Ethnographic Research - Kathputli colony

Ethnography LIVELIHOOD CONCERNS in Kathputli Colony April 2017

As the world continues to become more urbanized slums are becoming a global issue. Most slum redevelopment proposals force residents into generic housing that supports neither the lifestyles to which they are accustomed not the informal economies on which they depend for their livelihoods. Ethnographic method as a tool used here allows deep understanding of a design problem’s domain, audiences, processes, goals and contexts of use & very useful in discovering and exploring previously unknown issues.

CLU ST E R MA P P I N G

DUSIB’s Division : CD2 DUSIB Cluster : 2883 Location : Kathputli Colony Estimated no of Juggies : 5300 Area of JJ Cluster in Sq.m : 30656

Puppetry and India

Forms and Practices in India

Dating back to 2500 B.C, the vast spread of civilization of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro provides a variety of archaeological evidences.

Bihar

Rajasthan

Patanjali, pronounced clearly in his Ashtadhyayi Mahabhayshya, many illustrations from the Sanskrit plays and entertainment of his time, which relate to the three major streams of performing arts : dance-drama, puppet theatre and musical narrative of storytelling.

Yampuri West Bengal

Kathputli

Putul Nach Maharashtra

Odisha

Kalsutri Bahulya

Patanjali, preceding Natyashastra, mentioned multiple times about colorful masks and manipulation of puppets: describing the movements, quarrels, the killing of Kamsa and the imprisonment of Bali. The most important reference in Natya Shashtra is of the Sutradhar, who manipulates dolls with Sutra (strings) from inside.

Andhra Pradesh Karnataka

Tholu Bommalata

Gombeyatta

Kerala Pavakoothu

Tamil Nadu Bommalattam

Ravanachhaya

Kathputli word is the combination of two Rajasthani language words ‘Kath’ meaning wood and ‘Putli’ meaning puppet. Kathputli means a puppet which is made entirely from wood covered with cotton cloth and tied with a metal wire which acts as a string.

Being a string marionette, it is controlled by a single string that passes from the top of the puppet over the puppeteers. Puppeteer shows his skill with strings like swordsmanship, dancing, horse riding, juggling, and acrobatics.

With its multi-colored dilapidated shanties, open drains & unhygienic condition, Kathputli colony appears to be insalubrious places dotting Delhi. In 1980s, the artistes in Kathputli gained international recognition through performances. Tradition of Kathputli is based on folk tales and stories. This bustling slum, known to have inspired the magician’s ghetto’ in Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children, is home to about three thousand families comprising a community of puppeteers, singers, magicians, musicians, dancers and a variety of other performers.

ABOUT KATHPUTLI

DEMOGRAPHICS Composition of The Kathputli Colony

“ Amalgamation of 12 indigenous communities

Kathputli colony is a Jhuggi-Jhompdi (JJ) cluster situated in the West Delhi district near Shadipur Depot with around 4,000 jhuggis (shanties) occupying DDA land.

Kathputli Colony, which spreads 5.2 Hectares, is a colony of street performers in Shadipur Depot area of Delhi. For the last 50 years, it is home to some 3600 families of Kathputli performers from Rajasthan since 1950. Art is developing in the family & parents, This group lives in which more than twelve members per family. These communities are a mix of Hindus, Muslims and a small minority of neo-Buddhists from Maharashtra. The place represents diverse culture, community, religion, talent and art form, all sustaining peacefully. Kathputli Colony is said to be the largest colony of street artistes in the world Exploration of the area of Kathputli Colony in term of its social structure and to study the prolonged issue, the living conditions and its cultural heritage. This research is to identify the opportunities for enhancing existing value of the product as an competitive beneficiaries.

Also to investigate the Kathputli craft and colony which named after the craft.

BAC KGR O U N D OF T HE ST U DY Ethnographic Research The study consisted of exploring and collecting data from Primary and Secondary sources. The Primary data is collected from households & artisans of Kathputli Colony through Personal Interviewing method with semi- structures questionnaire. The data is also accumulated from Community Leaders through Focused Group Discussions (Focused Group Interviewing Method). Secondary data sources have been collected through various magazines, articles, newspaper, journals, and blogs. Both participant and Non participant observation was used in this study. Non participant study done on the lifestyle of the people, their working space and sanitation of the colony. The study was conducted in their own residential area, Shadipur.

Two days was spent on collecting data for visual documentation.

Descriptive research | Qualitative | Mixed method research | Judgment sampling

LIVELIHOOD CONCERNS KATHPUTLI COLONY

The future economic stability of the livelihood due to the craft is less due to more number of family members.

Lack of space within a household.

Demands for more resources in future. Population pressure is leading to sub-division of land and agricultural inefficiency as well as an increased demand on a fixed land supply.

Kathputli shows and scripts are extremely condensed versions of traditional ones, and they usually last only fifteen to thirty minutes.

Location

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA), in partnership with Raheja Developers, a private firm, wants to develop the colony in West Delhi. The DDA see the colony as a future home for apartment blocks, some of which will be sold to the residents at a reduced rate and others which will be offered at the market price to those who can afford it.

The colony, is dotted with shackled mud huts, hovels, shanties without shades, open drains, narrow alleyways, pigs, stray dogs, heaps of garbage, flies, mosquito, without running water and basic sanitation. A very few families have pucca house or cement structure, indicating a sort of class division amongst them.

A quick glance around the area mostly reveals dirt, leaky plumbing and broken windows. An attempt to locate an artist amidst the rubble begins with a confused enquiry at a tea stall but finally lead to a family of puppeteers.

The long walk to their home winds through a maze of open lavatories, kitchens without electricity or water supply and tiny alleys that double as play areas for the children. Deep in this dense community is a small tenement that houses the large family.

They earn 1000-1200 per member for each show, due to better experience and dexterity of the sons who assist.

CRAFT EXPLORATION

The concept of In situ rehabilitation, which means on site development. The inhabitants of a particular slum are provided with properly built houses, and sanitation and water facilities on the same land where the slum is located. Apart from these, there are provisions for providing schools, health facilities, and market places around the housing complex.

FIRST IN SITU REHABILITATION PROJECT IN DELHI The Redevelopment of Kathputli Colony Dr.M. Saleem Mir, 2005. Issues of Sanitation in Kathputli Colony, New Delhi: Cluster Innovation Centre.

MATERIALS USED TO MAKE KATHPUTLI

PROCESS Artisan begins with a piece of mango tree wood

Outer bark is removed completely

Shape is given similar to human face

String Mechanism Sandpaper for polishing Mango wood Paint finished with varnish

Gota border Features are added

Fabric Fabric body filled with fabric bits Final face- before painting

Details are added

TOOLS & EQUIPMENTS

ARTISAN’S PERSPECTIVE

NAME AGE PLACE OCCUPATION

-

PRAKASH 45 YRS DELHI CRAFTSMAN

Born and brought up in Delhi. He Learned making Kathputli from his father. Visits shows in India and abroad. His family lived in Rajasthan originally and moved to Delhi in the year 1987. He also mentioned that he has got lucky with all the adult members of family are craftsmen.

NAME AGE PLACE OCCUPATION

-

BHANSI BHATT 50 YRS DELHI CRAFTSMAN, MUSICIAN

He has learned making Kathputli from his grandfather. Performs shows within Delhi and sometimes Mumbai. He also makes wooden showpiece & decorative pieces for doors and entrances. family consist of mother, wife and young son (14 years). Performs shows with his son. Wife and mother are house-makers.

NAME AGE PLACE OCCUPATION

-

RAMESH 55 YRS DELHI CRAFTSMAN AND MUSICIAN

Attends for shows in Mumbai and Belgium.

His Family consist of his wife, daughter (12 years) and brother. All the members of family are working. Shifted to Delhi in the year 2002. His best saying “Our craft will perish and so will we” & “I will not leave until my entire neighborhood is empty.”

NAME AGE PLACE OCCUPATION

-

DILIP 78 YRS DELHI SENIOR CRAFTSMAN

Born and brought up in Delhi. He Learned making Kathputli from his brother. Performs shows within India. His family consists of his two sons, one daughter who is married, wife, daughter in law and three grandchildren. He lost his leg while he was fetching wood for making Kathputli and all the adult members of family are working.

N E W AV E N U E S

Aakaar Puppet theatre was established in 1988 by Puran Bhat, of Kathputli colony, Shadipur Depot New Delhi. The group has performed in a number of schools, at the Literacy Mission, Ministry of Environment and at Pragati Maidan. Using traditional rod, string and shadow puppets, Aakaar puppet present themes which deal with social awareness such as AIDS, family planning and programs for mentally challenged children through traditional story telling. Aakaar has also presented programs for National School of Drama and on television. Vinay, one of the artisans notes with pride that members of their community have performed in over ten countries, and his grandfather, Naurang Lal Bhat, received the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

“

In the 1980s, the artistes in Kathputli gained International recognition through performances at the “Festival of India” in the U.K. in 1982 and in the United States in 1985.

R E S E A R C H F I NDI NG S

• Importance and practice of these that are boons to society have been ignored and given least importance in their own lives.

• Inability to avail facilitations and support provided by the Government.

• Illegal sale of drugs is one of the hidden but true reasons for underdeveloped condition of the cluster. Distraction of artists that leads to Gradual loss of cultural heritage and traditional skills.

O R G A N I S AT I O N S

• Union Internationale de la Marionette (The Union of International Puppeteers of the World) is a worldwide organization of puppet professionals.

• UNIMA- India (Bhartiya Putli Sangh) Promotes the voluntary union of puppeteers to support sharing, growth and popularity of puppetry and quality of the performing art, with currently 33 members.

• Kalakar Trust

• Lack of these systematizes the business cycle of products and services.

- Kalakar Ekta Youth Club,

• The organizations that are working for the over-all development of the cluster

- Junior Youth Club

lack critical assessment of the inputs they implement in it. Need for focus on the “traditional style and identity of the craft practice”.

• Significant deficiency of treating the occupation as a “professional” by the artists. It includes, efficient procurement and storage of raw materials meeting deadlines efficient costing and value addition in products and services maintaining records organizational behavior.

- Magic Kalakar Club • Saarthi and Bhoole Bisre Kalakar Co.op. Society

R E C O M M E N D AT I O N S • Formation of SHGs will enable artists to successfully export their products outside India. This will provide the artists another mode of income during off-season in Delhi/ NCR region in summers and rainy season. • The advent of social media dominates the concept of entrepreneurship in every service and product in contemporary times, Brochure for visibility improvement of the cluster as a entrepreneurial unit can also be done.