Sikki Ghaas sikki ghaas
3
Preface Sikki, the golden grass of Bihar, grows in the wet and marshy areas of Madhubani district, is transformed by women into a range of objects that find in every day use and in rituals as well. The craft is traditionally passed on from mother to daughter – crafted items displayed and used in houses, display the skill of a girl, and are given as a part of her dowry. Sailesh Puja, the only festival of the Moosahar tribe, involves a wide range of colourful sikki products for ritual use. The Asian Heritage Foundation, in early 2009, provided this craft with a platform, for an international make-over of Bihar’s famous sikki weaving tradition. The goal was to set up a self-supporting producer group within the next eighteen months as part of the greater vision of a national level artisanowned brand by the name of JIYO! Signifying the arrival of an ‘Indigenous Brand’ for the 21st Century with the message ‘Believe, Buy, Belong’ My contribution under this project was to develop the skill of the unskilled artisans so that they can be a part of the core team further and number of the artisans can be increased. I hope my contribution will bring positive changes in lives of the crafts women.
sikki ghaas
5
Introduction As part of our academic program, student went through with the NGO Training in which he/she was supposed to spend scheduled time in any NGO involved in providing sustainable livelihood to artisan through encouraging craft practices. Aim Of Training • To understand the working of a craft based social development enterprise and offers the sponsor a chance to test the students’ capabilities for later association.
• Understand the relevance of an NGO as
a catalyst in social welfare and inclusive growth.
• Social and economic dimension of rural
• Understand the relation of a craft practice and complex livelihood challenges facing the same.
• To use the multi disciplinary skills and learning acquired while undergoing Craft Design Programme to develop designs if required for the artisans, keeping in mind available local resources and market considerations.
society in general and crafts community in practicality and issues related to sustain ability.
• NGO training provides an opportunity for the
students to understand the issues related to livelihood and social welfare especially in rural India and the role craft practices play in resolving the issues related to livelihood, poverty alleviation and inclusive growth.
• Understand the extent of effectiveness of
sikki ghaas
Government policies and programmes and independent development programmes implemented by the NGO pertaining to social welfare.
IICD encourage the NGOs to use the student’s capability of design in developing new products based on the present requirement of the cluster / craft community based on market requirement.
7
Tentative Plan For Training • Trainees will have to do a basic research on
Sikki
• The students should also prepare some
- Laundry Baskets, Assorted Basket, Table mats sets, Smaller screens ,Utility Boxes ,Bags where some products and their price range varied from Rs.300/- to 2000/-.
• By the end of 1st week the students will
Students will come back to office and with two sets of prototypes. One set will remain with the cluster.
the crafts they will be working on.
sketches or models of products they intended to do in their respective clusters. come to Delhi for 2 day session where they will work with the designers on structuring the workshop by rough session plan with daily plan, number of crafts person required, some common brainstorming session etc.
• A material list is to be prepared for the
raw materials; this will help in completing the workshop in time and reduce time in preparation
• Workshop on the following cluster. The trainees will develop a collection on the given product line.
• Cluster Coordinators will be available to
help in logistics and arrangement of the workshop.
• The trainees are expected to stay in or around the cluster.
sikki ghaas
9
sikki ghaas
11
The sikki ghaas
J ourney 13
BIHAR
sikki ghaas
Bihar handicraft feature an extremely rich tradition of artistry and innovation. The handicraft of Bihar are appreciated and adored all over the world because of their great aesthetic value and their adherence to tradition. The unique charm of Bihar handicraft are felt by everyone around the world. Bihar handicraft prominently feature stonework. These stonework are produced in and around the Gaya region of Bihar, around the important sites of the Buddhist history. They make wonderful statuettes of Budhha, Ganesha and other traditional icons. Black stone works making utensils and tableware are also extremely popular for ritualistic and religious purposes. Bangle making around Muzaffarpur is another important part of handicrafts in Bihar. They are globally known for their tender beauty and are a perpetual favorite among the women of India because of their brightness and color. A note must be taken of the wonderful Sikki craft in Bihar’s handicrafts traditions. These exquisite objects are hand-woven by women out of sikki grass. Madhubani is famous for its wonderful paintings. They hold their own as a significant form of folk art in the global art market. 15
The History of Sikki Craft Sikki, the golden grass of Bihar, is found growing in the wet and marshy area of Madhubani district. Traditionally and till today sikki grass products are made by the women of the household especially to-be-brides and are taken along with them after marriage as part of their dowry.
In
the Madhubani district of north Bihar, Sikki grass (golden grass), grows wild near water bodies, ranging from ponds to puddles, immediately after the monsoon season. This grass becomes the raw material for women to engage in creative activities. However, due to the large-scale clearing of these lands for industrial purposes, and an apathetic attitude from the State’s Department of Forest and Environment, this craft is hardly noticed by city dwellers or even those engaged in rural development works.
women with a natural instinct for pursuing eco-friendly alternatives to synthesize items that are mass-produced in factories. These articles become part of their lives at no cost to themselves or the environment. Unlettered women easily slip into their traditional roles as preservers of the environment and creators of beautiful things by using raw material that is biodegradable, natural, organic and light, to make utility items for their everyday needs.
In Madhubani, as in most parts of India, local grasses, leaves and even twigs are painstakingly collected by women who recognize the usefulness of what nature around them offers. A variety of household products are made by
Some craftswomen are now experimenting and making products only in sikki grass, without using the traditional munj as base.
sikki ghaas
Group Discussion
17
Process and Technique
Cutting of the sikki grass
Sikki is sold by its traders at the weekly haat (market) or by itinerant door-to-door sellers. The rate varies, but interestingly, sikki is not sold by weight, but measured by the fistful. Purifying it with teeth
sikki ghaas
Taking it for further process
The grass is first cut from near its base and then dried. The upper portion of the flowering stem is discarded. Each stalk is then split into two, and these finely sliced strips are used for making the products. The technique used for making products from sikki is the ancient and time-honoured coiling method. Interestingly, the actual form is shaped with munj, khar (raffia grass), which is much cheaper and more abundant. This provides the basic shape and gives additional strength to the product. The munj is completely coiled and covered with sikki; it is not visible through the sikki encasing. There are no specific knots in sikki-making as they are randomly done.
19
Tool
Takua The sikki is lightly dabbed with water to make it more pliable as it is coiled around the munj.
sikki ghaas
The only tool used by the women in the whole process is called Takua. It is a six-inch long needle-shaped made up of iron with its head round , its head is made up from lac, which is used to grip the needle while coiling grass. The object being made is held firmly, while the right hand is completely free to wield the takua. No threads, cords, or any other materials are used. 21
Dying Process Naturally the color of grass sikki is golden and it has a property of dying. It is been dyed by boiling for hours in dye till the desire shade is achieved. The colours are been bought from the local market, where they are sold in the form of powder or pellet. The most popularly used colours are purple, deep blue, bright yellow, magenta pink, green and red–all of them when combined with the natural golden, makes the final product a complete orchestra of colours.
sikki ghaas
23
In 10 litres of water, 1 kg sikki grass is dyed. In this process, the temperature of the water is measured from 60 to 80 degrees. The colour is been mixed according to the quantity of sikki. After mixing the colour, sikki is dipped in the mixture and then rotated. After the grass is been boiled, remove the container from the heat and keep sikki in shade. Ones it has dried, it is then kept in sunlight and need to be checked shortly whether the colour has started to faded or still in the process. sikki ghaas
Process Of Dying Sikki Grass 25
Colour Palette
Maroon(Kathae) Fusia gulabi
(Light Pink) 15 gram Rodamine
5 gram Oromine 2 gram Crasodine 15 gram Magenta 2 gram Melachit Green
Yellow
15 gram Oromine
Orange (Narangi)
25 gram Caesodine
Olive Red
5 gram Oromine 10 gram Meganta
10gram Base Brown 10 gram Melachit Green
Aqua Blue
1.5 gram Methaline Blue
Violet
15 gram Voilet
Black (Kala) Brown (Bhura) 5 gram A.C.R. Brown
sikki ghaas
5 gram Oromine 5 gram Base Brown 10 Gram Magenta 10 gram Melachit Green
Red
10 gram Rodamine 25 gram Cresodine
Suga Pankhi (Parrot Green) 15 gram Oromine 3 gram Melachit Green 27
Surface Treatment
Kharaua
Ektippa Chutidhare Harhara and Jhutki with Churiya
Kumre Badhe
Charua Du Thuriya
sikki ghaas
Churiya
These various types of design are used for the surface treatment. 29
Traditional Products sikki ghaas
31
Lord Ganesh , detail from a wall hanging. The figures of deities are made with sikki and installed in homes for worship.
A figure of Lord Ganesha.
sikki ghaas
A figure of Lord Krishna
Lord Krishna , detail from a wall hanging. The figure of deities are made with sikki and installed in homes for worship.
33
Different ways of representing Lord Shiva.
sikki ghaas
35
An image of a frog; beautifully crafted images of animals and birds made with sikki grass are popular.
An image of a elephant; beautifully crafted images of animals and birds made with sikki grass are popular.
sikki ghaas
An image of a frog, beautiful crafted image of animals and birds made with sikki grass are popular.
Photoframe
Coasters Chattee 37
Roti Box , objects made from sikki are not only utilitarian, but also decorative and ornamental.
Changeri , a sikki basket.
Kharaua , flower pot , in which filler is not used.
sikki ghaas
kharaua pot Box , a contemporary product.
39
Mandir Pauti, a traditional box. The objects made from sikki are not only utilitarian, but also decorative and ornamental, often having a religious significance.
Kachua
Ganesh Mukh , crafted with sikki grass.
Mach
sikki ghaas
Panbatte
41
My Learning The quality time which i spent with my artisans in , MITHILA SIKKI SANGH , SONAR TOLA , RAIYAM , MADHUBANI , BIHAR, was once in a lifetime experience and will definitely be recalled. During my stay there for 34 days (19th December - 22 January ) was the time of my life when i realized that life without any electricity and transportation is so hard. There was no network and they were do not even aware that how the world is proceeding in technology.
L-R: Sunita Ji,Girja Ji,Runa Ji,Swati Gupta,Munni Ji
sikki ghaas
I stayed there in the mid of the winter season and took all the fun of there lifestyles and culture they are living in. In the first week i observed there technique and process and became familiar with the material and their work culture. Language was never a major problem because I too belong to Uttar Pradesh and know Bhojpuri language so, I always mixed Mithila and Bhojpuri language to make them understand. And few women were familiar with Hindi as well. I spend lot of time getting familiar to their terminology and vocabulary.
One amazing point that i observed was that only daughter and law were expected to learn all the skills and not the daughters because as said daughters are born to leave the house one day therefore she will work and earn for her own family after marriage.
After spending my first week with the artisans and observing there method of working and technique i realized that
• These people work but they are not getting as much as they deserve and second thing which came to my mind was they work but they need to improve there work in terms of Surface and finishes. • They are more engaged in big products rather than small one. • If they start developing small products and which are finished and fine, then they can earn more and can stable there products in the market. And smaller product will be affordable for all kind of buyers.
43
AIM • This workshop was aimed to skill new and unskilled artisans so that in future they can be a part of the core team. In this manner, number of artisans can be increased and they form their own group to work.
• Skill development workshop should be done keeping in mind that
ROOPAN
whatever the new products are been introduced, should be attractive and easily stored.
• Product should not compliment any group of people, it should have such a price range, that the option can be opened to all.
• Work quality should be better than the older one and there should be
a sence of fineness in the work so as to achieve the perfectness in the work, so that it can become the strength of the craftswomen.
• Price range is decided so that it will be beneficial for them in future.
They can manufacture these products themselves, and can sell them in the market.
• Along with these they have to be Economical as well as affordable.
sikki ghaas
45
OBJECTIVES • To position India’s natural fibre-weaving
tradition as an ecologically sustainable and uniquely artistic cultural legacy.
• To interface time-honoured household skills and practices with modern-day themes and designs, generating renewed rural livelihood.
• To train the weavers in natural dyes, fiber development and structural material.
• To set international standards for crosscultural artistic collaboration.
• To foster an ecological and enduring
partnership among the various natural fibre industries, and their habitats in nature.
• To empower the communities of skilled
natural-fibre weavers with their inherent creative potential towards becoming the principal stakeholders of their cultural businesses.
sikki ghaas
47
Explorations sikki ghaas
49
sikki ghaas
51
sikki ghaas
53
These are some of the form explorations which were done for kid’s toys and the product worked on was ‘punch me’. Forms were explored, keeping in mind the curves and smoothness of the surface so that it should be interactive and attractive. The whole idea was to explore the possibilities of the sikki, and though it is natural it is not going to harm kids in any way.
sikki ghaas
55
Product - Hit Me Dimension - 24 x 10 Inches Weight - 3 kg (2 kg weight is given in the bottom layer so that it can move and work according to the gravitational force.) 2 inches
Material - Sikki grass and sabe as filler. Technique - Coiling Technique Surface Treatment - Du Thuriya
24 inches
7 inches
Colour - Natural colour of sikki grass and orange
9 inches
10 inches This prototype is still under process of construction.
sikki ghaas
57
These are some form exploration for kids toy. The idea of making these toys were that kids like to play with wheel toys. So, at every corner wheels are attached so that the toys keep on moving and keep going.
sikki ghaas
59
Product - Wheel Toy Dimension - 10” X 8.5”
1.5’’
Material - Sikki Grass , Sabe and Wood Technique - Making 2 layer and get it fixed on the wood.
8.5”
Surface Treatment - Du Thuriya Colour - Golden (natural colour) and Black
10”
This prototype is still under process of construction.
sikki ghaas
61
Aim behind developing these bangles was to make them realize that how much fine work is possible in this material. Because from the starting they are in the habit of doing thick layered work, therefore they had no idea about the fineness that should be achieved in the grass by splitting and removing the pith behind. These bangles were developed by all the artisans in that centre. Initially they took 2 days for making this, but after making once, they finished it in a day.
sikki ghaas
63
4.5”
Product - Paper Weight Dimension - 4.5” X 3”
Colour - Purple
Material - Sikki Grass , Sabe and terracotta ball for the weight.
Weight - 175 grams.
Technique - Coiling
Number of man days - 3 days
3”
sikki ghaas
Surface - Du Thuriya
65
Product - Container Dimensions - 3.5” x .5” Material - Sikki Grass and Sabe
Diameter - 2”
Technique - Coiling
Material - Sikki Grass and Sabe
Surface - Du Thuriya
Technique - Coiling
Colour - Green
Surface - Du Thuriya
Number of man days - 1 day
Colour - Natural colour and Green
These are some small prototypes which were developed to make them understand that by making these, they can have the opportunities to sell there product more and that will take less time for production. These types of product by them without any guideline and by using bright colours and fine layer will make it more attractive.
sikki ghaas
Product - Sikki Batches
These batches were developed in sikki grass with an idea that they can be made by them in half day so, if we start selling these batches in any seminar or programme, replacing the ribbon one, that will employ them, and so they will earn. This will result in each individual having their own sikki product.
67
Falahar Chakra sikki ghaas
69
After spending quality time with the craft person and exploring new forms I realized that , this process is very much time taking and the cost of any product high because of the wages . While the idea of doing this workshop was to train the untrained artisans keeping in mind that at the end of the workshop products should be hand to hand sellable. This fruit basket is developed under the new process, in which inner part is highlighted by colouring it and sikki grass is used as the binder. This process is neither time consuming nor expensive as well.
sikki ghaas
Inner sabe is dyed in the same manner as that of the sikki grass. In this whole process G.I wire is used so that the form become flexible and the shape can be maintained. In this process it was very easy to achieve any form because material was very comfortable and flexible, though the binding had gaps hence the product became flexible. In these baskets all the bright colours are used randomly.
71
Product - Falahar chakra Dimension - 20” X 12” Material - Sikki grass , Sabe Grass and G.I Wire Technique - Kharaua Colour - Bright Colours (Multicoloured) Number of man days - 18 Cost - Rs. 2365/-
sikki ghaas
73
Product - Lavanyam (Bag) Dimensions - 20” x 15” x 2” Shoulder Drop - 9.5” Base - 11” Material - Sabe Rope And Sikki Grass Technique - Kharau Number of man days - 6 days Cost - Rs. 1095.00
sikki ghaas
75
Product - Adhishwari (Bag) Dimensions - 22” x18” x2.5” Shoulder Drop - 9.5” Base - 14” Material - Sabe Rope And Sikki Grass Technique - Kharau Number of man days - 10 Cost - Rs. 1515.00/-
sikki ghaas
77
Product - Chanchala (Bag) Dimensions - 24” x18” x3.5” Shoulder Drop - 9” Base - 14” Material - Sabe Rope And Sikki Grass Technique - Kharau Number of man days - 8 Cost - Rs. 1305.00/In these type of bags handles are changed because in the earlier prototype all the burden was on the bag but in this handle is moving all around the bag from the base , so it will not become weak.
sikki ghaas
79
Design Specification Name of the Design
Utility
No. Of Man Days
Raw Material (local )
Raw Material (out- sourced)
FALAHAR CHAKRA
Fruit Basket
18
1 kg sikki and 5 kg sabe
Metal Wire (50gram)
LAVANYAM
Bag
6
ADHISHWARI
Bag
CHANCHALA
Bag
Raw materials Direct
Raw materials Indirect
Wages
20”x 12”
150.00/-
40.00/-
1800.00/-
15 muthi Sikki (300 gram) and1/2 kg sabe rassi
20”x15”x2”
70.00/-
600.00/-
10
25 muthi sikki (500 gram)and ½ kg sabe rassi
22”x18” x2.5”
90.00/-
8
20 Muthi Sikki (400 gram) and1/2 kg sabe rassi
24” x18” x3.5”
80.00/-
Size / Dimension
Overheads
Transportation
Packaging Total Cost
200.00/-
175.00/-
2365.00/-
50.00/-
200.00/-
175.00/-
1095.00/-
1000.00/-
50.00/-
200.00/-
175.00/-
1515.00/-
800.00/-
50.00/-
200.00/-
175.00/-
1305.00/-
NOTE - All the cost are sample cost, production cost will vary.
sikki ghaas
81
Artisans I Worked With.....
Sangeeta Kumari 18 Years
Avantika Bharti 24 Years
Sunita Devi 27 Years
Savitri Devi 28 Years
Gunja Kumari 14 Years
sikki ghaas
83
I was told and I forget, I saw and I understood, I did and I remembered. sikki ghaas
85