an introduction to the colours of the kutch desert
a craftsvilla-the alternative initiative
eht ni lufruoloc hctuk tresed
www.craftsvilla.com www.thealternative.in
in the colourful kutch desert
a story behind every work of art ...
This special newsletter is brought to you by Craftsvilla and The Alternative. All rights reserved. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced, circulated or distributed in any form without prior permission from the publishers. Published by Craftsvilla and The Alternative in February 2012. For private circulation only. Content and Editorial: The Alternative Team: Aarti Mohan, Elizabeth Soumya, Chaya Babu, Rathish Balakrishnan Pictures courtesy: Elizabeth Soumya, Craftsvilla, Nisha Vikram-Craft Canvas, Sindhu Sarathy Design and Layout: Gayatri Vijayan, Deleveled Design Studio Special thanks to: Kala Raksha, KHAMIR, Kutch festival
www.thealternative.in
www.craftsvilla.com
greetings
The word Kutch instantly evokes images of vibrantly coloured mirror-filled Gurjari ghagras, ornate silver jewellery, tassled wall hangings, embroidered tote bags and more. The vast barren desert landscape has always been associated with the richness of the handicrafts and textiles the region has produced for generations. But what of the hand that created these? What of the people who have infused warmth, love and their lives into every single fabric they have worked on? In ‘A Life in Craft’, our special newsletter on Kutch art and craft, we explore the people, places, cultures and challenges that lie behind these handmade products. We find that every single thread carries with it a story - tales of civilisations, kings and commoners, traditions and customs that have been woven, printed, stitched and committed onto cloth by nomadic travellers who came with their diverse influences from far and wide. Today, these are also stories of changing aspirations, the dichotomy between creation being a labour of love and the immediacy of selling it in a crowded market, of precarious ecological and socio-economic balances, and the quest for relevance. Someone said that people buy for why you make it and not what you make, and we certainly hope that this booklet helps you connect with the years of history, identity, culture and quest that is packed into every tiny motif and every print that comes to life through Kutch’s handmade tradition. So tell us your handmade story. Share with us your experiences by writing to us at editor@thealternative.in or stories@craftsvilla.com
1
The weavers of Bhujodi
woven in warmth At the home of Kutch's most famous weaver, it is business unusual where one man’s timeless devotion to a solitary pursuit is as significant as the industry that regularly churns out exquisite fabric.
a life in craft in the colourful kutch desert
2
A day with Dr. Ismail Khatri
coloured blocks of hope The rubble and and destruction of the 2001 earthquake gave birth to 'Ajrakhpur', a town of block printers in Kutch in whose homes tapestries are dipped and printed in the colours of hope. A day with Dr. Ismail Khatri, the illustrious block printer of Ajrakhpur.
3
Preserving Craft
TALES OF THREAD If craft traditions are to be relevant to the future, one must first look to the past.
4
The Business of Art
CHALLENGES OF CRAFT Craft today stands at a challenging place – wedged between a flourishing national and international market on one side, and traditonal artisans who have always created by hand and for love. We speak to entrepreneurs, craft practitioners, designers, grassroot organisations and the craftsmen to understand better the nuances of this tenuous balance between creativity and commerce.
5
Learn, See and Do
The Changing Story of Kutch Watch a movie, read a book, buy products woven in plastic… 5 exciting ways to engage with Kutch craft!
At the home of Kutch's most famous weaver, it is business unusual where one man’s timeless devotion to a solitary pursuit is as significant as the industry that regularly churns out exquisite fabric.
by Elizabeth Soumya Photos Elizabeth Soumya
Living in a time preset on fast forward, to move slowly and steadily is to be left behind. In the craft cluster of Bhujodi, 8 kms southeast of Kutch’s epicentre, Bhuj, and home to 200 weavers, it's as though time stands still. Burrowed inside modest homes and behind nondescript walls, the loom masters squat in front of their devices, weaving to the mellowed cacophony of clashing wood as though little has changed and eternity has always been on their side. Did it ever occur to them to do it any other way? Quite predictably, when we visit the 500-year-old village's most famous address, the residence of Vankar Vishram Valji, his son Ramji leads us through a quiet backlane, where we see nothing move except our shadows.
As he pushes open the wooden door leading to the workshed's courtyard, the musical rhythm of weaving in progress begins to waft in slowly. He invites us to see how brittle thread becomes a shawl or a stole. Weaving is an arduos, solitary task where one must devote oneself to the loom for days before the job is done. The one Shawls in colours not used before, with tassles.
who begins must see it to the end. Sitting at the loom could mean afflictions such as sore arms, eyes
and stomach problems. Even though artisans take breaks when they want
Weaving is strictly a man’s job. However it always begins with the women - it is they who are responsible for preparing the warp thread.
to, the physically demanding nature of the task makes weaving strictly 'a man's job'. However, it always begins with the women - it is they who are responsible for preparing the warp thread.
Brittle yarn is first starched in a combination of wheat flour and wild onions which also acts as an insect deterrent. The onions are usually
different customer.
The weft yarn is prepared by rolling it on to small bobbins from the
atleast 10 to 12 days. Shawls with intricate designs can take months. It was one such magnificiently patterened Dhablo or shawl that
boiled, left to sit overnight, and
hanks. It is then laid on the loom -
mashed before being mixed with
long thread tana intersecting with
wheat flour to make a paste. After
the shorter bana, lending itself to
being starched and dried, the yarn is
'tana bana' – the name by which
combed and it's time to prepare the
weaving is called here. In Kutch, two
warp. A job the women are good at.
types of looms are used - a pit loom
The 'Vankars' or the weavers of
on ground level and a shuttle loom
Kutch are Meghwal migrants who
At the Valji loom, in a room crowded
Vishram Valji, Ramji's father, worked on for an entire year, winning him the President's award in 1974.
that is slightly more structured. The
came from Rajasthan six centuries
with yarn everywhere, a solitary
work done on the loom depends on
ago. Among the Meghwals, the
woman is swiftly moving her wand or
the result one is aiming for. For
Maheshwari and Marwada
'kadani' over a wooden frame called
colour variations, thread fitted into
sub-castes were invloved in weaving
chaukta. She's preparing the warp
the loom is varied; bigger fabric also
and leather work. While the
thread, putting together a bundle of
means more thread. For intricate
Maheshwaris have gradually
exactly 1600 threads of 50 metres
patterns on the fabric, time consum-
transitioned to other jobs, the
each that will be used to create a 39”
ing hand weaving that could last for a
Marwada weave on to this day. The
width shawl. It will take her a good
fortnight or more is required. The
local art of weaving was intimately
six hours worth of work over two
weaver mixes the warp in the weft
connected to the identity and needs
days to finish the job. Yarn is also
with patterns from his memory. Any
of communities in the region. Among
prepared into a spindle by some.
error in weaving or threads splitting
these, the Vankars’ alliance with the
This yarn comes from Bhujodi,
will mean the weaver has to abandon
nomadic, sheepherding community
Ludhiana, Bangalore, Rajasthan
process or start over, informs Ramji.
of the Rabaris is well known. The
and Ahmedabad and includes desi
A simple shawl that involves only
weavers depended on the Rabaris for
and acrylic wool (merino and local
weaving can take about two days to
woollen fleece from sheep and in
wool), sutar, silk, dori and cotton –
do; atleast 5 to 6 shawls of the same
exchange, wove for them. Tradition-
with each material being used to
model will be woven each time,
ally each weaver was linked to a
make an end product that caters to a
taking a minimum weaving stint to
group of Rabari families and was
called a ‘Rakhiyo’ to that particular group. Apart from weaving for the
So strong were the turbans the
Today, there are 1200 weavers in
Vankars weaved for the Rabaris and
210 villages all across Kutch. The
families, the Rakhiyo, a revered
their dhablos that they are known to
number of women involved in the
figure in the community, would also
have lasted for fifty years. Before
preparatory and finishing processes
play music and sing bhajans at
being used, the thick woven fabric
is around 2400. At the VishramValji
celebratory occasions. The weavers
would be embellished with the
loom, women are paid a daily wage
also shared a rapport with Ahirs, a
trademark tie-dye craft of the region
of R125 while men are paid R225.
Hindu herding clan, with whom they
practised by the Khatri community,
Women usually manage to get work
bartered colourful patterned shawls
after which it would be decorated
for just a couple of days while men
with embroidery by the Rabari
who weave are employed for longer
women. And thus, the weavers held
stretches. Of the 80 looms in
the very threads that linked various
Bhujodi, Ramji says that the
communities of the region together.
entrepreneurial Vishramji family
or dhablos in exchange for cotton grown in their fields. It is an Ahir dhablo that was the design inspiration behind Vishram Valji's award winning piece, reveals Ramji.
Weaving is strictly 'a man's job'. However, it always begins with the women - it is they who are responsible for preparing the warp thread.
owns 35. Four weavers work at their
Mashroo weaving, a mix of ikat patterns in stripes along with weaves on cotton and silk is becoming extinct. Locals are now switching to synthetic, mill made textiles. loom; others take specifications, work from home, and return with the end product. While the numbers of the bandhini and ajarkh artisans has risen, the weavers has dipped, many of whom are now employed in factories in enterprising Gujarat. While craftsmen turned businessmen thrive and this village boasts of 8 National award winners,
independent weavers usually struggle to make ends meet.
The finishing includes
tassles, decorative embroi-
Till the 1940s there were about 50
dery, new weaved designs
looms in Kutch that worked exclu-
and mirrors, among others.
sively for the local communities like the Rabaris and the Ahirs. It was in the ’70s that the local market for
Fabrics marked by extreme thickness when woven for the
woven fabric diminished and the
locals have now transitioned
national market opened up. Today,
to being finer and thinner, he
stoles, carpets, mats, shawls etc are made for the winter with demand soaring in North Indian cities like
explains. While being in touch with market needs is at the
Delhi, Chandigarh and Lucknow, and
crux of the trade, Ramji says
shawls alone fetching over 5 crores.
one must never forget that
For the summer, the weavers have
this is a skill of the hands,
begun weaving in cotton, something that was never done before, thus extending product cycles to a year.
In a small lane of what can only be
Of the 80 looms in Bhujodi, the enterprising Valji family owns over 35. Ramji.
done at the altar of a simple loom. Speed is never the goal as much as warmth is.
described as a ghost town, tourists continue to spill in at the Vishram Valji 'emporium' that doubles up as a shop and a museum where one can witness how design meets craft. “Blue and red were a rage last year, we don't know what it's going to be
Children begin learning to weave between the age of 8 and 9 years. They apprentice until the age of 14 when they become ready for the economic output of weaving.
next year,” says a pragmatic Ramji. Weaving is an arduous, solitary task where one must devote oneself to the loom for days before the job is done.
coloured blocks of hope by Elizabeth Soumya Photos: Elizabeth Soumya
One of the positive
effects of the 2001 earthquake that caused terrible destruction is the birth of 'Ajrakhpur', a town of block printers in Kutch. A day with Dr. Ismail Khatri, an illustrious block printer in Ajrakhpur, helps one understand the nuances of block printing, natural dyeing and all the history and tradition that brings colour to the lives of the huecreators of this desert town.
Dr. Ismael is a renowned expert on block printing and has
an honorary Phd from Montfort University, which he hangs next to his National Merit Certificate and the UNESCO Seal of Excellence. Dr.Ismael's family name, Khatri, literally translates into ‘one who fills colour.’ The Muslim Khatri community is historically a family of dyers.
Ajrakh is one of the oldest types of block printing on textiles still practised in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Sindh in Pakistan.
Vintage Ajrakh in Dr. Khatri's collection.
I
spot in my house where the sun
when the next vibration shook the
ago. But when Ismail Mohammad
shone in winter; I was sitting there
earth," he says. His 15-year-old
Khatri speaks about it, it seems as
on a stool, reading the newspaper,
daughter who was caught inside the
vivid as yesterday. A craftsman adept
when it happened." What ensued is
house was thankfully rescued, but his
in the step by step process of turning
something the world knows well - an
mother did not survive the disaster.
pale white cloth into beautiful ajrakh
early morning disaster that reached
He pulls out images from later that
creations, he unravels decade old
7.9 on the Richter scale and tore the
day, of the ocean of of humanity
memories with his trademark
ground open. The earthquake came
pacing the Bhuj Military Hospital
composure, going over them little by
with a howl, he says, and demon-
floor, where every square inch of
little. "It was daytime. Morning.
strates with a whooshing sound.
space was occupied by the wounded.
There were a few students who had
Pillars and walls crumbled and fell
come over to learn the process of
on people before they hit the ground.
In Dhamadkha, 50km east of Bhuj,
ajrakh. I showed them my work, had
Every one in his family had run out,
where Ismail bhai lived, life had
a cup of tea with them," he recalls.
but all were injured and ended up
forever changed in 2001. In the
He pauses. Then resumes. "My
with broken bones. "I sent for a
village that was home to the largest
mother had made breakfast, but I
nephew to get antibiotics. And we all
population (105) of Khatris, one
was already full. There used to be a
had milk and antibiotics. That's
tenth of the community perished in
t all happened over a decade ago
the earthquake. The Khatris had lived in the same village for over 250
Ajrakh textiles have been known to be excavated from tombs at Fostat, Cairo as early as first century AD.
years; Ismail bhai says that they can all be traced back to one family of four sons from Sindh, now in Pakistan. Of them, one son went back to Pakistan, two settled in Dhamadkha, and one went to Anjar, another town pounded to rubble in
in the water had become very high,"
printers. In Ismail bhai's workshop
the earthquake.
he explains. The community was
in the new town that is a cluster of
worried about its future in the
concrete matchbox-sized houses, two
In the months following the earth-
village. Water is indispensible to the
homeless kittens he adopted two
quake, the community that had been
creation of ajrakh. Any deterioriation
days ago snooze stubbornly on piles
hit hard by the disaster was quick to
in its quality will result in faded
of bright bedsheets in the front
stand on its feet again. Temporary
colours, and plummeting quantity of
room. In the workshop's open space,
houses and makeshift worksheds
water will endanger the future of
his son Sufiyan is busy drowning
were built with heavy duty plastic
craft itself, making it impossible to
blanched off-white sheets of dotted
sheets and marine ply, and the
practise it. . It was for this reason
cloth in a tub of frothy green-tinted
artisans continued to print. Under
some members of the clan made the
ink-blue indigo. Few others in the
his leadership, in May 2001, the
difficult decision to leave the only
printing room are up-stamping
community bought land close to
homes they had known.
patterns from woodblocks onto a
Bhuj, and ‘Ajrakhpur’, which gets its
trail of fabric rolled out on a table.
name from their craft, rose from the
Ten years later, after battling
Outside, a pair of workers spread out
ashes."There had already been an
nightmarish bureaucracy to register
reams of wet dyed trails of cloth in
earthquake in 1956. But it was in
the land (for change in use from
the winter sun to bask. Ismail bhai
1989 that the river Saran in Dhama-
agricultural to industrial use),
brings out a bunch of even-sized
dka had dried up. We built tanks,
business today is back on track for
textile strips tied together to form a
made borewells, but the iron content
the hardworking ajrakh block
thin pad with pages of cloth and sits
L to R: a printing block, Ismail Bhai with his father who taught him the trade, the indigo plant
1 3
2 4
6
5
7
8
The process of blockprinting down to begin a much loved activity – talking about ajrakh, a tradition his
Cloth before dyeing
family has practised for nine generations now. The process is time-consuming and
Stretched and pinned onto a table
involves 14 to 16 different stages of dyeing and printing spanning two or three weeks. The artisan needs to
Smell is the way buyers distinguish natural dyes from those that are not
wait between steps to ensure better results. It is a resist-dye technique wherein the dye is prevented from reaching the cloth by a resistant
Indigo dye process
printed on it, thereby creating a pattern after the dyeing process. The block is dipped into a dye resist paste like tamarind seed paste and lime or
Woodcarved blocks
gum arabic and lime. Ismail bhai is an advocate for the use
Dr. Khatri has blocks over 200 years old. Blocks are retired when the edges turn rough or uneven
of natural dyes in ajrakh block printing. Along with his notepad of ajrakh cloth strips, he has a box with small bottles of natural dyes. In the ’50s, he explains, block printers had
The process of printing
begun to use synthetic colours like naphthol dyes and this caused allergies, asthma and other risks to
Cloth being dried after printing
artisans; the final product wasn't safe for the wearer either. Many gave up the craft then to join the calico mills, he says. It was in the ’70s, with the international market opening up,
Water is indispensable to creation of ajrakh. Any deterioration in its quality will result in faded colours. The plummeting quantity of water will make it impossible for the craft to be practised.
that the trend and demand for natural dyes resurfaced.
"Ajrakh is derived from the word
The printing is done on a variety of
ABOUT ISMAIL
'azrak,' which means 'blue’ in Arabic
fabrics such as cotton, linen, wool
KHATRI:
and Persian, a primary colour along
and different types of silk like tussar,
Dr Ismail Mohammad
with madder red that is emblematic
crepe, georgette and chiffon.
Khatri was instrumental in
of ajrakh," he explains, before going
Traditionally ajrakh was worn by
rehabilitating a portion of
through how natural dyes are
men on formal and celebratory
the Khatri community in the
obtained. "Blue comes from the
occasions such as marriages. They
post-earthquake town of
Indigo plant, while red is obtained
hung it over the shoulder, tied a
Ajrakhpur. A national
from madder root, alixarin, sappan
'sofa' or turban with it or used it
award winner, in 2003 he
wood and lac. Yellow is from
as a 'tehmad' or lungi while the
was awarded an honorary
pomegranate rinds and turmeric,
women wore it as dupattas or malir
doctorate from De Montfort
while black is produced from scrap
(skirt fabric).
University, Leicester, UK. He
iron and jaggery (raw cane sugar).
was also part of the Resur-
The colour green is arrived at by
Today, ajrakh's demand is tremen-
gence Exhibition of the
over-dyeing indigo with turmeric and
dous, says Ismail bhai. Kurta sets,
Manly Council in Australia,
pomegranate. Other ingredients used
furnishings, stoles, sarees, yardage
in 2003 where he showcased
to produce a variety of shades are
find their way consistently into
work specially designed to
henna, rhubarb root and tamarisk."
national and international markets
reflect the post-earthquake
and he doesn't foresee the demand
situation.
Apart from its trademark colours, its
fading. What he does anticipate sadly
black outlines and white accents
is a drying up of water resources.
printed on both sides, the Kutchi
Everyone is talking about opening
ajrakh is characterised by its
newer markets, but what an artisan
geometrical patterns, a similarity to
needs is more than just a market. He
Islamic art that doesn't employ
needs resources to create and, Ismail
motifs of living beings but instead
bhai says, “our need is water,” But
uses symmetric infinite patterns. In
the supply in Ajrakhpur won't last
his workshop Ismail bhai has shelves
longer than 20-25 years, he warns.
filled with woodblocks of various
Having survived transitions and
sizes and patterns. The teak wood-
catastrophes, with a foresight typical
blocks come from Pethapur near
of him, he says, “We must think of
Gandhinagar, a town known for its
what we will do, so that the water
woodblock carving, he says. But he
here lasts much longer.”
has carved blocks himself and has in his treasure box woodblocks carved by his father that are as old as 70 years.
If craft traditions are to be relevant to the future, one must first look to the past.
A Baluch dress, purchased for the museum in UK.
W
dusty scapes of Kutch, Gujarat, is all
with them endless stories - histories,
to lovingly fold your grimy pair of
it will take for those scales to fall off.
interactions, influences and inspira-
jeans and that sweaty t-shirt before
This wet and dry island of sorts,
tions - stitched on to canvasses of
tucking it away in a safe crevice for
hemmed in by the Arabian Sea, the
cloth.
posterity? Maybe it will find its way
Gulf of Kutch, the eerie stark white
to a revered art collection centuries
salt sands of the Great Rann and the
Those working to help craftspeople
later. If not, you can at least be
cracked earth of the Little Rann
in Kutch today have come to realise
certain the mites will appreciate your
today, was for centuries a remote
that the first step in the road ahead is
cultural contribution. In an age of
frontier, far away from the gaze of
looking back. Kutch is seeing a slew
flimsy and fickle fashion trends, one
the world. A refuge for wanderers, it
of efforts to preserve and conserve
may wonder why textiles are
invited nomadic artisan communities
the textiles and artifacts of the
preserved or studied at all. But just a
who made their way across the
region's communities before they
cursory journey through the
borderless expanse from Rajasthan,
become but a thread of memory.
kaleidoscopic clothesline that sways
Sindh, and Afghanistan.They may
over the barren, empty and
have left their homes but brought
ould it be a ridiculous thought
A link to their own traditions
that provides the local artisans a link
an entire floor to the display of
to their own heritage is a very
textiles. Even the Calico Museum
Judy Frater of Kala Raksha, one of
important aspect in the long term
of Textiles in Ahmedabad, one of the
preservation of traditions, she
best textile repositories in the world,
emphasises.
includes in its collection a great
Kutch's most well known NGOs that works with women embroiderers in
number of works from the
the region, throws up a basic
In Kutch, with the confluence of
question, “If you don't know what
different groups that express
the tradition is, how can you think of
themselves through their textiles,
working with it?” she asks. Frater,
any study or reflection of history or
who first came to India in the ‘70s
culture is incomplete without the
had worked earlier as a curator at the
scrutiny of its vibrant clothes, quilts,
Textiles Museum in Washington, DC
decorative items and tapestries. The
and understood what went into the
Kutch Museum, Gujarat's oldest
preservation of textiles. In the village
museum founded in 1877, dedicates
much before its artisans. In the
Bhuj, Kala Raksha has painstakingly
an entire floor to the display of
devastating 2001 earthquake that
built a museum with community
textiles. Even the Calico Museum of
participation. Involving the local
Textiles in Ahmedabad, one of the
of Sumarsar Sheikh, 25km from
community in collecting, document-
Kutch region - Indian tie-dyed fabrics, techniques of weaving and dyeing, embroidery, and wooden block displays. Unfortunately, collectors and museums came to understand the importance of Kutch's handicrafts
killed 12,290 people in Kutch and crushed homes in craft conclaves in Bhuj, Mundra Bhujodi, Bachau,
ing and creating the museum was an important factor in instilling ownership and self respect in them, she says. The museum today has 650 objects including embroidery of the Rabaris, peoples of the Thar Parker, and others; woven, printed and dyed garments; and replicas of Kachhi Rabari and Maru Meghval ornaments among other things. It also went online in 2010, becoming India’s first digital museum of crafts. While tourists peep in now and then, the museum exists primarily for the artisans; she reminds: “We could have had a museum in Tokyo. The reason it's here in the village is because it is for the artisans.” The significance of a community museum
(above) Judy Frater, co-founder of Kala Raksha. (below)Wazir bhai, private art collector.
devastating 2001 earthquake that
Banni region for about 5,000 rupees.
Commercialisation is re-shaping the
killed 12,290 people in Kutch and
The rather precious piece was being
aesthetics of artisans towards
crushed homes in craft conclaves in
used by the family in their kitchen,
consumer preferences, creating a
Bhuj, Mundra Bhujodi, Bachau,
he says. At the time, people would
need for them to be reminded of how
Bani, Khavada, Anjar and Dhamdka,
even melt the silver and gold Zardosi
work was done and seek inspiration
needless to say, many artifacts and
work in the cloth and sell it, he
from it.
heirlooms were mislaid. But even
recalls. So, 35 to 40 years ago, when
before the earthquake, artisans who
he was picking up miniature
couldn't discern the value of their
paintings and textiles from the
work sold off many masterpieces to
region, other collectors evinced
collectors, foreign tourists and
interest only in wooden artifacts, he
museums, leaving them with few
recounts.
references to their own traditions. AA Wazir, one of India’s first and most eminent private art collectors and a Kutch native, talks about the first piece he acquired - a gorgeous Mutwa Gaj from a family in the
“If you look at a loop of photographs I took in 1974, you'll see that almost none of the ornaments worn by women then are worn today. A lot of things go by the wayside and it [embroidery] gets very simplified.
The Reality of Change
For example, the repertoire of accent
An important consideration in
changed. A lot of the old pictorial
preservation of craft is the fact
motifs are not used. The way the
that the way artisans wear, use and
communities wear garments has
create craft is being altered.
changed. It's all about availability -
stitches used for decoration has
people used to keep sheep and spin (L to R)
A Baluch dress, purchased for the museum in UK. Kachhi Rabari unmarried girl's blouse, c. 1970 Buchkis: purses Chandarvo: This appliqué bed canopy was probably created by a woman in Northwestern Kutch for use as part of her wedding ceremony and special occasions thereafter. Vagadia Rabari batuva: Used for wedding ceremonies to hold change and mouth fresheners. Pics courtesy: Kala Raksha and KHAMIR
their own yarn, so wool was used and it breathed well even in summer. Now same patterns are being reproduced in polyester”, points out Frater. “Looking at urban markets, artisans think it [embroidery] should be perfect and have fewer colours. But if you see older pieces they had more variety, more stitches and all not in a straight line.” Wazir bhai is disheartened by the changes brought by what he labels “the TV culture”. Embroidery and handwork is time consuming, and given the burdens and preoccupations of life today, the excellence of the past is diluted and traded for work that requires less effort and time. “Today a lot of artisans don't
have patience to create good quality
decorated with embroidery by
pieces. The purpose of my own
women who use it. Buckhis are small
collection is to show the younger
purses or pouches used to carry
generation that our forefathers did
devotional objects, prayer books,
better work,” he says. “There are
money, or other important objects.
artisans who prefer to get a printout
In many cases they also served as
of a design from the computer
dowry bags, which the girl would
instead of thinking of one.”
take with her into married life.
Tapestries of people, places and cultures Textiles, apart from being art, are also storytellers that speak volumes about the people and places they come from. Shreya Sharma at Bhuj-based NGO Khamir helped organise a recent exhibition of a few of AA Wazir's pieces called Textile Legacies of Kutch and Sindh, and she knows this well. In an informative walk-through, she explains how a piece of clothing could very well be an ID card of a person – a means to trace the community, marital and social status of the original wearer. Silk thread embroidery on silk cloth done by the Jain communities indicates the affluence of the group; silk thread on cotton embroidery means slightly lesser affluence, while cotton thread on cotton cloth signifies modest means. Textiles also reflect the symbiotic connections between communities. A Rabari shawl woven by Vankars undergoes the tie and dye process of bandhini done by Khatris and is then
The fineness, intricacy and individuality of vintage textiles are reminiscent of a time when embroidery and needlework were never for a commercial purpose, but used instead to express oneself and done for the love for creation. Patterns of agrarian life with motifs such as parrots, khavda (curdling milk),
Exhibits at the Kutch museum. Pic: Elizabeth Soumya
peacock, camels etc. found their way to walls and on cloth. While elephants are absent in Kutch, they are used in old Rabari pieces demonstrating the Rabaris’ support of the royalty that visited the area. Kutch's location also brought overseas influences, and it helped that needles from faraway lands were brought to its port cities, something that fuelled needlework in the space. Even for a layperson, a repository of craft that was created painstakingly by hand reaches beyond Kutch’s borders. One may not understand the language the threads speak, but tracing them lets us find a string back to our own hearts that experience warmth and pleasure in seeing works of such love.
Kutch’s Museums Calico Museum of Textiles One of the world’s finest collections of antique and contemporary Indian textiles, including rare tapestries and costumes. Constructed from parts of old village houses, it is located in Shahi Bagh Gardens, 3 miles north of Ahmedabad. (91-79/2786-8172). http://www.calicomuseum.com/ Kala Raksha Museum A museum for the local artisans to be in touch with their own traditions (Parkar Vas, Sumrasar Sheikh; 91-2808/277-237; www.kala-raksha.org). Kala Raksha’s Digital Museum This local Museum embodies a simple but revolutionary concept: involve people in presenting their own cultures. http://www.kala-raksha-museum.org/ Museum Quality Textiles A. A. Wazir is one of India’s first and most eminent private art collectors. He has been chronicling Kutchi textiles for more than 25 years. (107/B-1, Lotus Colony, P.C.V. Mehta School Marg, Bhuj; 91-2832/224187;www.museumqualitytextiles.com).
Villages: Tera, Mandvi, and Mundra Craft: Bandhani Tie and Dye Delicate traditional designs are bunched and tied into cloth with a skillful stitching technique. The cloth is dyed in community-specific colours. The term bandhani is derived from the Sanskrit word bandan, meaning “to tie.” The Muslim Khatri community carried this tradition on over generations through its women.
Blocks carved in traditional designs are coated in dye and pressed onto cloth. Layers of colours and prints are added between stages of rinsing, dyeing and sun drying. The Khatri community migrated to Kachchh from Sindh. Khatri means “one who fills or changes colours.”
Villages: Bhujpur, Anjar, Mundra & Mandvi | Craft: Batik
Villages: Bhujodi and Sarli Craft: Handloom Weaving Traditional shawls, stoles, textiles, and carpets are hand woven with traditional motifs on pit and shuttle looms in local wool, cotton and silks. The 'Vankars', or the weavers, of Kutch are Meghwal migrants who came from Rajasthan six centuries ago.
Artistic representations of flora, fauna and geometrical designs are painted or hand-printed in paraffin wax on fabric. The wax resists the colorful shades of natural and chemical dyes.Batik block printing is a tradition of another section of Muslim Khatri community.
Village: Kukma Craft: Kharad weaving
Villages: Dhordo, Kuran, Vayor, Guneri, Dholaviar, and Sumrasar Craft: Embroidery
18 types of hand embroidery bring culture and identity to the colourful silken threads which Kachchh women use to decorate fabrics and traditional dress. Embroidery was a significant part of the economic exchange required for marriage and fulfilled other social obligations in which gifts were customary.
Handloom artisans weave geometric patterns from camel hair and local desiwool on nomadic hand looms that were traditionally set up throughout the Great Rann.
Village: Nirona, Jura, and Bhuj Craft: Bell making A section of the Luhar community are skilled artisans who make some of the most beautiful bells in the world, which were used over centuries for cows, buffaloes, camels, goat & sheep for the local cattle breeders and shepherds.
a craft map of kutch
Villages: Ajrakhpur and Dhamadka Craft: Ajrakh Block Prints
Village: Dhori and clusters throughout Bhuj, Anjar and Nakhatrana Craft: Silver Craft
Kutch gets its name from kachcho, a reference to the tortoise-like form of its seawater surrounded lands. Displaying an unusual degree of eco-diversity that ranges from salt marshes to deserts and coral reefs, the land is inhabited by several semi-nomadic communities that travelled from as far as Sindh, Baluchistan and Afghanistan, nearly five centuries ago. The region is inundated with rich art and craft work that play an integral role in the lifestyle of the people who make and use them. Many products are visual markers of age, gender, class, occupation and marital status of the Kutch craftspeople and contain motifs from their temples, daily lives, symbols, festivals and view of life. From mirrorworked embroidery to silver jewellery and painted pots, there is something that is essentially ‘Kutch’ for everyone to take home and treasure.
Jat : Array of geometric patterns studded with mirrors.
Paako
Khaarek : Geometric - black squares filled inside with satin bands.
Rabari
Mutava
Suf
Floral symmetrical patterns
Mirrors with shapes
Hodka
Guneri Kuran
Pragpar
Khavda Kukma
Nakhtarona
Vayor
Nirona
Lodai
Sarli Tera
Bhuj Mandvi
Gagodar
Ludiya
Dhordo
Ajrakhpur
Bhujodi
Meghpar Anjar Tuna Bhujpur
Gundyali
Sumrasar
Dhori
Dhamadka
Mundra
Fine and geometric minute renditions of local styles.
Silver, known for its white quality that resists tarnishing, is shaped into jewellery and vessels. Colourful work with meena brightens traditional designs. Photos courtesy : Sindhu Sarathy, Nisha Vikram (Craft Canvas), Kala Raksha, Craftsvilla
Painstaking embroidery based on a triangle called “Suf”.
spot your kutch embroidery
craft
challenges of
Elizabeth Soumya Photos: Elizabeth Soumya
For an entire year Manish Gupta, a venture investor, contemplated starting an e-commerce platform for crafts, a field his wife had dabbled in. Gupta’s research highlighted the fact that the industry was growing and had phenomenal untapped potential, but was, in many ways, also very disorganised. "The craft sector is a 7 billion dollar market that's growing at the rate of 15 to 20% every year", he says. And with this conviction, he started Craftsvilla in April 2011, an e-commerce platform aggregating rural artisans all over India, and the largest one in terms of volume. Gupta’s conviction is spot on – the handicrafts industry is a highly
Craft today stands at a challenging place – wedged between a flourishing national and international market on one side, and traditonal artisans who have always created by hand and for love on the other. How does this tenuous balance between creativity and commerce work? We speak to entrepreneurs, craft practitioners, designers, grassroot organisations and the craftsmen to understand the business of art better.
growing business. With over 23 million people, it is the second largest employer in India after agriculture, and the fastest growing export sector in the country. In 2007, handicraft exports from India hit a high of 17288 crores; the figures for 2011 stood at 12428 crores. The Union government's Foreign Trade Policy 2009-14 also gives special thrust to the labour-intensive handicrafts sector, giving it a 5% duty credit scrip. Despite continuous growth, India's share remains below 2% in the estimated 400 billion dollar global market
leaving ample scope for growth and introspection. (CIES Report, April 2011). Growth began in the 1950s when local markets got established. National and international markets opened up in the ’70s, especially to states like Gujarat, where the state government's initiative, Gurjari, established in 1973, played a significant role in identifying and developing handicrafts. The ’70s also saw the advent of a National award for craft that started off collaborations between artisans, urban designers and educational institutions such as NID. In recent times, liberalisation has had an impact on the sector, exposing it to unprecedented competition.
Does the artisan benefit as much?
fractured and mired in historical
While a flourishing domestic and
the artisan," it states.
international market undoubtedly exists, traditional handmade craft is replete with paradoxes. The ‘Craft Impact and Economics’ study by the Crafts Council of India released in April 2011 makes a pertinent point: the sector has ignored the people at its core. "The handicrafts sector is large, and its growth performance, especially post liberalisation, has been impressive. Despite this performance (and perhaps because of it), the sector is taken for granted and remains much misunderstood. The governance apparatus is
aberrations. Developmental policy to date has marginalised its key asset-
“Over and above this din of applause for its growth, we need to ask how much of it trickles down to the artisan”, says Kiran Patil, an alumnus of IIT, Powai, and owner of Villcart, a 6-month old online crafts portal. Patil points out that pricing in the domestic market isn't always in favour of the artisan; and just promoting recognised artisans and trade fairs also isn't the right approach. “Not just subsidies, but the right kind that looks at the interest of all artisans rather than a few market players is important. If the government is interested in artisans everywhere, why not just
“Over and above the din of applause for the growth of the craft industry, we need to ask how much of it trickles down to the artisan” – Kiran Patil, Villcart.
remove VAT on handicrafts in all states rather than just Gujarat and Rajasthan?” The 2005 Country Study by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts has zeroed in on a few reasons for the marginalisation of artisans in India. It points to the large wall of middlemen between importers and artisans. Despite several finance schemes being available for craftsmen through institutions like the National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD), Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) etc, many artisans are unable to avail
advantage of handiwork. Turning the hand into machine is not possible.�
Coping and thriving in the market place The challenge lies in relating to a market that works at a different pace while still retaining integrity. "They (crafts) will die if they are not integrated with the market. For about 50 years now they've been in a of all important working capital
works primarily with micro-
transitional phase, still figuring out
credit due to lack of information and
entrepreneurs in six non-embroidery
the complexities of working in the
also because they find it difficult to
crafts like weaving and block
marketplace," points out Shah. One
comply with the procedural obliga-
printing, says that while handicrafts
such complexity is the lack of
tions involved.
need a market, it isn't the same as
economies of scale. The craft cycle is
other commodities. "The user needs
long while the market cycle is very
to be sensitised and when you
swift. Relying on hand-work means a
compare handicrafts with an
dependence on simpler tools and big
industrially manufactured product
production times. Artisans seldom
you are not doing justice to the way it
hold readymade stocks; the seasonal
has evolved or been produced",
nature of their work makes fulfilling
she opines.
large scale orders an uphill task.
Judy Frater of Kala Raksha Vidya-
Neelam Chibber from Mother Earth,
laya in Kutch, a design school to help
a brick and mortar craft retail store
rural artisans relate to the market,
that will be a 100-crore enterprise in
echoes Ghoradia's opinion. She
two years, says the salient feature of
cautions that artisans must not be
a craft product is its connection to its
reduced to labour. Sitting on the
owner, the maker, and it is this that
Planning Commission for craft, she
industrialisation has tried to scale. If
says that there needs to be a balance
artisans are to benefit, one needs to
in meeting market needs - you can’t
ensure that the supply chain is more
airbrush craft and make it so cheap
producer dominated, she says.
that artisans can no longer afford to
Clearly individual artisans can't keep
practice their craft. “Most of the
up with demand, so they must look
income generation models aim at
at how market needs can be met
Meera Ghoradia of Khamir, a
making craft faster, cheaper and
better - solutions like group
Bhuj-based NGO in Gujarat that
better. This however is not to the
ownership in production perhaps to
Craft or commodity? The intrinsic nature and value of craft is different from an industrially manufactured product. Pankaj Shah from the NGO Qasab who has been working in the Kutch region for over 20 years explains that for centuries craft was created as social and cultural expressions either for personal use, or to be bartered for something. It was never intended to be sold. An example is embroidery, Kutch's most celebrated craft, made by women from different communities for their dowry. Today, around 8,000 to 10,000 women are engaged in it for income generation, exposing them to a market for the first time, he says.
compete with industrialisation. A
Ahmedabad that uses crafts in its
Thakore, Rajesh Pratap Singh, and
Mother Earth practice is to have 30%
work. She explains that without
other globally renowned designers.
of its products come from producer
making craft relevant in the market it
He has also worked with the
groups in wood products, apparel,
is simply unrealistic to expect
LA-based brand Dosa for several
stitching, embroidery etc, that have
artisans to continue creating it. The
years. Jabbar attributes this success
been incubated by the company.
lesser the demand, more are the
to an openness to experiment, an
artisans who drop out of the craft,
otherwise difficult trait for artisans.
Another gap that craft must fill is in
leaving fewer mentors for future
brand building, she adds. “No one
artisans, and eventually deteriora-
educates people about Louis Vuitton,
tion of the craft. Creating relevance
yet it’s a brand that people know
to the market and making sure there
about. If people have to pay for craft,
is a pool of traditional artists capable
it has to become mainstream. There
of training younger talent is what she
are premier brands people are paying
sees as challenges in the sector.
for and [these brands] still maintain
Old traditions, new renditions
a certain ethos.”
The need for brand building and marketing was completely unnecessary in the old times where craftsmen were their own brands in the local community. Master craftsman Ismail Khatri who is known for his work in Ajrakh block printing in Kutch says he remembers his father's clients as friends who would stay over; business meetings were a very informal affair.
Product innovation and adaptability largely determine the survival of many crafts in a new market. Ghoradia points to innovation as one of the key reasons for ‘success’ in the Kutch region, with its 50,000 artisans and an approximately 150-crore industry. Artisans here are willing to take a chance, she says. 33-year-old A. Jabbar Khatri is an example. Originally limited to the Khatri community, tie-and-dye work
Who's on the other side?
now engages thousands of women
Today, the artisan creates for people
women in the ’70s, then number
he knows nothing about and will
today is 25,000 women who work
never meet, so craft must be made
from home. Jabbar bhai has been
relevant to these new customers.
able to give the audience new
Nisha Vikram has worked on Gaatha,
patterns, designs and products such
NID’s craft documentation project,
as stoles in Bandhini. He has to his
and currently runs Craftcanvas, an
credit collaborations with Tarun
interior design firm based in
Tahiliani, Amrich, Abraham &
even outside – from 3,000-4,000
Solving market, design and supply problems will require long-term efforts since the sector is highly fragmented, disorganised and there still remains a huge deficit in terms of data. In all efforts, we need to remember that the worth of a craft is the worth of the hands that made it, which in some sense makes it priceless.
Watch, learn and do more with Kutch craft!
The artisans of Kutch have integrated crafts into their survival and sustenance for generations, making this work part of the foundation of the region’s heritage and social fabric. The culture of Kutch, bordering Pakistan in the state of Gujurat, is steeped in the processes of textile weaving, printing, and embroidery, pottery, woodwork, and more. Due to geographic isolation, with the district surrounded on two sides by the salt marsh Rann and on the other two sides by the Gulf of Kutch and the Arabian Sea, the people there have always been entrepreneurial and unique in what they produce. But commercialization and exploitation, as well as evolving demands and market trends, has put pressure on the artisans and without support, it is likely that a lot of the rich traditional work of the region will just stop beind produced.
Chaya Babu Getting involved personally in helping Kutch craft does not necessarily mean volunteering for an NGO – although it can! Here are some new and interesting ways to learn more about Kutch craft and engage with it:
watch a movie The Masters’ Voices is a 30-minute documentary that has artisans talking about their struggles and concerns firsthand, by Nilosree Biswas and written by Judy Frater. The viewer is invited into an intimate space of design and creativity, meeting Bandhani Master Ali Mohammed Isha Khatri, Block Print and Natural Dye Master Dr. Ismail Mohmmed Khatri, and weaving Master Vishramji Valji, amongst others. They speak of how their trade was deeper than just business – crafts were a way of building and sustaining relationships over generations. More at www.cultureunplugged.com. Tanko Bole Chhe: Stitches Speak is a short animated film by Nina Sabnani explaining Kutch embroidery by using animation. The endearing 10-minute film has stitches moving and coming to life to explain the fine art of embroidery.
grab a book and a corner “Before, I used to stitch just to make patterns. But now I think about what I want to say through my stitches," says Raniben. She and her friend Meghiben, along with other Kutch kids, tell their stories through embroidery in Nina Sabnani’s children’s book ‘Looking at Art.’
(Stitching Stories) . Raniben uses her craft as a way to share her family’s experience in leaving Pakistan, crossing the desert to live in a refugee camp in Gujarat, and rebuilding their lives on the other side of the border. For a deeper grasp on meaning of this artistic stitching for Kutch women, try Judy Frater’s Embroidery: A Woman’s History of Kutch available at www.easternbookcorporation.com The signature mirrored styles of the region have social and religious significance, often denoting status and community membership. Each design, whether of Suk, Khaarkek, Paako, or elsewhere, with distinct combinations of colours, shapes, and stitching styles, stood for different cultural factors. Read to learn more!
Support plastic! The process of plastic weaving, which makes use of 100% recycled plastic, brings together marginalized groups who would otherwise lack opportunities for employment. Buy their creations, including shopping bags, wallets, table mats, and more through KHAMIR which stands for Kachchh Heritage, Art, Music, Information and Resources, and means “intrinsic pride.” KHAMIR’s goal is also to enable these rural handicraft industries to be economically sustainable for the people of Kutch. More at: http://www.khamir.org/blog/ recycled-plastic-weaving-update/
visit the artist Ever heard of a crafts appreciation tour? Part of Devika Krishnan’s NGO, Arthouse Trust, takes groups to visit villages where crafts are a central part of the culture in various parts of India. Workshops and interactive sessions allow travellers to step into the daily life of the artisans – a completely original way of connecting with the workers. Previous trips have included Kashmir and Rajasthan. For more information, email arthouse.in@gmail.com
Buy a piece of Kutch online Building a Great Indian Online Bazzaar involves organizing a fragmented/ unorganized industry, creating and enabling infrastructure for content creation, warehousing and shipping. Building the bazaar also involves creating opportunities for conversations, opportunities for telling amazing stories - tales of artisans and their lives, traditions and its origin, culture and its evolution. Explore shawls, stoles, interior décor products and much more from Kutch artisans at www.craftsvilla.com <http://www.craftsvilla.com>
Craftsvilla has a dream to build the largest marketplace of Indian goods, bridging the gap between the internet and the humble Indian artisan, he who may not fit into high-end art galleries or glamorous shops. This bridge will generate compelling opportunities for conversations and commerce. Building a great Indian online bazaar involves organizing a fragmented industry and enabling infrastructure for content creation and business. But it also provides a platform for sharing the roots, traditions, and evolution of Indian arts. Telling these stories is the heart and soul of Craftsvilla. More at www.craftsvilla.com
SATTVA supports and accelerates social development through its work in media, research and consulting. Sattva Consulting focuses on strengthening the ecosystem of social enterprises and organizations through strategic, operational and financial consulting, talent search and program management services. Sattva Media creates independent, progressive and dynamic spaces online and offline that engage civil society in social good. The Alternative, our media platform, strives to make social impact an extension of everyday life by highlighting issues, solutions, and tangible choices we can make to positively impact the world around us. We collaborate closely with organizations working on sustainability and inclusive development to bring stories of impact in rich, insightful and engaging ways.
The Alternative â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Read. Act. Be. www.thealternative.in More at www.sattva.co.in
in the colourful kutch desert
a story behind every work of art ...