic beverages kadhi (buttermilk) and chhas (butter-milk with spices). They also take home brewed alcoholic drinks, and smoke tobacco. LANGUAGE: The Rathvi is the medium of communication within the family and relatives while Gujarati in relation to others and for writing Gujarati script is used. They communicate with the outsiders in Hindi also. The languages they speak have a blend of non traditional and traditional Culture.
EDUCATION: The community’s attitude towards the formal education is partly favourable for the boys. The boys study up to secondary level whereas the girls study up to primary level. The girls drop-out from studies due to the socio-economic reasons, and the boys drop-out due to economic reasons.
SOURCE OF INCOME: Agriculture is their main source of income. They makes bidis from Timru leaves, they make liquor from Mahuda, they also collect forest things like honey, wood, flowers, fruits to sell and to use in their daily life..These days people have started working as labourers in dolomite factories. They do hard work of breaking the stones and are paid on daily basis.
CASTE: They have been included in the list of the scheduled tribes. The community has various petha (clans) like Hamania, Thebaria, Mahania, Kothari Baka, Fadia etc. which are exogamous. The Rathwa perceive them as having the middle order rank in the local social hierarchy but other communities place them at a lower level. They suffix father’s name and the community’s name to their names.
APPAREL: The traditional dress of the adult male members are langoti (loin cloth), kachuta .and the phenta (headgear). Now young people wear pant and shirt. The female members dress up with the ghagaro (lower garment) and cholia (upper garment) and bandhani dupatta. Women are now commonly seen in petticoat as their lower garment today.
ORNAMENTS: The women wear kala (armlet) made up of chandi (silver) but kala, (armlet) of men is of iron. They also wear fasi at the wrist which is made up of silver. They wear biti (finger ring). They wear Kallan (anklet) in their legs. People of Rathwas tribe, wear an ornament in the arm which is called as Kadu, it is made of metal, the end portion of this ornament is twisted in the shape of a lion or tiger ; they also wear ornaments in the neck called as Ghughri. They wear hasdi in neck made of silver coins or ten paisa coins; they wear it in the neck.. Rathwas also have glass and silver bead ornaments to make them attractive.They buy ornaments in terms of kg. eg the armlet they wear is mostly of 500g of silver. These ornaments are given to the females at the time of marriage.
WEDDING CEREMONY: The actual marriage ceremony is preceded by sagai betrothal). The marriage rituals take place at bride’s residence in a mandap. The Pujari officiates at the rituals. Four /eras are performed by the couple around the sacred fire. A feast is arranged for the groom’s party by the bride’s father. The Rathwas are endogamous. Child marriages were practiced in the past, but now-a-days, the average age at marriage has increased to twelve to twenty years in case of girls and twenty to twentyfour years in case of boys. Marriage alliances are negotiated by the parents or by the elder members. Monogamy is the common form of marriage. Sindur (vermilion) on the forehead is the symbol of married women. Divorce compensation is given to wife. Children are liability of mother in divorce cases. Only the husband can divorce. Widower-widow and divorcee remarriages are permissible, but elaborate rituals of actual marriage ‘ ceremony is not performed Male icterogenic is the rule of inheritance. The eldest son succeeds the father as head of the family. Inter-family linkages are based on the mutual co-operation.
TATTOOS: Noticing rathwa we found out that tattoos are of great importance in their lives. They have tattoo marks on their body. They make tattoos near the eye, on hands, near ankle, chin etc They have collection of dots placed together to make forms. They even have some geometrical motifs of birds and plants which are mostly used on hands and legs. The reason behind making these tattoos is not specific.
DEATH CEREMONY: The dead are cremated. On, the third day “after cremation the eldest son gets his head shaved. On 11th, 12th, and 13th day rituals are organised after cremation. On the day of terma a feast is given to the kin members. After their death a wooden sculptures and terracotta animals are kept in front of their houses. Each scupture indicates the presence of them in their house.
RELIGION: The Rathwa are the followers of folk religion. It has the elements of Hindu religion. They believe in their supreme deity, God Baba Deb who is also their village deity. They worship the objects like horse, tiger, elephant and camel which are prepared by the Kumbhar. The Pujara (sacred specialist), also called Gor performs the rituals. T They also participate in the festivals of Diwali, Holi, Dashera, Ujani and Pithora with great enthusiasm. A section of the Rathawa community, influenced by the Swaminarayan movement, is called Bhagat. They are purely vegetarian. The other section is called Jagat who are nonvegetarians. These divisions are due to the impact of socioreligious movements, which have changed as Bhagats from non-vegetarians to vegetarians. They sacrifice fowls before their gods at the time of festivals.
HEALTH: Their attitude is favorable towards allopathic Medicare. The children get mid-day meals from the schools. They still have local hakims to help them do ayurvedic treatment. At the end when there is no hope for anyone to be left alive they take mannat in the form of pithora and they believe pithora would get the person to normal again. Thus, superstitions still exist.
POLITICAL COUNCIL: The Rathawa have their traditional council. Knowledgeable persons are the members of this council, who are elected by a voice-vote. The Sarpanch is the panchayat President. The Police settles the disputes in the presence of the community elders. The Police Patel holds a very important position at the local level. It is customary that the police must be present in each and every major event of the village. The person in the above image is Naryan Rathwa. He’s one the highest political authority in the village.
HAATS: To buy and sell daily useful things, they have Bazaar or Haats which are held weekly basis, at the Chhota Udepur on saturday. The famous Kavant Haat is open for the people only on Monday. This is their major market and the most important place for their sale being one of the most important part of their life cycle and income generation. Some people still believe in barter system here. They buy things by dhagla (piles) not by measurements.
SUB GROUPS: Kohaliya, Dhebariya, Nan Nat and Moti Nat are the sub groups of the Rathwas tribe. Compared to all sub groups Kohaliya Rathwas group is on the highest position in social status and Nani Nat sub group is on lower level. Rathwas tribe’s sub groups are partitioned into the clans and on the clans people’s surnames are based. Rathwas tribe tries to act like upper class people Tadagis, because they have similar dress patterns and traditions
WORK DISTRIBUTION: The Rathwa women have a role in agricultural operations. Besides they have a significant role in animal husbandry, collection of fuel and bringing potable water. They also have a role in religious sphere but in the political sphere they have hardly any role. The overall family expenditure is controlled by the male members of the household. Women have a status lower than that of their men.
DANCE: Popular dance of the tribe is chuum jhuum. In their folk dances and music they play the Basuri. They dance using peacock feathers; their dance just mesmerizes the people. Rathwas tie Ghungroos in the legs and waist
FESTIVALS: Popular Festival is Holi. The Rathva Festival at Kavant is a pagan ululation to the harvest and the link between man and nature celebrated since time immemorial. It is a gathering of the Rathva community from as far off as Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. It usually begins on the third day after Holi. You can identify the Rathwas in the Kavant festival through their colorful cloths. The Kavant Mela is a prominent tribal festival in the north-eastern part of Gujarat falling sometime in the month of April. Kavant is a harvest festival celebrated with wild abandon through dance primordial blending the rhythm with the shushing of the forest and the frolicking of the animals in the undergrowth. Surrounded by the beating of drums, the susurrations of a variety of flutes and the stamping of feet, the Rathvas dance in a vast group keeping time to the rise and fall of the crescendo of arrhythmic music in their tryst with destiny. The men folk wear a belt attached with pebble filled gourds and a string of brass bells. . Some of the men carry cane sugar signifying the harvest and wear an elaborate headgear which is a conical hat stuck with small framed photos of local deities surrounded by an array of peacock feathers. Rice paste and ash are blended to make a dye painting the bodies with circles and dots in a ritualistic salutation to the jungle cat. Some men and women gather together to form a human pyramid and the surrounding atmosphere rides with the heightened energy and human spirit. Mahuda is drunk as a delicious drink and there are celebrations through dancing and singing.
Chapter 2
MATIKAAM
INTRODUCTION: The use of nonstick cookware was traditionally considered as urban prerogative. Who would imagine that the rural communities would be using non stick coating on their earthen ware and doing it. Members of rathwa community and bhil community from chotta Udaipur region of Gujarat and near by areas in Madhya Pradesh have been traditionally using lac to coat their earthen utencils.
LOCATION: : Ambala in chotta Udaipur is among the few villages known for lac coating of earthenware making them suitable for making chappatis and better cooking of other food.
HISTORY: The cluster started making the cooking wares because of scarcity in agriculture. Earlier they made products like bot i.e. (Wine holder), tavi, big plates, etc. With time they had to accept the limitations of terracotta and change their product forms accordingly.
RADATIYA BHAI- A man who has been doing this craft since he was 5 year old. He has spent his life working on this craft. He is a very down to earth person and is happy and satisfied with his life
TOOLS AND MACHINERY
Stone is used initially. The beating process of the ware is done on it.
Sancho for finishing the backside of the ware. Datardi to cut palm tree leaves for firing.
Jhadu is used after firing. They clean the inside part of the earthen ware with it
Sancho- edges of the earthen ware are made on it
Wooden stick-to carry hot earthen ware after the firing.
sancho- wares are kept on it after firing
Sancho- for giving shape to the earthen ware and drying it.
RAW MATERIAL
Lac- bought from the market
Clay- brought from the forests
Dry palm tree leaves- From the trees grown on their own residential area.
Gheru – bought from the market
wood- brought from the forest
Cow dung powder- from their own cattle
PRODUCT RANGE
Non stick cooking ware with cap (tordu /penni)
Non stick cooking ware (tavo) - for making sabji (shak)
Non stick ware Tohru/ Tavlo- for cooking
Bowls big (vadka) and small (vadki) – used to make curd (dahi)
Wine holder (bot) – for storing or carrying wine (daru)
Non stick cooking ware (tavi) - for making chappati.(rotla)
Platters ( thadi) – used for serving food
PROCESS
Clay is made everyday. Approximately 15 to 20 kgs is required.
Clay is mixed with the cow-dung powder ( cow-dung makes the clay stronger)
30 % water is added and clay is wedged
According to the product, some amount of clay is taken and a ball is made out of it.
The clay is beaten in a way that it spreads evenly from all sides
The backside of the ware is finished. Finishing is done with water.
It is then dried till it becomes leather hard.
A coil is added to its edge
The coil is merged and finished
wares are dried in the sun
Gheru is applied on the back side of the ware
Palm leaves are prepared for firing of the bowls
The kiln is prepared with wood sticks in the base
Dry palm leaves used to cover the bowls. At a time only 6,7 bowls are fired.
Firing takes 45-60 minutes to complete.
The heated bowls are not taken out one by one. 2nd bowl is taken out after lac is applied to the 1st bowl
The bowls are cleaned to remove ashes
Lac of either red or black color is applied to the inner part of the bowl
Lac is applied so that while cooking the oil does not get absorbed.
The bowls are packed in a basket with leaves in between the bowls for cushioning while they have to travel with the bowls
Raw Material: lac – 1000 /- per kg . They need about 10 g of lac for medium sized pans and pots, For
Products
the large pan they require about 40g of lac costing 40 rupees. Gheru – 20 /- per kg : biggest earthen ware - 150 /Cooking ware (big) - 120 /Cooking ware (small) – 60 to 80 /Small ware with lid – 40 /Big ware with lid – 150 /-
OTHER ASPECTS Economy
: They earn 3000 to 4000 /- per month on these earthen wares and other products.
During the monsoons they do labour work such as breaking stones, filling them into the trucks. They earn 200 to 300 /- per truck. They also do agriculture.
Market and transport : The wares are sold in the weekly haats or they go the different places from where
the order has been placed. They travel by walking and if the places are far they travel by trains. As the barter system is still going on in these villages they exchange these wares in other villages and get food. On behalf of 3 wares they get 3 bowls of maize and 1 or 2 bowls of tuver.
Seasoning effect
: This craft is not practiced much during rains as it is difficult to dry the wares or fire
Packaging
: The cooking wares are carried in big baskets (topli) which are covered with leaves.
Education
: The artisan is illiterate, their kids do not study as well they play or learn work.
them. They do other work for the source of income.
Present scenario
: Presently, the 5th generation is making these wares . There are about 10 to 15
families in the village ambala who practice this craft.
Government policies : The government has provided these artisans with certain schemes but
because off illiteracy they aren’t able to take advantage of them. Thus the schemes have turned quite unfruitful.
Work Distribution: Men- Get clay from the forests, make the wares, cut the palm leaves needed for
Women- makes the clay, wedge the clay, applies gheru and lac on the wares.
Chapter 3
VASKAAM
INTRODUCTION: Indegenous people are particularly renowned for their basketry. Harijans are one of the people who are keeping vaskaam alive in the rathwa tribe.This is one of the most traditional crafts performed by man kind.The type of basketry they do is twining basketry.
LOCATION: Jamla in chotta udaipur is the village which is known for vaskaam .This is a beautiful village where everybody does only basketry
HISTORY: The people who do basketry are usually harijans. Before these harijans were known as Bhangi.
This word comes from the breaking of bamboo and weaving things out of it. To break means Bhangine in gujarati.The products that were made before were supda (for sieving), topla(for carrying), panti, suthiya, pankha(hand fan), karandiya, bahda( savarni) ( broom for cleaning). They made beautiful baskets by coloring the bamboo strips which are sold in the weekly haats. There was bartar system for food items in place of bamboo food was taken. Even today this craft has not changed this has been going on since long and the craft is still on the same pace.
PRODUCT RANGE
Supadi
Chabdi
Pankho
Topli
TOOLS AND MACHINERY
Ghodi- helps in pealing the bamboo stripes
Chari- for cutting, pealing, bending,
inserting the bamboo stripes
RAW MATERIAL
Bamboo
PROCESS OF PREPARING BAMBOO FOR DOING BASKETRY
Cutting the bamboo into two halves
Pealing the upper greenish layer of bamboo
Cutting thin layers
Dividing the strip further into less wide stips
ABOUT ARTISAN
MANGI BEN- She is a very
cheerful person who works with dedication. Her speed of work is amazing. She entered this occupation after her marriage.She has two kids.She is of 30 and almost spends 5-6 hours on making topli’s.
PROCESS OF MAKING TOPLI
Firstly they take 8 patri (stripes) of same size and overlap them in a circular formation. They make half cuts , to make the base which is known as Thugli.
Here one sadi (long thin stripe of bamboo) is passed from below and then the it is brought up from the other stripe. one down one up rotation is repeated 5-6 times till the base required is ready. This way the base is made initially.
The rotation made by these stripes is known as Thugli
The stripe is now given a slight half cut and folded upwards. Now the sadi is rotated two sadis are taken up and one goes down . This is how whole basket is weaved. This is done till it reaches its required length.
After completing the rotations the stripes of 1.5 inches are left. These stripes are now folded on the inner side of the basket. Now each and every pile are made thinner by pealing of a little layer and then they are pearched inside the basket. Chemical powder dyes are used for the dying of the basket . They use 3 types of colors yellow to the whole basket and red and green for the decoration.
ABOUT ARTISAN SUGRI BEN- 36 year old lady has been making these chabdi’s from past 12 years. With great experience she has great skills. She is a very patient person and she works 6 hours a day for making the chabdi.
PROCESS OF MAKING CHABDI
Firstly the whole process of making a topli is followed The only difference while making it is the half cut they make in chabdi is a liitle sharper. Here for making the base , they insert patri by pulling up the sadi.
These stripes are also made thin by pealing and then they are inserted.
After inserting the stripes they are folded downwards
Here the long sadi is cut into two halfves and made thin for Guthna (weaving)
The base is now woven with the sadi’s by one upwards and one downwards method.
Dyeing
weaving
ABOUT ARTISAN BHAGLA CHORTANT- He is working with bamboo since his childhood. He is now 47 and is still earning his livelihood from this craft. He is quiet hard working and experienced.
PROCESS OF MAKING SUPADI
Jibli (bamboo stick) is kept in between and the patro are kept on it in such a manner that they are interlaced to each other.
The patro taken is quiet long and after every three patro they are folded back again .The each time three are added then three are folded and the two upwards and two downwards method is followed in this weave
In between they add the colored pink and green colored strip with just counting they make a design is formed in between the supda with these colored patro.
when it reaches this stage and forms a square the patro which are extra are again interlaced with one another
These patro which are right now folded in the image are now alternatively taken and folded in the opposite direction then the folded patros are passed from the weaved area and locked.
After all the alternative patros are folded and locked downwards they are even locked from both the end sides. the stips that goes upward are cut and 1 inch of the patro remains which is inserted into the weave with the tool chari.
The downwards patro which are locked are then cut as they are tightly locked. It is stretched so that spaces between the patro are occupied.
At the back side of the supda jibli is inserted vertically in 11 strips on both the sides.
Here long 14 jibli are added horizontally from the vertical jiblis and this done to make the supda strong so that it does not bend.
After inserting those jiblis at the back the ones which are long are folded .
folded jiblis are cut
The patro are made thin for weaving by cutting it into two halfves.
The thin patro is now alternatively passed from the jibli and it is repeated 5-6 times to tie the broad ones.
A long jibli is added in the curved portion of supda.
Now a space is created in that area with chari
A jibli is inserted into that space.
The thick patro inserted are pulled back and locked.
Another bamboo jibli is added at the back side of the same surface.
The long jibli which was inserted earlier is folded back with jibli and it is knotted.
The jibli in front and back is tied together from both the end sides only.
Now that the jiblis are tied they are folded on the side edges and they are also tied.
PROCESS OF MAKING PANKHO Stripes are colored with the chemical dye on a single sided surface. A hand fan needs 14 stripes of one color.
Here three stripes are put left diagonally and three stripes are put right diagonally then they are folded in the opposite direction and a stripe is then added to it.
The step continues and they keep on adding more and more stipes one after another untill the weaving completes and forms a square.
A hollow bamboo is cut and a half splitted stripe is inserted into the hollow bamboo.
The left stripes after completing weave are trimmed and on that edge the hollow bamboo and stripe are placed. For locking a space is created with the chari.
A stripe is inserted into the space created and tied in the middle and the side ends after that a bamboo stick is added diagonally for strength. The hollow bamboo below like a handle rotates and that is how it works.
OTHER ASPECTS Economy:
Their monthly income is usually 3 thousand to 4 thousand rupees.
Market and transport: They sell their products in the weekly haats and in some other place if they get orders. They normally travel by walking or cycles. Seasoning effect:
There is no seasoning effect in this craft. It is practiced in every season. During rains they practice it in their houses.
Education:
The present generation is illitrate some of their kids are studying and some help their parents in work or play.
Present senario:
They remember that the craft is being practiced from past three generations. Its the 4th generation today practicing it. All the harijans of this village are mostly practicing this craft. There are about 15 houses who are doing it.
Government policies: They are not getting any government policies. Work distribution:
Men make supadi, hand fan, they bring bamboo cut it, peal it, prepare it for making the products. Women make chabdi, topli and they dye stripes and the products.
COSTING, PRODUCTION AND TIME CONSUMPTION Raw material:
Products
:
Bamboo- 160 rs per bamboo Chabdi- 25/- 20 pieces in 6 days Topli (big)- 50/(small)- 25/- both are produced 20 pieces in 6 days Hand fan- 20/- 10-12 pieces in 6 days Supadi- 250/- 10-12 pieces produced in 6 days
Chapter 4
SONIKAAM
INTRODUCTION: Rathwa women wear hansadi which is a beautiful necklace made of silver. There is a ritual in this tribe that the women have to take this necklace with them after marriage to her husband’s place and It is compulsary. They wear kadas in hands and legs both men and women.Silver is considered to be a very precious metal in this tribe.
LOCATION: Chotta udaipur is a village near vadodara and silver jewellery is a integral part of rathwa tribe. As they believe a lot in their traditional notions this craft has been alive in this place.
HISTORY: People wore jewellery like Kandoro, baju bandh, jhanjhar, kallan, amadiyu, large circular earings. Silver jewellery was used as a medium of dowry and still today there is a ritual of dowry . The men and women both used to wear a lot of jewellery in their routine lifestyle. the silver was bought in kilograms or grams.
TOOLS AND MACHINERY
Musal- helps in rounding products
Hathodi
Gun machine- for beating silver
Khilo (ekalvi)
Chini
Aran
Vibrating machine- for cleaning the products
Sandsi
RAW MATERIAL
Silver- It comes from Ahmedabad
ABOUT ARTISAN
HANSH BHAI: At the age of 52 he is a very fine artisan who has worked in this craft since past 30 years he is a very knowledgeable and humble person. After struggling a lot in his life, he has now settled as a business men in the main market of Chotta Udaipur and has employed 5-6 skilled artisans under him.
PROCESS OF MAKING KALLAN
silver is heated
It is beated in a way that it forms a rectangle
It is now made longer by beating it
It is dipped into acid called tejab
It is cleaned with a cloth
Depth is given on the end sides
The silver is then heated again
It is then turned sperical from cuboid and then the whole silver kallan is bent and molded is a round shape.
It is again beated with a wooden rod to make it perfectly shaped
Now the designs are made on the kallans by using embossing and then they are cleaned in the vibrating machine.
PROCESS OF MAKING HEAVY KALLANS
The process of the kallan is initially same to that of the small kallan they beat it make it flat after heating and then this shape is given to it after that they start making designs on the kallan. Designs are different.
This is a very intricate work This design is carved into the silver and is made only on the two end sides
After making design on the kallan it is then heated and then it is bent and given shape by beating it.
This kallan is shaped and then cleaned.
OTHER ASPECTS
Economy:
Monthly income is 50 thousand a month. They have a side business in agriculture they earn from that too.
Market and transport: The target consumers are mostly adivasis. They sell their products more during festivals, marriages. They travell by train, buses two wheelers. Seasoning effect:
Their main season is summer. They work in all the seasons
Education:
The current generation is partially educated and their kids are educated.
Present senario:
It is the 5th generation that is practicing this craft with other occupation.
Government policies: They do not get any govenment policies. Work distributions:
Men only do the work
Costing:
heavy kallas- 41,000 small kallans- 21,000
Chapter 5
MOTIKAAM
INTRODUCTION: Rathwa and other tribes women make necklaces of different types of beads ellipse beads( Lamgod manka), circular small beads (Kidiya), big circular colored beads (Motiya). Bead work is very traditional old craft of india.
LOCATION: In panvad village near chotta udaipur bead work is practiced
HISTORY: This is a very old craft of india which is practiced since a long time. Before the beads used were big of precious and semi precious stones now a days the beads used are translucent or transparent and they are of different shaped and sizes.
ABOUT ARTISAN
Name - Fikli Mansingh. She is an extra-ordinary women with beautiful skills. She has been doing bead work since when she was a child. She engages herself in agriculture but whenever she gets some time, she works with beads. The works with them not because she earns money out of them but because she loves doing it. Her husband is a very well renowned pithora painter. They both keep travelling for exhibitions together all over India.
TOOLS AND MACHINERY AND RAW MATERIAL
Beads
Needle
Threads
PROCESS
Tieing a knot.
Taking beads in the needle.
They beads are taken in order of 1 black 2 red and 1 black.
The beads are then taken in the order shown in the above image
The needle is then passed through the As seen in the above image, a structure of beads which looks black bead and a cross is made. like 8 is formed.
The structure is again repeated from the opposite side.
This pattern is repeated until the the jewellery doesn’t reach the end.
After the jewellery comes to an end, They cut the thread and knot it.
OTHER ASPECTS
Economy:
There is no fixed monthly income. They exhibit their work in exhibitions once or twice in a year. Her husband is the main source of income in their family. He makes pithora paintings. They also engage themselves in agricultural activities in certain seasons of the year.
Market and transport: The target consumers are the urban people They sell their products during exhibitions. Seasoning effect:
They work in all the seasons
Education:
The current generation is not educated and their kids are primarily educated.
Present scenario:
It is the 5th generation that has been doing this craft and the work is giving them satisfac tory outcomes.
Government policies: Thee craft these women perform is only beneficial when the government gives them the opportunity Work distributions:
Only women perform this occupation.
Costing:
Necklaces for minimum Rs.100 to maximum Rs.800 That depends on the size and work they have done in the jewelerry.
Chapter 5
ANALYSIS
STRENGTHS • • • •
The Ratva tribe is one such tribe which has a economy of their own. The people are dependent on each other for all the small needs they have. Because they are very few in number all the needs are satisfied by the people of the same community. They eat what they grow on their own lands, The weaver weaves the clothes they wear, They produce their own instruments for delight. The potter makes the utensils they use. The jeweller produces the jewellery they gift each other at the time of marriage. The wood carvers makes the deity on wood which they worship as well as the pithora painting they worship is made by the people in the same community. For storing things they use the baskets made by the bhangis of the society. • One may still find barter system over their. • In Chotta Udaipur, one may find no discrimination of gender. WEAKNESSES • Illiteracy is the biggest set back of this community. • Industrialisation is one of the biggest reasons why people are leaving their traditional crafts. It is beneficial for the tribe from one perspective but on the other hand, the traditional crafts are suffering through great losses.
OPPORTUNITIES • The government has initiated with a lot of policies which can be beneficial for them. They also have provided them facilities to go out for the exhibitions and get exposed to the other market. • A NGO working specially for the uplifting of this tribe has been working in Tejgadh. This NGO has given them a stage to work and perform their art under them and get paid in return. • If the crafts of these tribe are given a proper push these can reach upt o a very high standard because the crafts performed by these tribes are utilitarian and not just ornamental.
THREATS • The tribe is facing a huge problem of illiteracy. The biggest problem they are facing today is of getting cheated by the literates of these tribes. • People are shifting to urban areas and are leaving behind all the cultural strengths they have. The biggest threat today is of the craft that has come on the verge of extension. Especially the crafts like weaving where there are only two artisans left in this whole tribe who are performing this tribe traditionally. • Seeing the development, they for good are sending their children to study who in turn don’t want to work with their own traditional craft.