Pearls of ujjain

by Del r oyJos han&Var unK

Ker al aSt at eI ns t i t ut eofDes i gn

Documentation of the Wooden comb making and papier mâché Ujjain, Madhya pradesh by Delroy Joshan Varun k IT Integrated Communication Design Guide Girish P T

Published at KERALA STATE INSTITUTE OF DESIGN Chandanathope, Kollam- 691014

Published on March 2017

PEARLS OF UJJAIN

PREFACE It’s our pleasure to publish this document, which is result of in-depth research and field study that

we done in Ujjain district, Madhya Pradesh. As we all know that India has vast number of crafts varieties, and it all has its own uniqueness. That is what made us to choose these two interesting crafts “wood comb “and “Papier mâché” The interesting thing about these two crafts are both of them are mostly made out of wastes like paper, wood pieces, wood powder, etc. Basically the craft gives an in-depth detail about both the crafts, The Artisans, their life style, community etc.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We take this opportunity to express our Deepest gratitude to our institute KSID (Kerala state Institute

of design). It has been an amazing platform to us to experience and grow widely by acquiring most effective learning method in our life.

We are thankful to our Executive Director Mr. Girish PT for being patient enough with our cluttered ideas and thoughts and to sort it out to a proper channel which eventually led to the understanding of our subject in-depth.

We would like to express our heart full thanks towards the faculties (Prof: Leenus LK, Asst Prof: Manu T and Asst Prof Miss Radhika Prasad) who supported us till the end of this craft documentation.

And also we are thankful to the General Manager of Handloom and Handicrafts of Madhya Pradesh, Mr. Nagendra Metha for all kind of support and assistance provided form there.

And after all It’s our privilege to express our sincere thanks to both the Artisans Chagan Lal Banjara and Trilok Thakur and also to Mr Anil who was as equal to a guide throughout the project in Madhya Pradesh.

CONTENTS HISTORY 2 THE GEOGRAPHY 4 FLORA AND FAUNA 5 THE CUISINE 7

WOODEN COMB 16 MATERIALS 17 PRODUCT LINE 19 TOOLS USED 21 PROCESS 25 MEASUREMENTS 33 ARTISAN PROFILE 35 FAMILY 36 LIVING CONDITIONS 38 MARKET 41

PAPER MÂCHÉ 44 PAPIER MÂCHÉ BIRDS 45 MATERIALS 47 PRODUCT MODELS 49 TOOLS 51 PROCESS 53 CREATING MOULD 59 ARTISAN PROFILE 60 FAMILY 62 LIVING CONDITIONS 65 MARKET 68 VARIANTS 69 STORIES 72 THE TEAM 74 REFERENCES 75

The Holy City

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HISTORY Ujjain is the largest city of Madhya Pradesh by population. It is an ancient city which lies on the eastern banks of shipra river. It was established as an administrative location of central India around 600 BCE. On the banks of river shipra, Ujjain was urbanized and grew as a cultural centre in central India. This invited a lot of people to migrate to Ujjain looking for opportunities. The city has seen a lot of dynasties change including the Guptas , the Shungas, the Satavahanas, the ParamarasIt’s and the Western Satraps. Also known as “Adyapeetha”, the city was also a foundation of Sanskrit learning, science and art. It’s status remained till 19th century when British came and shifted the administration to Indore. But Ujjain remained as a religious hub to Shaivites, Vaishnavites and followers of Shakti.

It serves as the headquarters of both Ujjain District and Ujjain Division. To the state of Madhya Pradesh, Ujjain exerts a significant impact upon art , crafts, commerce, education, and entertainment, finance, fashion, media, research and technology; and has been described as the commercial capital of the state.

Mahakaleshwar temple

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Ujjjain is now selected as a few city to be developed into a smartcity under India’s prime minister Narendra modi’s “Smart Cities” mission.

UTTAR PRADESH RAJASTHAN

Total Population - 19,86,864( as per census 2011) Area of District - 6091 Sq.Km. Literacy rate of District - 72.34% Male female ratio - 955 Per 1000 Male

MAHARASHTRA

Map of Districts in the state of Madhya Pradesh

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THE GEOGRAPHY Ujjain is located in the west-central part of In-

dia, and is north of the upper limit of the Vindhya mountain ranges. The city lies on the southern edge of Malwa Plateau. It is located 190 km away to the west of the state capital of Bhopal.

The city is higher than the north Indian plains and the land rises towards the Vindhya Range to the south. With average elevation of 494m metres (1620 ft), the region is an extension of the Deccan Traps, formed between 60 and 68 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous period.

The city is on the river bank of Shipra originating from Dhar district and falls into Chambal river.

Narmada Shipra Sihastha Link Pariyojana, a project linking Shipra river to River Narmada and lifts water from it using electricity and transport it to the source of Kshipra river through pipes. This projects prevent drying of shipra, Gambhirand Kali Sindh rivers and help fulfil requirements of Dewas-based industries and suburban population.

Ujjain City Map

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FLORA AND FAUNA The

geographical area of the state is 308,144 km2 which constitutes 9.38% of the land area of the country. The forest area of the state is 95,221 km2constituting 31% of the geographical area of the state and 12.44% of the forest area of the country. Legally this area has been classified into “Reserved Forest, Protected Forest and Unclassified Forest�, which constitute 61.7%, 37.4% and 0.9% of the forest area respectively. Per capita forest area is 2,400 m2 as against the national average of 700 m2 As per the latest estimates of Forest Survey of India, published in the State of Forest Report (SFR) 2003, the total forest cover of M.P. is 76,429 km2 ., which is 24.79% of the land area - dense forest constituting 13.57% and open forest 11.22%.

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One third of the state is forested and offers an exciting panorama of wildlife. In the national parks of Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Shivpuri and many others, one has the rare opportunity to see the tiger, bison and a wide variety of deer and antelope in sylvan surroundings. There are ten national parks and twenty five wildlife sanctuaries. Among them Kanha national park, Bandhavgarh national park, Pench national park, Panna national park, Satpura national park and Sanjay Gandhi national park are very famous national parks and the status of Tiger reserve had been given to them. The Tiger who is king of the forest may be easily sighted at Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Panna and Pench National park.

The population of this endangered Tigers are maximum in Madhya Pradesh. At Satpura National park leapord is easily sighted.The Flora of Madhya Pradesh province in India, is very rich and diverse.mainly there are four types of forest they are Tropical Moist, Tropical Dry, Tropical Thorn, and Subtropical broadleaved Hill forests.

Based on composition, there are three important forest formations namely Teak forest, Sal forest and MiscellaneousForests. Bamboo bearing areas are widely distributed in the state.

To eliminate pressure on the natural forests, plantations have been undertaken in forest and non forest areas to supplement the availability of fuel wood, small timber, fodder etc.

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THE CUISINE The Ujjain is not only famous for being Holy city but also it is also

famous for its spicy street foods,It has got a unique significance of its own in terms of its geographical locations, rich historical backgrounds, cultural influences and economic scenarios. Numerous things make Ujjain unique from the rest of the state. Ujjain as a whole is a vegetarian location in majority and there are very few restaurants which offer non vegetarian cuisine. Finding a decent non vegetarian restaurant in Ujjain is really hard. The cuisine is predominantly Indian with Punjabi cuisine and Rajasthani thalis being a favourite amongst a majority of the tourists. South Indian delicacy enthusiasts are also likely to find a hotels according to their taste easily. Even though there are lot of restaurants and hotels, majority of the local population are shifting to the street foods.

The streets are filled with samosa, kachori and chat food. Kachori with a cup of tea is a favorite combination of many townsfolk. Now international street food is also getting popular with food items like burger and chowmeen noodles. In homes, roti is still the staple food with curries ranging from aloo(potato) to varieties of pulses.

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THE CITY AND LIFESTYLE The Ujjain is considered one of the holiest cities of India. The famous poet, Kalidas, described it as ‘The town which fell from Heaven to bring Heaven to Earth’. The major temples include 1.

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Mahakaleshwar Jyothirlinga Kal Bhairav temple ISKCON temple Gopal mandir Chamunda Devi temple Chinthaman ganesh temple

The world’s largest religious gathering “KUMBH MELA” is held on the banks of shipra river every 12 years. According to Hindu mythology, Gods and demons competed for the divine nectar of immortality by churning the ocean, drops of nectar fell on four places. One of them was Ujjain. Hence, the river Shipra became the enhancer of life and the Simhastha Kumbha Parva (Kumbh Mela) is held to celebrate this event.

Millions of devotees cross the Ghats of Shipra for the holy dip.

A lot of Hindu pilgrims visits Ujjain at the time of “Nagapanchami”; a traditional worship of snakes or serpents observed by Hindus throughout India. Multitudes of devotees gathers to offer prayers on the day of “Maha Shivaratri”; commemorating lord shiva’s marriage. The city celebrates “Makar sankaranthi” by flying kites.

The kites fills every streets and the competition span all ages. It is very common to see old men and children fighting over a kite.

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Shipra River

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Nana Kheda Bus stand

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Even though Ujjain is a Hindu pilgrimage centre, there is a thriving Muslim and Sikh community in the area. Local business includes mainly religious items, Hindu idols, textiles, handicrafts, diary and bakery. The city is tightly packed and most suburban roads are narrow.

The city also hosts cultural activities and festivals such as the Malwa Utsav, a festival of folk, classical music and dance. Performers across all India come and charm the city of Indore and Ujjain for a five day celebration.

Being a municipal corporation, the city offers a good transportation network. Dewas Gate Stand and Nana Kheda Bus Stand in the city provide service to nearby districts-. A large number of state run private buses are available for Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Ajmer, Khajuraho, Indore, Bhopal, Pune, Mumbai Kota, Mandu, Jhalawar and various other locations. The city has a well connected road network including Indore Road, Badnagar Road, Dewas Road, Agar Road, Nagda Road and Maksi Road. There are three state highways in which connects to Ahmedabad, jaora and Indore. Ujjain depends on an extensive network of auto rickshaws(CNG and electric), private taxis, Ujjain city bus and Tata Magic, that operate throughout the city, connecting one area with another.

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The city has 2 universities; VIKRAM university and Maharshi Panini Sanskrit university, medical college, engineering, management colleges and a few schools. In Dewas-ujjain road, the “vikram udyog area” is developing to be an industrial and education hub. The government hospital and Ruxmaniben Deepchand Gardi Medical College provides health services to city’s people.

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WOODEN COMB The kangi mohalla is a unique street for the

natives of Dhani gate, Ujjain. Amidst the chaos of the town, the kangi street of the banjaras and panwars hold a 300-year-old craft of comb making. The art of wooden comb which is now exclusive to the Madhya Pradesh lies in these streets.

Originally from marwar, Rajasthan; the banjaras or the wanderer tribes left their town in search of a place to start their family crafts.

The word Banjara is a colloquial form of the word of Sanskrit origin Vana chara transliterated as “Forest wanderers”, presumably because of their primitive role in the Indian

society as forest wood collectors and distributors.

Currently, the name is claimed to be depreciated and the caste have been split to it’s sub castes.

They have spread to Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. sub castes of banjara community like rathore, Chauhan are general castes in Rajasthan and Gujrat after communal rights law revised in 2008. They are Scheduled Tribes in Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. One of the few banjaras settled in Ujjain and pursued their wooden comb craft. The local wooden idol market aided them in sourcing raw materials. Even though the banjara were migrants to Ujjain, the time and craft made them natives of the area.

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MATERIALS Sheesham is essentially a type of rosewood. It is

sourced from the Dalbergia sissoo species of trees which is more commonly known as Indian Rosewood. The trees are deciduous in nature, and the wood is a hardwood. The tree is native to the Indian Subcontinent and Southern Iran. Regionally, the wood is referred to as sheesham, sisu, tahli, Tali, Irugudujava or jag.

Sheesham or Shisham has become famous internationally as a premier timber species of rosewood. It is commonly used for making furniture, especially cabinets. This is mainly due to the fact that the wood is highly durable and long lasting.

It is in fact decay resistant. The heartwood is extremely durable and is very resistant to dry-wood termites; however, a disadvantage of sheesham is that the sapwood is prone to wood-boring beetles. Hence, the owner must ensure that the furniture is free of the beetles or its eggs and that piece of furniture is well maintained.

Sheesham Wood

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Pterocarpus Marsupium/Beeja is widely used in Ayurveda for the therapy of condtions like diarrhea, viriligo, eczema, psoriasis, obesity and diabetes.The anti-hyperlipdemic properties of Beeja tree helps in reducing total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein and serum triglyceride levels in the body. The antibacterial and astringent properties of Beeja helps to treat cuts, bruises and other skin problems.

Beeja is well-known remedy to take care of diabetes. Pterocarpus marsupium reduces blood sugar level, cholesterol and triglycerides. It also lowers the symptoms of diabetes such as frequent urination, over eating, regular thirsts, and burning pains in limbs. Beeja continues to be used for diabetics for thousands of years. In ancient time, people had a unique method of implementing Beeja tree for dealing with diabetics. They Designed tumblers from wood of Beeja tree. Sufferers were made to consume by the tumblers. Beeja Tumbler is created from its heartwood.

Beeja is utilized as a standard skin tonic for a duration of 3-4 months to deal with chronic skin problems, which includes vitiligo, psoriasis, eczema etc. Beeja is applied as one of the ingredient in numerous Ayurvedic medicines for skin conditions, For example:- Maha Manjistadi kashayam, Ayaskriti and many others. Crushed leaves of the Beeja tree also used externally for treating boils, sores and specific kinds of skin problems

Beeja Wood

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PRODUCT LINE A

wooden comb was traditionally used to massage the hair before the introduction of plastics. The oil content and the less oil absorption rate of the Indian rosewood made suitable for comb material. These qualities, the localities believed could aid hair growth. The sheesham tee being famous for it’s ayuvedic benefits and being available in locality added to the comb’s popularity. Grooming with the wooden comb is also believed to ease labour pains amongst pregnant women. The fine bristles of the comb were vital in driving lice away.

Small, medium size combs

The other material of choice is beeja/ Indian kino tree/ vijayasar, which is also a medicinal tree for correcting metabolism. Their selection of the raw material in ingenious decision for a daily use healthcare product. The banjara makes 1.oil comb 2.lice comb 3. Normal comb 4. hair pin 5.Hair clip

Experimental product

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Comb model variants

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TOOLS USED The tools used by banjaras are all custom made. According to them, every craftsman must make

their own tools. So when the training is in progress, they will start making their own. As they progress, they would create a bond with the tools. Basically, the tools are a collection of saw and file.

The tools are a proud possession and they sometimes decorate it to their liking. From handle to shaping the blade, all work must be done by them. It is a showing their skill in the craft. The thickness of the tools vary as each tool is used for a different product . strings are tied to the tools to be blessed by gods.

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Custom made Hand saw

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Custom made files

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PROCESS The process begins with the order given by the client, initially the artisan collects the appropriate wood for the work, Sheesham (Indian rosewood) and beeja (Indian Kino tree) are the commonly used wood for making. But it differs according to the products. The first part of the process is measuring and cutting the needed amount of piece from a long piece of wood. The measurement is taken using his fingers. He can make four oil comb pieces out of one piece of sheesham wood

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Chipping tool

Chipping the wood to make the teeth

So after taking needed piece he starts with scraping the wood piece to the basic shape of comb at the same time he will leave some space for wood carving which is one of the another speciality of oil comb (thel ka kangi).

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Leg placement while cutting

Measuring with nails

The second part is arranging the tools for making the teeth of the comb which has to be done very nicely and precisely. The main tool for that is saw, sesame oil is applied on that for the smooth cutting of the wood. The measurement of combs teeth is even taken by his nail. Pressing the wood with the nail, the wood is sawn and the unwanted piece will be removed. the cut portion reveals the actual teeth of the comb in equal spaces. The leg placement over the wooden plank holds the wood piece when it is being cut.

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Custom made saw(Handle)

Carved comb

The wood piece for carving is held firmly with Carving is the another important process, he carves the shapes of wild lives on the upper part of the comb specially the shapes of birds. He is inspired by birds and it’s flight.

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Cutting and filing teeth of the comb

The next one is the very important process which makes it unique from all other comb in the world.

So after making the normal comb, he makes a slanted tapering where the ends of teeth meet. This is made for the oil to ooze out of the spaces between the teeth. This tapered part is covered using a thin piece of same wood. At the one end a hole is made to pour oil.

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Oil comb - lid

A small hole is made for the stopper. The stopper is made from waste pieces left. The tepering also makes sure the oil seeps in slowly and not splash over if the comb is shaken or thrown.

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Hairpins

The final part is filing, where he files the entire comb especially the teeth part and makes it smooth and easy to use.

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Using Oil comb(left), Lice comb(right)

For lice combs, The comb is made thinner to make it easier to press. The line designs are made by sawing from one side to the other evenly.

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MEASUREMENTS Though

the measurements are not documented by the community, the craft of wooden comb making is done in a precise manner. The comb made had uniform dimension and it is always made sure by the craftsman. A common beeja comb is 13.5cms wide and top edges are shamphered to 0.5cm radius. each teeth is 0.1cms wide at the end and 0.3cms at the top. The teeth is sawn eight times to reach the length. The rhythm and placement has to do with regulating the precision.

For every comb except for the lice remover, the teeth is at-least 0.2cm wide for a comfortable usage. The lice combs are made slim to pull specific portion of hair and teeth is 0.1 cm to pierce through thick hair.

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ARTISAN PROFILE CHAGAN LAL BANJARA

The

72 year old entrepreneur is the owner of “shipra combs”. He was born and bought up in omkareshwar, but soon joined the banjaras of Ujjain. Like every banjara, he started learning the craft from his parents when he was 10. He never had schooling, but sincerely learned the art of comb making.

The craft is only taught by word of mouth and demonstrations. He who learns craft measures by hands. Practice and dedication makes the craftsman’s work perfect.

The craftsman must also make their own tools. According to him, that gives way to craft becoming more refined and artisan to have a customized tool specially for him/her. The craft usually passed regardless of sex and the woman married to the house is also welcome to learn the craft. Chagan lal’s wife Tulsi bhai also makes combs and accompanies him to craft exhibitions. Even at this age, he works on his combs for hours. With regular orders and upcoming exhibitions, he is busy completing handful of combs with patience. currently, He is the only craftsperson making the combs regularly preserving the craft.

A recent accident dislocated his pelvis and he is undergoing treatment. With regular treatment, he is getting better. Still he cycles around the neighbourhood visiting his friends and natives.

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“ye kaam andaaz se chelthe hein”

FAMILY Chaganlal

Banjara is now few of the last banjaras in their community. The banjara community have decided that the name “banjara�is depreceated and it is noe divided into Rathod/ bhukya, pawar/panwar, chawan/chauhan, vadithya/jadhav , bannoth/aade.

Now, the community has adopted panwar as their caste. It is also noted that there are sub-castes uunder the above mentioned crafts.

His wife durga bhai also knows the craft and aids him when in need. She also accompanies him to exhibitions and handicraft programmes. She is skilled in cooking. His son Raju panwar works in co-operative bank. His son also works as a collection agent in the bank.

A lean to the finance jobs from their traditional craft is very much evident in the community.

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Manish panwar, one of chagan lal’s granson is a “Mallakhamb�performer. Mallakhamb is traditional indian pole-gymnastics which recognized nationaly.He is a memeber of APJ vyayam shala and participated indian televison reality shows. He also aids his grandfather for arranging the working space.

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LIVING CONDITIONS The

Banjaras lives in kangi mohalla ; translated as comb street is a collection of houses packed together. The houses are so packed together it is as if the whole street is one large house.

Chaganlal and his wife live in a single room. They keep the tools, raw materials, cooking utensils and belongings there.

The bathrooms and toilets in the houses are built on the outside, so it is accessible for everyone. These sharing of amenities are often areas for an engaging conversation or jokes with reference to local puns.

The urbanisation in ujjain have influenced the banjaras and the community has now dissolved into the busy and vibrant lifestyle of ujjain. The opportunities of a city has made many people in the community to look for other jobs. The current generation finds the craft a risky investment. They are not convinced with the returns.

Even the unemployed 38

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people are reluctant to take up their dying craft.

The terrace of houses are so close that one can just jump in to the other house for a visit. The children uses the terrace to fly kites. Around the time of makar sankranti, the kangi mohalla terrace will be filled with kids and adults of the neighbourhood flying kites.

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MARKET All wooden comb variants costs

Rs.100/-. Though evident that it is not priced according to it’s features, the price has increased over the years because of material costs.

The combs are more sought and sold in surat,delhi, indore & bhopal. it is sold either by order from the following places and exhibitions conducted by government.

He usually goes to surajkund craft exhibiton in faridabad.

In external market, the price of the comb varies from Rs.250 to 300.

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PAPER MÂCHÉ Papier

mâché which may sound French is not a craft originated in France was not made in France until the mid 17th century. However, they were the first country in Europe to do so.

Papier mâché was originated in China; the inventors of paper itself. They used papier mâché to make helmets of all things, strengthened by coating many layers of lacquer. Excavated samples have been found dating back to the Han Dynasty (BC 202 – AD 220).From China, the interest in papier mâché spread to Japan and Persia, where it was used in mask making and festival activities. Eventually it spread across the world. papier mâché objects was exported extensively to European markets. Later, France started making its own wares, and England followed suit in the 1670s.A typical lacquer pot is usually made up of many oriental paper layered with lacquer. The material will be hard and malleable enough that the legs are turned and Chinese motifs are carved into it.

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PAPIER MÂCHÉ BIRDS Papier

mâché birds of Ujjain is an evolved craft out of a necessity. The story starts 4 generations before when sannu lalji Thakur was the royal artist of Gwalior fort. His knowledge of sculpting was passed down to his son Jeevan lalji Thakur and to his son Ramkumar Thakur.

In 1952, the jeevan lalji Thakur was invited by commerce, employment and industry department of Madhya Pradesh to teach sculpting to people of Ujjain.

Ram kumar Thakur took over the mantle after his father. By then, he had a realization that the knowledge his ancestor passed down is not sufficient in present times. During his quest of knowledge, he attended training organized by All india handicraft development design center, Bombay”. Here, he got introduced to tools and equipment. He learned painting, casting and moulding in Plaster of Paris, Papier mâché and cement work.

He continued making moulds and sculptures like his forefathers did. Then one day, he got a job to make papier mâché bird models out of the great ornithologist Salim Ali book “The Book of Indian Birds”. He took it completed with utmost perfection. The birds became an instant hit in market and Ram kumar decided to monetize it. The moulding

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method was developed by him and a l ot different from common papier mâché techniques. He taught his son Trilok Thakur, the art of papier mâché birds. Trilok Thakur now continues his father’s legacy. Currently, trilok Thakur does sculpting and moulding for religious idols apart from the papier mâché birds.

Many craftspersons use clay in papier mâché craft for strength, but Thakur insist on not using it as the clay adds more weight and production cost increases.

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MATERIALS The

main ingredient of the papier mâché is shredded paper collected from paper mills. It is also known as packaging paper which is used as a filling for packing fragile goods. Other materials are chalk powder sourced from stationery shops, wood powder from carpenters. The materials sourced are according to the amount needed for a specific time.

GI wires and cotton are used for making feet. Clay for sculpting is bought from bombay and indore. He buys at-least 50kg each time as he finds it difficult to get in ujjain. the colour pigments used were natural colours at the time of Shri Ram kumar thakur, now poster colours are adapted due to cost effectiveness and availability.

Papier mâché

The natural pigments used were 1. Geru “ruddle” - Indian red 2. Ram Raj - yellow 3. Hiransi - dark red 4. Kajli - lamp black 5. Pavadi (lemon) - lemon yellow 6. Pavadi (mango) - orange 7. Angara Neil - blue 47

Colour palette

8. Khadya(gypsm) - cream 9. Zinc oxide - white

Shredded paper

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PRODUCT MODELS The Papier mâché birds are made

according to the details given by the great ornithologist Salim ali’s Indian book of birds. The models that are mostly made are

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1. sparrow 2. Indian Tree pipit 3. Indian pitta 4. Babbler 5. Bulbul 6. Marshall’s iora 7. Scarlet minivet 8. Golden oriole 9. chestnut headed bee eater 10. Greenish leaf warbler 11. House sparrow

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His “House sparrow” model was critically acclaimed and it won him the kala shri award.

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TOOLS Papier

mâchÊ is very malleable and tools are used after a basic shape is developed. The shaping tools are made of wood and metal which are bought from stationery and art stores. Trilok thakur and his team also uses pincers, pliers and needles.

For detailing, the artisans have a collection of brushes made from pony and squirrel tail. For the base coating, a compressor spray machine is used.

Shaping Tools

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Compressor spray motor

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PROCESS The process starts from the step col-

lecting the main raw materials like paper, gond (glue prepared from neem tree sap), wood powder, and chalk powder. The tree sap is collected from their garden. The paper is usually the shredded paper used for packaging which is collected from paper mills. The first process is soaking the shredded paper in water up-to 8 - 10 hours. After that, the paper which by then have become a semi-solid batter-batter like mixture, which is then pressed and rubbed in a rough surface.

The gond is added to it, then kneaded into a dough. Using a chappathi roll, it is flattened till it is evenly spread.

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Kneading papier mâchÊ(top), Flattening the dough(bottom)

The evenly flattened dough is sliced according to the need.

It is then placed on the mould and is firmly attached with fingers and tools. It is very important to maintain thickness or the cast material will get damaged.

Likewise the mould of opposite slide is also prepared.

making individual pieces(top), filling the mould(bottom)

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The legs of the bird are prepared from cotton, GI wire and thread. Four equally cut Gi wire is twisted together with it’s ends being left out. The twisted GI wire also holds the entire figure only because of the light weight. The ends are bend to make the feet and rest of the part is covered by cotton. It is tied together with a thread and a coating of given. It is then placed in the mould.

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Fixing the legs

The tail end is filled with remaining mould after the cast is joined. the bottom part of the tail is shaped according to the birds dimensions. The details are still left out in the bottom tail section.

After attaching legs, both moulds are joined and left to dry for 2-3 hours. This time is again utilized for completing other moulds.

Set mould(top), removal from the mould(bottom)

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The cast is opened using bare-hands. In fine edges and gaps, the artisans use small blades to slowly tip the piece from the mould. The mould is always opened upside down. The leg portion is opened first, as it is more easier according to the cast shape and how it is held. The dried mould will always have the joining area extruding the mould.It is filed and smoothed. Then the model goes for a quality check by the artisan as he observes it from all sides for anomalies. Then it is refined to the desired shape before colouring.

Sawing the papier mâchÊ model

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The colours used to be made from lemon, turmeric, various sand and wood powder.

Now camlin poster colours are being used to paint the birds. For gloss in beaks and eyes, the artisans use clear coat varnish.

According to them, the prepared paint can be kept for a month without losing any quality.

Colouring the Model

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CREATING MOULD A Papier mâché mould must be

made before it is mass produced.

Basic features and protruding parts of the bird figure is made in mould. Rest is detailed by painting. The dimension is noted from the ornithology guide book; “The Indian book of birds”. Then each part is modelled by hand and detailed using smoothed wood chips and shaping tools. It is then put in plaster of paris and water mix. The clamps are placed to position the figure in plaster of paris mix. The mould after drying is cut in half and shaped. The Papier mâché model won’t stick to the modelled, so it can be pulled out.

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ARTISAN PROFILE TRILOK CHAND THAKUR

Born in April 20,1977; He is the lead-

er of Thakur family and guides 6 people developing papier mâché birds. He is son of Ramkumar Thakur who started making birds figurines.

He involved in the craft by helping his father during his school days.

Like his father he follows the references from salim ali’s ”Indian book of birds”. According to him, the proportion, detail and the material is what it makes the craft unique. The material composition was devised many times by him for the craft has been revised for making it lightweight and durable.

He is the only one who does detailing of the birds sculptures. Other craftsmen think that the effort and precision is too much to handle.

Trilok is confident that someone will soon take up detailing which would save him a lot of time. Though their room is full of chalk powder, there are no signs of fatigue. He is immersed in his work every day and his family helps him with the chores when the work is hectic. If the due date is near he and his team may work all night to finish the consignment.

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Lately he was awarded kala shri in “surajkund mela 2015” at Faridabad for his contributions in papier mâché.

The Thakurs have not expanded papier mâché to other products.

Though products like bowls, masks and animal figurines have been developed by other artisans in the country, trilok Thakur doubts the material strength and it’s weakness against water. He is sure that the bowls made of Papier mâché cannot hold material with moisture or water content.

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FAMILY The 39 year old artisan has one brother pankaj and 4 sisters, Ansuiya, Usha, Mohini and pushpa. His

another sister Gayathri died at an early age. His uncle is a retired water department employee and now spends his time helping trilok with his craft. His brother Pankaj does various local business.

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LIVING CONDITIONS Gola mandi is a busy market with lots of

temples; where belief is also peoples bread and butter. Opposite to shr.purushotham ji’’s temple, the thakur’s haveli is surrounded by 6 temples. Trilok thakur’s name is a synonym for sculpting deity statues and moulds. The workshop is a makeshift room on top of the house. Covered by a rattling roofing sheets, the workshop tightly packs 5 workers for a whole day.

The moulds are stacked unevenly and there is no catalogue system as it difficult to find a mould. The place is dusty because of the chalk powder. The water availability to the workshop is through the toilet adjacent to the workshop. The building also hosts lots of rats.

The family members stands as one when it comes to the papier mâché birds. Even children in neighbourhood helps out with the painting the birds.

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Gola Mandi

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MARKET Papier

mâché birds of Ujjain is known for it’s details and light weight. The birds are sold all over india through exhibitions. Majority of sales goes to haryana, Rejasthan, Gujrat and Delhi.

The basic 14 model in their current production costs Rs.150/according to the details and dinsions, the price can vary for speacial models. It is an interesting feature that the packaing material is taken from the raw material from which the product is made.

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VARIANTS Rajasthan Waste paper and clay mixed together produces a beautiful and ethnic looking pulp known as paper mache. Toys from paper mache are well made in Jaipur by the artists who craft animals and birds in an attractive blend of colours and artistic imaginatation. Artists at Palai in Tonk make beautiful paper mache furniture. Banasthali is known for its attractive multipurpose bowls. Paper mache has found a place in the commercial market and variety of products are made out of it and exported.

Orissa This craft is very well-known in Orissa and it is practiced very traditionally.

The artists pick up waste papers of all sorts, waste cloth and many other items. Firstly all the waste products are collected and put together in a very big drum for soaking. In the second step they are mashed together with the process of crushing and beating. The mediums used for longevity and durability are variety of seeds and gums to safeguard the pulp from termites. The artists use special clays and bio-wastes for strengthening the articles.

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papier mâchÊ birds of Jaipur(top) and the craftsman Raju Singh(bottom)

Gujarat Figures of gods and goddesses, toys, animals, birds and other decorative items are crafted with the combination of plaster of paris and paper machie.Artists decorate the figures with paints and other decorative articles.Figures are made in many different sizes and colours. Banaskantha , Junagadh, Rajkot and Rajkot and Ahemdabad are the famous stations.

Delhi Papier mache is a highly evolved craft of Delhi producing decorative utility items like pen stands, paper weights, envelope boxes, and jewellery boxes. Made out of waste paper and clay, the big containers, decorated with pieces of glass, paint, and relief work, are light and lasting Jammu and Kashmir Paper mache is one of the most beautiful handicrafts of Kashmir. The construction of paper mache products has two essential processes which involves making of the object and cleaning of forest pine Kaylier (one of the pine variety). It is believed that the craft has traveled from Iran to Kashsmir and was introduced by King Zainul Abidin. Iranian name of the craft is Kari Qalamdane which means a pen stand. There are a variety of items prepared by the craftsmen of Kashmir which have beautiful designs and colours and include pen stands, coasters, jewellery boxes, flower vases, lamp shades, trays, photo frames and decorative bowls�;� all of which have demand out side the country too. Some of the items have pure silver or gold dust sprinkled onto them to increase their beauty.

Traditionally, wood based paper mache is coated with a skinny stratum of stretched sheep skin which is well fitted for colouring pigments. The objects generally have dark background and suitable colours are black, green, blue and white. Designing on these objects requires skilled hands as the designing is very intricate.

West Bengal The artist of the Shantiniketan, Bolpur pioneered the papier mache craft and over the years there are a number of artisans who are practicing this art form. Most of them reside in and around Calcutta, the capital of West Bengal and have taken it very seriously as a means of livelihood. Diary covers, pots and statues are also made apart from dolls and masks. The papier mache craft provides the artisans a good scope to exhibit their creativity resulting in beautiful designs and so this craft has found a good acceptance in the market. The papier mache craft is not a traditional to West Bengal.

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STORIES The Hairpin Love Story In the streets of ujjain, the wooden hair pin is more than a utility. It has transformed into a thoughtful gift.

The younger generation used to propose girls with the kangi mohalla hair pins. The man gifts the hair pin with the proposal. If the girl puts it in her hair, she accepts the proposal.

Many love stories bloomed in the heart of ujjain with wooden hair pins from kangi mohalla. It has elevated the status of a daily use product to a symbol of love.

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STORIES The Gwalior Gem Story The papier mache origins started from the royal fort of gwalior. The great great grandfather of the Trilok thakur was a royal artist in King’s palace. Plaster of paris was his medium of choice. The motimahal of gwalior was decorated with precious stones and jewels. It was a proud possession of the maharaja.

Once the viceroy of india came for a visit. The king welcomed him with open arms. During the visit the viceroy’s eye set on a particular stone. He asked for the stone. The king could not refuse. He gave it to the viceroy with a heavy heart.

The very next day, king ordered the gems to be imitated and the Thakur’s ancestor made the stones in Plaster of paris. It was said to be so flawless that king had all the jewels replaced with imitations, so he can rest with ease.

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THE TEAM The

streets of Dhani ghat knows two stubborn men who devoted their life to their craft. It is more than their bread and butter. This attitude started their friendship beyond communities. Now Thakur and banjara goes to craft exhibitions together. The birds are great inspiration to both the artisans.

With an ever flowing enthusiasm and willpower they continue their craft with utmost dedication. What they seek is people who is willing to take their mantle and spread the knowledge to other people. Their experience taught them to think beyond the communities and look beyond. The craft is something that can stay over generations.

Chaganlal banjara and Trilok Takur conversing with the wooden craftsman near gopal mandir

Both chagan lal and trilok admits that interested and dedicated people are hard to come by. If training is only for the sake of employment, the people will not take it up as the skill spent may not equal the wage they get.

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REFERENCES •

“Handmade in India”, M P Ranjan, Aditi Ranjan, 2007

•

” The Book of Indian Birds”, Salim ali, 12th revised and centenary edition

• http://ujjain.nic.in/ • http://www.ujjaindarshan.com/ • http://www.mptourism.com/ •

http://www.banjarazone.com/

• https://en.wikipedia.org/ • http://www.evaidyaji.com/Ayurvedic/Ayurvedic%20Herbs/Vijayasara •

http://gaatha.com/

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