Mashru Tales of Patan
Copyright Information Š Published in the year 2019 by Fashion Communication Department, National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) (Ministry of Textile, Government of India) GH-0 Circle, Gandhinagar-382007 Gujarat, INDIA Tel: 079-23240832, 23240834, 23265000 Fax: 079-23240772 www.nift.ac.in/gandhinagar Web : http://www.nift.ac.in All rights reserved @ NIFT, Gandhinagar. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means,electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without prior written permission from the publisher, author and subject to copyright laws.
We heartily acknowledge all the artisans who helped us throughout on our visit to Patan,Gujarat. A special thanks to Mr. Janak Bhai Jai Sing Lal Khatri and his wife Mrs. Vasumati Ben Khatri, without whom it would have been impossible to traverse the narrow lanes of Kosivana Pol and the craft.We would also like to express our deep gratitude towards Dr. Hir Vyas for encouraging, guiding and motivating us for this project.
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PATAN
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MASHRU
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ABOUT THE CRAFT
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COLOURS OF MASHRU
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TECHNIQUES
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ABOUT ARTISANS
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PROCESS
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CURRENT STATE
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CASE STUDIES
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OUR EXPERIENCES
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REFERENCE
CONTENTS
PATAN Patan, the city that served as the capital of Gujarat for 650 years and still holds a great importance because of its architecture and crafts. It is the home to one of the World’s Heritage Site, Rani Ki Vav, one of the oldest and deepest stepwells of 120 others in Gujarat. The walls of the stepwell are engraved with statues of deity Vishnu in his different forms(avatars). Along with it Patan is also famous for its beautiful weaving techniques of Patola and Mashroo. While we can notice many evolved changes in both the weavings still these are one of a kind and are still appreciated throughout the world.
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“In today’s time, the future of Mashru looks bleak”. - Janak Bhai Khatri
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MASHRU The Mashroo fabric is a vibrant, handwoven mix of Silk and cotton textiles. Mashroo weaving is an old tradition in India and this textile was traded to Arabian countries. Mashroo means “permitted� in Arabic. The Mashroo textile was woven for Muslim communities, who believed that silk should not touch a person’s skin. Crafting a solution that enabled people to honor this belief while still appearing dressed in the finest clothing, weavers mixed silk and cotton threads to create a textile that was simple cotton on one side and rich silk on the other.
Mashroo fabric is made using satin weave by interlacing silk and cotton yarns. Cotton makes the weft, or the horizontal yarns while silk is used for the warp, or the vertical yarns. In this weave, each silk yarn goes under one cotton yarn and above five or eight or more cotton yarns, giving an appearance of a shiny surface that looks like it is made up of only silk, while the underside of the fabric is cotton. While the small dotted pattern is preferred in Anjar, Kutch, thestriped ones are liked all over the country.
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Bundle Of extra threads
Today, traditional mashroo weaving is on the brink of extinction. Mashroo cloth can be made by power looms today. With a declining export market, mashroo weavers are using cotton staple instead of silk to meet the price needs of the domestic market. Mashroo helped weave communities together. The Ahir Patels (farmers) produced cotton, which was handspun and then given the the weavers. Rabari and Ahir women did embroidery and mirror work to create even more distinctive versions of mashru. The weaving of this fabric was practiced across the country in different forms; from Deccan to Bengal, now it is only done in Patan and Mandavi in Gujarat.
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“It must be weaved so tight that it can hold even water.� - Janak Bhai Khatri
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ABOUT THE CRAFT Mashru weaving is an old tradition in India and this textile was traded to Arabian countries and said to have originated somewhere from the West Asia around 19th century. Mashru means “permitted” in Arabic and its Sanskrit variation ‘Misru’ means ‘mixed’ and it is believed that this textile got this name when Muslim men, who were not allowed to wear silk, started wearing this fabric. It is a vibrant, handwoven mix of Silk and Cotton textiles. Since the body is in contact with cotton and silk is only the exterior, they got approval to wear this luxurious fabric.
The delicacy of cotton caressed the skin, the vibrancy of silk tantalised the viewer. Crafting a solution that enabled people to honor this belief while still appearing dressed in the finest clothing. Most intact and extensive tradition in Turkey, producing silk in plain weaves, satin weaves done in a variety of patterned, striped, plain, and ikat designs, known as alaca and kutnu. Alaca and kutnu cloth was once produced throughout Anatolia and was widely used for traditional costume in all parts of Turkey and the Ottoman Empire. kutnu were woven with silk warp and cotton weft.
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Janak Bhai arranging the warp yarns
Not only was such silk cloth cheaper, many devout Muslims held that the wearing of silk next to the skin was an impious luxury. These two reasons combined meant that these types of cloth were widely used and popular with both the rich and the poor. Weaving of this cloth is even to be found in Muslim regions of North India and Pakistan. The Mashru slowly found its place among the Hindu community as well and the fabric became an integral part of the wardrobe of Kutch Nomads. Mashru became very popular in Turkey, Persia and many Mediterranean countries as it gave them the freedom of wearing Silk clothing without breaking their religious laws. In Patan, wealthy Hindu merchants and traders were fascinated by this fabric thus increasing its intrinsic value and the inclusion of certain typical motifs like ashraf woven in gold zari.
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“Right from the age of 9 ,I’m weaving Mashru with my parents.” - Vasumati Ben
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COLOURS OF MASHRU
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“I’m interested in this field of Mashru hence I do it with pleasure.” - Janak Bhai Khatri
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TECHNIQUES Our artisan follows the pull strategy where in he creates the mashru fabrics according to the market needs. They interact directly or indirectly to the needs of the consumers. Mostly the consumers seek out a particular pattern and go to retailers to purchase the product. The retailers in turn reach out to the artisans to stock the product due to direct consumer demand. The artisan generally gets the orders from different retailers from Surat, Palanpur, Anjaar, Mumbai, Kutch and nearby areas, also from the students of NIFT and NID.The orders are generally pre-informed about the design and the colors to be used by the artisan.
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“It was I who used to weave Mashru after marriage” - Vasumati Ben
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ARTISANS In the small vibrant town of Patan, Janakbhai and Vasumati ben are amongst the last generations of Khatri community, practicing the art of Mashru weaving. Their lives are intertwined with the polychromatic silk threads of Mashru. they are self-sufficient in their comfortable nook of two storeys they own. Their home is small and blue , equipped with all electronic gizmos for a comfortable lifestyle. Happy in their home, they still wish for a larger, more spacious living for the years they won’t be able to weave. With no one to continue their ancestral craft, they have hired two helpers to keep the work in pace.
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JANAK BHAI Mashru weaving , a traditional technique that combines silk and cotton was inherited by artisans Janakbhai and Vasumatiben from their parents. Janakbhai Jaisinglal Khatri , age 73 , started to learn weaving from a tender age. But did not gain interest in it until he was in his 30s. He studied MSc.and B.Ed from a Patan. After his father, he continued this technique to support his family. Soon, he gathered interest in this technique and worked diligently. His whole day is set according to the weaving schedule. Very particular about his looms and threads leads to production of finely weaved Mashru fabrics.
VASUMATI BEN Vasumatiben, the woman who proves that behind every successful man is a woman who supported and stand by him. She has been weaving Mashru right from a young age. Even after their marriage, it was she who helped her in laws in weaving Mashru. Even today she supports her husband in all means. She sits to weave as soon as her husband gets down. Her rythmic hands and feet while weaving compliments the bhajan she sings.
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RANJITA BEN Ranjita Khatri, originally from Indore, shifted to Patan after her marriage. She was taught to weave by Janakbhai hence is a beginner. Her interest in the field is what motivates her to learn more. She and her husband earn to together for the family of four, including their two daughters.
HIREN KUMAR KHATRI Hiren bhai, the young and the only member among his family apart from Vasumatiben who is in this the field. Before, learning it from the couple, he was unemployed. Currently, he is working two jobs, one as a receptionist at a dental clinic and other under Janakbhai. He generally weaves for three to four hours but on special occasions, he works as per the demand. When asked about his thoughts on Mashru he mentioned that Mashru currently is helping him to survive.
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“We have seen the business of Mashru right from my birth� - Janak Bhai Khatri
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PROCESS The weaving of mashru fabric was practiced across the country in different forms; from Deccan to Lucknow to Bengal. Nowadays, only weavers from the small towns of Gujarat, mainly Patan and Mandvi practice this craft. The expert weavers have excelled in this exquisite craft by learning from their ancestors. Mashru fabric is made of silk and cotton where silk is used as the vertical yarn ’tanno’ and Cotton makes the horizontal yarn ’vanno’. Each Silk weave goes under the Cotton yarn once and about five or eight times above the Cotton yarn.
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Very first step of mashru weaving is to prepare warp yarn. The warp preparators are known as “tanivala” and the length of warp is about 63 yards.
WARP P R E PA R A T I O N PROCESS: Warp threads are led from bobbins or spools spread on the floor. It passes from the glass ring and wound on a reel. Then hank is prepared from reel and taken for dyeing. Dyeing is done with chemical colors. Warp threads are needed to be tied before dying. The silk (resham) dyed thread are outsourced from Bangalore and the rayon threads are dyed in patan itself. For this warp is needed to stretch out and tied in a section with cotton yarn. This tied warp is known as chhadaand tiers are known as “pattibandhara”.
For this warp is needed to stretch out and tied in a section with cotton yarn. This tied warp is known as chhadaand tiers are known as “pattibandhara”. A major part of the preparation includes a step known as ‘pawad’ in which the tanno is mixed in a mixture of gund and water to make the thread softer, stronger and easier to weave. The soaked threads are then separated into each strand and tied on wooden sticks and left to dry for a day before they use it in their weave.
ABOUT WEFT: the thread is mostly cotton yarn of count varies from 30s to 32s which is transferred on to bobbin by winding machine for shuttle. .
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WEAVING:
Weaving of mashru is completed on traditional pit loom. The treadles lie in pits, and warp threads lie across the room. The tanno is divided into eight paths, seven being up and one being down. The threads are arranged according to their pattern that has to be weaved known as ‘8 bandhwana’ To maintain its symmetry ‘jog’ is put up in between the long threads tied to the loom so that they do not get entangled At regular intervals water is added to the threads so that threads remain soft and the process gets smooth. After woven fabric is collected on the cloth roller then it is cut into five-meter-long pieces. Then it is washed in cold water and is folded while it contains moisture and beaten on the back side of the fabric with a very heavy wooden hammer for about 10 min. This process is known as “kundi” and the person is known as “kundiwala”.
This process is the type of calendaring process which makes all warp threads to be opened and spread evenly on the right side of the fabric. This fabric is then taken for glazing. Wheat flour is applied on the fabric and again beaten and compressed it in between very heavy two wooden pieces. This intriguing weave technique results in a shiny surface that resembles Silk fabric from the outside, with the comfortable of Cotton in the inner side of the clothing. The interweaving of Cotton and Silk makes the Mashru fabric more durable.
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1. Bobbin winding
5. Weaving
2. Dyeing of cotton threads
3. Pawad in the mixture of gund and water
4. Arranging of the threads on the loom according to the pattern to be
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“Much power is not left in these young bloods to weave Mashru” - Janak Bhai Khatri
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CURRENT STATE Mashru is an old Indian fabric which was woven with blending idea in 16th century. That gave classy silky texture in affordable price. Because of its royal look many designers have started their inclination towards mashru. This fabric has a very practical utility as the Silk on the outer surface gives a beautiful, shiny appearance, the cotton yarns underneath make it perfect for the hot and humid climate. The designs of Mashru have become simpler with time. The original mashroo of cotton and silk, with its lush texture, is not produced anymore because the market is no longer discerning and demanding for it.
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Today, traditional mashroo weaving is on the brink of extinction and can be made by power looms which people prefer to the more costly handmade mashroos. With a declining export market, Mashroo weavers are using cotton staple instead of silk to meet the price needs of the domestic market. Recently, a few craftsmen use chemically dyed rayon instead of pure silk, to reduce the cost of the final product. Rayon is economical and gives better texture and shine than
However, synthetic dyes that are used now, make the fabric weak. It has now also found its place in a range of home furnishings, side lining the garments. The weavers generation is one amongst the last to weave this fabric in its original form and there is no one to carry on the legacy as their children have moved to urban cities to take up jobs. Therefore, this rich fabric is now losing its face in the market to other fabrics and its handmade aesthetic is dying. By making concentrated effort on improving its surface texture and quality we can promote it in global market.
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“I’m interested in this field of Mashru hence I do it with pleasure.” - Janak Bhai Khatri
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CASE STUDIES
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DESIGNS OF MASHRU Ananya Singh
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LITERATURE REVIEW Prakash Khatwani and Prunal Khawani,2017 MASHRU FABRICS: ITS PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY AND SCOPE FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT Mashru itself means a ‘misru (mix)’ of fabrics in Sanskrit. One of the most exported fabric in india also has other semi silk variety fabrics were also there for e.g brocaded designs. Another type of semi silk fabric is “Sangi”. Sangi means together. Here two warp threads always work together. The same fabric is also known as “Gulbadan”. Another variety of mashru is “khanjari”. In this quality of mashru, fabric was determined by the number of wave lines per square unit of the fabric.
This type of pattern is produced mainly to cover the cotton weft yarn by multicolour warp yarn.Here warp ikat pattern fabric was produced and that type of mashru was known as “chhada”.Here in India, mashru ikat fabric was had simple design. The group of warp threads are tie-dyed together as a set, which varies from region to region In Arbi pattern warp threads are tied and dye in green and white and red plain warps are added in between. Even Sholapuri design with black and red ikat stripes was also very famous
DESIGN CREATION
OBJECTIVE The whole study goes through the designs and patterns of the mashru and how they are being created and briefing about the how different design are named and why are they named so, it tells all about how these beautiful designs are made with different weaving style and techniques.
Mashru is a warp faced satin weave fabric with a smooth glossy finish. Sometimes in the ikhat technique, the stripped pattern has small flower motif or some geometrical patterns in alternate stripes. It is characterized by its bold colourful repeating pattern of stripes of various colour and sizes. The solid stripes with undiluted hues in dark pink, yellow,green,white.black placed next to each other are in high contrast. The structure of the fabric allows for more yarns in a given area, it also makes the fabric stronger. With time, the designs of Mashru have become simpler.
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Structurally , the fabric has two face and the reverse cotton face. This composite natureof the fabric makes it fuctionally as well as aesthetically promising. When used in garments the cotton layer in contact with the body forms an absorbent protective layer to the opulent and decorative exterior.
Multi hued ikats and patterned stripes are uncommon now, and replacing them are brighter, bold stripes or small dots, along with solid coloured fabrics. Mashru fabrics are effectively teamed with embroidered cotton textiles to create the festive apparel of the Rabaris of Kachchh.
The patterns include Stripes, ‘Kataria’ coloured vertical lines, ‘Shakar paari’, ‘Khajuria ‘ chevron pattern, ‘Kankni ‘ pattern of dotted lines, ‘Danedar ‘ or ‘Daaniyo’ pattern with floats of cotton weft, ‘Khanjari’ wavy lines in and Attu’ or ‘ Bajri’.
MAKING OF DESIGNS The play with warp and weft that gives mashru its distinctive appearance. To begin with, it has a silk warp and cotton weft. Next, it’s woven the way satin is, where the weft cotton passes over a single silken warp thread, omits the next few, before passing over another warp. The skip and pick weaving technique gives the fabric a delicate smoothness and alluring seen.
“We traditionally use seven/eight silk taana (warp) and one cotton baana (weft) ,”says Janak Bhai.
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The dominant colours used in the production are glowing shades of red,yellow,green and blue. The mush-seen pattern patterns usually include strips offset by pin head dots. “In India , weavers continuously experimented and adopted techniques of other region. A popular synthesis was using tie-dye yarn, much the way its done in ikkat weaving. The mashru patterns patterns matched ikkat and the blend became a rage ,� adds the ageing weaver , who hails from the hometown of mashru Patan.
DIFFERENT PATTERNS IN MASHRU
The combination of various colours in the weft and warp determines the name of the design. ‘Kataria’ or ‘mamul kataria’ Normal colour stripes or vertical lines are attained by inserting different color warp threads. The colored warp threads. the colour of the weft inserted determines the ‘kataria’ names , if the weft inserted is white then it is called ‘safed kataria mashru’, another design called ‘jor kataria’ is a combination of kataria and kaankar (which is placed along the stripe )
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‘Khajuri’ Another design, which resembles arrow-head in the appearance , is called ‘ khajuri ‘ that drives its name from the date tree leaves.
‘Kaankar’ (design inspired by small pebbles) Attained by inserting selective colour wefts at intervals. ‘kankar’ can be achieved in two shafts, in plain kaankar cloth has to be done the first four shafts are attached to the first four shafts are attached to the first paddle and last four shafts to the second paddle and thus, by changing the weft colour and lifting two paddles alternatively , the design is created.
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‘Daaniyo’ It is a dotted pattern , for a dotted design four extra shafts are added and the lifting order differs for the design. Normally, for plain cloth shaft number 1 and 8,2 and 7are lifted but for dotted he first extra shaft is lifted with the first pair and so on, number of shafts increases if increased dots are required. the seven dot pattern is called ‘saat daani’ and 4 dot pattern called ‘chaar daani’,1 dot called ‘single daani’ and 2 dots called ‘double daani’.
‘shakhar paari’ Another design that is a diamond shape motif and gets its name from the local language name for a sweet made in Gujarati homes called ‘shakhar paari’ Horizontal stripes and bands can be got by inserting wefts of different colours ,the dotted pattern is achieved by drafting the warp threads differently , 4 or 8 shafts are added respectively for creating dots of different sizes.
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‘Attu’ or ‘ Bajri’ (name got from bajra crop) It is combined with stripes and gives a relief feel to the fabric, it can be done in an 8 paddle loom , difference in normal stripes and ‘attu’ is that it is done coarser yarn.
REGIONAL SIGNIFICANCE IN MASHRU
Mashru textiles from each of these regions displayed distinguished patterns , the Gujarati Mashru had stunning bold stripes and dotted patterns, Mashru made in the Deccan region (Andhra Pradesh, Tanjore and the Madras province) consisted of Ikat patterns, and Mashru from Uttar Pradesh were more densely woven, and were simpler in pattern and colour. Due to its lustrous appearance, Mashru became a favourite among the Indian royalty.
Ikat mashru was originally produced in yemen, middle east country which influenced our mashru greatly. Then the satin ikat mashru greatly. Then the satin ikat mashru of Turkey and Syria also influenced the indian ikat mashru which ultimately resulted in the replacement of all cotton with silk by cotton. the textile was originally developed after the Muslim conquestof north India.
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DESIGNERS AND BRAND USING MASHRU FABRIC Ayushi Agarwal
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DESIGNERS & BRANDS USING MASHRU FABRIC Objective This case study focuses on different brands and designers using mashru & other traditional Indian fabrics in their collections. We visited the Ahmedabad fabric market and discovered that the fabric was sourced from Patan, Gujarat & Surat,Gujarat. We also visited Panihari Boutique located at C.G.Road,Ahmedabad and interviewed the designer,he told us that he sources the mashru fabric from a particular weaver from Patan and then adds sequences & borders and then sells the finished product further.
The weaver we visited in Patan,Mr.Janak Khatri told us that he gets orders from designers and he customises their order and sends it to them.He asks them to design on paper and them send it to him and then he weaves accordingly on the loom.He needs a specific amount of order only then he customises.
WHY ARE DESIGNERS LOOKING BACK AT INDIAN TEXTILES?
A bandhani mashru fabric in Textile Museum,Patan
Mashru textile in Textile Museum,Patan
Indian fashion has arrived. New designers are decoding Indian fashion with their own set of values and vision which is not just restricted to handmade and heritage but also looks at using unconventional materials like silicon sheets and metallic yarns, motifs and patterns that have been part of their childhood stories. They are exploring alternative approaches in terms of functionality and composition, aesthetics and detail. They have made waves internationally with their sense of innovation at varied platforms. We look at five designers who are weaving a new tale of Indian fashion.
Indian fashion designers are rediscovering the appeal of traditional textiles, and weaving a whole revolution out of them. The new story of India’s fashion is not design, it is textiles and a new group of designers is changing the handloom story with design interventions that have transformed how urban India looks at handloom. Last year’s Make in India event by the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) featured 16 designers who worked with Banarasi textiles to create contemporary and traditional clothing. FDCI chairman Sunil Sethi says this was just the start. Indian fashion designers are rediscovering the appeal of traditional textiles, and weaving a whole revolution out of them. Designers who work with handloom are making it aspirational.
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DIFFERENT DESIGNERS/ BRANDS AND THEIR COLLECTION Indian fashion designers are rediscovering the appeal of traditional textiles and weaving a whole revolution out of them. While the likes of benarasi and patola have managed to get their dues on national and international ramps, lesser known fabrics like jamdani, paithani and mashru are beginning to grab eyeballs and a fair share of limelight, thanks to the brand of contemporary designers who have not just created a collection out of these lost arts, but also got the pot boiling for hundreds of these weavers across the country. Sanjay Garg is writing the revival story for mashru through his popular brand, Raw Mango:
Designer Sanjay Garg, who some call a textile artist with the strategic mind of a calculating businessman and others the Pied Piper of India’s second, handloom sari movement showed a collection called Mashru. He displayed three weaving aspects of mashru—gulbadan (rose-like body), danedar (series dots) and ashrafi (coin like circular motifs). His story had strands from textile and costume history, it displayed weaving innovation and it aided Garg’s core argument—that fussy, care-demanding weaves can be made wearable and seductive. Finally, making Mashru—not quite silk and not quite not as the collection note called it—fluid to a fault as number three.
“The warp faced satin weave allowed silk to be visible on the surface, giving the fabric its desired shine. Mashru broke a rule within a system, and emerged as a legally permitted fabric for men to wear.”
Explaining the history of mashru, Garg said: “The word mashru comes from the Arabic word ‘sharia’ - that means permitted by Islamic law. Mashru was developed around the 16th century to allow Muslim men to tweak the rigid system that prohibited luxury in their lifestyles; in this system, silk was equated with leisure and decadence. This is where mashru came in which wasn’t exactly silk, but quite similar to it.” Mashru was a brilliant, highly skilled invention that presented a blurring of binaries in being both silk and cotton, he said. An illustration of a lady wearing an emerald green Sanjay Garg saree.
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BIBHU MOHAPATRA FOR BHUJ MASHRU
“My focus was always to use local techniques and then challenge artisans with creating new shapes, and mixing them with modern elements, interesting colour combinations and blending fabrics like silk with cotton to design something that is modern and relatable to today’s audience,” he says. Mohapatra’s instinct was on the mark: in recent years using traditional Indian weaves has become a part of the design narrative for most major Indian fashion houses. Backed by government initiatives, many designers now work directly with artisans and weavers using traditional techniques to create new and exciting patterns and subsequently reviving India’s cottage industries that were once losing out to machine milled, affordable textiles. “I was driven by the challenge of taking something so traditional, historic and beautiful to create something that is modern and ‘now’.
Bhibhu Mohanpatra
Bhibhu Mohanpatra Bhuj Mashru garment
PERO BY ANEETH ARORA
Aneeth Arora’s striped Mashru top has been a summer favourite among celebrities.
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SABHYASACHI
Actress Alia Bhatt’s ruby silk mashru kurta embroidered with tilla work and paired with a velvet gharara and a hand-embroidered organza dupatta by Sabyasachi Mukherjee . The lady wears a silk mashru kurta, embroidered with ‘tilla’ bel-butti and border, chowki design aari-taari dupatta and a mashru gharara with ‘tilla’ details.
HYPERBOLE ACCESSORIES BY GAZAL KOTHARI
A melange of hand woven fabric and textured metal. Handcrafted earrings using mashru fabric and quality gold plated brass.
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NORBLACK NORWHITE BY MRIGA KAPADIYA & AMRIT KUMAR Amrit Kumar and Mriga Kapadiya, the designing duo behind the new label NorBlack NorWhite. The former Torontonian Mumbai-based designers are on a journey to explore, preserve and celebrate their Indian heritage by reweaving traditional textiles and handiwork into contemporary pieces. Each collection is inspired by a different region, beginning with spring 2011, which takes us to Gujarat. The designers describe their label as “part anthropology, part art, part fashion.” It’s not one thing or another, not black or white, but a kaleidoscope of colours, cultures and histories. Every piece in their spring collection is richly inspired and thoroughly modern. In picture: a bold-striped bolero refashioned from a 50-year-old Mashru skirt.
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DECLINE OF MASHRU WEAVING Kavisha Dalal
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LITERATURE REVIEW Joshi, P. C. (1963) The ruin of indigenous handicrafts as a consequence of the British impact-chiefly the inundation of the Indian market with cheap machine made goods from England-constitutes an important chapter in the history of India’s conversion into an industrially backward, colonial economy.
Agnihotri, M. P. (2015) An emerging market provides an ideal platform for a product or a sector to reinvent itself. The growth that is forecasted for the Indian textiles Robin Jones (2015) and garment market can be This article examines British efficiently utilized by the haninterventions in the traditional, dloom sector to come back hereditary crafts of Ceylon from the cold and become a (Sri Lanka) during the colonial booming business once again. period. It assesses a set of However, this largely unorgaWestern assumptions in artistic nized sector needs active and craft policy concerning support from the state and local material culture in South the private players in terms of Asia between 1850 and 1930. policy reforms and effective logistics management to get back on its feet once again.
With the new government’s chant of “Make in India,” this study reflected the ground realities whilst making in India by shedding light on the grass root level hardships that the weavers of the Varanasi cluster face and went on to suggest certain policy level interventions for the development of the weaver community and the handloom sector as a whole. Furthermore, the paper highlighted how ineffective civic governance can have adverse effects on businesses as well.
IMPACT OF INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION The industrial revolution came late to India, due to its complicated political and economic relationship with Great Britain. Objective This literature review will focus on a variety of empirical research articles on different aspects of the decline of the Mashru weaving and steps that can be taken for its revival. The articles for this literature review were chosen in order to provide different angles of the craft’s decline and revival. Here the focus is kept on industrialisation, the cultural aspects, government role, affordibility and measures that can be taken by NGO and designers to revive the craft.
Although India, which was a British colony, dominated the global cotton textile markets in the 18th century, the Indian textile industry took a hit when the industrial revolution began in Great Britain.The use of steam power in British mills reduced the cost of British cotton by 85 percent, making its textile goods internationally competitive for the first time. Britain quickly became a leading world exporter of textiles, displacing India in the process.
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Therefore, the industrial revolution reversed India’s economic relationship with Great Britain so that it was now merely a supplier of raw materials for Great Britain and an importer of British textiles, instead of a producer of textile goods.
A loom from the 1890s with a dobby head.
In addition, in order to protect its new textile industry, Great Britain began to restrict textile imports from India and other countries by establishing tariffs and other protective policies. Great Britain instead began to export its own textiles to India. This halted any plans Great Britain may have had to develop India’s textile industry and instead led to India’s deindustrialization, with British lawmakers pushing the country to become more agrarian than industrial.
As a result, it took decades before India started adopting modern industrial practices, such as steam power and mechanized spinning and weaving, in its textile manufacturing. The industrial revolution finally came to India in 1854, when the first steam-powered cotton mill in Asia opened in Bombay. Power looms reduced demand for skilled handweavers, initially causing reduced wages and unemployment. In the longer term, by making cloth more affordable the power loom increased demand and stimulated exports, causing a growth in industrial employment, albeit low-paid.
IMPACT OF IMPORT OF SILK FROM OTHER REGION Silk, the queen of textiles, has always been the favourite of man. The fabric, which spells luxury, elegance, class, comfort and beauty, has come a long way since it was discovered by Chinese Empress His Ling Shi in 2640 BC. India, the second-largest producer and the largest consumer of silk, is facing a threat from silk manufacturers abroad, especially China. According to the statistics provided by the Regional Development Office (Lucknow) of the Central Silk Board (Union Ministry of Textiles), total raw silk production in 2006-07 was only 16, 805 tonnes, while the consumption is in excess of 25, 000 tonnes.
Janakbhai Khatri, mashru artisan says: “Due to the import of power loom made mashru which is cheaper and also meets the rapid demand of the market.The demand of the handwoven mashru has declined.�
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LACK OF INNOVATION End use consumer specifications keep on changing as a result of changing lifestyles. Therefore the basic needs of changing Mashru fabric in terms of making it acceptable for higher values that has to be worked out.
Vasumatiben Khatri, mashru artisan says: “Due to our age and no new generation to continue the ancestral craft, our efficiency is decreasing.�
The quantity takes over the creativity in producing the fabric as the wages are less, so in order to earn more and sustain their livelihood the artisans work more on producing rather then creating new designs.
THE INITIAL REASON FOR THE CRAFT NO LONGER EXIST
The tradition of mashru in India is old and was inspired by the weaving techniques prevalent in Iraq and the Arab countries. Yemen was the earliest centre of ikat production in the middle- east. The Yemeni Ikat production rose as the direct result of the textile trade with India. The technique of ikat and mordant dyeing was already practiced in Mohenjodaro by around 2000 BC. The satin ikats of Turkey and Syria evolved as a variant of the Indian/Yemeni tradition, replacing the all cotton fabric with a silk warp and a cotton weft. It is believed that these thicker and more luxuriant textiles were brought to India from the Ottoman Empire from the 16th century onwards and formed the basis of Indian
With the spread of Islam in India, the group of mixed fabrics, which were made in India since ancient times came to be referred to as mashru. Mashru is an arabic word meaning ‘permitted’. Acoording to the Muslim religious law, sharia, men were not permitteed to wear pure silk however silk mixed with cotoon was permitted. Therefore mashru was a very popular fabric among the muslims. Mashru was produced in several centres in India. Lucknow, Daryabad and Fazyabad in Uttar Pradesh and in Patiala were famous for variety of mashrus like sangi, galta, gulbadan and susi. Other centres of mashru production were Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Aurangabad, Varanasi in North India.
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The production of mashru started declining from the late 19th century. At present the production of Mashru is limited to Patan, Mandvi and Surat in Gujarat. Here also the people working now are the last generations practicing the craft, all their children have gone out and taken different opportunities in life due to the uncertainity of handloom work. Also due the initial reason for which mashru was created fro the Muslims is no longer equivalent in tge present world, they have incorporated silk in their clothing.
Some of the designs artisan created in collaberation with Ms. Priyanka Gaitonde
SUGGESTIONS FOR THE REVIVAL OF CRAFT Artisans should receive their part of the deserved wages from the merchants and the suppliers. More handwoven, local weaving should be encouraged and promoted by the government so the old craft sustains with the rapid growth of machine goods.
Also, like the Gramshree NGO which is working towards the sustaining of the age old craft by teaching the the younger generation the art of mashru.More such NGOs can be developed to motivate them towards the age-old techniques and that they can earn a livelihood out of the same.
This, while providing short-term relief, will move further towards sustainable, self-reliant, l Priyanka Gaitonde, a designer ong-term protection and profrom NID had worked with the motion of livelihoods based on artisan to create a range of handloom weaving skills. unique mashru fabrics which led to the creative exposure of the artisan as well its progress towards sustaing the newer market need.In a similar manner designers an colaberate and also give due mention to the artisan for their hard earned efforts and diligence towards practicing the ancestral pass-on.
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CULTURE OF THE ARTISANS AND MASHRU Nidhi Shah
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LITERATURE REVIEW Margaret A. Pappano, Nicole R. Rice Journal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies (2013) Conclude that,Artisans are typically bounded by two historical markers: on one side, the rise of urban centers in the medieval period, and on the other side, the reorganization of commodity production as a result of industrial capitalization in the early modern period. As much as by their manufacturing and retailing work, premodern artisans may be recognized by specific social practices, such as guild membership, devotional associations, relations to community and nation, and distinctive gender organization. From the fourteenth to the seventeenth century, the period that witnessedartisans’ greatest
influence, their identity was largely relational, defining itself from and against those who shared overlapping interests: merchants, waged laborers, and women. In addition, the premodern period saw important shifts in the epistemological status of “craft,” “art,” and “knowledge,” which began to create cultural divisions between artisan and artist, artisan and scientist. The essays in this volume explore artisan culture from a variety of perspectives, analyzing the representation of premodern artisans as distinctive cultural producers and considering artisans’ dynamic participation in the realms of literate, legal, and devotional culture.
Klein, L.E., 2012. An artisan in polite culture: Thomas Parsons, stone carver, of Bath, 1744–1813. Concluded that, Through the case of Thomas Parsons, a stone carver in Bath in thesecond half of the eighteenth century, the way in which an artisan participated in the larger polite and enlightened culture. He shows how, in practical ways, politeness was a competence demanded in the artisan’s work life and how, by extension, politeness provided ideals for the projectof self-cultivation. At the same time, he shows the constraints and pressures that limited and shaped Parsons’s involvement in polite and enlightened culture andthe manifest tensions that surrounded it.
OBJECTIVE In the following case study the ultimate outlook of the artisans’ rountine and skill set is examined. We have tried to understand the delicate relationship of Mashru with the artisan and the culture in which it is barely thriving.
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CULTURE OF ARTIST AND MASHRU While inquiring through the bustling bazaar of Patan, we recieved a humble guidance to the Artisan’s house in Kosivana pol. Apart from the direction, people provided us with the insights of Patan and their lives. Patan, the ancient capital of Gujarat was founded in 745 AD by Vanraj Chavda, the most prominent king of the Chavda dynasty. It was the centre of administration and trade. Years later , Patan is recongnised for its rich heritage , Devda and textiles like Patola and Mashru. Patan being the capital, helped the Mashru fabric to flourish to other parts of the kingdoms.
MASHRU
The word Mashru means “permitted” and this fabric was originally woven for Muslim communities who believed that silk should not touch a person’s skin. It has silk on the outer
side of fabric and inner side is made up of cotton. Because of this construction of mashru, it got immediate popularity in the market. It was the most exported fabric to Ottoman Empire and gulf to India. Eventually it found its place among the Hindu community as well and became an integral part of the wardrobe of Kutch Nomads. Over the years, the craft has diluted with the general cloth and no longer stands exclusive from the religion.
KHATRI COMMUNITY
Steel utensils placed on top shelves .
Stairs that connect the two floors.
Khatri community, which is believed to have migrated in past from region of Afghanistan and Baluchistan to today Pakistan and north western parts of India. Khatris are predominantly Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims. Some Khatri people converted to Islam and called themselves Indian Sheikh. Khatris were historically weavers of silk saris, some of whom subsequently became merchants. The merchants played an important role in India’s trans-regional trade during the British period, being described by Scott Cameron Levi as among the “most important merchant communities of early modern India.” Having gained the patronage of Mughal nobles through trade, the Khatris then adopted administrative and military roles outside the Punjab region.
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PATAN’S KHATRI COMMUNITY According to the artisan this community members settled in the current place in Patan about 300 years ago. They were all silk weavers who weaved Mashru. The weaving of Mashru fabric is an old tradition in India and it was a popular trading textile exported to the Ottoman empire and Gulf countries. Initially there were 250 families who did Mashru weaving in Patan. Now only few families of Khatri community practices mashru. Due to competiton from machine made textile and lack of income, Mashru is not the choice of younger generation as an occupation .These members have migrated to different occupations and cities for better opportunities.
Most of the members stay in the Kosivana pol , few families live outside the pol in different parts of Patan. The landscape of Kosivana pol is formed by the old, intricate design of the houses and pastel colours. The pol consists of a community ground, Bahuchara Mata Temple and Chabutra, other than the houses of the members. Mata Bahuchara is the ‘Kuldevi’ of this community.On the auspicious foundation day of the temple, all the members come together to celebrate, sing bhajan and have a feast, on the community ground. This temple is the centre of the community and hence keeps them bound together. All the Mashru artisans provide their share for the temple in the form of clothes made for Bahuchara Mata’s idol and Chandarbo.
ARTISAN’S HOUSE
Just after entering the pol,the third house from the left is Janakbhai and Vasumatiben’s residence. The house is over 70 years old and still stands strong with its intricate wooden architecture. It is a two storey house which comprises of a working room with attached washrooms, laundry space, kitchen and a small storage room. The working room is followed by their bedroom cum drawing room.Their is one more room on the first floor which is connected through a narrow stairway. The house holds two handlooms, electronics like refridgerator, T.V., tubelights, fans, charkha with the backdrop of blue walls and utensil placed on shelves near the ceiling.
The whole house comprises the usual din of beating of handlooms, clunking ofutensils, and chirping of birds which altogether makes for a beautiful but a happy chaos.. Outside the house, they used to park their bicycle, which they stopped using in their old age. At present they don’t go to deliver their cloth, traders come to collect them. They call their trustworthy relative if the need to travel to other place comes up, who arranges vehicle for them.
Hanged utensils
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ABOUT ARTISAN
Janakbhai Jaisinglal Khatri and Vasumati Janakbhai Khatri , this old couple have expertise in Mashru weaving. They have followed their family occupation with complete interest. They belong to the Khatri community, which is believed to have migrated in past from region of Afghanistan to today north western parts of India. Currently members of this community are involved in the field of Medicine, engineering, weaving and etc. Janakbhai’s father Jaisinglal Khatri and mother Prabhaben Khatri were popular artisan in their time.
education. Janakbhai completed his M.Sc. and B.Ed. ; and returned to his ancestral craft. He received an award of appreciation by Anandiben Patel.
Vasumati ben, who belongs to the same community and society has been working with Mashru since the age of 9 with her father Ranchodas Khatri ,mother Maniben Khatri and four brothers. She completed her senior secondary education and helped her family to weave Mashru. Infact, Right from his childhood after their Marriage , Vasumati Janakbhai saw his father ben used to weave Mashru working on the handloom that while Janakbhai was in produced fabric in myriad of different profession. Her colours. At the mere age of 15, nephew Hirenbhai Khatri and he started his journey with silk she are the only members of threads. His journey was inter- her family who are currently rupted by few years of weaving Mashru. Father
A DAY IN LIFE OF THE ARTISAN
Right: vasumatiben Left: Janakbhai
Mother
8 a.m.: Time of waking up 9 a.m.: Worshipping their Kuldevi Bahuchara Mata in the temple near community ground. Feeding the birds and cows. Then, Janakbhai starts weaving whileVasumatiben pours water to Tulsi plant and leaves the rest for the birds. After completing few household chores they have their breakfast. 10 a.m.: If the yarn needs to be dyed, Janakbhai we’ll go to the dyeing workshop . 11 a.m.: Both of them start completing the weave, at times they also perform other steps like separating the threads according to the design, adjusting the loom, applying coat over the silk, filling bobbins etc.1 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.: Take break from weaving , have their lunch and take rest. 4 a.m.- 6 a.m.: Resume weaving while taking intervals, meeting and chatting with the neighbours and members of the community. 7 a.m - 8 a.m.: Stop weaving , as its dark outside and visibility reduces. After 8 a.m.: Watch t.v. and have dinner 10 a.m.- 11 a.m.: They go to sleep after completing chores.
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The couple have does not have their own child, but consider their sibling’s children as their own. Despite of their old age, they have no less than the strength of young boy. Their day is planned in such a way that no minute gets wasted. They are quite puntual and passionate about the schedule. Janakbhai gets offer from numerous exibition, but the thought of time getting wasted in travelling and other activities stops him from accepting those invites. Apart from weaving Mashru, Janakbhai likes to watch television shows like Taarak Mehta ka Oolta Chasmaah. Vasumatiben sings bhajan with other ladies of the community. Their daily attire includes cotton kurtas, pajamas and sarees. Vasumatiben adorns two golden bangles and a mangalsutra.They have travelled together to places all over India in their young age.
VIEW OF MASHRU FOR THE PEOPLE IN PATAN During the interaction with the people of Patan about Mashru, we got the insights of their lifestyle The Affluent families of Patan opt for Patola instead of Mashru, while the middle and lower middle class prefer ,Mashru. Middle class families often share Mashru garments instead of buying each . They really like its texture and appearance. Mashru is in demand in near by areas of Patan like Palanpur, Siddhpur and Deesa. Different tribes of these areas have been using Mashru for years now. Apart from these tribes Mashru is famous as a dress material all over the country.
that works for the development and promotion of craft.
THEIR CONNECT WITH MASHRU The importance of Mashru in their life is visible in their actions. Anyone eager or interested to know about Mashru cannot go empty from their house. They welcome every interested person with warmth and care. While our visit , both of them gave us a trip of their pretty little abode and explained every step and detail of the process. when asked what dothey like to do they said, “ We like to weave Mashru. This is something we have done right from our childhood and hence it doesn’t feel like work.”
They themselves wear Mashru on Navratri and some special occasions. In their weddings they wear ‘Gharchola’ and Chaniya. Janakbhai and Vasumatiben weave Mashru wholeheartedly. Vasumatiben sings songs bhajans and songs while weaving. They provide their share in the temple by making clothes for Bahuchara Mata’s idol. Also, weaving of Mashru is prevented during festivals like Diwali, Holi and Navratri. It is meant to give break to the artisan as well as to the loom. The artisans worship their loom, hence regularly check and clean their looms. they have tiny shreads of Mashru cloth wrapped around the looms. Janakbhai is associated with an NGO called Gramshree
He was called to teach some artisan how to weave Mashru, but because of social reasons he refused. However, he taught two unemployed people this technique and provide them a source of income.These two peopl are Hiren Kumar Khatri and Rnajita Khatri, who currently help the couple in weaving. Mashru weaving being their family occupation has an emotional connect. The decline in use and production of Mashru dishearten the artisans. They believe that if community and weavers in early days would had taken action against the growing industry of machine made textile, they would have seen a brighter future. He believes that if serious measures are not taken Mashru might not survive.
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MARKET RESEARCH OF MASHRU Shubhangi Chaudhary
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LITERATURE REVIEW These two articles somehow explain the craft in market. •Handmade in India: Preliminary Analysis of Crafts Producers and Crafts Production •Strategy for Sustainable Development of Handloom Industry related to raw material, marketing and sales network. The The handloom sector of India various problems faced by is an important part of the weavers were that they were country’s economy as well as unaware about market trends socio-cultural traditions. The (54%), lack of innovative degovernment of India is consist- signs (76%), looms were not ently pursuing to bring about upgraded (70%), yarn was not improvement in the productivi- of required count (20%), last ty and marketing of handloom but not the least poor quality sector still it can be seen that yarn (54%). weavers are facing severe Most of the weavers were not livelihood crisis. In order to aware about the latest market make the industry profitable trends thus making the outdatthe problems should be identi- ed products which consumer fied, strength and weaknesses didn’t purchased. The distribushould be estimated. tion channel was also inadePresently handloom industry is quate [1, 2, 6, 9, 12]. Thus facing many problems
from the above discussion it can be concluded that supply of yarn and marketing continues to be a major constraint for handloom industry. To gain profit handloom industry has to market its products, and to compete with other products. For this customer needs to rate handloom products superior to other products. In marketing any industry has to face certain competitive forces which govern the industry structure & its profitability.
In Handloom industry overall cost leadership strategy cannot work. Since the products are handmade as it derives its name “Handloom” it’s quite labor intensive which makes it expensive. It seems handloom industry target lower to middle income group which are price sensitive & the handloom products are priced high due to manual labour that’s why on one hand the lower/middle income groups refrain to buy these products and at the other hand the products are not quality rich to tap the elite or higher class. The focus strategy will limit to a particular segment. This strategy narrows the scope for handloom industry. So, there must be a differentiation strategy should be adopted to improve the handloom sector. Differentiation strategy is creating something innovative, which is best suited to handloom industry.
OBJECTIVE: The market for mashru is very exclusive and selective. There are many varieties and the demand for the varieties is also very specific. Mashru has always been associated with traditional attires and has been scarcely used in very few articles other than clothing. So, this case study is about the market of mashru which helps in the revival of this beautiful fabric.
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Mashru is a mixed fabric, comprising of cotton and silk. It was used mainly by Muslim men, who were prohibited from wearing pure silk. It was woven all over India but the craft is now practiced in Gujarat. Mashru combines ikat patterns in stripes along with woven patterns, through the introduction of extra warp threads by depression of the warp threads. It is woven on a pit loom. Patan is one of the most important centers for the weaving. There was a need to find avenues for marketing of the silk and cotton mashru fabric, which was being produced for the first time after several decades in Patan. A market that could sustain as well as continuously renew and develop the industry was required in order to have a contemporary design led craft. However at the same time since the new enterprise of reviving weaving of silk mashru in Patan had not been completely established, large orders were not practical. Therefore niche markets that would introduce more knowledge and design inputs and keep the industry updated at a global level were targeted. The silk and cotton mashru fabric is available as products like toys, shawls, sarees, blouses and stoles.
The market for mashru is very exclusive and selective. There are many varieties and the demand for the varieties is also very specific. While in the past mashru was exported to Aden, Kuwait, Syria and Africa, the market nowadays is confined to local villages and those in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, where it is still popular with some tribal and agricultural communities. For instance the rabari tribe women use it for their Ghagra-Cholis. Generally the rabari tribes prefer their mashru fabric to be dark as well as bright in colour. The ahirs on the other hand like their fabric to be light, sober and subtle. They also use silk mashru for mata ni chandevo which is actually a wrapping cloth which is used to cover at the top of the idols of their goddesses. The Thakurs and Vaghris use it for kafan which is used to cover the dead body before it is cremated. The Machchimaar community of the Kathiawad uses it in the wedding chaniyas and then it is saved for the cremation. This mashru is normally of red and black color.
Sellers
There are different types of sellers like some connected directly to the artisans or some has link with the brokers and designers also get the raw materials and enhance it as a product which increases the cost of the product. The whole cycle starts from the artisan and ends up to the customers. In between there are brokers and middle men who increases the prices. We visited some shops in Ahmedabad where they get mashru fabric directly from Patan.
Shopkeeper in Sanskruti shop showed us the variety of mashru they had in their shop
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Rs. 450 per m fabric
Rs. 1125 kurta set
Anjani Boutique (CG Road)
Anuroop matching centre
Rs. 375 per m fabric
Plain mashru- Rs 295 per m Dots mashru- Rs 375 per m
Avani Boutique
Panihaari Boutique
Rs. 280 per m fabric
Rs. 3000 stole
“I make orders according to the demand of the market� The artisan generally gets the orders from different retailers from Surat, Palanpur, Anjaar, Mumbai, Kutch and nearby areas, also from the students of NIFT and NID.The orders are generally pre-informed about the design and the colors to be used by the artisan.
Designers
Artisans
make the fabric and sell the woven stole at Rs 800
he outsorces the mashru fabric directly from the artisans and then he enhances the fabric by Middlemen adding sequences and dyed and ajrak print is done by middlemen and borders and sells it to then he sell the stole at the final customer at Rs 3000 Rs 1300
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Celebrities wearing Mashru
For the film beauty and the beast, Emma Watson wore a mashru dress
Kareena Kapoor Khan in mashru silk sari
Source- Istagram
Richa Chadha in mashru silk lehenga
Designer’s mashru work Many designers like Sanjay Kumar of brand Raw Mango, ilovepero and many more make beautiful products which helps in the promotion of this craft.
Source- Istagram
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Customers all over the world Buyer plays the most important role in the journey of the product which is from artisan to the final customer. As customers are the ones whose positive response towards the product matters a lot for the better future of that craft. So, here are the visuals of some happy customers of all over the world who posted pics on Instagram and response towards this beautiful mashru fabric by tagging themselves in #mashru
Source- Istagram
Products Mashru has always been associated with traditional attires and has been scarcely used in very few articles other than clothing. Recently, for the revival of mashru, it has been in various kinds of artefacts so that the popularity and demand for mashru increases. Some of the common examples which are being made in the NGO’s are bags, pouches, coat having stripes of mashru, cushion covers and shoes. Nowadays, Mashru is used to make some amazing products like toys, bags and covering of furnitures also. Here are some visuals of such products.
Source- Istagram
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Online websites Online shopping is the easiest way to shop and today everyone prefers this. So there is a website called itokri who just sells craft products from Kutch and patan like areas. Here are some screenshots of this website with a variety of mashru products like from a button to a 9 yard sari.
Next time when you buy mashru, always remember
You will be investing in not just a fabric but an inheritance. There are various replacements in the materials used and the process involved in weaving mashru. Before, mashru has woven only in pure silk and cotton. Nowadays, mashru is woven in rayon and cotton so as to reduce the cost of mashru so that the demand may increase a little and it becomes accessible to the local people. The most commendable and positive action which is happening is taken by the NGO’s which are taking extensive action to revive mashru from its status of dying craft so as to make it more popular among the people and so that people understand the importance of such an unique woven craft of India. Khamir and Gramshree are the two NGO’s which are taking an herculean effort which is really appreciable.
Mashru can’t be found at every place. It is easily available in Gujarat as they are the major production center of Mashru. It is found in places like Ahmedabad, Surat, Patan and Mandvi basically the places where it is produced. Also available in selected places in Delhi and Mumbai. Mashru has become an object of importance as it is no longer found commonly. It is easily found in parts of Gujarat. We can also find it in handicraft exhibitions where mashru is seen as a not known fabric as most of the people are not aware that such a fabric exists. It is due to the innovations introduced in the mashru of today by the weavers themselves that the demand for it embroidered and tie-dyed mashru has increased slightly indirectly or directly giving motivation the weavers to continue weaving.
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SUSTAINABILITY OF MASHRU Soumya Sharma
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LITERATURE REVIEW Tung, F.W., 2012. Weaving with rush: Exploring craft-design collaborations in revitalizing a local craft. International Journal of Design, concluded that, It is possible to create a synergy between industrial designers and artisan groups to stimulate the development and preservation of a local craft in a sustainable and commercially viable way.To research the possibilities of a craft-design collaboration, a monitored project was conducted, where local rush weavers and design students worked together to create new product concepts. As a result of the collaboration, seven design concepts were proposed to expand this traditional craft into contemporary markets.
Knowledge gained through this activity suggests that the concept of craft product design is embodied by combining what is desirable in craft with what is possible through design. This study reveals that designers can play a catalytic role in facilitating the propagation of local craft knowledge into other industries. This can cultivate the local craft industry and empower artisans to further their own innovations Goswami, R. and Jain, R., 2014. Strategy for sustainable development of handloom industry. Global Journal of Finance and Management, concluded that.
It seems handloom industry target lower to middle income group which are price sensitive & the handloom products are priced high due to manual labour that’s why on one hand the lower/middle income groups refrain to buy these products and at the other hand the products are not quality rich to tap the elite or higher class.
Garber, E., 2013. Craft as activism. Journal of Social Theory in Art Education, concluded that, Craft activists work outside the mainstream of consumer society, in grass-roots efforts, to create social change that positions individuals and groups of people as reflective contributors who occupy a participatory democracy. These activities connect to and draw from feminist and other civil rights movements, sustainability, and do-it-yourself [DIY] activities. They are forms of affective labor. The crafted products are considered in terms of whether they contribute (or do not) to the surplus economy, in terms of class taste, and visĂ -vis their ability to connect people and contribute to social change. Education of craft activists and audiences takes informal forms, such as websites, books, and public acts related to culture jamming.
Objective The objective of my case study is to find out different aspects related to the sustainability of the craft. It talks about how sustainable is the craft for the environment and the sustainability of the craft itself. It is based on the interview of the artisans, Janak Bhai Khatri ji, his wife Vasumati Ben and his two helpers, we visited in Patan,Gujarat
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ENVIRONMENT CARE .RAW MATERIALS USED: The yarns used to make Mashru includes that of cotton and silk. While cotton comes from plants, silk comes from silkworm. Silk is considered to be sustainable as it is naturally produced and is biodegradable. Silk is produced by the silkworm larvae, excreted from its glands in order to build cocoon. this process can be repeated indefinately for commercial silk production. It is also locally available to the craftsmen as it is grown in India and Janak Bhai Jai Singh Lal Khatri, one of the Mashru weavers from Patan, Gujarat gets the silk exported from Banglore. One issue that is with silk is that it is not vegan as it involves killing the silk worm in boiling water during extraction of the silk thread from the ocoon. Cotton, which is used as a weft, is sustainable,
COTTON YARN (dyed)
renewable and biodegradable, making it an excellent choice as an environmentally-friendly fiber. Now a days, as Silk is very expensive to work with and the artisans don’t get the price according the efforts they put in making yhe fabric, many artisans have started using Rayon instead of it. Talking about Rayon, it is a semi-synthetic fiber, made by breaking down tough plants through a chemical and me
RAYON (dyed)
chanical process involving sodium hydroxide and carbon disulfide into a viscous liquid, that is then spun into threads using sulphuric acid. The use of the chemicals make this fiber too toxic, both for the workers working in the factories and also for the people after the chemical waste is dumped in the waterbodies.
DYING OF COTTON YARN
GLUE (GUNDAR)
Often indigo and other vegetable dyes are used after the fabric is made for making the white mashru more commercially appreciated but this is not done by the artisan.
SILK (Resham)
Direct dyes are used for dying the fabrics, that are not natural thus making the fabric less sustainable.
The artisans uses glue to stick the threads together, while setting the loom and for it they use a natural sticky substance obtained from the tragacanth gum herb(gundar- in gujarati) that is grown in their surroundings. Thus making it biodegradable and sustainable.
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2. MACHINES: Janak bhai owns two shuttle looms and according to him they are fifty years old. He also had many old parts of the loom, he said he keep on changing the parts so that the loom does not get used up. Charkha (spinning wheel) used by Janak Bhai and his helpers to fill the bobbins with cotton threads that later goes in the shuttle as the weft, is a very smart combination of the new and old technologies.The basic working includes, passing of the thread from the bundle through a hook then through the wheel on the bobbin. So, in this fusion machine, instead of manually rotating the wheel, there is an electric connection, thus saving the time of the artisan as around two to three bobbins can be filled in a minute. He also has the tradition spinning wool which is not used regularly.
SPINNING WHEEL - ELECTRIC
SPINNING WHEEL- HAND
Thus he supports using old machines and maintain them in a good way. In this way he saves so many resources and money. Just like him, other artisans around that area also uses old handlooms.
Vasumati Ben do all her household works from cleaning to cooking by her own. 3. RITUALS: Vasumati Ben, Janak Bhai’s wife and also a fellow artisan make sure to seperate the biodegradable waste with non biodegradable waste. She gives the peels of vegetables and fruits to the animals that roam in her lane including cows and donkeys. she also keep water for them. Along with it, she also keeps water for the birds. Janak bhai visit the temple that is in their society daily before starting the work, he also put grains for the birds there.
They also make costumes for god idols in the nearby temple from the mashru fabrics. Also, the main big fabric on the cieling of the temple, known as “Chandarbo�, is also made by the doing patchwork with mashru fabric. They have a ritual of putting an earthen pot on their terrace for the ancestors, they use the same water to water the tulsi plant, placed at the same terrace and also to wet the yarns when the loom is set, thus they use their resources wisely.
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PERSONAL MEANING OF THE CRAFT For the sustainability of the craft it is very important to know the personal meaning it hold for the families doing it, that how significant the craft is to them. As per Janak Bhai’s and Vasumati Ben’s interview, doing mashru is the only source of income for them. They don’t have a child to look upon for daily expenses, they earn and spend their own money. In such a situtaion the work that you do means everything to you. For them its not only work but a part of their lives they don’t ever want to stop. This same thinking have stopped them from joining any community and teaching there. They like to work as they are working and dont want to go outside and teach other peole how to do the craft. While it makes their mashru one of a kind, it also stops from spreading the skills to the larger community, thus questioning the sustainability of the craft. But, they have taught the work to two artisans who come to their home and work with them. Along with it, with the increasing
JANAK BHAI TELLING US ABOUT HIS WORK
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“Because there is not much profit gained by the weavers, they cannot afford it� - Janak Bhai Khatri
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OUR EXPERIENCE “Patan-The town of weavers” Patan,the former capital of Gujarat, is famous for Patola sarees but the craft of Mashroo is also one of the preserved techniques of this town. One can see exquisite fabric being woven here . This town is rich in it’s architectural heritage also. We interacted with the artisans and tried to understand their lifestyle .We saw the dyeing & weaving process.It was a great experience to know about the craft in depth.We learnt a lot about the craft and it’s current market situation.We understood the problems faced by the crafts and the reason for the decline of this craft. The overall experience was extremely overwhelming.
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REFERENCES Books: Craft Document: Mashru , A Tranquil Touch Revival of Mashru Mashru: A Hidden Fold, Patan Internet: www.utsavpedia.com www. khamir.org www.craftofgujarat.gujarat.gov.in
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GROUP MEMBERS
ANANYA SINGH
AYUSHI AGARWAL
KAVISHA DALAL
NIDHI SHAH
SHUBHANGI CHAUDHARY
SOUMYA SHARMA
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