Stories in Stone Millions of Stitches carrying forward One Vibrant Legacy
Art is not a handicraft, it is the transmission of feeling the artist has experienced. -Leo Tolstoy
Copyright Š 2018 National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru National Institute of Fashion Technology C.A. Site #21, 27th Main, HSR Layout PWD Quarters, 1st Sector Bengaluru, Karnataka - 560102 Documented by Arundhati H., Mahalakshmi N., Manveen Kaur, Rishi Raj, Ritika Kumari & Shreyasi Pareek Fashion Communication Semester - V July - December 2018 Subject - Craft Publication Faculty/ Mentored by Mr. Sanjeev C.M. Assistant Professor Printed by Kolorkode, #12 Berlie Street, Langford Town, Bengaluru, Karnataka- 560025
The information contained in this document is confidential, priviledged and only for the information of the intended recipient and may not be used, published or redistributed. The document is for educational purposes only. Use of the document and it’s contents in any way is at your own risk. The provision of this document does not constitute legal advice or opinions of any kind, or any advertising or solicitation.
PREFACE Art being a very subjective term marks its presence in infinite and diverse forms consisting of anything and everything. At present, art is an integral part of our lives as it acts as a breather for both our ideas and skills. This document is about the study of Lambani tribe and their beautiful embroidery which they incorporate in their dressing and accessories. We the students and the teachers of NIFT took up an initiative to analyse the craft and document it, in the form of coffee table book to create awareness about the craft and to promote its legacy reach to the people. Hampi has its name inscribed in the hearts of every traveller for many reasons; but the Lambani tribe nestled in and around Hampi have a story that will leave you smitten forever. They have settled there from years spreading the veins of the Lambani art in and around Hampi. They have wide range of products to offer, to those who love quirky colourful products. They put in all that effort to give life to the art and makes people love their art. All this is a beautiful process to see and adore and has been documented from their lifestyle, culture, costumes and everything in detail. These people are scattered in and around Hampi forming their distinctive tandas since their migration. Altogether makes Lambani in Hampi livelier than any other crafts. Since Lambani already has their strong roots indulged in craft history we added to it by creating some promotional creative for further justification of the craft in terms of letting people know more about the craft precisely through this documentation of the craft.
CONTENTS
01. The Magnificient Capital
1
02. Tales of Tandas
20
03. The Lambani Heritage
32
04. Revival of Lambani
50
05. Stitches of Love
58
06. The Hampi Bazaar
66
07. 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
72
08. An Enlightening Experience
82
09. Bibliography
88
THE MAGNIFICENT CAPITAL Once the flourishing capital of the Vijayanagar Empire, the lost city of Hampi in Karnataka embodies a spectacular journey back in time.
1
It’s a surreal, almost otherworldly landscape; vast stretches of desolate ruins, gargantuan rust-coloured rocks and precariously perched boulders that have been weathered by wind and rain over several millennia, interspersed by leafy banana plants and emerald green paddy fields with the sinuous Tungabhadra river flowing through.
2
3
4
Surreal, stark and yet stunning – one soon runs out of words to describe Hampi and its silhouetted monuments, as they stand vigil over time. An overnight train journey is all that separates the chaos of Bangalore from the haunting ruins. One can board Hampi Express from Bangalore at night and reach Hospet, the nearest railhead to Hampi, the next morning. The name Hampi is derived from ‘Pampa’ – the old name of the Tungabhadra River, on whose banks the capital city of the Vijayanagara Empire was built. The site was chosen because it had natural defences, in the form of rocky hills on three sides and the river on the fourth. It was a thriving, bustling city till the second half of the 16th century, when it was laid siege to and ultimately overrun by the Sultan of Bijapur. As legend has it, the city’s temples were ravaged by the invaders and its sandalwood palaces burnt down in an attempt to wipe it clean from popular memory. And so Hampi was forgotten – its stone survivors overwhelmed by jungle growth; until British archaeologists stumbled upon it several many decades later. To date, more than 1,600 monuments have been identified throughout Hampi and neighboring Anegundi in the form of statues, carvings, forts, temples, shrines, mandapas (pillared halls), royal enclosures, baths and gateways. There’s even an elephant stable. In many ways, Hampi is a reminder of India’s glorious legacy as the birthplace of the world’s oldest living religion and among the most celebrated early civilizations in the history of the world.
5
The monuments have been categorized as belonging to two main sections: The Sacred Center and the Royal Center. Dispersed along the banks of the Tungabhadra, the Sacred Center is comprised of some of Hampi’s most iconic sites such as the impressive Vittala Temple ruins, which feature musical stone pillars, a giant stone chariot, sculptures, Dravidian-style architecture and the almost kilometer-long ancient marketplace outside. Other highlights include the Achyutaraya Temple ruins: Shrines on Hemakuta Hill; the statue of elephant-headed deity Sasivekalu Ganesha; Hanuman Temple atop Anjanadri Hill; It’s a serene journey. In addition to local birds, the banks themselves host many carvings, mandapas and statues, some of which are submerged during the wet monsoon months.
6
7
8
The calm of Vijaya Vittala Temple With the ancient land at the Vitthala temple, often called Hampi’s showstopper , this temple is well-known for the iconic structure of stone chariot within the complex. A vast walled courtyard with three imposing gateways houses the main shrine and a stone chariot among other structures. The wheels, decorated with intricate floral patterns, were once capable of actually revolving around the axis. But, there is so much more to absorb here – the intricate carvings on the walls depicting fables and stories from Hindu mythology, military conquests of the king, Krishna Deva Raya and daily life of his empire’s citizens.
9
10
11
12
The Statement of Grandeur Following the excursion comes the royal Enclosure, a group of ruins - the Mahanavami Dibba, a beautiful stone platform looming over the other ruins. Its sides are covered with exquisitely carved images of warrior, elephants, wrestlers, musicians, dancers, chariots and more. The platform that Vijayanagar king Krishnadevaraya and his entourage would view parades, processions, displays of martial arts, and dance and music performances.
13
14
One can spend days just meandering around the many sites of the ruins, the notables ones include the six metre- monolithic statue of Narasimha, the half-man and half-lion incarnation of Vishnu; the Bal Krishna Temple, which Krishna Deva Raya built in honour of his third wife Jaganmohini; the Hazara Rama Temple which, as the name suggests, has a thousand scenes from Ramayana depicted through wall carvings; and the Sunset Point near Hampi Bazaar, where the fading sun saunters over the dramatic ruins-scape. On approaching the Queen’s bath, one gets transported back in time. A large square edifice, this appears plain on the outside but is stunningly ornate inside. An aquatic enclosure of the royalty built in such a way as to prohibit any unwanted outsider from setting foot into it but in the now has lost much relevance due to the ruins it endured in terms of functionality. The 1.8m-deep bath is surrounded by projecting balconies and pillared corridors that still bear remnants of masterful stucco work. One can only imagine what it must have been like in its heyday, and can almost hear the thinking of anklets and the laughter that must once have echoed here.
15
16
The Legacy of Virupaksha Temple Famed as the Pampapathi Temple also, it is the most applauded site by visitors and it dates back to the 7th century. Constructed in dedication and devotion to the Bhole Nath, located at the south bank of Tungabhadra not knowing what non-functionality is since its inception, it houses intricately alluring carved walls, each narrating a myth, a saga of its own waiting for being marvelled at and adjusted in accord with its environment and demanding all the attention that they deserve from cameras, making it one of the oldest temples in an undisturbed walk of life in India.
17
The Elephant Stables The Elephant Stables is a wonderful structure that provided shelter to the royal elephants of the grand Vijayanagara Empire. The intricate design and emphasis on little details indicate the importance that was attached to the royal elephants of the empire. This elegantly symmetric structure is a magnet for large number of tourists who travel to Hampi and one of the few structures which has suffered least destruction due to the ravages of the time.
18
19
TALES OF TANDAS In this beautiful ruins of Hampi, reside the Lambani Tandas, dressed in their colourful walls, paintings and the equally vibrant banjaras roamig around them dress strewn with mirrors, coins and shells.
21
22
The tandas are jazzed up with vibrant colours on walls, doors etc. and lambani floral motifs. Their lifestyle is simple and low-key. They have the regular routine of doing household works, field work, lambani embroidery in leisure, handling kids and cattle rearing.
23
24
Tanda is a Kannada word which means community. The Lambani tribe being distinct from others prefers to stay isolated. Hence, they usually live in small settlements in the outskirts known as ‘Thaandas’. There are four community locations of Lambani tribe in Hampi. They have distributed themselves into villages: Keri Tanda, Sitaram Tanda, Kadirampur, Mariyammanahalli, Sandur and Kamlapur. Thaandas comprises less than 500 houses and one of the most distinguishing features of a Lambani house is one small room with one exit. The Tandas are similar in their cultures and practices irrespective of their locations. The only difference is that in Keri Tanda, lambani craft is not practiced for commercial activities but to be worn by the women themselves. In the tribe, women practice the craft, i.e., the stitching is basically done only by women. The men indulge in other activities like painting and agriculture. They have their own language and speak ‘Ghor Boli’ which belongs to the Indo-Aryan group of languages. Although it is derived from old western Rajastani language, many terminologies and lexical items have been borrowed from languages such as Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu and English. Being originally from Rajasthan, their dialect is very similar to the Marvadi language spoken in Rajasthan. The Lambani language lacks its own script.
25
26
Seetharam Tanda Seetharama Tanda is a village in Hospet taluk in Bellary District of Karnataka State, India. It belongs to Gulbarga Division. It is located 55 KM towards west from District headquarters Bellary and 13 KM from Hospet.
27
Kaddi Ramapura Tanda (Kadirampur Tanda) Kaddi Ramapura Tanda is a small Village/hamlet in Hospet Taluk in Bellary District of Karnataka State, India. It comes under Malapanagudi Panchayat. It belongs to Gulbarga Division. It is located 64 KM towards west from District headquarters Bellary, 3 KM from Hospet.
28
29
30
Mariyammanahalli Tanda Mariyammanahalli Tanda village is located in Hospet Tehsil of Bellary district in Karnataka, India. It is situated 15km away from sub-district headquarter Hospet and 77km away from district headquarter Bellary.
31
THE LAMBANI HERITAGE The colourful lambanis of hampi add a dash of color and vibrancy to the monotonous landscape of Hampi with their beautiful craft and culture.
33
The Tribe Lambani are a community usually described as nomadic people with origins in Rajasthan. They spread gradually into Kashmir, Bengal, Karnataka and Gujarat, and are now found all over India. They are also called Banjaras in the northern India. They are believed to have originated from the Marwar region of Rajasthan. The word Banjara is said to be derived from the Sanskrit word vana chara (wanderers in jungle). The word Lambani or Lamani is derived from the Sanskrit word lavana (salt), which was the principal product they transported across the country. Banjaras were traditionally cattle and salt merchants. They also traded in grain and were known for long-distance commodity transport before the advent of the railways. During British rule Banjaras were forced to give up their traditional occupations. This led to some of them settling down as farmers near mountains and hilly regions, while others were driven into forests. Banjaras speak GorBoli, also called Lambadi, it belongs to the Indo- Aryan group of languages. As Lambadi has no script, it is either written in Devnagiri script or in the script of the local language such as Kannada or Telugu. Most Banjaras today are bilingual or multi-lingual, adopting the predominant language of their surroundings.
34
35
Their Culture Banjara art is rich and includes performance arts such as dance and music as well as folk and plastic arts such as rangoli, textile embroidery, tattooing and painting. Banjara people celebrate the festival of Teej during Shravana (the month of August).
36
Banjara embroidery and tattooing are especially prized and also form a significant aspect of the Banjara identity. Lambani women specialize in lepo embroidery, which involves stitching pieces of mirror, decorative beads and coins onto clothes.
37
The Craft The Lambani embroidery is an amalgam of pattern darning, mirror work, cross stitch, and overlaid and quilting stitches with borders of “Kangura” patchwork appliqué, done on loosely woven dark blue or red handloom base fabric. Lambani embroidery is commonly mistaken as Kutchi (Kachhi) embroidery because of mirror work, but shells and coins are unique to this type of embroidery with much different stitches. Using the regular needle they create decorative embroidered patterns on their attire. Patchwork or appliqué technique is other form of technique used by them to create patterns. In these small pieces of cloth are cut into triangles and stitched onto the base cloth, with sides being nearly turned in. These appliqué triangles specially feature as borders and create a charming pattern. Lambani embroidery also to a large extent comprises of the quilting technique which is done on the edge of the garment and is called "katta". It is usually combined with mirror work to produce glitter and colour that are integral parts of the Lambadi costume. The clothes of the Lambanis reflect their love of life and evolved across the centuries to suit local climatic and social conditions. There are 13 colours that are mostly used in Lambani embroidery, out of which; red and blue are most common. The base cloth used is either cotton khadi or power loom fabric and is also dyed locally, thus working in harmony with the local small scale industry. Although most of the fabric is dyed using chemical colours, vegetable dyes made from Kattha, Rathanjot, Chawal Kudi, Pomegranate peel etc are gaining popularity.
38
39
40
2
The distinctiveness of the lambani embroidery is the random designs and bright colors that is so traditional to this tribe. Usually all over patterns are created, which covers the base of the fabric. Sometimes, geometrical patterns like circles, rectangles and squares are made which are heavily embroidered with colorful threads and decorated with embellishments like shells, coins, mirrors and beads etc.
3
41
Stitches The vibrant clothes of the lambani acquire their aesthetically pleasing value from the stitches and the applique work done on them. The two most important parts of the attire – the top and the bottom form the base for this work. The blouse known as Kanchali worn by the lambani women is very intriguing and aesthetically appealing. The blouse is made up of 4 parts (3 mirror patches and 1 base cloth). The base cloth is heavily embroidered with mirrors. Two of the patches are attached/ stitched right onto the breast are whereas the third mirror is placed at the bottom of the Kanchali, the panels hasghungroos and 25 paise coins attached to it. Mostly round or square mirrors are used. The mirror work done by them is beautifully finished by buttonhole stitch and then bordered by chain stitch. The Kanchali is totally backless with just two strings used to tie the blouse. The skirt is called “Ghagro�. The length/ falls of the skirt are just slightly above the ankle level in order to show the foot ornamentation and also for the free movement. The skirt is pleated and required approx. 3-3.5 meters of fabric. Lambanis use a variety of stitches to embroider. The 14 types of stitches used in lambani embroidery are- Running, Herringbone, Buttonhole, Blanket Feather stitch.These include the running stitch, which often appears as small dashes, the running stitch lends itself to creating a variety of patterns on cloth. It is worked in parallel lines and a thread of a contrasting colour is intertwined between the stitches in a line to create a neat horizontal pattern. Similarly, a thread may be intertwined between lines to form a criss-cross pattern. Other than that there is chain stitch that is sometimes tightly and densely worked, almost covering the ground fabric; small loops that look like grains; satin stitch; herringbone stitch, and buttonhole stitch.
42
43
Music and Dance Dance is considered as an important tradition both in terms of recreation and culture. Dance and folk song is the life blood of Lambanis. After returning back from the tedious work all the Tanda people join together around a fire and sing and dance together.
44
Fire dance and Chari dance are the traditional dance forms of the Banjaras. They have a sister community of singers known as Dadhis or Gajugonia, the Muslim Banjaras who traditionally travelled from village to village singing songs to the accompaniment of sarangi.
45
46
Product Range There are a variety of products that the lambanis adorn on themselves and sell. All the exquisite pieces have their own beauty and purpose of use. The lambani women’s hair ornamentation is very unique from that of other tribes. Instead of using the more famous mathapatti and tikka, these tribes use beads and ghungru’s as their jewellery. Topris are worn on both sides of the hair parting. All the elements of a topri are made of silver metal. Ghughri is a round shaped ornament with is usually placed in front of the topri. Ghughri’s are considered to be a symbol of marriage for the lambani women. The ghughri is made of silver metal. Pinnis are beaded hair pins that are fixed on the plaits formed on each side. Various motifs are often created on the pins. Nose ornaments are considered sacred; they are made from gold, even though all of their other jewellery is made of silver. It is worn by a woman at the time of her wedding and is the symbol of her marital status. It is associated with a woman’s honour. Buli is a nose pin that is in the form of a stud. Nath is a commonly used nose ornament used among women of all castes and tribes of India. It is a ring of a diameter of 3-4cm. The nath can be a simple ring or embellished with gold beads. For neck, these women layer up a number of neck ornaments ranging from two to six or seven. Their neck ornaments are mostly made up beads, gold and silver. A necklace in the form of a choker is made up of beads in different bright colours with geometric motifs. The Mangalsutra is a symbol of marital status. The arms are usually covered with a variety of bracelets and bangles. A Bajuband is a bangle made of wood or metal and is worn above the elbow. The rings are made of coins or silver. All the lambani women carry a similar type of purse with varying designs. The most commonly used motifs are that of a geometric heart and an all over chevron print. The borders are covered with embroidery and mirror work.
47
48
Present day Lambanis/Banjaras are known for their artwork. Lambani women show their embroidery skills on different types of articles and present them in Crafts Mela for selling them through NGOs. Most of the designers or NGOs hire the Lambani women for employment and spread their dying art through their brand names. Lambani embroidery consists of the intricate thread work making geometrical patterns with countless of stitching skills.
49
REVIVAL OF LAMBANI The tendency of reviving and re-establishing the beauty of this colourful craft by promoting it in all possible aspects and in maximum works of life and acknowledging the importance of it
51
Mankind of the 21st century owes a lot to technology and social media but still most of the people have not yet opened up to it. Lambanis are a beautiful tribe and so is their craft and it would be quite rare to find anyone who would speak otherwise. Whilst they might not cater to the world with their services directly, artists and designers alike have taken inspiration from the craft time and again and created their own versions out of it which at most times have been worth great appreciation. It might not help the tribe earn cash out of it but to a great extent has kept the craft intact and alive. As most crafts suffer extinction this one might be able to spend more time out in the sails so long till the designers hanker for Indian tradition and culture. The techniques might vary and so does the design but the vibe prevails over all. Be it the accessories or the patchwork or the mirror, time and again we are reminded of this small family of banjaras. If one intends to help there is no second crossing to the thought and revival is just the revolution millennial generation wishes to harbour. The ships are meant to sail. Humans evolve with time and as should their creations. Lambani art is a wide source of inspiration for the current and coming generations.
52
53
Apart from the creative minds, businessmen have turned their attention to them too, courtesy a new culture of flea markets popping up. With a wish to look unique and a drive of appreciating native roots the youth has indeed turned towards the culture and Lambani accessories with their faded silver and raw unpolished designs have been a part of all the craft festivals along with many more items.
54
55
56
57
4
STITCHES OF LOVE Robert’s House stands as the building up of a foundation to promote the beautiful craft of lambani started by Robert and Jeesinknaika. An initiative taken in the face of an NGO to help in craft promotion along with helping women and providing them with a livelihood.
59
The Artisan – Jeesinknaika is practicing lambani embroidery for years; it’s a legacy which she got from her mother. She is from HP halli, 35km from Hospete and has shifted to Kamlapur after her marriage. Her late husband was a painter from Netherlands. She started an NGO - Robert’s House in 2002 promoting the lambani craft, with her husband and had many visitors who bought her work but after her husband passed away, she is struggling for the betterment of life and craft. Now the NGO as well as the place is famous as ‘Robert’s House’ named after her late husband. She collaborates with the widows from the same community and produce lambani products that serve them financially. She sources materials from Hospete whenever required, and works at least for 3 hours in a day on the craft. She has collaborated with Shama Pawar, founder of Kishkinda trust and participated in the exhibition held in Bengaluru. She loves the interest showed by the people in the cities for such products and wishes to be a part of lot more such events which help in the development and promotion of the craft. With a lot of practice, she has now got a good hold of the craft hence she can instantly imagine the designs while working, but she mostly restricts to only the traditional motifs of lambani. She gradually, has understood the demand of the customers and now does embroideries on salwars, tops and dupattas on demand. She also develops saree blouse silhouette out of embroidery which is peek at demand. Accordingly it takes at least one year to complete a whole set of dress depending upon the intricate of design by a single person. The price range starts from rupees 10,000 to rupees 30,000 depending on the design.
60
61
Tattooing is an important part of a Lambani woman’s life and they sport them on their foreheads, arms, cheeks and chins. The tattoos are made using traditional tools and methods when the women reach marriageable age. It is for good fortune and they believe that food doesn’t get spoiled because of the tattoo.
62
63
64
She has three daughters and a son. She teaches her children the art of embroidery at their leisure, since she believes in holding on to the roots. Her house is also colourful as her art; with wall graffiti done by her children. Choko another part of decoration on and outside the house differs from the mainstream use of rangoli in the sense that it is solely for religious purposes, and are drawn exclusively during times of worship and other religious functions.
65
THE HAMPI BAZAAR With a marvellous range of items to offer, the Hampi Bazaar is the most vibrant marketplace where one can have an enriching shopping experience and also enjoy lovely morning strolls before the hustle-bustle of shopping starts for the day.
67
68
Going forward from the virupaksha temple towards the bazaar, one has a broad and beautiful street and in this street lives many merchants, and there one will find all sorts of rubies, and diamonds, and emeralds, and pearls, and seed-pearls, and cloths, and every other sort of thing there is on earth and that one may wish to buy. Then every evening a fair kind of ambiance sets up where the small merchants sell many common items for tourists. Both sides of the street have a series of very old pavilions, some single storied and others two storied. These buildings were once the part of a booming market and houses of the upper class merchants. The arcades are open structures with no doors. It was once a place where merchants used to sell precious stones, jewellery, silk clothes, etc. during Vijayanagara rule. It was also a market where cows and horses were traded. The Hampi Bazaar still functions as a market place, though it is no longer as attractive as it was. The western end of the street has been encroached by a number of shop owners and small restaurants. These shops that sell items like ethnic clothes, bags and pooja artifacts.
69
70
One may find a variety of local items like embroidered shawls and textiles, traditional costumes, antique coins, jewellery, colourful bags, stone figurines, carved artefacts, handicraft items, clay dolls, etc. One of the interesting things found in the Hampi Bazaar is the replica of Hampi ruins.
71
6 A.M. TO 6 P.M. Should lands be blessed to speak and skies with the ability of comprehension, “we beg to differ� would be the title of their story. Two different tales are written in one day, whilst the morrow narrates outlandish adventure, the evening prevails still and dark privacy.
73
The Kannadigas of the localities are also leaving simple lifestyle but are also aware of world outside. They are known for their deep rooted faith in God. A good majority of them follow Hinduism. A good part of the population follows the faith of Islam, even from ancient times. A minority of Jains can also be found among the residents of Hampi. Most of the people of Hampi are part of economically backward families. Their main source of income is agriculture. They tend to wear traditional clothing and are very innocent in nature. The people reside around Kamlapur not in ruins. The tourism also supports many lives there; there are tour guides, auto drivers, vehicles lenders who mainly earn from tourists. They are also fluent speakers of English and Kannada. The people start their daily chores in the early morning and carry on with household works, field works etc.‌ all the activities are lively until 6pm. The moving auto rickshaws, the hotels and restaurants, bazars, everything shuts up at 6pm. The visitors have to visit the ruins before 6.00pm, since everything ends up till dusk. It’s the beauty of place that everything falls into peace unlike metropolitan jazz. The people have adapted to this timing of the place, but it is new for the avid visitors. The town becomes so dark and cosy after 6.00pm, temples shut downs, ruins get closed and place is at a pin drop silence. Hence life comes to a still by dusk.
74
75
It is a magical experience to stand at the Matanga hilltop and watch the sun slowly dip behind the temple and the hills beyond. The Virupaksha Temple is one of the most reassuring beacon on the landscape. The sunset lends a lot of character to the boulders of Hampi. A glorious sunset is the epitome of fleeting beauty. The golden lit colours of dusk look mesmerizing on the rocks. It is one of the best places to witness a surreal sunrise and sunset that one will remember for life. For a few minutes, the sky is a spectacle of colour — and then it’s over. Yet the psychological effects of admiring the sunset may persist long after the colour has faded. Everyone at one time or another has marvelled at the beautiful red and orange colours of a sunrise or sunset. The experience is beyond words and unmatched. Hampi is a great location to experience an eye-catching sunset and sunrise. The route to it is exactly where the Hampi bazar street ends and opposite of the Nandi temple. Climbing the boulder patches is a unique experience. While climbing in the daylight breaks Virupaksha temple which is a mesmerising sight to behold.
76
77
78
After that, one can take the same route to descend or can take the route from opposite side which leads to the water stream and then via a small road going through the surrounds of trees and boulders one can reach the other temples. A few minutes of walk can help reach the Achutaraya Temple complex. Sunrise and sunset view across the Achyutaraya Temple makes a great photograph and in turn a memory.
79
Travel bloggers, photographers never miss to take a sunset stills, they compositions formed in nature are serene, the stone boulders, the river bank, the hills top views, the silhouettes of temples, look mesmerising in the twilight and no one would want to miss that piece of beauty.
80
81
AN ENLIGHTENING EXPERIENCE Memoir and the chronicles, a wont of maintaining the imprint of a journey, tokens bought and brought but the experience remains with the adventurer only. Hence the experience is a legacy of the onlooker only.
83
Variety of bags and suitcases grouped together, so was excitement and curiosity. Amongst tea vendors finding more throats to ease and hustle of never stopping footsteps was another group, another shoal of fish in the abundance that the railway stations are. To eat and what to eat was another dilemma. Railway Stations happened to have a charm that reminds the onlookers about an era that they never were a part of, a part they played in somebody else’s remembrance. To discern resigned, the palette does not hurt the eyes yet puts one in a state of urgency. Some might call it chaos whilst the others argue for the term old world charm. The journey began in the dark of night and fresh eyes found themselves clear skies of Hampi’s broad daylight. Perhaps Hampi owes its vastness to the ruins, the ruins, well that might be the appropriate terminology but if one visits the place and sets eyes upon the vista that the landscape has to offer might beg to differ. How can those ruins be so splendid? Hampi, a flawless landscape spread across the North of Karnataka. With its name inscribed in the hearts of every traveler for many reasons; but the Lambani tribe nestled in and around Hampi have a story that will leave one smitten forever. Every landscape speaks for itself and so does every cluster. The roots connect but the branches have grown separately yet the leaves bloom same for this Lambani tree. However the weather took to put the unkindness at display and the vastness only added to the temper but who would seek comfort when there was always something waited to be seen for as far as they eyes could stretch. Being children of the concrete lifestyle one very rarely gets to see such sights, almost a mirage to those eyes. Hampi, a quaint little land open to interpretation.
84
85
86
87
88
BIBLIOGRAPHY
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
https://www.whitecollarhippie.com/journey/hampi-dateless/20 http://gaatha.com/lambani-embroidery/ https://www.evolveback.com/hampi/lambanis/ https://www.evolveback.com/hampi/about-the-resort/people/ https://blog.tutc.com/story-lambani-tribe-hampi/ https://www.trulynomadly.com/hampi-ly-ever-after/ https://myroots.desi/blogs/news/lambani-the-dying-gypsy-art-that-is-being-revived-by-sandur-kushala-kala-kendra http://gaatha.com/lambani-embroidery/ http://www.onefivenine.com/india/villages/Mahbubnagar/Peddamandadi/Seetharam-tanda http://traveltwosome.com/sandur-shiv-vilas-palace/ https://www.mapsofindia.com/villages/karnataka/bellary/hagaribommanahalli/mariyammanahallithanda.html https://villageinfo.in/karnataka/bellary/hospet/mariyammanahalli-thanda.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariyammanahalli http://www.onefivenine.com/india/villages/Bellary/Hospet/Kaddi-ramapura-thanda https://mafiadoc.com/living-crafts-of-the-hampi-region_5bb5180b097c4710118b45e5.html https://blog.tutc.com/story-lambani-tribe-hampi/ https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g319725-d3705674-r321525121-Matanga_Hill-Hampi_ Bellary_District_Karnataka.html https://kevinstandagephotography.wordpress.com/2015/04/21/best-location-for-a-stunning-hampisunset-photo/ https://www.karnatakatourism.org/
89
“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta
National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru C.A. Site #21, 27th Main HSR Layout, PWD Quarters, 1st Sector, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560102