WOMEN PARTICIPATION OBJECTIVE TO EMPOWER WOMEN THROUGH CRAFT TO BENEFIT THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES AND DEVELOP IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY Crafts are a powerful tool to create a catalytic impact on the lives of women, many marginalized communities and the social outcomes of entire families engaged in this sector.
FACTS & FINDINGS
IN GOTA CRAFT
Gota women artisans close affinity to popular designs elements like flowers, leaves, stylized mangoes, There is an active Gold is associated checker-board pattern, parrot, participation of Ajmer with sun and peacock, heart shaped and elephant women Gota artisans at goddess Lakshmi and motifs which are usually worked on every stage – product design, silver denotes moon odhana and ghagras so that the The gota form an intrinsic part product innovation, interaction and its light. originality of the craft form of dress of Rajasthani women. with customers/buyers and will not be lost. Jodha Bai (Wife of great Mughal emeven at the finalization of peror Akbar) used to wear Gota lace cost of artwork. on her garments. Bhalla and Luniya (2012) reported that all community According to Kothari women like Jains, Baniyas, and (1998) Rajasthan is among Rajputs are involved in the Gota work the richest states in the country in Nayala district of Jaipur but religion wise as far as the field crafts are predominately Muslims are involved, the ratio concerned. Chattopadhyay (1975) being Muslim 75% & Hindus 25%. An Today, women artisans reported that “the women interesting caste dimension of the craft at Ajmer are regular parseem to show almost a passion is that the Rajput women do Gota ticipants at Dastkaar and for embroidery and decorate work & Muslim women do Aari the Delhi Haat. practically everything they use tari & Kashidakari. and cover everything they can with embroidered fabrics”.
Key factors that influenced women’s motivation to participate in Gota lace were:
CENSUS 2011 Female population is 32,997,440 & within age 0-6 Age is 5,010,328 Literacy rate among women in Rajasthan has increased from 43.9% to 52.1% over the past 10 years. However, the difference between the male-female literacy is still high at 27.1%.
• Anon., 2003. Evaluation of Development Program in Barmer Rajasthan, New Delhi: ADVANTAGE INDIA. • Madan, D. A. A., 2015. The Power of Innovation: Craft Revival, Empowerment and Sustainable Livelihood, Pune: s.n. • Tyabji, L., 2003. Tradition and Transition: A Crafted Solution to Development. Prince Claus Fund Journal, 3(10), pp. 122 - 133. • Das, M., 1992. Women Development program in Rajasthan, Rajasthan: Population and Human Resources.
REFERENCES
To pull the marginalized female population into the mainstream is one of the basic aims with which the Rajasthan State Women’s Commission has been established.
(i) The benefits associated in making Gota (ii) Potential financial compensation (iii) Their solidarity or collective power, (iv) Institutional support (from local government and intermediaries), and (v) Material or physical spaces of participation. Factors inhibiting motivation included household socioeconomic status, and socio cultural norms and perceptions. (vi) This craft sector even provides part–time employment to rural women, who are traditionally endowed in the craft form.