JOURNAL ARCHIVE 

Hand spinning is an ancient technique and it is considered that it started in India. The craft form initially used the hand spindle or drop spindle technique to spin the natural fibres. The equipment like Doshi Charkha (traditional big wheel charkha) or other Kisan Charkha or Peti Charkha (Box Charkha) came into existence later. It was a wide spread practice in Indian villages to hand spin the local fibres like wool and cotton using Charkhas. Each region of state of India has their unique Charkhas.

Khamir’s tryst with hand spinning started with Kala cotton initiative. In 2007, after completing weaver solo exhibitions at New Delhi, we conceived the entire concept and started organising it, the hand spinning on Ambar Chakha was inherent part of the concept. As there were no Ambar spinners available in Kutch, we approached Udyog Bharti, a Khadi organisation based in Gondal city of Saurashtra to help us. They dedicated one of their group of spinners for the process. As payment of Khadi was decided on counts and Kala cotton was a coarse fibre with possibility of thicker count of 20s or less than it, the payment was lower than other Khadi counts of 30s and 40s. Also, there was a lot of struggle on the part of weavers to organise the weaving. We also provided continuous feedback to the hand spinners, which we receive from the weavers. The team members of Udhyog Bharti were kind enough to hold the spinning for almost two years, after that they told us to organise it elsewhere. We started looking back in Kutch and approached the Khadi organisations here. As it didn’t work out through Khadi organisations, we took the work in our hands to organise Ambar spinning on our own. We identified hand spinners in Tara Majal village, who own Ambar Charkhas and were not associated with any Khadi organisation. We started working with a group of 7 women there. The first task was to upgrade the Ambar Charkhas as many were not in working condition.

A hand spinner from Arikhana village, one of the hand spinners joined hand spinning recently (Photo courtesy: Fumie) (24th January, 2023)

We were in search of a technical person and the spinning women gave us a name of Mansangbhai, who was working with a Khadi organisation at that time. We searched for Mansangbhai and located him in Bhuj where he was working as a gate keeper of an ATM. We requested him to allocate some of his time for the hand spinning initiative. Mansangbhai helped us to improve the conditions of Ambar charkha and also organised the registration of the hand spinners in 2015-16. His continuous engagement helped to increase output and earnings of Ambar spinners. We expanded the hand spinning with Mr. Bimal Bhati joining the team in July, 2017. Bimal having a degree in textile technology, was working with production department at Welspun industries in Anjar before shifting to Khamir. He worked with wool spinners in Khamir. His technical understanding helped to organise wool spinning. He joined cotton spinning work as a coordinator. His sustained interest and inputs helped us to spread our work to nearby villages. The request mostly came from the existing spinners of Manjal, who wanted us to give hand spinning work to their relatives living in nearby villages. We spread to Sanosara and Nana Nandra villages. In parallel, the processing of Kala cotton was organised in form of a cotton mill located in Paddhar village. That helped us to organise the supply of rovings and carded cotton locally.

A hand spinner from Arikhana village, one of the hand spinners joined hand spinning recently (Photo courtesy: Fumie) (24th January, 2023)

In an internal review of Kala cotton initiative in 2018-2019, Archana Shah, founder of Bandhej, suggested to Khamir to promote pure hand spinning. We didn’t put conscious efforts in that direction, but when we tried, the journey of hand spinning took an easy turn from Ambar charkha to single needle Peti charkha (Box Charkha). Bimal met few women who were familiar with the Box Charkha spinning and having small instrument with them too. He gave them raw cotton and asked them to prepare the yarn. Thus, the first samples were prepared. The hand spinning on Box charkha was a slow production process, but it helped to revive the hand spinning skills and generates a lot of livelihoods by giving work to more women.

A hand spinner from Arikhana village, one of the hand spinners joined hand spinning recently (Photo courtesy: Fumie) (24th January, 2023)

The journey with hand spinning started towards beginning of 2019 on Peti charkha with three spinners in Nandra village, Abdasa block of west Kachchh. This revival of hand spinning technique which was lost or stopped before the earthquake has come alive after almost 3 decades. We needed to organise the carded cotton from the mill in form of Puni. This was procured easily from the Paddhar spinning mill which was set-up by two local entrepreneurs after they noticed the potential of kala cotton for the region.

Hand Spinners from Mota Nandra village, one of the first hand spinners of Kala cotton with Peti charkha

The number of hand spinners slowly and steadily increased. We did a training with Nagendra Poludas Satish of Kora design. The training helped us to understand the count based hand spinning system. We introduced the same on the ground and transferred the current weight based payment system to count based payment system. This new system helped us to rationalise wages as well as organise the yarn properly for weavers. The spinners were introduced to the entire weaving system so that they could understood the importance of counting system.

Lady Bamford Foundation, Jaipur sanctioned a training support grant to hand spinners. We enrolled 30 new spinners under the support and expanded our work to Moti Vamoti village and organised a training of spinners from the village. The Covid pandemic started in the middle of the training and soon we understood that it is very important to provide continuous work to hand spinners at their homes during the pandemic like situation.

We organised an online fund raising campaign called “Kantai Se Kamai” to include more hand spinners during Covid. The campaign received tremendous support. One of our well-wisher put us in touch with Mr. Vikram Lal of Lal family foundation. He liked the idea and immediately sanctioned the support. This gave a new boost to our ground efforts and number of women doing hand spinning doubled to 80 in a short period of time. We increased the work intake during the peak of Covid waves to ease the income, livelihoods related issues. We also introduced a yearly bonus system. This system was introduced to increase the income of spinners and recognise and encourage those who are doing good work.

A grand mother and grand dauther with the book “Craft future”, which has their combine photo on the cover. At the event in Bhuj haat (8th October, 2021)

We continued our efforts after Covid pandemic. We started celebrations and encouraged coming together of hand spinners. Post Covid pandemic, one such program was organised at Bhuj Haat, where large number of hand spinners joined together for the first time. Archana ben Shah wrote a book titled “Crafting future” and a hand spinner grandmother and daughter received a space on the cover page of that book. We celebrated that achievement in presence of same grandmother and daughter at the event. It was one of the rare recognitions received.

Hand spinners spinning together during Ratia Baras celebrations on 21st September, 2022 at Khamir

We initiated the celebration of Retia Baras, a birthday of Gandhi ji according to Indian calendar with spinners on 22^nd September, 2022. We invite spinners across all the villages to Khamir campus and they spin together. In last such celebration, we invited hand spinners of Rajasthan associated with Nila House. It was a unique get together and celebrations of hand spinners working and living in distinct regions.

The number of hand spinners actively working with us are 125 and Ambar spinners are 15. We wish to create a unique model to demonstrate that hand spinning is a relevant idea in present times.

Hansaba, A Kala cotton spinner speaking at the event in Bhuj haat (8th October, 2021)

Khamir’s main objective to encourage the hand spinning as part of Kala cotton is to revive hand spinning skill and provide sustainable income to women based in villages. The women living in villages has limited work options. Moreover, we work with the women of Darbar communities who do not venture out of their home to earn livelihoods. The hand spinning is not a full time livelihood and women can do it at their own pace and free time once they complete their house hold work. The average income is somewhere between 1500 to 3000 based on amount of work done and yarn count. We also provide them yearly bonus of 10 to 15 % according to the scale of work done by them.

The initiative has opened up many possibilities of connecting hand spinning with handloom weaving. The initiative is generating interest among young spinners and weavers. Many young girls are spinning at home in their free time. The hand spinning is also part of Khamir’s craft curriculum initiative.

By Design: Sustaining Culture in Local Environments

Issue #004, Winter, 2020                                                                            ISSN: 2581- 9410

Agriculture

Commerce & Industry

Culture

Development of the Northeast Region

Environment, Forests and Climate Change

Dept of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance

Health & Family Welfare

Dept of J&K Affairs

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

Human Resource Development

Labour & Employment

Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (which oversees the Khadi & Village Industries Commission)

Minority Affairs

Rural Development

Skill Development & Entrepreneurship

Social Justice & Empowerment

Statistics &Programme Implementation

Textiles (given nodal responsibilities yet not in charge of khadi, while the bulk of Indian crafts are non-textile)

Tourism

Tribal Affairs

Women & Child Development

• Second, that they contribute a crucial component to India’s nationalist project of identifying and protecting its national heritage.
• Third, while the protection and sustenance of the artisan has a cultural justification as representative of national heritage, it is nevertheless its economic component that gives it such visibility, informing the most ambitious and difficult aspect of national development: the agenda of agrarian reform
• Fourth, that the administrative elements of culture that arise from such imperatives therefore most directly impact the field of education, so that the Department of Culture, from the inception of Independence, is located in the Ministry of Education (until 1985, when it was shifted into the newly formed Ministry of Human Resource Development)
• And five, perhaps most daringly, the founding documents would claim that the nationalist programme presents no contradiction – indeed, a synergy – between the support and development of artisanal practices on the one hand and the stated nationalist goals of industrialism and the emphasis on science and technology on the other”.

The heritage that still dwindles, A respect - new found… The deft use of the hand and the loom, To ink the yards of the weave…

If you have not heard of Waraseoni you would probably miss it on the map or even while pottering around in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Its a small town in the Balaghat district with a population of 24,757 comprising of 50% of male and 50% female population with maximum literacy rate(as per Indian census 2011).

COTTON SARIS OF WARSEONI

INTRODUCTION TO ARTISANAL PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

• The transition from making traditional craft to producing items marketable in the West is a challenge for artisans. It is also something they are keen to do, especially when they are treated fairly and with respect for their traditions.
• Thousands of poor artisans make products designed by large companies or smaller import businesses for sale in the West. Many designers and the companies they work for are not interested in the local culture or economic situation of the artisans. Frequently artisans are paid very low wages, they are asked to produce items that have little or no cultural relevance and craft production is discontinued when a market trend changes or the company leaves or goes out of business.
• Many large companies are only interested in the bottom line. They ignore what artisans traditionally do and ask them to make different kinds of products. Unfortunately, artisans often don’t question this practice or realize it is not good for them to abandon their traditions just to please the big companies. As a consequence artisans don’t recognize the skills and abilities they have and they think that people in the West would not appreciate the quality of what they do or value their tradition.
• Artisans in rural areas of less developed countries are often poor agriculturalists, who make craft to supplement their incomes. Women especially do craft to raise money to support their families. Many depend on craft for their survival.
• Those artisans are just hanging by the thread they weave. They would be in serious trouble if they couldn’t make something to sell.
• Artisans are proud to make products that have a basis in their cultural tradition, but they cannot always find people to buy what they make. If craftwork doesn’t put food on the table they are not going to continue. Having a market would mean that artisans will continue to make products and young people will continue to learn the skills because they can make a living by doing this. If people don’t abandon their craft skills then the art in the community won’t die away.
• It is very difficult for artisans to make the transition from doing a local craft in a traditional technique to making a product that is marketable in today’s economy. Artisans, especially in rural areas have little exposure to Western lifestyles, contemporary fashions or trends. It is hard for them to know how to apply their artistic skills, techniques or specific materials to make something that is desirable by consumers and at the same time is something they want to do.
• The craft bridge between generations is not that strong; it is very hard for young people to look forward to making a living through craft. The economic incentive is not very good. But the cultural incentive may be stronger.

• Some just want a job. Others want work that respects what they do. Some want to do what they’ve done for years and not change. Others love to change. They love new ideas and learning about what’s in fashion in the U.S., Europe or Canada. This spurs them on to become creative themselves. Others become indignant; they want to make what people in their culture have made for centuries. These artisans want their work respected for its heritage and exhibited in Western galleries; anything less than this they see as cultural imperialism.
• Artisans want to know what is selling. By learning to make something that will sell better artisans know they can earn money. They are also aware of market realities because they hear what people say as they come and go through their region. They take it all in. They know marketing catchwords, such as “no child labour”. These people from less developed countries are savvy and intelligent and eager to learn and become a part of the European, Australian and North American marketplace.
• When artisans are able to make and sell their handmade products, when they receive consistent orders for their work, there is a beneficial impact on their livelihoods.
• Particularly when the money earned goes into the women’s hands the lives of the whole community are often improved. For example, drinking water is available, homes get floors and roofs, children can stay healthy, go to school, and have school uniforms and textbooks.

• Start by looking for the unique raw materials that can be given added value. Examine the culture and specific handmade abilities of the artisan groups. Study market trends for product colours, shapes and sizes. Try to determine how to “tweak” what the artisans already do in order to produce something more mainstream, something that fits with the trends and achieves a quality standard for international markets, but is still a beautiful unique handmade piece. Look for market niches that may buy the craft produced by these artisans. Think about how to get artisans what they need so they can make things in a respectful manner that incorporates their traditions of working with their hands but also allows them to make products that will be successful and bring orders.
• Take what artisans are currently doing, whatever skill or product they are capable of and then broaden their scope and try to come up with something interesting. The idea is not to teach new skills and change what they already do, but to maintain a strong connection to the artisan tradition. Bring catalogues and show pictures to spark inspiration and ideas. Without this visual information, artisans do not know how people in the West live, and how, for example, they use textiles as decoration. A designer can help the artisan make a traditional fabric into a throw, woven in new dimensions and given a new name but using familiar skills.
• Product development is part science, part art. Look at the products artisans currently make, the techniques they use, and the materials and tools they have readily available. Pull from that what they might be able to make that would be highly marketable, given your understanding of the U.S., European and global markets. Look at the market: What’s popular? What might be going out of style? What might be a new interesting product? Where the trends are going? And try to marry those two aspects.
• Village craftspeople produce beautiful things for everyday use. Look at what they already make for themselves and the children. Do not change the traditional work but use their difference and sense of style as an asset. See if their work needs some small adjustments to make it appropriate for a North American market. Market demand and consumer choice is huge. So it is very important to look at all the magazines and catalogues and see what is hot and which direction the market is headed. Then communicate with the artisans by showing pictures from magazines and catalogues. Artisans are aware of what is marketable and very willing and enthusiastic about making small changes to sell more products.
• Product development is an intuitive process. It is a combination of what you think you can do, what you know the artisans can do and what you know is going to sell. Work with the visual sensibility they already have or you help them nurture. Pull from their own culture because they are the best at doing that. The trick is to make these things also very attractive to Western eyes – if that’s the market they are going for. If you don’t do that you are producing something that can be copied by Vietnam or China or whichever country is being exploited by the bigger system in order to get cheaper prices

1. High quality museum, art gallery or one-of-a-kind pieces
2. Museum gift shop or art gallery pieces that are ethnographic but not fine art quality
3. Handmade traditional objects that are replicas of museum pieces, made in quantity by a variety of artisans. These objects are not unique to an artisan but something a whole village might make in a similar quality or style based on old traditions.
4. Items made for tourists
5. Icons, made by traditional techniques, but innovative, different from traditional ones
6. Things made by hand, respecting techniques and abilities of artisans but having little to do with the particular culture. Example: hand spinning and knitting a wool sweater, which has daisies or a Scandinavian design. Although the design has nothing to do with them, spinning, dying and knitting is in the tradition of the people, and the sweater sells.

7. 7. What Changes and Doesn’t Change

1. FOCUS ON THE MARKETPLACE

1. 1. Business Perspective

2. 2. Constraints for Artisans

3. 3. What Marketplace?

4. 4. Product Development in the Context of Alternative Trade and Ethical Business

5. 5. Consumer Awareness

• Diversity of culture is a phenomenon for people in the West to appreciate.
• These products come from rich traditions, which make our lives richer by knowing about them.
• Handmade products are better in terms of craftsmanship or a spiritual or cultural message.
• Something an artisan makes by hand is much more than the product itself; each textile contains vision and heartache and hope.
• Buying a product helps someone feed their family.
• Artisanal handmade products are soulful, not mad mindless consumption, or exploitative, made at the cheapest price just to get a product in the marketplace.
• When they buy these products, they contribute to the overall health of the globe because they are helping artisans keep their cottage industry lifestyle

• Consultants contribute to increasing consumer awareness by sharing their experiences through writing and images. They can write articles, get interviews in trade magazines and give public talks.
• It is too complex to develop a good housekeeping seal of approval for artisan products, like the European label for fair trade coffee or products. But product labeling is important to inform consumers about what they are supporting through their purchases.
• Information hang tags to accompany every product can tell the story behind the product, which may appeal to consumers’ social conscience and touch something in their lives. When they read the story, they may want to support an initiative, such as, a particular woman’s group.
• Information to be supplied with every order sent out can include: where the handmade product is from, who made it, what traditional culture it is based on, what are the materials, and where the buyer can get more information.
• Consumers want a little but not too much information. There was an idea to use a point of purchase bar code label so the customer could go to an in-store computer and find information on the village where the product comes from. But most customers did not have time to do that.
• Bring the stories into the media, including radio and TV, such as the History and Discovery channels.

6. 6. Responsible Development and Cultural Property Rights

1. Show artisans the value of their traditional knowledge and skills, even if they have forgotten what used to be made, or what kinds of designs were done in the past. In each context, there are many reasons why cultural knowledge and skills have been lost, neglected or distorted.
2. Be responsive to what skills and traditions people have, draw from their knowledge, experience and cultural traditions, derive from how people work and then build on that. Ask people questions and help to further their thinking and experiences.
3. Give a framework for helping people think about what to create in order for things to be marketable. Set limits in terms of marketplace constraints. The intention is not to dictate but to see what will or will not likely be successful.

1. ELEMENTS OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

1. 1. Basic Requirements

1. Foundational knowledge and skill. A technical level has to be reached, such as, knowledge of fibres and dyes, before talking about designing a product. For example: a weaver might have taken ten hours to produce a wonderful ikat dyed and woven scarf, but after one washing the intricacy of the pattern is completely gone, because the dyes were not colourfast.
2. Materials bank. The lack of high quality and consistent supply of raw materials is often a problem. Artisans need good quality raw materials. For example: before beginning to design products, replace cheap yarns with good quality cotton, silk or wool and obtain good quality natural dyes and low impact chemical/synthetic dyes that are already measured out, since most people cannot achieve the exactitude of measuring that is required.
3. Resource library or design bank. Artisans need to be able to see images of their own cultural heritage and cultural property, such as, many examples of traditional textiles that people can refer to in creating new work. Access is important to a good library with magazines and books, or an on-line image library, which AEN wants to develop. Visual stimulation for product development could be provided through design centers around the world. As an example, under their Ministry of Trade, the Design Center of the Philippines has produced excellent catalogues of their tribal images and a record of product development work that has been done.

2. 2. Quality Control

3. 3. Business Skills

4. 4. Costing and Pricing

5. 5. Local Market Options

6. 6. Market Layers

7. 7. Merchandising

8. 8. International Market Trends

9. 9. International Market Exposure

10. 10. Trade Links

1. 10i. Communication in the Chain of Distribution

1. CONTRADICTIONS IN PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

1. 1. Quality and Consistency Standards

2. 2. Safety and Environmental Hazards of Dyeing

3. 3. Impact on Artisan Lifestyle

• A consultant who sees her role in encouraging a healthy cottage industry lifestyle, says that product development must not significantly change people’s work in terms of the demand on their time. Many artisan groups cannot fill a large order even if they get one from a big company. And the pressure to fill large orders can go against the way people view their work. Trying to be helpful, a consultant suggested to Laotian weavers that they could lower their price when they get a large order. The answers she received made her realize how far removed Western society is from a cottage industry lifestyle. After much loud discussion, the weavers responded that larger orders would mean more work for them and less time with their families and less time for other chores and relaxation. The larger orders would bring added stress and they should be paid more not less.
• A consultant worked with artisans in Central Asia to develop a product line in a limited amount of time. In the process she confronted questions about whether she was imposing her own work ethic on the

4. 4. Values and What is Appropriate

• A consultant with a critical view of Western consumer culture has been surprised to learn that the artisans see things a different way. For example: a teddy bear manufacturer was interested in dolls clothes produced by an Armenian coop at the NYIGF. The designer was shocked by the contradiction that in Armenia people can’t afford to put sweaters on their children while in America they are dressing up teddy bears. The Armenian coop director said, God Bless America because if they didn’t buy this we wouldn’t be able to feed our children. She realized that she criticizes her own culture for its frivolousness and consumerism but then experiences with artisans turn her head around 360 degrees. In a relatively well-off and free society people have their coffee shop conversations and philosophize quite intelligently about all kinds of things but in the end it comes down to the human level of crisis management and needs of people. So she tempers her beliefs and values and thinks about how much of her views she can apply situation-by-situation, country-by-country and even year-by-year. When governments are unstable and shifting everything can change. Interacting with artisans brings a very valuable perspective. On this level this work does a lot of good.

1. QUESTIONS OF CONTINUITY

2. 2. Continuity of Market Relations

1. 2i. Examples

4. 4. Preparing a New Generation of Product Designers

6. 6. Ensuring Opportunities for Designers to Continue Working

The Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown has severely affected the handloom sector, which was already reeling under the impact of demonetisation and GST. For centuries, the handloom weaver has continued to work from home, offering the world the choice of a conscious living, which is sustainable, local and green. These weavers offer me the hope and the conviction to carry on my journey in the handmade sector

A design by Vriksh. Photos courtesy of Vriksh

Recently, I finally finished revamping our website vrikshdesigns.com, designing a new look with an e-commerce integration. While summarising a decade of my work into the new website and sifting through hundreds of photographs and videos with long hours of Google hangout calls and Zoom meets with my studio team — the process kept taking me back into the memory lanes of weaving-villages where I work, some of them from my early years in Odisha. Once every two months, I visit Odisha to meet with my team of handloom weavers. Over many rounds of tea, our conversations traverse across topics around work, inspirations for new design collections, family, politics, travel and life. Odisha is a goldmine of textiles and it may take a lifetime to discover all the hidden treasures in handlooms. Even today, almost each and every district in Odisha offers exquisite and unique textiles from fine tussar silks of the coastal belt, curvilinear ikats from the west, tribal weaves and natural dyes of the south. One can never get enough of it! In design studio Vriksh, I work with handloom weavers who are masters of their art, offering new innovations to the traditional designs while retaining the cultural significance associated with this living tradition.

I recently returned home after attending a short course on South East Asian Textiles at the Victoria and Albert museum in London. It was an extension of my ongoing research on Vriksh’s new collection “Bali Jatra”, launched early this year. The collection is a reliving of the popular festival Bali Jatra or Boita Bandhana celebrated every year in Odisha, commemorating the historic textile trade between India and the South-East Asia. An unseen combination of Odisha’s curvilinear ikats with subtle hints of Andhra’s chintz motifs, Indonesia’s spiralling temple layout, Laos’s extra weft patterns and Thailand’s colour palette. The collection offers a contemporary twist born out of this beautiful cultural exchange reflecting distinct characteristics from every region. It is an explosive amalgamation of various design vocabularies combined with innovative ideas, using the famous Ikat and Jala techniques of Odisha in handwoven silk saris.

The handloom sector, while being the second largest employment source after agriculture in India, also provides us with a unique social and cultural identity.

On my return, I was looking forward to visiting Odisha and meeting weavers to share stories of my UK visit. The sudden call for a nation-wide lockdown meant that I had to wait till the situation was under control. When the pandemic hit India and a nation-wide lockdown was enforced, like many, I, too, was clueless about how the situation would pan out. During these uncertain times, my art has been my best tool of communication during physical distancing. The meaning of design organically took new directions, it expanded beyond textile art. I wanted to extend support to the weavers beyond helping them meet their financial needs so I would call them regularly to know if they are keeping well and safe.

During a conversation with Ajaya, a highly skilled weaver, friend and a close associate of Vriksh, he said, “Last year, my friend left for Surat in search of better earnings, but even now he continues to look for them. He tells me life is not easy there. Now he is stuck there with no food and money. I wish he comes back home safe and rejoins the loom.”

Incidentally, Ajaya had also returned from Surat a few years back for similar reasons. He adds, “The migrant labourers in cities have faced the biggest challenge during the lockdown. In this new normal, wouldn’t choosing local hand-made processes like hand-weaving in villages help limit migration to urban cities?”

'We are lucky that this local practice of making clothes is a continuous living tradition which hasn’t died.'

The handloom sector, while being the second largest employment source after agriculture in India, also provides us with a unique social and cultural identity. The entire process of weaving a handwoven cloth is a coming together of people, each with their own skill sets and women form an important part of this entire process. But it needs urgent attention of the government as well as the conscious consumer to strengthen it.

The last few years were already challenging, dealing with blows of demonetisation, then GST and now the COVID-19 pandemic has further crippled this industry. Orders have been cancelled, there is a blocked inventory of stock that artisans and designers are unable to sell due to market collapse. This has led to exhaustion of running capital; shutting down of small enterprises and piling debt. Handloom weavers have the advantage of working from home but currently there is no raw material available to continue work. “After the lockdown, not just India but the world will change, and we all need to come together with creative ideas to make it safer,” says Mano bhai, an ikat weaver associated with Vriksh for more than ten years.

Lakshmi is a tussar silk weaver from Jajpur district who has a keen eye for detailing and loves to experiment. She says with a sense of pride, “I am not a machine. It takes me minimum a week to weave a sari and sometimes a month, and no two are ever the same. I prefer weaving quality over quantity giving each piece a unique identity.” India is the largest producer of handlooms and handicrafts in the world. Our handloom weavers and artisans have been preserving the knowledge, skills and wisdom of self-sufficiency.

Vriksh’s new collection “Bali Jatra” (top) was launched early this year. An artisan at work.

We are lucky that this local practice of making clothes is a continuous living tradition which hasn’t died. Today, when the world is leaning towards slow and sustainable fashion, India can be a leader in guiding the world. I realised that this is the perfect time to share these dialogues with people beyond the crafts community. In April, Vriksh rolled out a social media campaign titled #WeavingOurWayForward, aiming to reach out to urban audiences. The response was quick and people were eager to join hands.

Some of us craft designers and organisations came together as one voice and launched an awareness campaign #HandmadeInIndia, a first-time experiment to kick-start a social movement to generate awareness on how essential is handmade in our lives and why we urgently need to support the craft community for a greener future. It was an attempt to engage with the four key agencies — craftspeople, intermediaries (craft NGOs, designers), government and the market. The response was overwhelming. So far, #handmadeinindia poster has been translated in 22 regional languages and still counting. It has been shared not only in Indian villages and cities but across the globe.

The entire process of weaving a handwoven cloth is a coming together of people, each with their own skill sets and women form an important part of this entire process.

Many artisans, over social media, shared the poster with government officials, buyers, NGOs, designers and, of course, craftspeople in their community. Many consumers and new supporters were convinced of handmade and shared it on their social media. Craftspeople responded saying it has boosted their morale and confidence.

This campaign has helped build solidarity across states within the craftspeople and the craft community at large.

For centuries, the handloom weaver has continued to work from home, offering the world the choice of a conscious living which is sustainable, local and green. Vriksh has been collaborating with the weaver community by making this conscious lifestyle choice. The dialogues with weavers have given me hope and conviction to carry on my journey in the handmade sector.

First published: Jun 13, 2020 in  The Punch Magazine in their special issue on Art in the time of Pandemic, curated by critic, author and contributing editor Ina Puri

The persona of Hanuman, the Monkey God of Indian pantheon, is so charismatic that his images have continued to appear extensively through the ages in various media, be it as powerful son of the Wind God or the devoted servant of Lord Ram or with Narayan and so on. Artists and artisans have used a variety of media like terracotta, stone, bronze, ivory and wood for making diverse iconographic forms of Hanuman in innumerable temples across the country. In addition to sculptures and idols, Hanuman's popularity has reached almost every household in the form of paintings on paper, cloth, wood, papier mache, print version and even in embroidery form. With India's rich and vast embroidery traditions, it could be impossible for the Monkey God to not make an appearance in them. Since it is not possible to discuss Hanuman in all kinds of embroideries, the focus here is on the embroidered coverlets of western Himalayan region. Several embroidered coverlets of around 18th-19th centuries from this region show different forms of Hanuman, but here only three forms of the deity, as appear in the embroidered coverlets from the collection of National Museum (further NM), are the topic of discussion. Prior to getting into details, here follows a brief overview of Hanuman's mention or presence in Indian literature, plastic arts and Pahari embroidery tradition.

HANUMAN IN LITERARY AND PLASTIC ART FORMS

`Hanuman' or `Mahakapi' mentioned in the epics and Puranic literature might have come from `Vrsakapi', mentioned in the early Vedic literature. As several Vedic deities were accepted in the later period, so was Hanuman. The term Vrsakapi' represents a monkey with the strength of ‘Vrsa’ or 'bull' or 'huge monkey', because Vrsa stands for bull as well as for a creature of gigantic proportions. A Puranic text says that Nandi, who had the face of a monkey, was mocked by Ravana when he visited Mount Kailash. Nandi cursed him that monkeys would ultimately become the cause of his downfall. Hanuman is the only deity who has made a mark in both the epics: Ramayana and Mahabharata, besides references of Mahakapi in Buddhist and Jain literatures too. The courageous deeds of Hanuman are well- recorded in the Kishkindha and Sunder khands of Ramayana while Vanaparv of Mahabharata mentions that Hanuman obstructed the path of Bhim in order to subdue his pride. The poetry of poet-saint Tulasidas and other poets elaborates upon courageous deeds of Hanuman in later period. Perhaps, the political instability of post-Gupta period became the reason for Hanuman's popularity amongst the masses. The images of the son  of Wind God started appearing from the late Gupta period (around 8th-9th centuries) and early stone images have been found from central and northern India. The most common and popular images of Hanuman that are often found in Indian art number seven. In the first form, Hanuman appears as sankat mochan, holding a mountain. In the second form, He stands straight and holds a mace. In the third form, He holds a gada in the left hand and slaps himself from right hand. Hanuman standing/sitting with folded hands is the fourth form. In the fifth form, He is airborne with Ram and Lakshman on his shoulders and holds mace and lotus flower in His hands. The sixth form is where He is either Panchrnukhi or ekdeshmukhi. In the seventh form, He is in the preaching mudra. As the lore of Hanuman's heroics started pervading public psyche, the deity began to be perceived as the only saviour from all dangers and the bestower of boons to His worshippers. Such glorification inspired artists and artisans to create images of Hanuman in different media. That the depiction finds place even in the threads of embroidery indicates the great devotion with which the Pawan Putra finds acceptance amongst the masses.

EMBROIDERED RUMAL OR COVERLETS

The square mulmul (muslin) or cotton coverlet embroidered with colourful silken threads is variously termed as `Pahari rumal' or `Pahari coverlet' or 'coverlet of Punjab Hill states' or 'Western Himalayan region'. The tradition of embroidered coverlet was prevalent all over the region, but the way Chamba patronized and protected this traditional art earned it the name of `Chamba rumal. However, the tradition of embroidery was practiced in other centres of Himalayan region also. Among other important centres were: Nurpur, Kangra, Mandi, Kehlur (Bilaspur), Basholi, Jammu and adjacent areas of Punjab. The term rumal should not be looked here in the context of handkerchief only; rather as mentioned in literature, the word is loosely used for coverlet that is used for covering platter (plate) on religious and ceremonial occasions and for special types of traded fabrics. A number of Pahari miniature paintings (Chamba/Kangra/ Kullu style) often show thal (salver) of gifts covered with coverlets. The beautifully embroidered rumals were even offered as gifts by devotees to Goddess Lakshmi, in the temples of Chamba region. Besides religious pupose, the Chamba rumal found takers during wedding celebrations when the exchange of gifts between families of the bride and bridegroom took place. Apart from rumals, sometimes large wall hangings were also offered as gifts to guests in the house, village or state. One such rectangular wall hanging was gifted by Raja Gopal Singh (r. 1870-1873) to a British dignitary, probably Lord Mayo, Governor General of India, who visited Chamba state in 1871 Apart from wall hangings and coverlets, this style of embroidery work was also done on religious textile costumes and miscellaneous utility items. The most common objects in the religious category are the gomukh (‘L’ shaped prayer bag for keeping beaded string for chanting), throne cover and handkerchief. Headdress  patka(sash), choli (female's bodice) and handkerchief (for tying around head) were also decorated with this type of embroidery work. Assorted itemslike the chaupar spread, pillow cover, basket cover were also adorned with similar style of embroidery as was done on coverlets.

Generally square in shape, coverlets have also been found in rectangular and circular shapes. Usually these were embroidered on white mulmul or cotton fabric but sometimes red-coloured rumal was also used. Un-twisted colourful silk threads (pattu) were used for doing embroidery work besides metal thread (silver thread) and tiny mirrors were also used, especially in the early works. Silk threads required for embroidery were sourced from the local market or the markets of Sialkot, (now in Pakistan) Amritsar and Ludhiana Punjab). The 'double satin stitch' or `Kashmir’ do- rukha' (double-sided) technique were the most favorite stitches found on coverlets. However, single satin stitch dam stitch, cross stitch, buttonhole stitch and chain stitch were also used for embroidering the coverlets. Generally, lines or borders on these cover drawn in black or maroon colour. This is evident in examples where embroidery threads have aged and only outlines remain. Skilled women of the region used to do these reversible embroideries that required great precision and deft handling. Often, such fine works of embroidery give the impression of paintings done on cloth.

NM COLLECTION OF PAHARI COVERLETS

The NM has a good collection of Pahari coverlet out of which three depict Hanuman in different forms in the first one, He is seen as Rama-sevaka, standing reverentially in front of Rama-Sita. In the second coverlet, He stands in front of Lakshmi Narayana and holds a fruit bowl. The Sankatmochan form is the subject of third one where He is shown in a swift move. The Line drawings of all the three coverlets is of good quality, although the size of figures is different in each one. The most proportionate figures are in the first one and in the second one the figures are large while in the use of third one the figures are the largest. The main theme has been composed within floral borders in all the three coverlets with little variation. In the first coverlet, the main theme is composed within a square frame in the centre and the second coverlet shows an oval border frame and the third one has minimal border and that too is only on three sides. On white cotton base these square rumals are embroidered with colourful floss silk threads, while metal threads are evident in two coverlets. The main stitch used in all the three is satin and long-short and other stitches are chain, running etc. Hanuman is shown wearing a lower garment, patka and crown/cap. He wears striped lower garment in first two coverlets, while in the third case the lower garment is plain. In all the coverlets, the patka is tied around Hanuman's waist and a small portion of end panels hangs in front. In the case of second coverlet, Hanuman wears an additional patka, a cross shoulder while in the third case, the additional patka hangs around the neck, where its both ends fall in the front. He wears a Kangra-style crown in the first two, while a conical cap with a rumal is tied around in the third coverlet.

Hanuman as sevak (dedicated servant to Lord Rama) is theme of the first coverlet depicting garden setting, where He stands in front of an enthroned Rama and Sita (Plate no-1). With folded hands, He is shown in slightly bent posture. A chauri-bearer (flying whisk holder) stands behind the throne. A pair of peacock and chinar trees make the garden setting appear very lively. Lord Rama is prominently depicted in blue (face, hands and legs). Crowned and armed with bow and arrow, He is sitting on a square throne. Rama's sitting posture on the throne, like a Raja (king), signifies His concern for sentient beings, a desire to be pro-active and an intention to engage in acts of compassion and liberation. The throne has a chhatra (umbrella) and a small stool is also placed nearby. Rama is dressed in brilliant red jama and a yellow patka, like a king of the region. The embroiderer has successfully created three-dimensional effect by using a pale-coloured seat and contrast yellow colour edge and red legs while stitching the throne. Sita, dressed in yellow lehanga and choli is sitting behind Rama. The chauri- bearer is dressed in attire similar to his Lord's but the colours are pale. Abundant use of silver metal thread is evident on the costumes of Rama-Sita, Hanuman and the chauri- bearer. Stylised Chinar trees in pale green, yellow and deep blue have been designed in a beautiful manner. Peacocks facing the Lord have been done in red, maroon, shades of green, yellow, white and blue that have come out well with small satin stitch on fine muslin. The black line drawing is visible though embroidered threads have worn out at places. Similar subject has been and wood from Chamba/Kangra school.

With little variation to earlier depiction, the second coverlet shows Hanuman offering a bowl of fruit to Lakshmii-Narayana (Plate no-2). Here, Lakshmi is sitting on the lap of Narayan and both of them arfound in Pahari paintings on wall, paper, e resting on the lotus flower seat, which has a long stem and is growing out of a pond. The chauri-bearer stands cross-legged behind the deity. Apart from figures, the remaining space has been filled with a Chinar tree in pale green  and deep blue and flower butas, which are bigger in proportion than the Chinar tree. The two armed  Narayan is draped in pitambar (yellow dhoti) and patka, worn like angavastram. The crown of Narayana has decoration of three lotus flowers, as illustrated in typical Guler/Chamba paintings. Lakshmi dressed in lehnga (orangish yellow and blue) choli (golden yellow) and odhani (blue with orangish border), is seated in anjali mudra (folded hands). The couple is seated on a pale rust seat covering. The white petals of lotus flower have an orangish stem and it rises out of a white pond with green border. Many lotus buds are also shown in the pond. Hanuman, in yellow with white face, holds a bowl full of fruits or lotus flowers. The Chauri- bearer standing behind the deities is dressed in yellow and organish dhoti and a pale green angavastram holds a handkerchief and the chauri. Narayana, Hanuman and the attendant wear angavastram cross style and the use of different shades of threads provides proper depth to the garments. Illustration of jewellery and good Line work in black colour has been done on the loosely woven base fabric. The floss silk thread has been embroidered in such a manner that it creates a wavy effect. The figures are unusually larger in size in comparison to the usual figure work of Pahari coverlets.

Another coverlet that illustrates similar composition with little variations is in the collection of Prague museum, Czechoslovakia. This square coverlet shows a two-armed Krishna, holding flute and lotus flower, standing with Radha on a lotus flower, which is coming out of a pond. Narad, the son of Brahma, holds a veena and stands in front of the couple with folded hands. Two gopis with a vessel and chauri and a gopa are also standing nearby. A lotus flower creeper border is all around. The remaining space in the centre has been filled with flower butas, small Chinar trees and a pair of birds. Use of limited coloured thread on the white muslin base makes this coverlet an important work of art. The use of lotus pedestal, which is coming out of the lotus pond, has also been used for other Hindu divinities in the 18th century art works. Ganesha, Krishna or other deities stand on lotus in Rajasthani miniature paintings of 18th century. It seems likely that the embroiderer had taken inspiration from miniature paintings or vice-versa.

The subject of third coverlet is rare and unusual. A two-armed Hanuman stands on corpses and is surrounded with gods and goddesses (Plate no-3). He holds the mace in one hand while the second hand is in the position of holding a mountain in movement posture and both of his feet are placed on male corpses. Ram and Krishna are around Hanuman and three Goddesses are seated on the upper register. Both deities are crowned: Ram in blue holds a lotus flower while Krishna in pitambara-orange patka holds the flute. Their interesting posture is of gazing at Hanuman, who is in the centre. Another important feature of this coverlet is the illustration of three Goddesses: Lakshmi, Parvati and Brahmani on the upper register. All the Goddesses are four-armed and hold the usual attributes and are astride their vehicles. Brahmani and Lakshmi are astride swan and Garuda while Parvati sits on lion skin and a bull is sitting nearby. Parvati, in the centre, has two heads and Brahmani is multi-headed. Since the upper portion of the coverlet is without border, maybe it's a portion of a bigger coverlet/ hanging. The peacock and flower butas are embroidered in the centre space, besides the figures. The soft subdued colour floss silk thread that has been worked in small stitches makes it an important work of art. The outline of all the gods and godesses has been worked upon in chain stitch, either with metal or silk threads. The embroiderer has very carefully used darker shades for outline, giving clarity and three-dimensional effect, especially in the case of garments.

CONCLUSION

Hanuman has been perceived as an ideal servant, an excellent intellect, a brave soldier, a superb musician and a devoted worshipper of Rama. His various forms are: as 'Rama-bhakta' he stands with folded hands and his body posture remains slightly bent towards his Lord in devotion or He is seated close to IIis feet. On the other hand, He is depicted as sankatmochan, who clears all the obstacles of his devotees. In such portrayal, He holds a club in one hand and Dronagiri mountain in the other to save the life of Lakshman, younger brother of Ram. In addition to these most popular forms, Hanuman is also depicted by putting his hand on face in gesture of curiosity or with panchmukha (having five faces) or ekadasmukhi (ten-headed) and so on. Some of these aspects have been well represented by embroiderers of Pahari region. Besides being represented in Ramayana scene coverlets, a number of His individual images were embroidered. A few interesting rumals showing scenes from Ramayana are housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, USA) and Jana-Pravah (Varanasi. Uttar Pradesh). Pahari coverlets are more popularly known for the Krishna theme and cosmic dance of the deity. 'Krishna-rasa' is one of the favourite subjects of these coverlets. Other deities like Holy Family, Gajantaka Siva, Ganesha, Lakshmi Narayan and Hanuman have also been embroidered. In fact. embroidery is one of the most creative expressions. where the embroiderer's personal reflection of ideas and beliefs are well represented. This aspect has been portrayed in all the three coverlets of NM collection. The Hanuman images here are exclusive, rare and special because of their size, subject, fine Line work and of course, good embroidery.

End Notes

1. Rai Govindchander, Hanuman kadevattva and mutikavikas. Prayag, 1976; Banerjee J.N., Development of Hind Iconography, Calcutta, 1956; Nagar. S.L., Hanuman in Art. Culture, thought and Literature, Delhi, 1995. Banerjee, P. Rama in Indian Literature, Art and Thought, Delhi, 1986
2. Other deities are Rudra as Siva; Prajapati as Brahma and so on
3. Nagar, op, cite. p-32
4. The first mention of Lord Hanuman in Mahabharata comes when He meets Bhim during Pandavas' exile and the second time when Lord Hanuman protects the chariot of Arjun throughout the battle of Kurukshetra by residing in Arjun's flag. Mahakapi Jataka of Buddhist literature has also been carved in stone sculptures found from Bharhut of Sunga period (3rd-2nd BCE). Jain texts have quite a different of Hanuman's birth. In Jain myths, Hanuman, Bali, Sogrivava and other Vanara are identified as Vidyadharas, a clan of supernatural beings.
5. Ramayana by Valmiki in Uttara Kanda, Kishkindha, Sundara, Yoddhakanda and so as other versions of Ramayana also. Vana Parv of Mahabharata (ch-146-47)
6. Nagar, op. cite, pp-108-09
7. Rai. op. cite, p-311
8. Stephen J. S., Oceanscapes, Tamil Textiles in the early Modern World, Delhi, 2014, p- 301& 335-36
9. Author is thankful to Dr. Rohini Arora, Associate Professor in Government College, Punjab for providing this information in personal communication in June 2016.
10. Margaret, Hall., 'The Victoria and Albert Museum's Mahabharata Hanging' South Asian Studies 12, 1996, pp-83-96
11. Pathak, A., Chamba Rumal: Embroideries of the Himalayan Region, Annals of the Naprstek Museum, Prague (ed) Jirina Todorovova, 31. 2010. Pp-89-110
12. Aryan S., Folk embroidery, of western Himalaya, Delhi, 2010
13. Bhattacharyya, A.K, Chamba Rumal; Calcutta 1968, pp: 5-6
14. Wood book cover and wall painting at National Museum depict similar composition, published by Kapur, S.S., Chamba wall painting in The Times of India, Annual, 1966, p-64.
15. Sharma. V., Painting in Chamba, (ed) V. Sharma, in Vision of an Enlightened King, Shimla, 2008, p1-36, p-124.
16. Pathak. Ibid, fig.A.2b
17. Sharma, R.C., Kamal Giri & Anjan Chakravarty, Indian Art Treasures, Varanasi, 2006, pp-258-59
18. Bhattacharyya, ibid, pp-22,30, 52, pl-III, VI, X; Rasamandal in Indian Textiles, National Museum Bulletin no-9, National Museum, New Delhi, 2002, pp: 21-29.
19. Chamba Rumal depicts the Holy Family scene, Puratan, No-6, Bhopal, 1989, pp: 136-138.
20. A Unique Chamba Rumal on the Gajantaka Theme, Marg, Vol-55, No-3, March 2004, pp: 54-56.
21. Aryan, op-cite, p-47, p1-8
22. Aryan, op-cite, p-92, p1-80

List of illustrations

1. Hanuman with folded hands in front of Rama-Sita, Pahari, late 18th century, White cotton base embroidered with silk and metal threads, 65 x 64 cm, Acc. no. 51.28/45
2. Hanuman offering fruits to Lakshmi-Narayana, Kangra, mid-19th century, White cotton base embroidered with silk and metal threads, 90x90 cm, Acc. no. 61.1011
3. Hanuman standing on corpses, Kangra/Chamba?, mid-19th century, White cotton base embroidered with silk and metal threads, 65x62 cm, Acc. no. 65.182 (a).

First published in National Museum Bulletin no. 10

Challenges of Rural Development and Opportunities for Culture-base Livelihood

Support for the Emergence of Cultural Industries

Branding and Marketing Rural Creative Enterprise

• Kutiyattam- Sanskrit theatre of Kerala
• Ramlila – the traditional performance of the Ramayana
• Vedic Chanting
• Ramman – religious festival and theatre of the Garhwal Hymalayas
• Navroze – Parsi spring celebration (joint inscription with 6 othe countries)
• Chhau Dance
• Kalbelia folk songs and dance of Rajasthan
• Mudiyettu ritual theatre and dance drama of Kerala

Funding and Supporting Folk Art

*****

• All Indian Artisans Craftworkers Welfare Association (AIACA), 2010, Geographical Indications of India, Socio-Economic and Development Issues
• Amar Singh, 2010, Clusters in India 2010, Foundation for MSME Clusters
• Banglanatak dot com for UNESCO,2008, Working Paper on Art for Livelihood
• Ministry of Culture, Government of India, 2011, Annual Report 2010-2011
• Ministry of Labor, Government of India, March 2009, National Policy on Skill Development
• Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, 2011, Annual Report 2010-2011
• Ministry of Textile, Government of India, 2011, Annual Report 2010-2011
• Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, 2011, Annual Report 2010-2011
• Ministry of Tourism, Government of India,2009 & 2010, Statistic At Glance, 2009, Static at Glance 2010
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• National Commission for Enterprises on the Unorganized Sector, (Year unknown), Working Draft on The Challenge of Employment in Development in India - an Informal Economy Perspective
• National Institute of Rural Development, 2008, Rural Development Statistics 2007-2008
• Planning Commission, Government of India, 2010, Annual Plan 2010-2011
• Planning Commission, Government of India, 2007, Eleventh Five Year Plan of Action 2007-2012
• PRS Legislative Research / UNESCO, November 2007, Issue Brief – Central Laws Related to Culture
• PRS Legislative Research / UNESCO, February 2008, Issue Brief – Craft in India
• PRS Legislative Research / UNESCO, January 2009, Issue Brief – Heritage sites in India
• Rajiv Sharma and Sunita Chitkara, May 2006, Informal Sector in the Indian System of National Accounts, Paper developed for Expert Group on Informal sector Statistics (Delhi group) , CSO, India
• UNESCO, 2009, World Report – Investing in Cultural Diversity and Intercultural Dialogue
• United Nations, 15 December 2010, Creative Economy Report 2010
• UNWTO, 2011, UNWTO Tourism Highlights 2011

• Census of India: www.censusindia.gov.in
• Craft Revival Trust: www.craftrevival.org
• Explore Rural India, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India: exploruralindia.org
• Geographical Indication Registry: http://www.ipindia.nic.in/girindia/
• Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR): www.iccrindia.net
• Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts: www.ignca.nic.in
• Karmayog: http://www.karmayog.org/CSR
• Ministry of Textile, Government of India: www.texmin.nic.in
• Ministry of Tourism, Government of India: http://tourism.gov.in/
• Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicraft): www.handicrafts.nic.in
• Foundation for MSME Clusters: http://www.msmefoundation.org/
• Sangeet Natak Academi www.sangeetnatak.org
• UNESCO : www.unesco.org