Journal Archive

Issue #002, Monsoon, 2019 ISSN: 2581- 9410

Kaavad is created in a small village in Rajasthan.

Kaavad is a wooden handcrafted and painted object. Traditionally made in mango wood this ingeniously crafted narrative device illustrates detailed figures and scenes from mythology on every panel. The rectangular shaped traditional wooden kaavad is always 12” in size for the convenience of Bhats (singers of kaavad) to travel around the villages. The kaavad is made up of wooden door that is hinged into two-three panels on each side of the door. As each panel opens the story unravels finally to the grand ending where the inner doors to the sanctum sanctorum are opened and the deity revealed for the devotees. The devotees then donate some money before the doors are shut till the next retelling. The Kaavadiya Bhat who travels from village to village with kaavad hanging from his neck recites the holy stories and maintains the family genealogies.

The Kaavad Makers Jangid suthars who live in Bassi village have been crafting kaavad since 400 years. Once settled in Nagaur, they were brought to Bassi village in Chittorgarh district by Thakur Jadaav Chand. Existing kavad families all descend from the same family who migrated from Nagaur to Bassi.

Suthars as the ancient texts says were the highly knowledgeable architects who sung chants to build the buildings. The word suthar has been derived from the name sutradhaar; the one who holds the control. Kaavad making suthars are the descendants of these sutradhaars. Once a sutradhaar did a mistake since then they have been cursed to do all the work with hand tools. Though the suthar caste may be found all over Rajasthan working on different wooden objects, the art of kaavad making is only practised in Bassi village. Bassi with a growing population, is now a bustling village with almost every day modern facility. The village has a government hospital and a government schools at primary and secondary level caters to the rapidly growing population. Credit access is through nationalised banks whose branches are either approachable in Bassi itself or Chittorgarh town. The village has been recognized as a Kaasthkala or wood craft cluster. The Kavad-mobile temple shrine making has been identified as a languishing craft by development commissioner of Handicrafts as the existing number of makers has reduced tremendously. Presently only 5 families are involved in making kavad. Rest of the suthar families have either found other occupations or changed their product line to daily utility wooden objects.

The Singers Singing of kaavad is one of the ancient performing arts to entertain the villagers. Each box inside the panels denotes a story from mythology and legends. And each story is sung by the Kavad singers. This singing is known as ‘Kaavad Banchna’ and the singer commonly known as Kavadiya Bhats. The length of each story sung depends upon the bhats and the money they receive. They manage to lengthen or shorten their stories according to their jajmaans. The singing can only be done by this special community of Bhats and they are commonly known as Rao’s or Rao ji.The performance starts with an initial prayer to the patron’s God and Goddesses for their long and prosperous life. The Bhat starts the singing from one side of the panel and slowly moves towards the inside of the kaavad. As each story unfolds the kaavad doors open leading to the inner sanctorum of God and Goddess. While the bhat sings he uses a peacock feather to point at the story he recites.Singing of kavad was not merely a spiritual path but a source of wisdom and knowledge. It was a source of moral teaching unconsciously fed into the minds of children. They learnt the basic value and morals through the stories recited in the Kavad.Carried, with the respect and deference due to a holy object, the Kaavadia Bhat held the Kaavad in front of his upper body, its doors openable if required, strung with a strong rope that hung around his neck and supported by his hands at the base of the Kaavad.

The Jajmaans or Patrons Kavad not just only finds association with its maker and singer but also with the patrons for whom it is sung. The last panel of kaavad is a devoted section for the patrons of Bhats. Painted in bright and vivid stones colours in red, blue, yellow, white, skin colour the shapes are usually outlined in black. The bhats instruct the Suthar to draw the figures of the patrons (called as Jajmaans) as ordered by the patrons. For example if the patron wants to see himself sitting on a camel, the image is drawn in the same way.Though the kaavad making is practised in Bassi (mewar¹ region), the devotees to the kaavad reside in and around the areas of Jodhpur (marwar region).

Spiritual Journey through Kaavad With panelled doors, as the kaavad opens up, the stories unfold to create a spiritual connection between the God and his devotees. Story telling becomes a divine medium for a spiritual bliss to the listeners. Kaavad, a source of spirituality and mental peace is a result of actions of two individuals; Suthars and Bhats. Suthar’s are the makers and Bhats bring kaavad to life by narrating the tales. The story crafted by the Suthar is enacted by the Bhats in the form of a song or a poem.Done within a smaller and close group like families, stories of kaavad take a person to world of legends and folklore. The traditions and culture of the Rajasthani society are further assimilated in the day to day actions of listeners. The moral values and preachings are reinforced in the lives of people with the legendary stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata. These stories not only shape the religious beliefs but also guided the devotees/listeners to the path of righteousness and self realisation.

Historical Background The legend of Kavad making Associated with legendary historical background the craft of kaavad making is more than 400 years old and has shaped into an important cultural context of Rajasthani folk art. It is said that when Shravan Kumar was taking his blind parents for a pilgrimage, Raja Dashrath accidentally killed him with an arrow mistaking him for a deer while hunting. Extremely apologetic for his deed he asked dyeing Shravan’s last wish. It is then, when Shravan asked Raja for now he would not live to take his parents for the pilgrim, he wants the holy shrine to reach his parents. As for Shravan’s parents the Kavad was symbolised as a gateway to God for the followers who are not able to take the pilgrimage. Since the by gone era it was embedded in the tradition of Rajasthan.

The legend of the Kaavad Singing There is a legendary story associated with the origin of Kaavadiya Bhats (singers of kaavads) that states that a Queen named Kundanabai possessed a kaavad but she did not have any one interpreting the story of the temple deity for her, so she called for a person to sing the kaavad. Thus the tradition of singing and reciting the kaavad started. Later the community of Bhats started having their own patrons in different villages to whom they sung the kaavad stories and earned money. Thus bhats are the singing/performing arts community who flourished with the patronage of villagers.

Production: Raw Materials Wood Traditionally, the Mango tree wood was used, but now Aadu timber is used. The wood is available in abundance in the forests around the village. The woods are mostly cut by Muslim community of the village as wood cutting is not considered righteous in Hindu community. The raw material is in abundance and easily available as the village is located in the Arravali hills. The hills are a rich source of timber. The timber is first procured in the log form which is cut into smaller blocks of wood and flat pieces to be used for kaavad making.

Colour Stones The colour stones are acquired from the local shops. The same colour stones are also used in Phad paintings and Nathdwara pichhwais. The colour stones are powdered and mixed with some amount of water and gum, then applied with brush. Gum Gum is used to make colour paste viscous enough to stick to the wood. The gum along with appropriate amount of water is mixed with powdered colour. The gum was earlier brought by the Bhils who bartered gum for food or money. Now the gum/Gond is easily available in shops. The craftsperson buys gum available with the tribals. Non availability of gum sometimes causes them to buy from shops. Tools The tools are basic tools used in carpentry. The vernacular names of the tools are as follows:

Basola
Reti
Tankla
Badi Reti
Guniya
Kasariya
Prakaar
Jammur
Radda
Hathodi
Fine Reti
Karot

Stepwise Process of Kaavad Making The first stage is making a frame or khokha/dibba. The frame or wooden kaavad is made in six levels.The chandva or the upper flat portion of kaavad is made. The suraj/ head of the Mewari kavad is made. The suraj is not used in the Marwari kavad (the one that is sung by the Kavadiya bhats). And it is named so because it is sung in the Marwari region (Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Bikaner) of Rajasthan. A prototype of each part of the kaavad is already available with the frame maker. So they trace the outline of each portion of the kaavad on the wooden flat piece and cut it with a karot/aari. All the pieces are assembled together to create the kaavad.Once the kaavad is framed it is to be treated to remove any insect infestation. For this the wooden kaavad is kept on jali/mesh which is put over a homemade small furnace. The objects are then covered with a jute cloth so the fumes are trapped inside along with wooden object. The time required to store the objects like this depends upon the size of the objects. As early as 20 mins to one hour is enough to do the disinfection. The heat is generated in the furnace through waste wood flakes/burada. Also all the deformities like cracks and holes become visible at this stage.The cracks that have appeared are filled with the mixture of wood powder/burada and fevicol. The dabba is now ready for the second stage.

The second stage is of colouring. The colouring starts with the process known as khadi potna. Khadi potna actually means putting white colour on the wooden frame. Distemper has substituted the khadi powder. Two to four white coats are applied on the kaavad.

Kaavad is now produced mostly for decorative purposes, hence mostly in smaller sizes (12” kaavad is only made for Bhats, and that is made occasionally). Therefore 20-30 kaavads are produced simultaneously as a batch.Once the khadi has dried off the red colour is applied on the kaavad as the base. Traditionally only red colour was used as base, Marwari kaavad still uses the red base. But the Mewari kaavads and other decorative kaavads are made in many different colours for instance; green, white, yellow. Craftsmen have also created black and white kaavad. The red colour is extracted from a Hingloo stone (crimson red) which is powdered and mixed with small amount of sindoor and gum and mixed thoroughly with water.

Sequence of colour application on the kaavad is also specific. After the base colour application, yellow borders are made and boxes are demarcated in the panel for every story. The craftsperson starts painting directly on the red base and do not make any rough sketch. The first colour that is filled is the face colour which known as Gora colour. The second colour is blue which is also known as asmani, only used to colour incarnations of Lord Vishnu. After the blue colour, green colour is applied which is hara. The yellow colour is again used for filling. The eyes are completed with white colour.The third stage is of finishing. The black outline is done after the figures are complete. The black is obtained from kaajal. The black available from the chimneys in the Bhil tribe’s household was used traditionally. After the outline, white small dots are put around the figures and borders to give a finished look. This is known as moti lagana. After the colouring process is complete, varnish is applied. The varnish is allowed to dry for minimum 2-3 hours before kaavad is completely ready. Present Status The art of kavad making has reduced to decorative objects exported to foreign countries. The history and reason for the kavad’s existence has lost its significance due to the rapidly changing world of entertainment. Media and digital world has taken over the performing arts. Thus making kaavad a decorative object. The art is appreciated not in its original form but merely an exotic work of art that once existed and is only be possessed as a souvenier. As the utility changed so did the bhat’s source of income. Presently very few bhats are professionally performing the stories. The patrons are fewer so is the demand for kavad singing.

Conclusion Folk art lives the culture of a region. Rajasthan offers myriad instances of the living heritage. The tradition of kaavad making and singing also takes us to an exhilarating path of spirituality and wisdom where the simplest of hand tools can craft an ingenious art of cultural importance. Stories of Kaavad mirrors the illustrated past of Indian tradition and heritage that essentially forms the root to a growing tree of knowledge and wisdom. Unfortunately the recent trends have undermined the potentially strong source of educational tool that a Kaavad is. Story telling has been and will remain the most engaging and amazing way to shape not only young minds but to direct the adults at the time of confusion. The idea of using a kaavad as an asset for educating the young minds is a sustainable goal yet to be achieved. References Erstwhile pre-British era the region of Rajasthan was divided into eastern and western cultural zones divided Aravalli hills. The eastern zone comprises of 4 main cultural zones Dhunhar, Mewat, Harauti and the Mewar while the western side is the Marwar cultural zone. As given in U. B. Mathurs Folkways of Rajasthan.

The search of Adivasi textile craft turned into a reality yatra to Bastar and Kotpad. As usual the start of every journey begins with train yatra connecting cities to towns and towns to rural villages. It was peak of summer 2000; I was still studying at NIFT. Along with other classmates, Ireached Raipur station from Delhi and then to Bastar in a state transport bus cutting around the steep edges of the hills. I remember, the initial two daysof experience at a dingy local lodge turned into excitement when we found an accommodation in a forest guest house and a jeep with the help of local IAS officers. Little did we know that our excitement and fantasy of Adivasi land will turn into nightmare,until we faced the first encounter at the guest house? As we peeked inside the guest house we saw the care takers sleeping upside down on the couch in the lounge area, eyes half closed and the stench of local liquor all over the room. Everything appeared very absurd and not so good feeling about the space and place. But we had no choice. So, this was the opening of our journey and start of more such excitement to come. There was a small ground for haat in front of the guest house which was often crowded early in the morning. Sometimes, I used to go with my sketch book and draw women selling vegetables. Some of them would pose for me and rest of them would pierce their eyes inside my sketchbook. I loved it and admired different expression of different people. Sketching was fun. It was one of the ways I captured people in my memories, my thoughts and imaginations. I sketched people sitting, chatting and doing other job work. Morning routine started with visit to villages Tokapal, Nagarnar and Kondagoan to study textiles, dhokra casting, and terracotta and wrought iron though textiles remained our focus area. Tokapal and Nagarnar villages were our main centres to learn about traditional Bastar textiles.My Bastar Yatra was my first field trip when the agitation for Chattisgarh state was going on. Whist travelling inside the remote villages I admired the space of weaver’s abode and small mud house of Adivasi people with thatched roof and the local objects.Looking at Adivasi womenengaged in different activities and the innumerable stories I heard, it was inspiring, to learn, unlearn and capture memories inside the camera, diary and my sketch book.While doing research work for one month in the Adivasi land, travelling five to eight villages was like an experience in itself. The sight of flowering mahua trees, women collecting mahua, gourd hanging around the shoulder and people fishing using local fish traps was enchanting but at the same time hard realities of life also struck my mind when we saw middle men cheating artisans, master crafts person exploiting small artisans, people starving for basic amenities and I cannot forget the obnoxious trader selling dyed colourful chicksin the Jagdalpur market to attract customers. Research work started with textiles as the prime area of research documentation. Weaver’s of Bastar had an interesting story to share. Weavers claim themselves to be Panika-the followers of Santkabir. Kabir was a weaver and a poet from Banaras, preaching the union of Ram and Rahim –the beliefs of Hinduism and Islam. Panika’s ancestors migrated to this region several hundred years ago and adapted the local Adivasi traditions of region. Panika people belief in Kabir and weave the cloth for Adivasi communities. Kabir is the dharm of Panika people.The cloth of Kabir shares syncretised relation between two different communities.The cloth or pata of Kabir is adored by Adivasi people. Once upon a time, it was worn by the entire Adivasi community. Sharing local traditions together, Panika and Adivasi communities were interdependent on each other. Panika sing the folk songs of Kabir and believe in nature god like Adivasi. Their belief reflects in the textiles.The material culture narrates how local stories travel, beliefs and patterns of nature are incorporated into textiles. With time, culture and practices change. The weaving tradition of Adivasi pata reduced with the advent of mechanised factory produced material available in the local market. The story of Adivasi cloth still breathes with handful of Kabir weavers. The two weavers Sindu Das andVijay Kumar Das from Bastar narrated innumerable stories and superstitious beliefs related to Adivasi cloth. Sindhu Das commitment to create exclusive textiles and Vijay Kumar’s dedication to Kabir dharma opened up several nuances of Adivasipata. In the year 2009-10 Small Study grant (India) from Nehru Trust for the Indian Collections at Victoria and Albert Museum supported me to pursue my research on Adivasi textiles and the methods of natural dyeing from the border area of Odisha and Bastar. I was visiting almost after almost a decade. There was shift in the lifestyle of people which I guess is inevitable. Culture keeps shifting and altering, so is the social and cultural context of region and the people in relation to material culture. Panika weavers who have retained the age old tradition of weaving and natural dyeing are still struggling for sustenance. The following research abstract is gist of NTICVA work which was later published in Imagining Odisha book, Praffula publication in 2013.

Indian art is dominated by two major elements nature and religion. Man has been fascinated by the nature form the very beginning and tried to understand the power and wealth of it. Time to time, he also got frightened with nature and started worshiping it, as one finds the concept of nature inspired god-goddess in the beginning. Later on, during the royalty/federal setting, one come across the artistic activities influenced by religion and temple gave the momentum to spread then prevailing religions, Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. Soon these places became the cultural activities center throughout the country and nature got prominent place in the artistic expression of the artists of India. While representing the early art, artists had often picked up nature based motifs to express different aspects and mood of human being. This trend can be witnessed throughout theIndian art history and gives the unique distinctiveness to the Indian art, which has been admired globally. The imaginative and sensitive artist had often illustrated full blossom flower to show the joy of human being. Similarly depiction of fruits in art was to symbolize the fertility, sun to represent day, moon and starts to portray night and so on. In fact nature had played a vital role to understand the art in a more meaningful manner. Almost all the elements of nature, except fruit have been extensively portrayed from sculpture to painting and religious art to utility art. Banana, grapes, jackfruit, pomegranate and mango are the few fruits which were often depicted in Indian art. Among all these fruits, mango is one such fruit, which has got maximum importance from all corners, whether it is literary acknowledgement, religious, sensitive and artistic expression. Here is an attempt to look at the journey of mango motif from fruit depiction to ornaments motif used for architectural decoration to jewellery motif to objects of day to day life and the final culmination of mango motif is as floral buti known as kalka, kalgha, kairi developed by textile designers. Mango in Indian Literature Indian literature gives numerous references of fruits, its importance in daily life as well as ritualistic life, which indirectly informs many aspect of environment and flora-fauna of that period. It is believed that before starting agriculture man was initially depended on fruits. There is little reference of fruit trees in Rigveda, but increased in Brahmanical literature. Epics, purana's, kavya and other Hindu, Jain and Buddhist literature provide various references of mango. The first reference of mango tree as 'amra' is mentioned in Satapatha Brahmana. Lots of references of amra occurred in both the epics. The Aranyakakancja in Ramayana and Vanaparva of Mahabharata mentions the frequent use of mango beside other fruits, which were offered to the guests, sages and visitors who use to visit Ayodhya princes and Pandvas at the time of their exile in forests. The most vivid description comes from different puranas about the mango fruit, leaves of mango tree, its wood and tree etc. Brahmavaivarta Purana has listed number of fruits and amra is also metioned, Vamana Purana informs the name cuta besides amra for mango, Varaha Purana also refers both the names for mango. Vayu Purana mentions the word amra for mango. Bhagavata Purana also mentions that mango tree is present on mountain Mandar Puranas give the importance and benefits of planting tree for common man and it further records that, who plant five mango trees during his life, will never go to hell. The most interesting reference of amra comes from Matsya Purana, which records the tradition of donation of fruits to sages by devotee. It further says that in absence of fruit (possibly during the off season) donating metal fruit was suggested and prescribes sixteen type of fruits can be made of gold, silver or copper that according to their own status a devotee should procure and donate to sages. Here the mango fruit is in the list of fruits recommended to be made of copper. Literature of Kalidasa, Amarkosa and Navasahasrankacarita" and Divyasrayamahakavya" text of historical mahakavya of mediaeval period also gives references of mango fruit. The Purarnic and Kavya literatures refer the mango fruit, its different names and its use. Importance of mango in daily and ritualistic life also been mentioned in different literary texts. Tradition and Importance of Mango Tree Hindus consider the mango tree as symbol of Prajapati, Lord of all creation. Among all the fruits, mango is considered sacred and important, as all its parts are very useful in human's life. Mango leaves and wood were considered to be very auspicious for ceremonial use and ritualistic customs in the past and tradition still exists. Such as, tying the mango leaves at entrance doorframe of Hindu's house on every auspicious occasion is still being practiced. Mango wood remains the best for hawan (auspicious fire worships) in every Hindu's household and similarly mango fruit, considering the symbol of fertility, is often given to house lady at the time of ritual ceremony. Mango tree is also associated with marriage of Siva-Pdrvati. As per temple belief Siva-Piirvati reunited under a single mango tree with the help of her brother Visnu." Therefore the name Ekambaranatha (Eka-one; amra-mango and natha-Lord) was given to lord Siva which is being called today as Ekmbareswara. It is believed that 2500 year old mango tree is inside the Sri Ekambaregwar temple compound, which is in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, which is the famous seat of Hinduism. This temple was made during the Pallava period (8th-9th century). Beside tree, as per popular belief this temple also has 3500 year old trunk of mango tree, which is being worshiped by all devotees who visit the temple even today." (Author witnessed during personal visit to the temple in September 2010) One of the pillars in the main mandapam of his temple depicts the Tapasvani Parvati doing penance under mango tree as mentioned in literary texts that Tapasvani Parvati did her tapasya (penance) under the mango tree. Buddist consider the mango tree holy ever since Lord Buddha was presented with a groove of mango tree He performed an important miracle of Srawasti under a mango tree. A pillar from Bharhut, dated 2nd century B.C., illustrates the mango tree. An architectural panel form Bharhut stupa of Suriga period beautifully illustrates the bunch of mango fruits in between the story of Dabbhapuppha Jataka. The famous jain goddess Ambika, who is also known as Amba, Arnbalika, Ambali and Ambi is an important Yaksi goddess of Jain iconography. Concept of mother goddess always portrays her as she holds baby on her lap. Iconographic texts referes that four armed goddess always sits under mango groove and holds amra-lumbi, bunch of mango, in her one of hand. The earliest known example of Ambika is from Aihole, Bijapur, Karnataka, which is dated to mid 7th century A.D. As per literary sources of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, mango tree gets due importance and also well documented and beautifully illustrated in early Indian art The foremost example is concept of salbhanjika always illustrated by yaksi holding branch of tree, which is full of fruit, leaves and flowers. Quite often mango tree is being represented in early examples of yaksi. Indian art has several such examples; one such example is from the northern gateway of great Sanchi stupa dated 1st century B.C. where yaksi is holding branch of mango tree, which is full of mango fruits. Mango tree is also illustrated in sandstone pillar of Suriga period (2nd century) where Suvarna Kakkata Jataka has been depicted. Similar composition is evident in Gupta period sculpture from Deogarh, Madhya Pradesh, dated to 4th-5th century A.D. It depicts Rama, Laksamana sitting with guru Vasistha under mango groove." Divine lovers, sitting under a mango tree, is a beautifully representation of sandstone sculpture from Nachna Kuthara, Madhya Pradesh. Similar mango grooves are evident with Jain goddess Ambika’s and so with Buddhist images too. Early depiction of salbhanjika holding branch of tree, which remain full of fruits, flowers and leaves, Hindu, Jain and Buddhist god and goddess were also shown sitting under mango groove which clearly shows the importance of mango tree throughout its history. Mango Shape Adopted as Decorative Motifs The mango remain associated with human's day-to-day life, its importance has being described in literature also and probably its roundish curved shade, which has many element from design point of view might have inspired the artist to work on it. Therefore some of the early Indian art sculptures illustrates that mango shape adopted as a decorative motif. The earliest example of mango shaped motif used in architectural decoration is available from Suriga period, which is dated to 2nd century B.C. Tow red sand stone pillars from Amin, Haryana (displayed in the gallery of National Museum, New Dehli) illustrates yaksa image and amorous couple on the front side, while back of both these pillars depicts floral pattern having border of mango or kalka pattern all around. A pillar from Bharhut, 2nd century B.C., depict dream scene of queen Maya Devi in the centre medallion and interstingly its side border on lower portion depicts branch of mango tree with mango fruits. As mango fruit is considered a symbol of fertility so depiction of mango branch here is quite appropriate. Mango shape adopted in Jewellery and Decorative Arts Objects Mango shaped motif was also used for ornamenting jewellery items like head ornament, bajubanda (armlet) and necklace from 1st century A.D. onwards. The Kusana period Naga and male head depicts mango shaped (upside down) jewel inside turban. This style of head ornament reminds the later period sarpech, which is feather like turban ornament. Sarpech, known as jigha/kalghi also, is fixed on turban in the cener and it became very poplar during Mughal and provincial courts. Slowly and gradually wearing sarpech became so fashionable that in Punjab region, at the time of wedding, it has became compulsory to wear kalghi in turban by the grooms. Beside head ornament, kalghi shaped ornament was also noticed in the example of bajubanda in Gandhara style of stone sculptures of Kusana peiod. A schist stone Gandhara sculpture illustrates images of jewelled Avalokitesvara. He wears bajubanda, which illustrates many mango motifs arranged in ornamental design. such depiction can also be seen in image of Visnu and various god-goddess of Pala period. One such image of Lord Visnu depicts the stylized form of kaighi or mango pattern beads used in necklace and bajubarida also, as depicted in Taxila gold jewellery and in some stone sculptures too of later period Several example of mango shaped sindurdani (collyrium container), perfume bottle, huqqa base, flower vase and lime boxes from 17th century A.D. These artifacts were made of different material like silver, brass, bidri ware, ivory and semi precious stones with various techniques. Artistically created these objects at Rajasthan, Delhi, Bidar (Deccan) and many other centres clearly reflect that mango shape was very popular. Such simple and elegant shape was extensively used by artists for creating artistic things of daily utility as well as luxury things. Mango or Kalka motif on textiles The final culmination of mango motif was its introduction in Indian traditional textiles, which is known as kalka, kalgha, cari, keri, kairi, kuniabuta etc. Cotton. silk, wool all three fibers were used by the weaver, printer and embroidered to create artistic textiles and costumes. Popularity of kalka motif on Indian textiles was so much that besides domestic market such textiles were extensively produced for export market also in England, Eurpoe, South East Asia, Africa and many other parts of the world. This also inspired the French and British designers to initiate its production in their countries, which is popularly known as Paisley in the international textile market. 'Paisely', 'palm', 'tear drop pattern', boteh/buta/cone', 'pine', 'keri' and 'kalgha are the terms used by textile experts for this mango shaped kalka motif so far Frank Ames has suggested that this motif was developed in Persia and in 16th century when Kashmir and Persia enjoyed the close association it was adopted in Kashmir shawls. Monnique Strauss is off the opinion that either it has first appeared in Persia or India. She suggests the word 'pine' is most widely used in the English speaking world, Sherry Rehman and N. Jafri prefers the term 'keri', which has come from mango." 'Kalgha' word has been referred by Goswamy while describing the pattern of Kashmir shawls." Usually the row of kalka motifs found on the pallu (end panel) of Kashmir's shawls, path-a, dosalla etc. in 18th century. It is a fact that early Indian textiles in lesser number have been reported so far, but continuity of Indian art provides some very interesting references that this kalka motif has been carved on the costumes of images carved in stone and ivory besides other art forms prior to 18th century. More importantly some of the printed and cotton textiles specimens provide important links, which are dated to 15th century and found at Fustat, and South East Asian countries. Indian textiles and costumes from the very beginning are known for floral decoration and more importantly quite often similar illustration is available on plastic art too. Terracotta, stone and bronze sculptures of different period beautifully illustrate the floral pattern, geometric designs and stylized ornamental motifs on attire of divinities and other carved figures. Wall paintings at Ajanta, Aurangabad, Maharastra, and paintings on Bagh cave at Madhya Pradesh, which are dated to 2nd to 5th century A.D. illustrates the numerous textile and costume design. These paintings provide good overview of floral pattern decorated costumes used by royal, dancer, courtier, soldiers and common man also. Jain pata paintings and miniature paintings of 5th-6th century also gives the continuity of same tradition. Birds, flowers, fruits and geometric patterns have been extensively found on attires, bed spreads and furnishings in number of early Indian art work. Besides paintings, sometimes the stone and bronze sculptures also provide important references in this regard. Some of the images portray their outfit beautifully decorated with ornamental pattern. One such stone sculpture of Mohini (lady with mirror) is evident from Gadag, Dharwad district of Karnataka, Southern India from 12th century A.D. Bejewelled and well dressed Mohini stands under mango grove in tribhanga posture, like salabhanjika of early period. The dhoti or sari of Mohini is beautifully decorated with stylized kalka buta with two leaves. This is a first clear example of use of kalka motif for decorating the textile known so far. Under the Bhillama rulers in the western Chalukayas of Kalyana this region flourished in art, culture and also important trade center, which were connected with other parts of the country. Number of stone sculptures of this period gives evidence of artistic execution of mango tree, mango fruit and its leaves in stylized forms. These example show that kalka motif was adopted on textiles somewhere in 12th century probably in Karnataka region. Similar style of motif is also found on textile fragment found at Fustat, Egypt and Heirloom from Sulaveshi, Indonesia, which is dated to 14th-15th centuries A.D. Fustat piece, depicts the mango with leaves design, which resembles Mohini's attire pattern." Long piece form Sulawesi depicts stylized trees, single leaves and one of the trees bears fruits, which resembles the mango fruit. Both these cotton specimens are painted and printed in blue and red colour with mordant dye and paint. It appears that this kalka motif was first used in Southern or western part of the country. As textiles extensively travelled from one part to another, therefore probably this motif was also adopted by many textile artisans from west to east and from east to north for decorating textiles and Kashmir took lead in popularizing the motif through shawls. For making this pattern known around the World in 18th century French and English shawl designer contributed a lot. At first, French agents reached Kashmir so that they can improve the traditional designs. The British shawls were made in 1784 by Edward Barrow of Norwich, which developed the pioneer center of imitation shawl industry in Europe. Edinburg weavers were probably the first to imitate the Kashmir motifs and texture as well. By 2nd half of 18th century Paisley, which was few miles to the south west of Glasgow, took lead for producing shawls. Paisley centre started as offshoot from Edinburg, but soon became more popular internationally. Conclusion Some scholars suggest that kalka motif has Persian origin; however the importance of mango tree, fruit and leave is very strong in Indian ethos right from the beginning. Literary evidences inform about the daily utility of mango tree, leaves and fruit besides its ceremonial and religious customs. The use of the shape of depiction of mango tree and fruit in Indian art is also well reflected. Indian artisans had used the shape of mango in many ways and kalka motif is one of them. Therefore, it is possible that creative and imaginative Indian artists had taken liberty of using the mango motif or kalka in textiles from 12th century onwards may be from southern or western India. Kalka or kairi buti have been extensively used for decorating the Indian textiles from the length and width of the country, especially from 18th century onwards. Examples of the three material worked in almost all the prominent techniques. Numerous textile examples are available illustrating the haw motif such as woollen shawls from Kashmir and silk and zari brocaded Banarsi sari (north), cotton printed table covers from Masulipatinam (south), printed yardage from Gujarat and Rajasthan (west), silk Baluchari sari of Murshidabad (east), embroidered chikankari coverlet of Lucknow (north) or kantha coverlet (east) and many more. The design of kalka also spread all over the world like its sweet smell and taste, which remain the most favourite fruit among Indians of all ages and period. Further Reading

Satapatha Brahmana, XIV.7.41.
Brahmavaivarta Purana, 13.28.30.
Vamana Purana, 6, 105; 12.51, 17.52; 58.8.
Varaha Purana, 55.42; 146.64; 168.24; 39.44.
Vayu Purana, 69.307; 69.308.
B.L. Mall, Trees in Indian Art, Mythology and Folk Lore, New Delhi, 2000, p.36.
Matsya Purana, 96.9.11.
Kumarsambhava, 3.32.
Amarkosa, 88.33
Navasahasrarikacarita, 1.33; vi.779.
Divyasrayamahakavya, xvi.73.
B.L. Mall, op.cit., p.40.
D.D. Shulman, Tamil Temple Myths, USA, 1980, pp.171-172.
S.P. Gupta (ed.), Masterpieces from the National Museum Collection, New Delhi, 1985, p.97.
S.P. Gupta (ed.), op.cit., p.101; M.S. Randhawa, Cult of Tree Worship in Buddhist-Hindu Sculptures, New Delhi, 1964.
P. Pal, The Sensuous Immortals, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1977, p.48.
S.P. Gupta (ed.), op.cit., p.132.
M.N.P. Tiwari, Ambika in Jain Art and Literature, Delhi, 1989, p.16.
Ibid., p.17.
Ibid., p.21.
S.P. Gupta, op.cit., pp.93-104.
C. Sivaramamurti, The Art of India, Japan, 1966, p.300.
V. Dehejia, Discourse in Early Buddhist Art, New Delhi, 1997, p.91, fig. 63.
C. Sivaramamurti, The Art of India, New York, 1977, p.446.
B.N. Goswamy, Essence of Indian Art, San Fancisco, 1985, p.33, pl. I.
S.P. Gupta, op.cit., pp.114-132.
C. Sivaramamurti, op.cit., p.280.
Buddha in Indian Sculptures, Austria Exhibition Catalogue, April-July, 1995, pl. 80, p.131 and pl. 55, p.98.
F. Ames, Woven Masterpieces of Sikh Heritage, U.K. 2010, pl. 1.
S.P. Asthana, Taxila Jewellery, (ed) S.P. Gupta, Masterpieces from the National Museum Collection, Delhi, 1985, p.225.
Alamkara, Singapore Exhibition Catalogue, Ahamdabad, 1994, pp. 110 and 112.
F. Ames, Woven Masterpieces of Sikh Heritage, U.K. 2010, p.
33. M.L. Strauses, Romance of the Kasmere Shawl, Ahmedabad, 1986, p.11.
S. Rehman and N. Jafri, The Kashmir Shawl, Ahmedabad, 2006, pp.300-302.
B.N. Goswamy, Piety and Splendour, Delhi, 2000, p.190.
K. Desai, Jewels on the Crescent, Ahmedabad, 2002, pp. 4, 41 and 73.
Ibid., p.78.
D.C. Ganguly, The Struggle for Empire, (ed) R.C. Majumdur, vol-v, Bombay, 1957, pp.185-186.
K. Desai, op.cit., pl. 41; P. Pal, op.cit., pl. 84; C. Sivaramamurti, op.cit., 1977, pl. 446-293
M. Gittinger, Master Dyers to the World, Washington D.C., 1982, p1.42, p.54.
R. Crill. Trade, Temple and Court, Mumbai, 2002, pt. 3, p. 20.
John Irwin, Shawls, London, 1955, p.15.
Ibid., p.19.
Ibid., p.20.
Ibid., p.23.

Kala Raksha has emerged as an important force and influence in the effort to preserve and sustain India’s craft heritage, as well as for understanding its contemporary relevance. Mahatma Gandhi and those who struggled with him for independence recognized the central role of handcraft to India’s civilization, values and aspirations. In the complex transition from a colonial economy to industrialization and development that followed freedom in 1947, India became the first country to integrate craft into national planning. Although much has been achieved since then, the craft sector is in crisis. Globalization, the pressures of consumerism, changing lifestyles and conflicting notions of modernity have all combined to make this a critical moment for the sector. The need is to demonstrate the relevance of craft to sustainable livelihoods for millions of Indians, and as a means for empowering those who remain at the margins of society and of what many consider ‘progress’. Kala Raksha has demonstrated the relevance of craft as an important opportunity for sustainable rural livelihoods in one of India’s harshest environments, as well as the relevance of crafts to wider issues of empowering women and the marginalized. Kala Raksha and the Kala Raksha Vidyalaya have together helped to bridge the gap between the traditional knowledge held by rural communities and the demands and opportunities of new and changing markets, demonstrating that these links are possible without damage to the integrity of cherished values. In addition, and perhaps most significantly, Kala Raksha has worked to remind us all that crafts have an importance beyond incomes as a force for identity and self-worth in an era of such rapid change. The Kala Raksha Vidyalaya is perhaps the first effort of its kind, bringing contemporary design education to those for whom access is most often denied because of poverty, illiteracy and gender. This in itself is a huge, revolutionary achievement which can have a ripple effect of enormous significance to India and the world.

At a Symposium on Indian Textile Traditions at the Artisan students, staff and jury members began the first annual Convocation Mela of Kala Raksha Vidhyalaya with great anticipation. From 21-26 November 2006, the graduating class of 2005-06 proudly presented their collections for spring-summer 2007 on the beautiful rural Kala Raksha Vidhyalaya campus in Tunda Vandh, Mundra Ta, Kutch. The first ever professional collections completely designed, produced and presented by traditional artisans of Kutch included home furnishings, accessories and garments in themes of nature and culture. The students also included documentation of their courses on colour, concept, market trends, finishing and presentation.

From 21-23 November, the collections were juried by eminent experts in art and craft, including Ashoke Chatterjee, Gulshan Nanda, Jaya Jaitly, Laila Tyabji, Subrata Bhowmick, Darshan Shah, Debbie Thiagarajan, and Sheela Lunkad who gave valuable, lively and professional feedback to the graduating students.

On the 23rd evening, the four day public mela was inaugurated by the Convocation ceremony, presided by Maharao Shree Pragalmalji and Maharaniji Priti Devi of Kutch and coordinated by Compere Chandrapal Bhanani. Honoured guests were greeted by members of the Kala Raksha family. Director Judy Frater, Advisor Dr. Ismail Khatri, and Jury Members Subrata Bhowmick, Laila Tyabji, and Ashoke Chatterjee spoke about the confluence of craft, design, market and education that is needed for artisans to succeed today. The Maharani and jury members presented graduation certificates and colour wheels donated by The Color Wheel Company to each of the twenty-five students. Prizes were awarded for Best Collection, Best Presentation, Most Marketable and Most Improved. Maharao Shri Pragmalji gave the keynote address in Kutchi language, much to the artisans' delight. The evening concluded with dinner, followed by the premier of "The Kala Raksha Story: Nurturing the Art of Craft", a short documentary by Parthiv Shah, and a concert of traditional Kutchi music.

On the 24th evening, the students' final collections were showcased in an elegant and glamorous fashion show choreographed by Utsav Dholakia. Triumphant artisans walked the ramp alongside lovely models.

The local people were thrilled with the events, never before seen in this region. The 25th evening local groups presented their music and dance. From the veiled welcome song to the ebullient "sanedo" of students and friends, this was a richly varied cultural program, and a fitting grand finale.

All evenings were attended to standing room only. In the three days of celebration, over 6,000 people visited the campus. Days saw visitors trying their hands at block printing, pottery and embroidery, with guidance from artisans in the KRV studios. They enjoyed spontaneous concerts of folk songs, and Kutchi food, and took trips in camel and decorated bullock carts to the neighbouring Rabari village, Vandh. But most of all they appreciated the exciting new craft designs. The students earned over Rs. 1,00,000 in direct sales - unprecedented in a rural Kutch event. Orders were placed for about the same amount, giving encouragement to the new designers.

Sadly, the celebration was marred by the fact that the lush campus, its dormitories, studios and exhibition hall all painstakingly constructed in traditional building techniques - as well at the world famous Rabari village, Tunda Vandh, are slated to be the site of two large power plants.

Executive Summary Background

Income Generation
Deeper Issues
Concept of the Design School for Artisans
Rationale and Structure
Building Market Knowledge and Market Linkages
Funding
Design Instruction and Institutional Links

PROGRESS TO DATE

Construction of Facilities
CAD Center
Equipment and Tools
Kala Raksha Museum
Conservation of Objects
Mobilization

PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF PILOT COURSES PHASE I - CAPACITY BUILDING

Objectives
Expected Results
Project Management and Expertise
Marketing Experts
Faculty Trainees
Mentors

ACTIVITIES AND TIME LINE

Business Plan and Marketing Strategy
Establishing Data Bases
Developing Market Orientation and Teacher Training

ACTIVITIES OF PHASE I PHASE II- THE PILOT COURSES

Instruction
Participants
Expected Outcomes
Course Content
Convocation/ Jury/ Exhibition
Future Plans

PILOT COURSE ACTIVITIES AND TIME LINE ANNEXURES ◊ Kala Raksha Vidyalaya Trustees and Advisors

Executive Summary Kala Raksha is establishing a design school for working traditional artisans of Kutch. This educational institution, whose environment, curriculum and methodology are designed to be appropriate for traditional artisans, is intended to model a new approach to the rejuvenation of traditional arts. Project Coordinator of Kala Raksha, Judy Frater, has been awarded an Ashoka Foundation Fellowship to realize the project. Following is the plan for the inaugural courses, which will start in August.Background

KALA RAKSHA TRUST

In 1993, Kala Raksha was formed as a registered Society and Trust, whose mission is to preserve and present cultures of ethnic communities of Kutch, India, through their traditional arts, in order to encourage understanding and appreciation. Income generation is the first priority of the artisan constituency. Proactive, Kala Raksha facilitates the transformation of traditional arts into contemporary products by involving women artisans in the design, pricing and marketing of their own products. Artisan initiative and artisan participation have been the pillars of Kala Raksha's work from the beginning. In this way, the Trust encourages artisans' creativity. Since its inception, Kala Raksha has dovetailed the collection and preservation of traditional pieces with this work. The Trust maintains a Resource Center and Museum. Two features of this Museum make it unique. First, the Museum is based in the village itself, so that artisans have access to and responsibility for it. Artisans utilize the collections to develop new collections with cultural integrity. Second, artisans were involved in all phases of the development of the Museum. They assisted in collection, were engaged in documentation, and consulted in the permanent exhibition. The Kala Raksha Museum successfully proves the mutual benefits of involving communities in presenting and utilizing their own cultures. Income Generation The authentic basis of Kala Raksha's artisan-designed process has enabled the Trust to establish a line of unique, vibrant products that is quickly recognized and widely appreciated even in the intensely competitive market for Kutch crafts. Following fair trade practices, Kala Raksha provides attractive incomes to over 600 women artisans, and in addition is able to sustain income related expenses without depending on external subsidy. Demand for Kala Raksha products is growing in India and abroad. Throughout Indian metropolitan areas Kala Raksha has established brand recognition through direct sale "exhibitions." The client base is educated, conscious of environmental and fair trade issues, middle to high income. In addition, many clients purchase the products for resale. International clients are being developed through website exposure and outreach activities such as workshop and trunk show tours. Kala Raksha has held trunk shows at the Peabody Museum, Harvard, and the Smithsonian Institution. In 2004, artisans attended the first international Folk Art Market in Santa Fe. Deeper Issues However, in spite of its success in sustaining local art and artisans, Kala Raksha sees long term sustainability of traditional arts as a critical issue. Traditional crafts in India have in the last few decades undergone tremendous change. With the shift from local to distant markets, market driven professional design has become an essential entity separate from the production of art. However, traditional artisans rarely gain access to contemporary formal training in design due to social and financial barriers. Often, this situation reduces the artisan to labourer, in terms of both income and social status. Further, artisan social mobility is limited by low education; and the perceived irrelevance of available education perpetuates the status quo. Two needs simultaneously emerge: traditional arts must be revitalized and adapted to their new clientele. And, if we wish to foster genuine sustainability, artisans as well as their arts must adapt. Finally, artisans must be capable of addressing their own issues. To facilitate this shift of market, and relationship to the new market, and to maximize their earning through craft on a long term basis, artisans must learn to innovate, diversify and improve their work appropriate to that new market. Thus, relevant education must address and interlink understanding of traditional crafts, contemporary design input, and marketing. To address these issues, and the needs of artisans, Kala Raksha is establishing Kala Raksha Vidyalaya, a Design School for artisans of Kutch. Concept of Kala Raksha Vidyalaya Kala Raksha Vidyalaya is an educational institution with a direct marketing link, open to working artisans of Kutch, conservatively estimated at 50,000. The school is unique in that its environment, curriculum and methodology are designed to be appropriate for adult artisans with a vast existing body of traditional knowledge. The focus is on acquiring knowledge and skills that can be directly applied in the artisan's own art to enable innovation appropriate to contemporary markets, and the effectiveness will be tested in regular market meets with the commercial sector. Rationale and Structure Working artisans rarely have the luxury of leaving their home and profession for long periods of time. Therefore, the curriculum will be designed as a series of workshops which are conducted over a period of one to two years in a residential local setting. It is envisioned that when the Vidyalaya is fully functioning, there will be 96 full time participants and 150 short term participants, a total of 246 participants per year. Building Market Knowledge and Linkages To insure that the education is effective and to address the primary need of craft: income generation, marketing will be an integral part of the program. Market Linkages are planned in several ways: Instruction from design and marketing professionals, visits of tour groups from domestic and international metropolitan areas, a final jury comprised of buyers and other market experts. Funding Kala Raksha has well established links to funding agencies. The Vidyalaya has initiated a separate funding program. With funds generously donated from the Kernel Trust, Oxford, U.K. and All Together Now International, Colorado, USA, Kala Raksha purchased eight acres of land in a peaceful rural setting outside Tunda Vandh a Rabari village near the coast of the Gulf of Kutch, and constructed a spacious guest house from which the Vidyalaya will commence operations. With generous funding from The Development Commissioner Handicrafts, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, Kala Raksha has purchased equipment for a Computer Design Lab including a digital camera, scanner and colour printer as well as three computers. Studios for weaving, printing, dyeing, embroidery and appliqué, and a tailoring/sampling unit have also been established. For the pilot courses these areas will also serve as display areas. In addition, the Development Commissioner Handicrafts has funded upgradation of Kala Raksha's Textile Museum. Funding for the pilot courses has been generously provided by UNESCO and the Development Commissioner Handicrafts. Design Instructions and Institutional Links Kala Raksha has well established links with premier Indian design institutions, including the National Institution of Design (NID), the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Srishti Design Institute, and the Indian Institute of Crafts & Design. Faculty from NID and NIFT are advisors in establishing Kala Raksha Vidyalaya. The Trust is utilizing these links to evolve an appropriate curriculum and build a corps of Visiting Faculty for the Vidyalaya. In addition, Project Director and Ashoka Fellow Judy Frater has mobilized a team including faculty from the Fashion Institute of Technology, NY, and the Rhode Island School of Design to begin work on curriculum design. A curriculum for Kala Raksha Vidyalaya was drawn up after a meeting held in September 2004 at the Rhode Island School of Design, under Ashoka Foundation sponsorship. Kala Raksha Vidyalaya is now ready to conduct a series of pilot workshops, which will help to refine the curriculum as a coherent educational program.

PROGRESS TO DATE

CONSTRUCTION OF FACILITIES Land Eight acres were purchased between the jointly governed villages of Tunda and Vandh, in Mundra Taluka, Kutch. The land has been converted to Non Agriculture use and approval has been given by the local authorities for construction. Building A plan for the entire institution has been drawn up by Architect R. J. Vasavada, Ahmedabad. Details have been approved by local authorities for the Phase I, a guest house for visiting faculty. Construction funded by Kala Raksha's earthquake rehabilitation fund has been completed. Final details such as flooring, sanitary fittings and colour are in process. This building includes four double rooms with full bathrooms, a large courtyard, three lounge rooms, and a smaller entrance courtyard. It will be ready for use by May 2005. It is planned that the first year of pilot workshops will be conducted on these premises, with the lounge and courtyard areas serving as computer lab, sampling unit and classroom areas until the main building is constructed. Funding for remaining construction must be raised. Kala Raksha has received approval under FCRA for collection of donations in foreign currency. The fund raising campaign will be launched early in the 2005-2006 fiscal year. Cad Center A Computer Aided Design Center is a vital part of the educational program. To date, five computers with five UPS, two printers, a scanner, and a digital camera have been purchased for the CAD center. Of these, one computer and printer are for administrative use, two computers will serve as data bases for the artisan participants, to access museum collections and market data bases, and to showcase the artisans' work. Two will be for use in learning computer aided design. The scanner and digital camera will also be for student use. The computers and peripherals will all be networked. The computer aided design center will be set up in one of the classrooms of the existing structure. Equipment Tools Equipment and tools needed to begin pilot workshops include a loom with a variety of heddles, equipment for a block printing studio, equipment for a dyeing studio, and two sewing machines for sampling. Installation of the studios outside of the existing building on the campus is in process. Display Structure The display structure will be incorporated into the installation of the above mentioned studios. This work has been designed, and will take place early in the 2005-2006 fiscal year.

KALA RAKSHA MUSEUM

Workshop with International Expert on Information Storage and Conservation Ms. Maryann Sadagopan, Collections Care Specialist at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston conducted a workshop in Kala Raksha's folk textile museum from 23 February to 31 March, 2005. Five local staff persons were trained in the use of digital collections management software and preservation of objects. The software PastPerfect, designed for small museum collections, was introduced to India for the first time at Kala Raksha. This software enables digitization of collections records with up to 999 photos per record. (see Annexure 2). The implication for use of collections is vast. Now, Kala Raksha's holdings can be easily available to the artisans for whom they are a resource. They can also be accessible to researchers anywhere in the world. The software will also enable archiving of design work done by any students. CONSERVATION OF ART OBJECTS In addition, Ms. Sadagopan conducted training in conservation methods and options. Ms. Sadagopan worked with Kala Raksha to draw up a specific plan for our collections. Archival materials and professional museum conservation tools were purchased. An oversized storage cabinet was made for large rolled textiles. The Five staff persons were trained in handling and storage of textiles, and appropriate re-housing of heritage textiles. Modernization of Museum In order to upgrade the information storage and retrieval system, PastPerfect software and its companion networking software, were purchased directly from the company at a discounted rate. A digital camera was purchased as well. Re-design of exhibition areas appropriate to the future site of the museum is in process with senior Designer Pradip Sinha. Curriculum A first draft of the curriculum for Kala Raksha Vidyalaya has been drawn up, following a meeting of experts held at the Rhode Island School of Design, Providence RI (USA) in September 2004. The meeting was funded by the Ashoka Foundation. A copy of the report is has been sent. Sangita Shroff, Chairperson, Department of Fashion Design, National Institute of Fashion Technology, Gandhinagar, has been identified to serve as Curriculum Development Coordinator.

MOBILIZATION

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN Educational Programs and Development and Design Based on Collections Museum based educational programs and development of designs based on collections was implemented through a Design Development Workshop coordinated by Sangita Shroff, and facilitated by Ms. Shroff, and Senior Designers J. L. Nayak and Rashida Tyebjee. The workshop utilized Kala Raksha museum collections as an inspiration for new designs. The new information retrieval system initiated in the Museum Workshop was utilized by artisans in this design workshop, and proved most useful. The Design workshop taught artisans to innovate in a conscious manner, toward making new collections. As it was conducted by Ms. Sangita Shroff, it doubled as input for developing the Kala Raksha Vidyalaya curriculum.

PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF PILOT COURSES

PHASE 1- CAPACITY BUILDING Infrastructure is the heart of any institution. Prior to conducting the pilot courses, Kala Raksha will work with Aid to Artisans and local experts to build Kala Raksha's capacity to 1) develop a business plan, 2) provide market-oriented design education to artisans, and 3) develop and expand marketing opportunities. ATA will share experience and market links to build the capacity of Kala Raksha. The design and marketing expertise provided through this project will enable marketing inputs from the institution's inception, in order to frame the content and methods of the educational program and monitor its pilot implementation. This phase will be generously funded by UNESCO. Objectives Working with marketing experts to establish a marketing resource center and develop a coherent set of activities linking design and marketing, Kala Raksha will build its capacity to reach to the education and information needs of artisans of Kutch. Thus artisans will become active agents in developing traditional arts for new markets on a sustainable basis, and increase their income to viability. EXPECTED RESULTS Kala Raksha will be strengthened as an institution able to serve artisans and buyers. In two years, Kala Raksha Vidyalaya should be able to attract artisans from Kutch, and buyers to establish links with alumni. Process documentation will sustain the project, draw artisans and buyers, and magnet funding. The following outputs will ensure the sustainability of the project:

Comprehensive Business plan
A Marketing strategy and linkages
Databases for a marketing resource center and web marketing facility for alumni
Training of staff and faculty
Successful completion of two pilot comprehensive classes- with marketing meets
Documentation of Curriculum, Teacher Training and Instructional materials

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND EXPERTISE Kala Raksha Vidyalaya has established a Board of Advisors in India, in addition to Kala Raksha's Board of Trustees (see list). The project management team will be composed of Judy Frater, Ashoka Fellow and Kala Raksha Vidyalaya Project Director; the ATA Asia Representatives; and Kala Raksha Advisors M.P. Ranjan, National Institute of Design Faculty and Sangita Shroff, National Institute of Fashion Technology Faculty. Additional expertise includes: Aleta Margolis, Director of the Center for Inspired Teaching, and Krishna Patel, former Faculty, NID. Marketing Experts Five Indian Marketing Experts will be invited to work with the international Marketing Expert and the Faculty Trainees. The workshop will establish the quality of the education to be provided in a pioneering institution, which aims to make a significant contribution to the revitalization of craft traditions. Therefore successful, cutting edge individuals in the field of contemporary craft will be sought. Faculty Trainees Two visiting Faculty members will instruct during each on-campus session. Thus, ten Faculty will participate in the Market Orientation/ Teacher Training. Professional designers and teachers of design with connections to premier institutions such as NID, NIFT and Srishti will be invited to teach in the pilot courses. For cost efficiency, whenever possible, faculty will be encouraged to instruct two continuous sessions. Faculty will be selected with the following criteria in mind

Primary: Expertise in the content of the course . Teaching experience and expertise Secondary: Experience in working with the rural sector Familiarity with the media of the class

Mentors These two persons will hold essential positions in Kala Raksha Vidyalaya as they will act as the link between the educators and the participants, insuring the effectiveness of instruction. They will also be the permanent faculty while the visiting faculty vary.

ACTIVITIES AND TIME LINE

Business Plan and Marketing Strategy Two International Experts will be sent through Aid To Artisans. An Information and Marketing Expert will spend two weeks on the Kala Raksha Vidyalaya campus. S/he will work one week with the Project Director, Kala Raksha Chief Executive, Project Coordinator, and Curriculum Development Coordinator to:

Develop a Business Plan that insures that the school is sustainable and that its students increase income from their improved market knowledge and linkages,
Establish a marketing strategy, and
Finalize plans for the following week's workshop.

Establishing Data Bases The Information and Marketing Expert will also coordinate with two Indian Data Base creation specialists to initiate the establishment of data bases for the Institution, including: Materials Data Base, Artisan Data Base, Buyers Data Base, Designer and Design Faculty Data Base, and an Alumni web-based Marketing Data Base. The local specialists will work for four months with two data entry trainees in setting up the data bases. The trainees will continue for two years in maintaining the data bases and instructing and assisting the artisan participants in its use. They will also facilitate use of the computer aided design lab, and will be the part of the core permanent staff of Kala Raksha Vidyalaya. Developing Market Orientation and Teacher Training In the second week, the Information and Marketing Expert will be joined by an International Faculty Trainer, the Curriculum Development Coordinator and five Indian Marketing Experts. This team will work with the ten Visiting Faculty selected for the year and two Mentors in a week long workshop to insure that the education provided will be 1). Marketing oriented, and 2) appropriate to the artisan participants. Faculty will be prepared to incorporate market orientation in the education they provide, and to link that perspective to the artisan view. They will be prepared to teach in creative, inspiring, problem-centered methods, to participants who have highly developed skills and knowledge in a particular craft. As part of the teacher training, the Faculty will stay in Tunda Vandh, the nearby village. The orientation will involve observations in the village, and exercises and discussions regarding local methods of problem solving.

ACTIVITIES OF PHASE I

WEEK 1				WEEK 2
PARTICIPANTS-28	Develop Business plan	Marketing Strategy	Create Data Bases	Documentation	Market Oriented Teacher Training	Create Data Bases	Documentation
Project Director	X	X			X
KR Chief Executive	X	X			X
Project Coordinator	X	X			X
Curriculum Dev. Coordinator	X	X			X
Intl. Marketing Expert	X	X	X		X	X
Intl. Teacher Trainer					X
Local Data Base Specialist			X			X
Local Data Base Specialist			X			X
Data Entry Trainee			X			X
Data Entry Trainee			X			X
Local Marketing Expert					X
Local Marketing Expert					X
Local Marketing Expert					X
Local Marketing Expert					X
Local Marketing Expert					X
Mentor					X
Mentor					X
Faculty Trainee					X
Faculty Trainee					X
Faculty Trainee					X
Faculty Trainee					X
Faculty Trainee					X
Faculty Trainee					X
Faculty Trainee					X
Faculty Trainee					X
Faculty Trainee					X
Faculty Trainee					X
Videographer				X			X

PHASE II THE PILOT COURSES Following the UNESCO/ Aid to Artisans preparations, Kala Raksha Vidyalaya will hold two complete pilot courses, one for male artisans and one for female artisans. The courses will be structured in a series of two-week workshops. Each class of 15 artisans will attend five workshops held over a period of one year. The two courses will be conducted back to back, for efficiency. This phase is generously funded by the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Government of India. Workshop topics, as follows, will form a comprehensive course of market-oriented design education. Together, they will build the knowledge and skills of participants so that upon completion, artisans will become active agents in developing traditional arts for new markets on a sustainable basis, and increase their income to viability. The course will aim to enable participants to create collections, which will be exhibited at a convocation mela juried by buyers and market experts, and open to the public. Thus, it will firmly establish the link between market and design, and demonstrate the utility of design education. INSTRUCTION Instructors will have participated in the workshop with international and national Market Resource persons to insure a market focus in the education. Prior to each session, one of the Market Expert team will work specifically with the Curriculum Coordinator, Mentors and Faculty for that session, to insure that the course is market oriented. Hands-on marketing activities will be a part of each course. These will include: Input from instructors working in the field, visits of tour groups from domestic and international metropolitan areas, and exposure trips for artisans to major metropolitan centers. Two permanent faculty members, participant Mentors will assist in session instruction. During the off-campus interims between sessions, they will make periodic visits to participants’ homes to insure coherence and see that information is understood and implemented. PARTICIPANTS Groups of artisans from local traditional craft backgrounds will be selected by their aptitude and interest. The pilot classes will be 15 artisans each, from textile crafts. In the male class, weaving, resist printing, bandhani, and roghan artisans will attend. In the female class, embroidery, patchwork and appliqué artisans will attend. Composition of the classes will be determined on the basis of experience level, and method of working. To insure the effectiveness of the workshops in teacher training and refining the curriculum, as well as in creating a successful model, experienced participants will be solicited in the pilot courses. While it is intended that Kala Raksha Vidyalaya be a fee based institution, DC(H) funding of the pilot workshops includes stipends for the participants. The stipends will serve as a scholarships to enable initiation of the institute. Following the pilots, criteria and method of selection of participants for the Vidyalaya will be formalized. EXPECTED OUTCOMES The overall goals for the course of study are articulated as follows:

Artisans will be able to significantly improve their income
Artisans will be conscious of their own traditions and be able to articulate them.
Artisans will be capable of evaluation/ critical judgment
Artisans will be able to define and assess different markets
Artisans will be capable of innovation within traditions for the market
Artisans will be capable of information gathering/ accessing resources
Artisans will be capable of developing and communicating concepts
Artisans will be capable of solving design problems
Artisans will be capable of presentation of concepts/ products
Artisans will be confident of learning to learn

COURSE CONTENTS Session 1 Colour, Basic Design, and Sourcing from Nature and Heritage Artisans will learn how colour is perceived and used, how to create colours and colour combinations for different effects. They will learn basic design fundamentals: aesthetics, composition, pattern, proportion, and design visual systems. They will learn to manipulate and experiment with the materials and techniques specific to their own media. They will learn to source inspiration from nature and their own heritage. Work with Kala Raksha’s CAD center and handicraft museum is part of this session. Session 2 Market Orientation, Concept, Costing Artisans will learn to discern different markets, and the role of the market in guiding innovation. They will learn to discern and define concepts. They will learn how to cost their work with regard to appropriate standards. This session includes work with market data bases developed through the UNESCO project, and a field trip to Mumbai for practical application of the content, which will be funded by UNESCO. Session 3 Concept, Communication, Projects and Technical Input Artisans will learn how to create concepts, collections and product lines. They will learn how to effectively communicate through their own media. They will work on problem solving and begin planning for their final collection. Further work with CAD, and technical inputs are part of this session. Session 4 Finishing, Merchandising Artisans will learn the importance of finishing and detailing, and techniques for enhancing their work. They will learn how to create product identity through labeling, packaging, and how to enhance sales through such factors. Pricing will be re-examined. Session 5 Presentation Artisans will learn the importance of presentation in creating value. They will practice hands-on methods of display and critique. CONVOCATION/ JURY/ AND EXHIBITION Following the completion of both courses the annual convocation event, comprising a combined exhibition, will be held on the Kala Raksha Vidyalaya campus. This event will be funded through UNESCO. Each participant will display his/her collection. Participants’ work will be juried by buyers and marketing experts and the event will also be open to the public. Market links developed through the UNESCO capacity building project will be utilized to bring the market to the Vidyalaya. FUTURE PLANS UNESCO funding will continue for a second year. During year 2, the success of the school in meeting targets of the business plan will be carefully reviewed and, as necessary, activities of the Vidyalaya fine tuned. Sales of products developed by participants will be monitored and new buyers and participants will be targeted. UNESCO funding in year two includes a second round of faculty and Data Entry Training. Concentrating on the Trainees will help Kala Raksha build its capacity to enable artisans to access our resources. Funding for curriculum development on market orientation to product design, development, pricing and marketing, and for printing curriculum materials for KRV use and distribution are covered in the second year. A second marketing field trip and convocation/ mela are also funded. A table of the course plan, with tentative dates, and the budget for the pilots follow.

Introduction Traditional crafts are endangered. The attention focused on craft today attests that we recognize this fact. Artisans struggle to earn wages that may not even equal those of manual labour. The social status of the artisan is still sadly low. Moreover, the social mobility of artisans is limited by chronically low levels of education; and the perceived irrelevance of the education available perpetuates the status quo. A spectrum of Government offices, programmes and schemes, as well as non-government organizations are trying many ways to save traditional crafts. There are various forms of subsidy, bazaars and melas organized for marketing, Master Craftsman and Shilp Guru awards, and seminars to raise awareness and respect. But the fact is the Shilp Gurus, those craftspersons most highly honored, are still asking for the most shockingly basic facilities- a place to work, a railway pass, free admission into museums- to see their own heritage! And they protest that in the committee to select Master Crafts persons, there is not a single artisan. Something is not working. To foster genuine sustainability, to restore the vitality of traditional craft, these issues must be addressed by artisans themselves. To enable this, we must address the most pressing need in India today: relevant education for rural people. TRADITIONAL CRAFT Traditional crafts existed integrated into local social systems. Some crafts, typically those done by men, such as block printing, hand weaving and pottery, were professional. Others, typically those done by women, such as folk embroidery, were personal and never thought of in commercial terms. Regardless of commercial orientation, the user of the craft was intimately known. Design was an integral part of craft. The artisan was designer, producer and marketer simultaneously. S/he knew which design would be used by which person, because there was a direct connection between aesthetic style and culture. Designs evolved; innovation is critical to living art. But the changes were slow, subtle innovations within a tradition... a pattern within a pati, a new fiber or colour for the border of the traditional dhablo (blanket). If interaction was required, the user interacted directly with the artisan. CHANGING TIMES, CHANGING MARKETS In the last few decades, these traditional crafts have undergone tremendous change. As local villagers seek cheaper mass produced functional wares, artisans are compelled to find new markets. Fortunately, at the same time sophisticated urban markets have welcomed the concept of traditional crafts. However, traditional work is often not saleable because the object itself, its colour, style or price are not appropriate to the current market. These crafts must adapt to their new clientele. Since the new market is no longer local, nor are crafts necessarily produced for utilitarian purpose, the functional basis that drove innovation is altered. In addition, since the market has expanded, innovations must now be faster and less subtle. Instead of varying the pattern within a pati, the pati itself must be changed. A different consciousness is essential for craft to succeed in this market. THE DIVISION OF ART AND LABOR With these major changes in the market for handmade products, it has been recognized that new design is needed to make craft sustainable. Conventionally, this has been perceived as a need for design intervention. It is assumed that intervention takes place in the form of trained designers giving new designs to artisans, the implication being that designers have knowledge that enables them to conceive of aesthetically appropriate products, while artisans have the skills to produce such designs. Artisans are asked to make what someone else tells them to make, rather than work from their own sense of aesthetics. This can result in dis-empowering artisans if it is done without explanation or means of access. I recall vividly an incident in which patchwork cushion covers were being sorted by staff and designer into good and bad piles. One senior artisan, observing, became increasingly agitated. When her own piece went into the reject pile, she visibly resigned, exclaiming, "Then just tell me what to do; I don't know what you want." In another instance, a group of Jat women who do cross stitch embroidery and had been working commercially on block printed patterns for some time refused to take on new work without a pattern printed on the cloth. They had given up their confidence in their traditional art, which of course is worked out by counting. A third, telling incident comes from Rabari embroiderers. When presented with a set of four alien coloured threads, Rabari women balked. "If we use these, it won't be Rabari," they said. In traditional work, there is no distinct separation of colour, stitch, pattern and motif; these work together in units. Design intervention separates these elements and juxtaposes them in new and, for the artisan, cryptic ways. Simultaneously with design intervention, design, or art, is separated from craft, or labour. When design is reserved for a professional designer and craft is relegated to the artisan, the artisan is essentially reduced to a labourer. The separation of designer and artisan thus elevates the status of the former and lowers that of the latter, reinforcing the low social status of craft. One further concern about the separation of design and execution of craft is that it supports the factory model. This seems to emanate from an assumption of an industrialized society. If craft tries to compete with industry, it will surely fall short, in terms of manufacture and in terms of price. The personal character, the intimacy, the hand made quality itself is what will enable craft to survive in an industrial world. The strength of hand craft is that it expresses a whole world. This concern invokes the long-standing discussion on the distinctions between craft, art, and design. Craft implies skill, doing, a hobby or practical profession. Art implies creativity, imagination, expression. Design implies mediation. Craft has always been design based because it relies on a consumer. Craft, like design is fundamentally based on satisfying the user's aesthetic needs, rather than purely expressing feelings. But in a sense, traditional craft was really traditional art, in that the maker managed concept as well as execution. Depending on the level of professionalization, laborers would then be employed. "All craftspersons are designers. But all designers are not craftspersons," a Shilp Guru says, and his audience responds with spontaneous applause. Few would dispute the aesthetic value of traditional work. We can perceive in it a sort of living quality, though we might not easily define what that is. New work, while appropriate to the new market, does not have that elusive living quality. It lacks the integrity of cultural expression, or the spirit of the artisan. Those honored artisans, Master Craftsmen and Shilp Gurus, express frustration at current trends. A shilp Guru holds up a golden box he made. "Look at this," he says. "This is beautiful." And it is. "They tell us to make it cheaper, faster..." "That's not what we do!" echo the Salvis, the last artisans of patolu weaving. It is when the art of tradition-based work is lost that the tradition is endangered. Surely, design input is needed for new markets. Neither the concern for this problem nor the schemes are wrong. But the approach to the problem needs to be altered. Designers must learn to think like artisans, someone suggested. But the real problem is that no one wants to be a laborer. If we want craft to flourish, we first have to attend the artisan. Craft must be re-integrated and the artisan must be significantly involved in both design and craft aspects. CREATIVITY AND DESIGN IN A LIVING TRADITION When artisans are engaged in finding their own solutions to problems, they find the satisfaction of creativity. If we examine an example of a living tradition, that of textile arts of the Kachhi Rabaris of Kutch, we find that artisans have not only ability but great interest in the creative aspect of their craft. The women of this nomadic community in the process of settling have had to enter the world of cash economy as income from traditional sources ceased to be adequate for survival. Whether earning by manual labour or through their traditional embroidery skills, Rabari women now face the dilemma of multiple demands on limited time. At the same time, requirements for traditional embroidery for dowry have increased. Unmarried girls, put into conflict, have responded by learning to balance and prioritize. For their traditional work, they have begun to use time savers such as machine embroidery, ready-made rick rack and ribbons. The minimization of labour in traditional art has allowed entry of new elements. With exposure to new markets through settling and embroidering commercially, Rabari women have gained access to a vast array of new materials, colours and patterns. Remarkably, Rabaris choose new elements according to their own, still vital sense of aesthetics-- essentially following the design brief. The labor savers expressly enable more rapid execution. As a result, artisans have become eager for ever rapid changes in style which are no longer subtle variations of pattern within a pati, but entire revamping of the concept of a piece. Thus, fashion has emerged as a concept. In new Rabari traditions, while innovation and fashion do not draw on the commercial work from which women may be earning, the pace and extent of innovation have followed the development of wider markets. In embracing fashion, artisans have not only demonstrated their ability to innovate but- more important- their capacity to do so quickly and more radically. Another aspect of new traditions worth noting is that bad habits of commercial craftsmanship have not crept in. Women welcome time saving devices, but not compromises in craftsmanship. Within the community, fine skill and sensibility are still a matter of personal worth. By focusing on the labour aspect of embroidery, and eliminating some of the tedium of hand work, Rabari women have not only enabled their traditions to remain economically viable. They have also shifted the focus of creativity. Different skills have become important in new fashion-traditions: choosing from the array of available materials, conceptualizing patterns. Witness the innovation of Monghiben on the traditional ludi, the identifying woolen veil. Monghi wanted to excel in displaying her creative skills on her wedding ludi. Yet she knew that she would wear it only for a few hours. In any case, if she wore it more often, her efforts would be lost in wear and tear. Defining the problem, she devised an ingenious solution: showcase bands elaborately worked with machine and hand embroidery, which she attached to the borders of her veil. The bands could then be reused by her younger sister or, if no longer in fashion, double as a toran. The new styles in fact allow women to focus on design rather than execution. Most noteworthy, Rabari women enjoy the designing aspect of the new traditional work. Monghi has become a celebrity and an inspiration to her peers. AN ARTISAN CENTERED APPROACH The question then is can artisans apply their ability to innovate toward making art appropriate for the current market? If they gain the same skills and knowledge as professional designers, and learn to access their market, can they solve their own design problems? Could they find appropriate solutions for the persistent problem of cost vs. fair wages, and nurture the critical element of cultural expression? What if artisans learn to think like designers! If one recognizes the creative capability of artisans, in terms of cost efficiency and feasibility it is more practical to think of training traditional artisans in design principles than to train designers in craft traditions. Further, in terms of the survival of craft traditions, it is far more sustainable. Encouraged by working collaboratively with artisans in design, Kala Raksha is planning an institution to address the issue of craft design in a new way. Kala Raksha Vidyalaya is envisioned as an educational institution specifically for artisans of Kutch. Traditional artisans rarely gain access to contemporary formal design training due to social and financial barriers. The institution envisioned will differ from others primarily in that its environment, curriculum and methodology will be designed to be appropriate for adult artisans with a vast existing body of traditional knowledge, who are currently working in their field. Master artisans will participate in developing the institution, to insure that these goals are met. Personalization is a critical and powerful element in effective education. The Vidyalaya will thus address the issues of relevant education and self confidence while building the capacity to design for new markets. To facilitate the shift of market, and relationship to the new market, Kala Raksha Vidyalaya will address and interlink three broad areas: thorough understanding of traditional crafts, contemporary design input, and access to markets. UNDERSTANDING TRADITIONAL CRAFTS Traditional artisans have an incomparable fortune in the deep knowledge and hereditary skills of their craft. Imbibed from childhood as an inextricable part of a way of life, both knowledge and skills are almost involuntary. Yet, like breathing, craft knowledge and skills may not be consciously attended. The Vidyalaya will guide artisans to examine their own traditions, and others. Study and reflection will enable them to most effectively access their body of existing knowledge. Drawing on experiences with the Kala Raksha Folk Art Museum and Resource Center, the course will include documentation, presentation, and study of traditions. Artisans will learn to observe, record, use, and above all appreciate their known traditions in a conscious way. DESIGN Self confidence in the ability to solve problems is the most important and enduring benefit of education. Contemporary design, the major course of Kala Raksha Vidyalaya, will focus on a conscious approach to design principles and problem solving. Artisans will gain conscious knowledge and learn skills relating to design, which they will apply in authentic situations in their respective media. Technical assistance will be provided as needed, but with focus on understanding the limitations and possibilities of technology. Artisans will learn to use technology to expand their scope, rather than feel circumscribed within its limitations. As artisans of Kala Raksha noted, "We need to learn what is new, what we don't already know." "Embroidery is what we do," one woman explained. "Education is different; education is essential." With the wealth and depth of traditional knowledge, artisans will be able to quickly absorb and utilize design related information. Artisans' experiences confirm the profound utility of design education. Ismail Mohammed Khatri, a block print and dye master of Dhamadka and Advisory Board member of Kala Raksha Vidyalaya, relates how as a young boy he was skilled in making wooden blocks. With indigenous tools and methods he could innovate within existing patterns. Then a young designer from NID gave him a compass and showed him how to make a perfect square. From that simple, appropriate technology, he says, he knew he could create infinite new patterns for the rest of his life. In a recent project for the Manly Art Gallery and Museum in Australia, artisans were asked simply to express their experiences of the massive earthquake that devastated Kutch in January 2001. The same senior artisan who had given up confidence when her patchwork cushion cover went into the reject pile created an incredibly complex and vibrant work, including innovative three dimensional techniques. In this case, she was able to extend beyond her capacity simply with encouragement and protected space to explore --rarely found in the work-driven daily life. And after completing the piece, she was eager for the opportunity to do further expressive work. In a concerted effort to bridge the digital divide, new technology will be an important component of the artisan design school. Using new technology as an extension of existing knowledge will enable quick acceptance of the medium itself, encourage artisans to think in new ways, and help them to access new markets. After a first encounter with computer aided design at an education workshop at Jiva School, a young Rabari artisan enthusiastically exclaimed, "A week ago we didn't know what a computer was, and today we can use it to make designs!" ACCESS TO MARKETS Access to new markets is the critical issue, and will prove the ultimate success of the Vidyalaya's education. Artisans want results, Ismail Khatri emphasizes. The only motivator for working artisans is improved income. Understanding the market must drive design innovation. Exposure to target markets will be essential. Why is Ismail more successful than most of his traditional community? The design training he has enjoyed, aptitude to learn, but also exposure. Ismail has been able to establish direct links to his customers. "We learn to understand what they want; we get the courage to experiment," he explains. "After that, it has its own perpetual motion." In this component of education, exposure to markets will be insured in two way interaction: artisans will go out and clients will come in. Professionalism will be encouraged to facilitate the interaction. And to bridge the existing cultural gap, artisans will also learn to access resources, so that they can solve future problems. For this, information technology offers great potential to artisans as a means of overcoming social and physical barriers to markets which can appreciate and afford their work at fair prices. Not every graduate of Kala Raksha Vidyalaya will become a local designer, just as not every college graduate becomes a professor. Nor will the institute obviate the need for professional designers from outside the artisan community. But the education of the Vidyalaya will change the working relationship between graduates and other designers to be more egalitarian. The education experienced will be relevant to the artisan's life. It will enable him or her to be more capable and confident in work, and in operating in a world beyond the familiar village setting. And hopefully it will enable artisans to value education and encourage it in their families. By engaging the contemporary world through relevant design education, artisans can re-integrate their art, and revitalize its spirit so that it expresses a whole, new world. FURTHER READING Frater, Judy "Traditional Art in the Eye of the Artisan: Changing Concepts of Art, Craft and Self in Kutch," Seminar 523, March 2003. New Delhi. "Contemporary Embroideries of Rabaris of Kutch: Economic and Cultural Viability," Textile Society of America Proceedings, 2002. "This is Ours:' Rabari Tradition and Identity in a Changing World," forthcoming in Nomadic Peoples "Rabari Embroidery: Chronicle of Tradition and Identity in a Changing World," forthcoming in a Crafts Council of India publication 1999 "When Parrots Transform to Bikes: Social Change Reflected in Rabari Embroidery Motifs," Nomadic Peoples (NS) Vol. 3, issue 1. 1995 Threads of Identity: Embroidery and Adornment of the Nomadic Rabaris. Ahmedabad: Mapin. Kak, Krishen, "Integrating Crafts and the Educational System," paper presented at the Crafts Council of India/ Development Commissioner for Handicrafts/ Export Promotion Couoncil for Handicrafts International Seminar on "Crafts, Craftspersons and Sustainable Development," New Delhi, November 16-18, 2002 Rudolph, Steven- personal communication. See also http/www.Jiva.org Tyabji, Lalia, ed. "Celebrating Craft," Seminar 523, March 2003. New Delhi

* to be published in Handmade in India, a National Institute of Design Publication

An ancient one and the artists who create them are known as Patua. This tradition features long vertical multi paneled scrolls known as patas (paintings) or jorana patas (rolled paintings) since the scrolls are rolled up for storage and transportation. Each panel represents a particular sequence in the story and as they are unrolled for viewing, the accompanying couplet or story is recited. Painted on sheets of paper glued at the edges to form one continuous roll, these scrolls are mounted on cloth (usually old saris) for greater strength and flexibility. Traditionally, the performer would carry these scrolls from door to door, and depending on people’s request, particular stories would be narrated for a small fee, either in cash or kind. In 1983, at the age of 21, Kalam held the first show of his works. Soon, Kalam achieved great renown for his finely detailed works, exhibiting his patachitrapaintings at the West Bengal Pavilion, India International Trade Fair, Delhi in 1987, 1988 and 1989. His scrolls on the French Revolution done for the French Cultural Centre in Kolkata were hailed as a new innovation in patachitra art and he collaborated on shows with artists from other countries. Once he mastered patachitra painting, Kalam focused his attention on yet another Bengali art tradition, namely Kalighat paintings. At first, he was inspired by the paintings of yore and then later developing his own individual repertoire of contemporary Kalighat paintings. Kalighat paintings are believed to have originated in the nineteenth century with the establishment of the Kali temple in the city of Kolkata. Initially developed as religious souvenirs for pilgrims coming to the temple, Kalighat paintings of gods and goddesses were rendered quickly by artists sitting outside the temple. Using water-colours and cheap mill made paper, the artists executed drawings as per the buyer’s request for a small fee. Typically, Kalighatpaintings are not overly embellished or crammed with imagery as in many other folk art styles such as Madhubani or Pabuji phads or Puri paintings. Rather, Kalighatpaintings display a minimalist yet striking treatment of subject matter. Gradually, secular themes began to be introduced and Kalighat paintings became a means of social commentary. When Kalam Patua began making Kalighat paintings, the tradition had all but died out, replaced successively by cheaper wood-prints and then machine printed images. He began by learning from existing works, painstakingly copying the pieces till he mastered the art. It was not easy as he had a full-time job in the post-office but soon, reviving Kalighat art became a passion. Once he became confident of his brush-strokes, he began experimenting with themes, coming up with truly original interpretations of contemporary events and world-views. Kalam has participated in several shows including the The Margi & The Desi curated by Dr. Alka Pandey at Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi, (2004); Bouro-64, along with a group of artist from Switzerland at the Birla Academy Of Art, Kolkata, (1996); and a two-man show along with a German artist organized by Poliphony, a group of employees at Alliance Française, Kolkata, 1994. In 2002, he was invited by the Canadian Museum Of Civilization to demonstrate his art in Canada. In 2003, Dr Jyotindra Jain curated a solo show by Kalam at Gallery Espace, New Delhi. His works are part of the permanent collection of National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi and in several private collections in India and abroad. Kalam’s works never fail to delight – the bold lines and soft swathes of colour, the fine detailing and bare background, creating sheer visual beauty. One can look at his works a million times and always find something to delight in.

I was born on August 15, 1967 in a poor handloom family located at Srikalahasti town. Since my childhood, I have been fascinated with line drawings on the slate and making clay toys. Understanding my interest in the art, my father enrolled me in Kalamkari art classes in my 12th year under Late Sri S. Rambhoji Naik, (National Awardee) who was also working as a technical assistant in Government Kalamkari training centre, Srikalahasti. I learnt the art alongside continuing my school education. I trained for nearly 10 years from my kalamkari teacher besides my higher education. During the period of training I got lot of exposure in making different shades of natural colours using plants, leaves and flowers. I work mainly with natural dyes on cotton cloth.

Although Kalamkari art is an ancient Indian traditional painting, particularly related to the Hindu mythology, I have also made number of paintings on the other themes such as Buddha, Jesus Christ and everday life in our village. For the first time, in the Kalamkari art field, I have drawn very small size figures (5 cms in height) with a bamboo stick pen (Kalam). For this type of miniature painting (Sampoorna Ramayan), I was awarded the prestigious ‘National Award’ for the year 1992 from the Honorable President of India. I got special notice for my paintings ‘Weaving woman’ and ‘Farmer in the field’ which highlighted the plight of poor handloom and farmer families. I have illustrated “Mangoes and Bananas” by Nathan kumar Scott, Tara publishers, Chennai and “How to learn Kalamkari” (awaiting publication).

I have also had special exposure on temple architecture. I have visited important ancient temples likeTanjore, Madurai, Kanchi, Trichy, etc. which are famous for sculptures of Hindu mythology, to study and understand the different styles of idols. In addition to kalamkari, I have made many cement sculptures for temple decoration. After the death of my art teacher in 1989, I have been continuing this art by giving free training to a large number of students at Srikalahasti town, Chittoor district. So far I have trained eight students.

Founder of Kalamkari Hastha Kala Kendram (Regd. No. 229 dt 1997): Kalamkari hastha kala kendram (Before registration it was Sri Rambhoji Naik kalamkari Kala Kendram) was started in 1989 in memory of late Shri Rambhoji Naik, National Awardee in Kalamkari and also my kalamkari art teacher. This is one of the small organizations promoting and identifying traditional arts and artisans for their improvement. Since 1989, every year on August 31^st we celebrate its Anniversary. As a part of this annual ceremony, we conduct drawing competition to students (From LKG to Bachelor degree students) and also felicitate the traditional artisans who have not gained much recognition. Since beginning I have been serving as a General Secretary for this organization.

Work in Museum Collection:

Madras Craft Museum(Craft Foundation): Sampoorna Ramayanam miniature painting (2.00X1.30 Meter), which was selected for National Award in 1992.
The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK: One large kalamkari painting (5.00 x 2.60 Meters) namely “Sampoorna Ramayanam” (which was selected for ‘Mahatma Gandhi Birth Centenary Memorial award’ in 1993, from Victoria Technical Institute, Chennai) was purchased by the Ashmolean Museum (Eastern Arts section).
Shilpa kala vedika, Shilparamam, Hyderabad: For the first time, in the kalamkari art field, a major kalamkari panel work around 150 running meters prepared. The painting was made on silk cloth using natural dyes and all the figures related to rural and traditional musicians (not mythological pictures).
Handicraft emporiumssuch as Victoria Technical Institute, Chennai, Andhra Pradesh Handicrafts Development Corporation, Kalanjali, Contemporary Arts & Crafts, Hyderabd; Kaveri, Dastkar, Craft Council of India, Craft council of Andhrapradesh, etc. have collected my work.

Awards Received:

Mahatma Gandhi Birth Centenary Memorial Awardin 1986 from Victoria Technical Institute (VTI), Madras for Sri Rama Pattabhisekham Painting.
Mahatma Gandhi Birth Centenary Memorial Awardsecond time in 1990 from Victoria Technical Institute (VTI), Madras for Sri Sita Rama Charitra Painting.

Mahatma Gandhi Birth Centenary Memorial Awardthird time in 1993 from Victoria Technical Institute (VTI), Madras for Sampoorna Ramayanam Painting.

National Award(Govt. of India) in 1994 from Honourable President of India at New Delhi for Sampoorna Ramayan Painting.
Outstanding Young Person Awardin 1994 from the Junior Chamber, Tirupati, India.

EXHIBITIONS & DEMONSTRATIONS:

Exhibition and Demonstration at National Level Exhibition Taj Festival 1993, Agra conducted by the Ministry of Textiles, Govt.of India.
Kalamkari art demonstration at Surajkund Mela – 95, New Delhi conducted by Govt.of India.

Exhibition & Demonstration at International Art Festival (Art in Action), Oxford, UK during the period of 13 – 16, July 1995 13 – 16, July 1996 15 – 18, July 1998 18 – 21, July 2002

Exhibition & Demonstration at Nehru Centre, London, UKduring the period of 23-25, July 2002
Exhibition & Demonstration at UNESCO, Toulouse, FranceSponsored by CIES, France in 1996
Exhibition at FIAS, Institute of Aeronatique, Toulouse, France in 1996

Participation in National Award winners Exhibition in 2001at Shilparamam, Hyderabad

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS M.Sc., (1989) (Physics) M.Phil. (1991) (Physics) Ph.D. (1993) (Physics) PRESENT OCCUPATION Scientist, Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), Govt. of India, Cherlapally, Hyderabad-51. ART EXPERIENCE : 26 Years

KAMALADEVI JI’S VISION FOR DEVELOPMENT OF HANDICRAFTS AND HANDLOOMS THROUGH THE COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT What I am going to talk about today may sound like a fairy tale. It is however the story of a beautiful lady, with a soft voice, a sweet smile and determination of steel. Yes indeed, I am talking about Smt. Kamladevi Chattopadhaya. IN 1988 when Kamladeviji passed away, as a homage to her, the Crafts Council of India quite appropriately wrote: "She belonged to a generation of greats who created history by dedicating their lives for the betterment of the nation without craving for personal glory or power……..Setting up the Cottage Industries Emporium and heading the All India Handicrafts Board for years Kamladevi was indeed the 'Grande dame' of Indian handicrafts and folk art, her name being synonymous with craft." My association with her began in 1952 within the context of her efforts to bring livelihood and prestige to artisans and Indian handcrafts. In my talk today I will recount the story of the birth of India’s premier Handicrafts Enterprise, Central Cottage Industries Emporium. I will talk about my experience of working with Kamladeviji as well as the many others who were part of this journey as we set up Cottage Industries Emporium. Since the story began following India’s partition, I have had to recall details from six decades ago and for this I would like to acknowledge my colleague from that time, Mr K B Johar, with whom I have had several discussions to create this talk. 1947, the year India attained independence, brought in its wake a division of the country, riots, massacres and destruction of property. This turmoil led to the world’s largest movement of population, and took many years of work towards rehabilitation of its refugees. The Government of India set up a special Ministry of Rehabilitation for this purpose. At the time of Partition there were 565 small and large states, which were integrated into our Republic. Amongst the many consequences of this terrible debacle, was also a loss of patronage to artists, crafts persons and other professionals who thrived on the generosity of the erstwhile Princely states of the country. Our first Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru was greatly perturbed by this and directed the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to start a retail outlet, for the sale of products made by craftspeople particularly those affected by the aftermath of independence. This retail outlet was the genesis of the Central Cottage Industries Emporium (CCIE). In 1948 the Central Cottage Industries Emporium was opened on Queensway, now Janpath New Delhi, in old army barracks . For 4 years the Ministry ran this outlet with a maximum sale of Rs. 2.50 lacs The Govt incurred a loss of 40 to 60 lacs in four years for running this outlet. Simultaneously, The Indian Cooperative Union was set up in December 1948 under the leadership of Kamladevijee. Shri. LC Jain, whose work Kamladevijee had seen in the Kingsway Refugee Camps, was chosen the General Secretary of the ICU. The women in the refugee camps were encouraged to take up stitching and embroidery to be able to earn an income. Sardar Patel (our then Home Minister) brought in truckloads of fabric on a regular basis from Gujarat, for this purpose. The Fabrics were separated for stitching or embroidery. Mrs. Rajesh Nandini and Mrs. Teji Vir Singh who were working in the camps helped in this endeavour. These embroidered goods were initially sold through Pandit Brothers and then later through the Refugee Handicrafts ,a shop run by the Indian Cooperative Union on Barakhamba Road,New Delhi The success of the Refugee Handicrafts prompted Pt. Nehru to invite Kamladevijee to take over the management of the Emporium. This made her very happy as craftspersons, weavers and refugees could be helped at a national level by the Indian Cooperative Union. With this she started the Craft Movement in the country. On the 1st of November 1952, the Refugee Handicrafts shop, merged with the Central Cottage Industries Emporium, under the umbrella of ICU. At the same time the Ministry of Commerce and Industry set up the All India Handicrafts Board, also with Kamladevijee as Chairperson, Shri. LC Jain, Lakshmi, to all of us as Member Secretary. The Board was responsible for formulating policies and making guidelines for implementation in the Handicraft Sector. Having accepted the challenge, the ICU did everything in its power to strengthen the role of providing, effective marketing support to the artisans and weavers, who had to be dissuaded from abandoning their trades. Assisting the ICU team were luminaries from different walks of life- Shri. U Srinivas Malliah, Smt. Kitty Siva Rao, Shri. ML Sodhani, Shri. PN Mathai and Shri Dharampal to name a few. Relentless activity started from this moment at all levels. A survey team led by Prof. Raj Krishna, Professor of Economics, travelled all over the country to study the problems of production and marketing of crafts. A detailed study was made of cooperatives, public and private marketing set ups, foreign trade, quality control, design, research training and financial organisation. Its report formed the policies and guidelines for the crafts sector at the national level. The Emporium was given a dynamic autonomous management to help place it on a sound footing. ICU invited people like Mrs. Fori Nehru, Mrs. Prem Bery, Mrs. Kitty Siva Rao, Shri NN Datta, and Shri Bharat Sahay to participate in the venture. Mrs. Teji Vir Singh, who was associated first with the Refugee Camps, as well as Refugee Handicrafts shop took over as the first Manager of the Emporium., Mr. Cyrus S H Jhabwala, a distinguished architect, was assigned the renovation of the Emporium. Magically he opened up seemingly cramped spaces making “an eight-counter sales corridor with a large room at the end”, into a vast open space housing all sorts of handicraft and textiles. A group of would be buyers led by Mrs. Teji Vir Singh travelled through the whole country in 1954. Their agenda was to acquaint themselves with artisans, placing orders for the emporium, assuring them of regular and continuous work, thus giving the craftspeople the much needed confidence and stability. Kamladevijee as AIHB Chairperson was also travelling extensively. Walking from village to village with a handful of assistants, she unearthed some of the most unusual things. It was during one such trip to a potter’s hut in Bankura, West Bengal, she found the fascinating horse with detachable ears, which was adopted as the logo for the Cottage. Before long Cottage had brand new merchandise pouring in from all over the country, even some of the remotest areas, the likes of which Delhi had never laid eyes on before. Footfalls increased, so did the sales. From a mere 2.50 lacs in 1952 they touched 80. lacs in 1964. The Emporium became a Living Museum, which could be used as a ready reference for importers as well as exporters. Buyers were trained to procure the best merchandise for which they visited producers at frequent intervals.They were also responsible for feedback to the producers on prices ,modifications and improvements.They also helped the artisans with costing their items. They were also trained to assist producers in modifying their designs towards saleable items Merchandising was an activity,wherein buyers were trained to take charge of overall supply and replacements on the counters.The buyers would watch the sales,by being on the counters off and on .the knowledge thus gained would be carried back to the producers by them.Buying staff was given targets for their respective departments ,to ensure that they would not run out of saleable stocks, The Emporium also started a Production Centre of its own to help absorb the initial risk of producing items with new designs. If an artisan brought in an item that was not saleable, the buyers were expected to help them make items, which were saleable. To enable this we set up a Planning and Promotion department with leading designers. They were always at hand to suggest how best the skills of craftspeople could be used for making contemporary marketable items. The salary structure of the staff was geared towards cooperative principles wherein the minimum salary was 100 and the maximum 500. In order to run the Cottage on the same lines as big department stores in the USA, Mrs Jane Liu was invited to reorganise the merchandise into departments. The source was represented by a sub head, to enable sales staff as well as other staff to know where the item came from, with a tag on every item indicating the department, the source, the age of stocks and the price. This was a feat in the 50s as it was all manual. Today computers can work wonders. Cottage was proud to be a fixed price shop This gave customers confidence in the credibility of Cottage. Mr. S.J Fosdik, a Consultant from USA was specially invited to impress upon us the relevance of Market Research and sound commercial practices. A special cell was created to analyse, collect data and highlight the fast selling items, as well as allocate resources for them in future planning. Except big producer groups, who were paid within 15 to 30 days, the artisans were paid the same day. Certain percentage of the profit was kept aside for the welfare of such artisans-be it their medical needs or small advances to buy raw materials. This brought into our fold a large number of home based workers. Meanwhile a number of new features were added. Bankura the cafe was a great success. Rachna the book and music store, Mallika the flower shop, Kunika the art gallery and framing section drew in a different group of customers. A ticket counter sold tickets for cultural shows, a Gift Wrapping counter was set up with a staff member specially trained in Japan, a Private Order counter which catered to special customised orders. A Production Center where Tailors Cooperatives ,produced in addition, garments and accessories for the sales counters also. In time the place was buzzing. Our advertisements created by Mr. Som Benegal with ingenuity were a great draw. The display was changed constantly for exhibitions or new arrivals. Mrs. Ratna Fabri and later Mrs. Sina Kaul with a team of young display artists created the most amazing ambience. One almost felt like buying a whole window instead of one or two disp By this time, thousands of showrooms began to spring up all over the country on routes to monuments, near hotels etc. stocking handicrafts. This fulfilled the purpose of popularising crafts and making the hand-made crafts commercially viable. Every VIP who visited Delhi, was brought to Cottage, generally on their way back from Rajghat, to give them exposure to our heritage under one roof. That was the kind of status enjoyed by Cottage The visits of some of these were events that would be remembered always. The Queens visit, the visit of Jackie Kennedy and that of the Shah and Shahbano of Iran. Ahead of the visit of the Queen of England, Pandit Nehru walked in early in the morning into the showroom, on the way back from Bal Bhavan. Jaya was dusting the brass when she heard a voice asking " Dukan khul gaya". Without turning around she answered, "abhi khula nahin" Suddenly she recognised the voice and did not know what to do. By then Panditji was at the other end of the hall. Lakshmi asked me, to get a bunch of roses to give to the PM. I ran to Mallika the florist picked up the first bunch of mixed color roses and handed them over to Panditji. After he had left Lakshmi called me. "Don’t you know he likes red roses?" My immediate reply, "if I had started picking up the red roses, Panditji would have reached Teen Murti." He really walked so fast. When the Queen of England visited Cottage, she bought a reversible Dupion silk coat. She wore it to the President’s banquet that night.The next morning it was front page news.The Queen’s wardrobe is fixed,an exception had been made in this case. Kamladevijee did not visit the emporium regularly. Her special brand of leadership was in selecting a team of dedicated enthusiasts, as I would like to call them. They followed her dreams and her cause to the minutest possible detail. I would like to read here a quote from Anjalie Ela Menon from a recently published book Delhi The First City. I read “Panditji and his young daughter Indira were closely watched by Delhiites in matters of style, both sartorial and otherwise. Fortunately for Delhi, and incidentally for India, there was a small band of dedicated women who took it upon themselves to preserve and develop handicrafts and the handloom industry, without any remuneration. Among them were Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, Shona Ray, Kitty Shivarao, Forrie Nehru and the indefatigable Prem Bery who ran the Cottage Industries Emporium for several decades. ‘Cottage’, as it was affectionately called, was not just a place to shop and hangout in, but became the arbiter of good taste and certainly dictated the lifestyle flavour of the times.” Kamaladevijee’s passion for handicrafts influenced the elite society ladies, who mostly wore French Chiffons into purchasing Kanjeevarams and Benares sarees, which they then wore with great pride. The interiors of homes, suddenly changed from chandeliers and crystals to bronzes, stone carvings, and antique wooden art objects. Her everlasting legacy has been to change the mindset of the customers, thus ensuring a permanent place for hand made products. This gave the artisans confidence, dignity and pride. Today this sector ranks second only to Agriculture in India’s economy Kamaladevi ji also gave the same sense of importance to musicians, dancers, classical and folk singers, who suddenly were elevated to the stature of artists. They performed for the general public, who learnt to appreciate their art –this appreciation thus went beyond the guests of Prince and Nawabs. In 1964, at the peak of its glory the Central Cottage Industries Emporium was handed back to the Government. The Indian Cooperative Union had fulfilled Kamladeviji’s dream.

I write this memoir on the occasion of a celebration to commemorate the life of Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, freedom fighter and visionary, for whom no hurdles were insurmountable. Kamaladeviji took upon herself many challenges, the task of rehabilitating refugees after the Partition of India being one of them. She overcame the turmoil of post-Partition to bring to life her vision of revitalising the crafts and looms of India in the spirit of cooperatives. She wanted to ensure that the refugees, for what they had gone through, lived with dignity and with self-esteem, not on charity. In 1947, when India attained Independence, the situation of crafts and craftspersons was abysmal, even in those areas not directly affected by Partition. Highly skilled workers, who had earlier thrived on patronage, were now almost completely deprived of it. The British had just left India, and the royalty and nobility were not in a position to lavish favours. They had themselves lost their revenues, with kingdoms, princely states and fiefdoms becoming a part of the Republic. The movement of refugees to India completely disrupted the village economy where, earlier, products of different castes were bartered. The uprooted villagers went wherever they could find a place and settled down in jobs and crafts that may have been different from their earlier occupations. Lakshmi Chand Jain—Lakshmi, to us all—a student leader and a Master’s student in Delhi University, gave up his education to volunteer with the relief operations set up for these refugees. He began by helping in Hudson Lines, one of the biggest of the Kingsway Camps, with whatever he could do, including pacifying the angry refugees. Along with other volunteers, Lakshmi worked incessantly to normalise life for the traumatised refugees. Food, shelter, health care, education and the basic needs of life had been taken care of, both from private donations and governmental assistance. It was when they had just about settled the day-to-day life of the refugees in the camp that they had a visitor. She admired their work but just before leaving the camp, Kamaladeviji asked Lakshmi very gently: ‘What about their future? How long will they live in camps?’ He responded that he was equally concerned about their future—in fact, some of the refugees had also voiced the same concern to him. He, however, had not been able to give this matter serious thought because of his immediate preoccupations. The problem, he pointed out, could not be considered uniformly as some of the inmates were agriculturists and others from diverse vocations. Within two days Lakshmi received a call from Kamaladeviji to attend a meeting she was chairing. At this meeting she spoke about her visit to the camp, the efforts that were already being made, and her grave concern as well as the urgent need to think about the future of these displaced people. Could they live in these camps forever, she asked? Her question provoked the organisers and thinkers to deliberate on the future of the refugees. Weighing the alternatives led them to a unanimous solution: self-help in the form of cooperatives. Only cooperatives could help at a time like this, when faced by the scale of a problem such as this in addition to meagre resources. Almost overnight, the Indian Cooperative Union (ICU), with Kamaladeviji as its President, and Lakshmi as a promoter, came into existence. This was the mother- cooperative which went on to form several cooperatives that were to settle agriculturists in Chattarpur, and people from the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) in Faridabad. In its effort to locate vacant land, the ICU found that Chattarpur had large stretches of farm land that had been abandoned by agricultural landlords who had migrated to Pakistan. It had been self-allotted to several senior government officers, whose families had left behind similar lands in Pakistan. In fact, they had requested the Kingsway Camp to help them find labour to till the soil, for each officer had as much as 1,000 to 2,000 acres. The ICU was willing to provide farmers, not as labour, but as owners. The owners, however, refused to part with this land, even though they did not live on it. Nevertheless, the ICU decided to occupy the land, and one day decided to move 200 families with basic equipment and six-months’ ration to live there and start work on this land. Pandit Nehru intervened, and later withdrew the orders for the previous allotment—this land was then allotted to the farmers but, unfortunately, not to the cooperative. This also implied that the refugees, who now took over ownership of the land, were free to sell it. Over time, the refugees did indeed sell this land and what we see today in the same area are large farmhouses belonging to the rich and elite. The refugees from NWFP were given land to build their own township in Faridabad. A Multipurpose Cooperative was then formed and N.N. Datta—another colleague who later worked at Cottage Industries—who was from that area and knew the language, was made the Camp Commander. Today, Faridabad is a flourishing industrial township. Kamaladeviji drew a large number of influential and committed women to support her cause—Fori Nehru, Kitty Shiva Rao and Prem Bery were among the few who worked very closely with her. Fori Nehru was made a member of the Emergency Council and went to work with great compassion for the despairing refugee women. Rajesh Nandini, a Professor of History from Islamia College, was herself a refugee from Lahore. She chose to volunteer for refugee relief instead of continuing to teach. Despite her recent bereavement, Mrs. Vir Singh, a war widow, volunteered at Kingsway Camp. There were many others who helped in various ways. The camp had many student volunteers who were forced to abandon their final year of graduation midway because of Partition. They were promised graduate degrees by the University in lieu of six months of voluntary service in the camps. Rajesh Nandini became their guide and mentor and took the initiative to bring some normalcy to the life of the women. After the women had settled into some semblance of routine life, they had a lot of time on their hands. Back in the Punjab, women spent time with each other in social activities. They would sit together, embroider, cook, and sing songs as a community. In their current life as refugees all they could do was share their miseries and horrifying experiences. In their spare time, they remained preoccupied with what they had recently suffered. Rajesh Nandini asked the student volunteers to identify women with the ability to sew and embroider using traditional stitches for which Punjab was well known. This was done to identify ways in which women could be engaged in economic activities. Based on their assessment, the volunteers began organising the women’s activity around handicrafts. Twenty machines were brought from the All India Congress Committee Office, arranged for by Sucheta Kriplani. Meanwhile, Sardar Patel had already been sending truckloads of fabric donated by mills in Ahmedabad. The volunteers were asked to segregate fabric suitable for garments, and for embroidered table and bed linen. Rajesh Nandini would cut 20 to 30 salwar kameez every morning that the women would sew on the newly acquired machines. They were paid four annas per piece (one-fourth of a rupee). This way, most of them could earn eight annas a day. Whatever they stitched was sold the next day within the camp for a profit of ₹ 1. The money was circulated back to the women as wages. Mrs. Vir Singh took charge of the linen and would ask the women to cut the fabric according to the sizes she gave them. She also suggested the designs and layouts for embroidery on mats, table clothes, tea-cosy sets, cushions and bedcovers. Once a bulk was ready, they had to think about what was to be done with these. Fori Nehru spoke to Mr. Haksar, the proprietor of Pandit Brothers, the biggest linen store in Connaught Place. He was kind enough to give them one counter to sell linen made by the refugees. By this time, other women too from civil society had joined this endeavour. With just word-of-mouth publicity, one morning the linen was put up for sale. And what a resounding success it was! Sales began to be carried out on a regular basis and orders kept pouring in. Thus the orders were booked in advance, fabric was issued from the camp stores, embroidery was done, and finished goods delivered to enthusiastic customers. This sale of embroidered linen became so popular that one counter in Pandit Brothers became too small an area. Many of the customers were women who were well-off and eager to help the cause. More orders kept pouring in and Sheela Puri took charge of executing them. This, in my view, was the foundation of retailing in India. With increased sales and production, Haksar felt the shop was getting overcrowded and, as a result, sales would suffer. Fori Nehru then stepped in to get a shop allotted to the Kingsway Camp group on Barakhamba Radial Road in Connaught Place. Called Refugee Handicrafts, it was administered by the ICU and Mrs. Vir Singh took over as Manager. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Commerce had set up a shop in 1948 called the Central Cottage Industries Emporium to sell handicrafts made by displaced craftsmen, which was not doing very well. The success of Refugee Handicrafts prompted theMinistry of Commerce to offer the Cottage Emporium to ICU. In1952, Refugee Handicrafts was merged with the Central Cottage Industries Emporium and moved to Janpath, with Mrs. Vir Singh as Manager of this new venture. This was the time I was invited to join the Emporium. My association with Lakshmi had already begun by that time as I worked with him, and my sister Rajesh Nandini, at the camp as a volunteer. As soon as I completed my Master’s degree in Economics from Delhi University I received a telegram from Lakshmi asking me to join the Cottage Emporium. My designation was Sales Assistant and my salary was ₹ 140. The premises were the barracks on Janpath that the army had vacated when the British moved out. In 1952, the Ministry of Commerce formed five Boards—All India Handicrafts Board, All India Handloom Board, Khadi and Village Industries, Silk Board, and Coir Board. Kamaladeviji became the first President of the Handicrafts Board and Lakshmi its Member Secretary. By then Lakshmi was no longer associated with the Faridabad project and was already the General Secretary of the ICU in New Delhi. In its first Handicrafts Marketing Conference, the Handicrafts Board invited the Indian Cooperative Union to undertake a survey of handicrafts in the country. The team, led by the eminent economist, Professor Raj Krishna, and coordinated by Lakshmi, travelled through 12 states of the country for 18 months to study the condition of crafts. This was a historical, one-of-a-kind detailed and comprehensive study that also led to insights on what steps needed to be taken to improve crafts as a sector. They examined private marketing, interstate and foreign trade, purchase policy, consignment systems, payment of bills, treatment of artisans, costs, margins, sales promotion, display, publicity, markets and cooperatives as a system of organisation. A qualitative study of each craft was conducted, where the team talked with managers and proprietors of small, medium and large units of production. It also studied the marketing structure in each state. The survey team concluded that the radical improvement of production is a precondition to any expansion of sales. Three important aspects were highlighted: quality control, technical research, and training and design development. The publicity and treatment of artisans were equally valued. The Report findings also laid the foundations of the guidelines to running the Central Cottage Industries Emporium. This survey was followed by another extensive tour to explore the situation of crafts. A team from Cottage, led by Mrs. Singh, travelled throughout the country to judge the report of the survey team for themselves, to get acquainted with the craftsmen, and order stocks for the Emporium. Armed with both—the survey reports and Mrs.Vir Singh’s travel reports—Cottage swung into action by implementing many of its recommendations. It required a lot of hard work, but the staff was so enthusiastic and committed that there was always optimism and willingness to put in one’s best. I have always regretted not being a part of this tour. Mine was the duty of opening and closing the Emporium every day and since it was a very responsible job, I could not be spared. As compensation for my disappointment, Mrs. Vir Singh asked Krishna Kapur, who was travelling with her, to give me a saree that she had bought from Bengal Home Industries in Calcutta. I paid an extravagant ₹ 45 for this beautiful Murshidabad silk saree—magenta, with an all-over buti print in white—that I can still recall even today. Gradually, as more and more stocks were added, additional space was needed. Lakshmi found an architect, Cyrus Jhapwala, who magically expanded the ten- counter corridor with a room at the end, to an expanse that gave us ample space to fit in all the departments—a special area for carpets, an extra shed for furniture and furnishings, display windows facing the main road, and a lobby area for special displays and exhibitions. How the area for special displays came to be named a VIP area remains a mystery—perhaps it was meant for VIP items, not persons. A first floor was created for fabrics, sarees, ready-to-wear for men, women and children, with a little counter for toys tucked away between the boys’ wear and girls’ wear. This kept the children busy while their parents shopped. To fulfil the many objectives that Cottage had for its growth, a number of new sections were added. Mallika, the flower shop at the entrance, which helped the floriculturists of Chattarpur, and also added colour and fragrance; Rachna, a music and bookshop, frequented by scholars, casual readers and authors alike; and Kunika, an art gallery that displayed paintings and had a framing section as well. It attracted artists and art lovers alike. The most popular venue, however, was Bankura, the café, that was frequented by customers—a rendezvous for those who always parted with ‘see you at Cottage’. Our first lunch, served by its manager Mrs. Kharas, cost us only ₹ 1. A private-order counter, which was started with Refugee Handicrafts, was expanded to undertake special orders for all items. A production centre had already been set up on Deendayal Upadhaya Marg, with a tailors’ cooperative. They made garments for men, women and children, for sale at Cottage, and also took individual orders. A ticket counter was set up next to it for the sale of tickets to various cultural shows in the city. This attracted diverse types of customers from different social classes. In the execution of Cottage, the first priority was to link the sale of craft to an all-India production base. Ethical methods of craft purchases and marketing were given equal weight. Goods that were earlier mostly taken on consignment were now purchased. The profit was shared with the artisans, wherein a part of it went towards their welfare. The terms of trade now benefited the producers. Budgets were planned and craftspersons were given regular orders to prepare in advance for the selling season. Buyers were chosen with great care, ensuring their aptitude and ability to select the right merchandise. They were also expected to help the craftsmen in developing designs that were contemporary. A Planning and Promotion Division with designers and knowledgeable persons was working around the clock to help craftspersons in these efforts. The mandate for the buyers was that if a craftsman came with samples that could not be sold, he had to be guided to make saleable products with assistance from the Planning and Promotion Division. When the first ever post-independence classification of handicrafts and handlooms was conducted, each department was given an alphabetic identity according to its usage. Numeric codes indicated subheads of each department, according to the area of procurement and the raw material used. So wood became a separate subhead, and papier mache had its own identity in the gift department. Similarly, sarees from Varanasi and Kancheevaram had different subheads. Each item had a price tag that carried all this information, along with the month and year of purchase. Regular analyses of sales on a daily basis made information available to buyers on what was sold, which enabled them to plan their purchases in time for the sales’ season. They were also able to share this information with the producers, thus helping in improving the quality of the merchandise. All of this made Cottage the most desirable shopping venue in Delhi. Our exhibitions were carefully curated for different themes and subjects. This was done almost a year in advance giving designers, buyers, artisans and tailors enough time. Very often, designers made samples that went through an internal scrutiny by buyers before being finalised. Ratna Fabri, and later Sina Kaul, with teams of display artistes created the most unusual displays, highlighted by Som Benegal’s innovative advertisements. Our logo, the Bankura horse, was brought by Kamaladeviji on a trip to Bengal. She fell in love with the beautiful, long- necked, terracotta horse with detachable ears that was sitting in a corner in a potter’s house in the village of Bankura. Our exhibitions were a great draw. The first major one was of handicrafts from Kashmir for which I was sent for a month to Srinagar to source items to be developed for the exhibition. It was a beautiful exhibition, in which our young salesgirls were all dressed in firans, with a central display of a Shikara filled with apples. Being petite, I wore one of Mrs. Vir Singh’s kurtas to make it appear like a firan. Suneet, Mrs. Vir Singh’s 11-year-old daughter, sat in the shikara dressed as a Kashmiri girl, also in her mother’s oversized kurta. Cottage was on the itinerary of every visiting dignitary, including the Queen of England and Jackie Kennedy. The Queen even bought a reversible dupion coat, which she wore to the President’s banquet, creating news because the Queen’s wardrobe was always fixed in advance. One of the effects of Cottage’s prosperity and growth was to encourage private entrepreneurs to set up handicraft shops. These mushroomed and dotted every tourist route and nearly all the important monuments in the country. On Janpath itself, and in Connaught Place, private trade flourished. In a way, this was good as craftsmen and artists were able to find a market for all that they produced. However, the spirit of the cooperatives soon started to diminish. With so much private enterprise, the staff began to compare their emoluments with market rates, and trade unions stepped in to take up this cause under political leadership. The ICU withdrew at this point as it found that the principles of its cooperative—to set a band for a minimum and maximum salary—were being compromised. The government took over the Emporium, which was then at the peak of its glory. The handicrafts sector has grown in the last 60 years, encompassing all aspects of human existence. However, it has no identity of its own. It is second only to agriculture in employment generation. Fragmented, it occupies an insignificant little corner in various ministries with larger mandates of their own, spanning a large and often non-convergent agenda, such as ministries for Textiles, for Commerce, for Culture, for Tribal Affairs, and for Medium and Small-Scale Enterprises. Hands that create are accorded the lowest priority in the policy structure. From self-reliant creators, craftspersons and weavers have become dependent on doles, which come in bits and pieces through the various schemes of different ministries. That is not how Kamaladeviji had imagined their future. It disturbs all of us who have believed in her philosophy and vision. Kamaladeviji had visualised a bright future for the handmade, which flourished with her efforts and those of us in civil society who shared her vision and conviction. As Lakshmi noted: The success of these endeavors rested on the shoulders of the team at ICU and the wider circles of civil society that we drew in. And at the center of it was Kamaladevi. She was not a solo actress. She was a magnet who drew hundreds of men and women young and old to every movement or course she stepped into. All she did was to share the concern and measure the response...for those who showed a little spark, she lit the fire. She had no patronage to distribute; she did not attract any sycophants. Yet people flocked to her; but around her it was always a crowd of comrades in a common purpose....she is my inspiration not for the success that she was able to grasp, but for the pursuit of the unaccomplished tasks of India’s second revolution to which she dedicated herself with all her heart and soul (Jain, 2011). I did not work directly with Kamaladeviji on a day-to-day basis. We met her whenever she came to Cottage, a beautiful softspoken woman who wore the most elegant ethnic sarees. For several of us at Cottage, it was Lakshmi who brought to us the spirit and enthusiasm of Kamaladeviji. Through him, she was our inspiration. He brought Kamaladeviji’s vision to life for us. And it was Mrs. Vir Singh who always held our hand and guided us to do what was right. Most of the others are gone but Fori Nehru, who is 104 years old, still remembers all of us and meets us most affectionately. Lakshmi too is no more but some of us are still working in Srinagar for an initiative called ‘Commitment to Kashmir’ to encourage educated young men and women with a background in craft to become entrepreneurs and guide other artisans and skilled craftspersons. In conclusion, I would like to say that I was singularly lucky in working to fulfil Kamaladeviji’s vision. Working with such visionary people has given me an extremely happy and enriching life. The last time I met her was two weeks before she went to Bangalore, never to return. She poured me a cup of tea with her own hands and spoke about Cottage, wanting me to work on more exhibitions of lesser-known crafts—with her persistence, she lit the little fire that still burns within me. Reference Jain, L. C., 2011 Civil Disobedience : Two Freedom Struggles, One life. New Delhi: The Book Review Literary Trust.

INTRODUCTION Sewing is often viewed as a humble art, done by women in their spare time - a grandma pastime. But if we take a moment to consider the three basic human requirements - food, clothing, shelter - then the highest esteem should be bestowed on the sewer. And we aren't talking of the handful blockbuster designers but those like Bhavari Devi Lilar who supply to the many as opposed to a few.

Smt. Bhavari Devi Lilar smiles at us encouragingly as we cautiously approach her stall at the Crafts Museum, New Delhi where she sits and works on an indi, a round cloth padding used to balance pots placed on the head. Nearby, her son Madan Lal Lilar sits and occasionally joins in the conversation. IN THE BEGINNING Bhavari Devi is from the Bhanwata-Kuchamancity village in Rajasthan. There, things like the indi and the kansari - a type of blouse typically worn only by Rajasthani women - are used everyday. There are 1100 households in this village, and most of them rely on agriculture and animal husbandry for a living. Most of the people are Hindu's, but there are also Muslims and a few Christians. People generally marry within the same caste, but rarely from the same village. Bhavari Devi's family kept cattle and as a child it was her responsibility to look after her family's animals, but she sewed in her spare time. She started with only a basic knowledge of sewing, but gradually, she taught herself more elaborate garments and designs. She soon progressed to wall hangings and dolls. No one instructed her, her designs were her own. She was the only one in the family to do it. When she grew up, Bhavari Devi became a manual laborer in Delhi, working on roads and construction, like many others from her village. During that time, she met Sulender Patel, who organised fairs nearby. Seeing her work with cloth, he invited her to join the fair, and supported her during her shaky start. He encouraged her to continue, and she soon left off breaking rocks all together. He lives in Allahabad, where he runs fairs and hotels. Bhavari Devi still speaks of him fondly, because, in a way he 'saved' her. But it was when she went to a fair in Sorskond when she actually started to branch out and develop her skills. While a lot of households in her village made their own indis and clothes which were simple and functional, her work became more elaborate, and detailed. She also makes other things like strings of parrots, jewelry and fans. When her husband died, her son left his office job to join her. Her daughter-in-law still does this in Rajasthan, while her other son works elsewhere.

MAKING A LIVING Bhavari Devi's wares have changed through the years to keep up with changing trends. However, they also cater to the needs of her customers in her village, where her family runs a shop. Most popular in Delhi are the strings of parrots, which are usually given to babies. Embroidered fans are also popular. Besides these, she and her son sell indis, kansaris (blouse) and ghagras (gathered skirt). One indi could take from one and a half hours to a day to make, depending on the intricacy of the work. A kansari would take one day, while a ghagra could take from 2 to 4 days to a week. She also sells earrings and bracelets, which she often buys and then sells. Lately, she explains, gold has become more popular. Even then, the pieces she buys to sell are usually traditional, like Rajasthani headpieces and earrings. She takes orders for fans and clothes.

Most of the material is cheap, which is why the finished products don't cost much. Most of her materials- cotton, wool and other types of cloth- she gets from markets in villages around Rajasthan, or in Ajmer and Jaipur. FAME Bhavari Devi is famous for her work. She has been invited to fairs all around Rajasthan, Agra, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Sikkim and Odisha. She has been back to Sorskond approximately18 times. All in all, she goes to about six to seven fairs a year. She has won several awards, including the Kala Shri Award. Inspite of her prestige, her family gets hardly any government support. The Crafts Museum provides them with food and lodging and money for transport. Beyond this, though, the future is uncertain. They can be sure of several invitations over the next few months, but hardly any people come to the village shop.

WHAT NOW? Though Bhavari Devi's family is the only one that works with cloth, a lot of people, mostly young girls, come to learn from her. She has several sons, and they and their wives also work. Her grandchildren go to school and plan to go to college, and continue working with cloth. One of the best things about this craft is it can be done along with another job. This ensures that it will not die out even though later generations may choose not to follow exactly in their predecessors footsteps

First published on August 5, 2008 on Asia Inch.

Come January and pink is in the air across towns and cities in Gujarat. Rows of small foot-path shops start lining up the sides of roads with manja being made in bright colours: Uttarayan, the kite-flying festival is approaching!

Among the numerous small and big festivals that Gujarat celebrates, this one is certainly one of the most looked forward to: rarely do the joys of sport, of secular celebration and community togetherness converge as in Uttarayan, showing the continuing rootedness of Indian people in forms and expressions of traditional value. The word Uttarayana is believed to have come from the joining of two Gujarati words- Uttar meaning ‘north’ and Ayana meaning ‘coming’, and marks the day when the sun starts its northern movement, bringing in the summer months. Uttarayan more generically refers to the six months between Makar Sakranti, falling on January 14, and Karka Sankranti, falling on July 14. The period from July 14 to January 14 is called Dakshinayan, when the sun travels south (dakshin literally meaning ‘south’).

This is harvest time in most parts of the country, and Makar Sakrantiis celebrated often as a harvest festival variously across India- as Lohri in Punjab, Bhogali Bihu in West Bengal and Assam, Pongal in Kerala and among Tamils, Sakranthi in Karnataka and Uttarayan in both Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Thousands of people come up on their terraces to fly kites in cities all over Gujarat and attempt to cut others’ kites in a sport of competitive fun. Kapyo Che(literally meaning ‘I have cut it’) is a phrase often used to mark the victory of one kite-flyer who cuts another’s. Entire families participate on one side as one flys the kite, another helps lift it while others hold the manja. The skyline is dotted with kites of different sizes and colours, and revelries are spiced up with the playing of loud music of current bollywood and popular numbers, as trademark snacks do the rounds. Winter foods like sesame seed, groundnuts and jaggery are used to make fresh sweets like ladoos and chikkis, and the winter delicacy- Undhiyu, a preparation comprising several winter vegetables. Another favourite snack made at this time are muthiyas, small fritters made with chick-pea flour and grated bottle gourd.

The celebrations are kick-started in the early hours of the morning of January 14th, and extend to the next day, which is celebrated as Vasi Uttarayan (Vasiliterally meaning ‘stale’). The flying of kites continues into the post-dinner evenings as lanterns are hung on the thread of big kites and flown. The night sky comes alive with glamour and splendour as these tukkals gently sway with the breeze.

The manja is coated with glass to enable it to cut other threads, and achieving such superior manja is a skill in itself, as is kite-making. In recent times however, there has been a growing concern over the use of glass paste to coat the manja, which at times causes injury to people in moving traffic as well as the birds flying in the sky. Many small NGOs and animal-protection organizations have for this reason started campaigns to create such awareness. Volunteers are invited to nurse injured birdsand animals. A recent introduction in the market has therefore been of organic manja which is coloured with natural dyes and is not as razor sharp as the traditional one made from glass paste. They have provided a good- although expensive as of yet- alternative.

Uttarayan is essentially considered of Hindu origins, yet kite-flying acquired a special value in Indian history as the sport of the kings and Nawabs of northern India, both Hindu and muslim. What was known to be a elitist form of sport- its making and flying often considered an art- soon became popular with the masses. It is for this reason that kite-flying is popular across the country, not always as a festival alone. While in Haryana it becomes popular in the same time as in Gujarat around the festival of the spring festival Basant Panchami, it is not in itself considered a festival. In Delhi, it is flown in the days around Independence Day falling on 15th august, and must therefore have more contemporary origins associating kites as a symbol of freedom and national integrity. In northern India, kite flying is called Patang Baazi, and is also celebrated along with the festival of Raksha Bandhan, which celebrates the sister-brother relationship in India.

Kites are here, normally called Patang and the string dor, although in Punjab they are referred to as Guddi and manjha respectively. The bamboo/wood roll on which the manjha is rolled is called Charkhadi or Hujka. Kites are made of special thin paper, most often referred to as Kite paper in numerous colours. A common phenomena is also to make kites from cheap cellophane and plastic material which is normally used in packaging of products. This is recycling at its best! The thin cotton thread for dor is often locally prepared, and further a paste of an adhesive and finely powdered glass is spread on it. Additives like pigeon’s droppings, egg and sea surf are further added to make the dor sharper. Often enough, wax is also coated on the thread to make it difficult to cut.

Kites have varied names according to their shape and colour combinations. Some of them are Danda (stick), Pari (fairy), Gilasa, Chand, Tara(moon and star), Shakkar Para, Chhapan Chhuri, Tiranga(triclor), Budda (old man), Patiyal and Lepo.

Kites have been historically used for scientific experiments and several attempts to develop aircrafts often first experimented with man-flying kite mechanisms. Alexander Graham Bell, the Wright brothers and Lawrence Hargrave have all reportedly used kites for such experiments.

Today kite flying is most popular in China, Korea, Japan, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Thailand. In Afghanistan it is called Gudiparan Bazi, although like many other cultural activities, this was banned by the Taliban. It is popular in smaller numbers in the western countries, where it has achieved an art-from status. Several international kite-flying festivals around the world attract kite enthusiasts from around the world, and an annual international festival of this kind is held in Ahmedabad on the day of Uttarayan.

"I have always wondered what is it that has drawn me to Kashmir, ever since I was a child. In earlier days I thought it was the beauty visible to my eyes, the natural splendor that was always a part of my fantasies. Over a period of time, I have realized there has been a force beyond what I could see - the spirit of Kashmir, which has been living and pulsating under the Kashmir soil from eternity, that has allured me. Last year, I spent two weeks in downtown Srinagar, walking down the streets dotted with skeletal houses in a decrepit state and I realized the aptness of the statement, ""All that was beautiful is now ugliness of devastation. And yet I do not altogether die; what is indestructible in me remains."" It is this inner beauty, the spiritual beauty, and the natural beauty that is imperishable. It is the splendor of nature that has made its place into the culture and traditions of the valley and its denizens. And what an apt epitome of all this through the Kashmir arts and crafts!

Looking back at the origin of the craft and cultural traditions of Kashmir and its non-stop journey, one can see its cultural heritage is as multidimensional as the variegated backdrop of its physical exuberance. It has been in flux, and the present cumulative expression is the result of a mix of Buddhist compassion, Hindu tolerance and Muslim zest for life which have been enshrined into the heartbeats of the inhabitants of the Happy Valley. Closely linked to this is also the effect of landscape – its sanctity and evergreen stature, on the people of Kashmir, their lifestyles, and their traditions, their art and culture. Legends tell that tens of crores of years ago, Kashmir Valley was a lake called Satisar, the lake of Goddess Sati. Rishi Kashyap went to Kashmir to rescue people from an oppressive Demon, called JalodBowa. He broke open the mountain wall at Baramulla and the water of Lake Satisar flowed out, leaving behind the oval but irregular valley of Kashmir. Historians say that Kashmir Valley was originally known as Kashyapmar or the abode of Rishi Kashyap. With time the name changed to Kashmar, and finally Kashmir. Kashmir, from 2^nd Century was annexed by Emperor Kanishka and became a part of the Kushan Empire. The culture of Kashmir was preserved for many centuries. It was in 3rd century that Emperor Ashoka sent Buddhist missionaries to Kashmir where they established their first town, Srinagar, which was the base for great works of Buddhism and Sanskrit Literature. It was against this backdrop that Kashmir was converted to Islam in early 14th Century – a peaceful conversion. Many noted Persian leaders sought refuge in the valley. It was under the regime of Zain-ul-abul-Din that many of handicrafts for which Kashmir is now famous, including carpet weaving and papiermache were introduced. During his rule, varied skilled artisans moved to the valley and prospered through his efforts to enrich arts, leading to interaction and fusion of the indigenous traditional crafts with the outside influences. The Mughal era, without doubts had a strong cultural and aesthetic influence on Kashmir. In today’s supersonic age, in spite of the invasion of the machine made goods flooding the village markets, it is the mud pot, the home spun and embroidered shawls, the kangri and the glittering copper samovar that occupy a significant place in every Kashmiri home, just as the aroma of Kashmir’s divine culinary creations refined for centuries for the royal palate continues to fill the air around Kashmiri kitchen. No wonder that the people of Kashmir, who have, generation after generation lived with the unparalleled beauty of bounteous nature, carry the indelible imprints of their beauty as perceptions in their chastened minds which find expression in their creativity. The patterns and designs in all craftsmanship bear witness to the artisan’s affinity with nature and his awe and admiration for the abundance of color and form, found in his environment. It is the trees, the flowers, the awesome snow covered mountains that have stirred their creativity. Motifs such as lotus and iris (sosan), water lily (gule-neelofar), narcissus (nargis), chinar leaves, bulbul, kingfisher, honeybee etc comes so naturally to the carver’s chisel or the naqash’s brush as if under the spell of nature. Similarly, the shimmering waters of myriad lakes and streams and the snow-clad mountains lend inspiration to the weaver’s choice of color and forms. These deft fingers, huddled in a warm cozy room, along with the comforts of kangri and hookah, holding a needle or a chisel or a brush reiterate the notion that a man or a woman with imagination, skill and sensitivity to his environment needs only the simplest of implements to create patterns of infinite beauty. No wonder, Emperor Jahangir’s last wish was ""Kashmir and nothing else!"" References : Crafts of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, published by Mapin publishers Geography of Jammu & Kashmir State – Dr A.N Raina Glimpses of Kashmiri culture– Prof K.N Dhar Photographs by GopikaNath

Issue #009, 2022 ISSN: 2581- 9410 On a cold winter wedding in North India one always comes across elegant ladies wearing jamavar or kani shawls with their kundan necklaces and dangling jhumkaas. The designer of one such wedding proudly tells the mother how he has successfully copied the paisley design and matched the shawl not only on to the bride’s dress but also in small sizes on the bridegroom’s achkan. He proudly tells others that the theme of the wedding is Paisley. There will be Paisley everywhere in décor, clothes and jewe llery. It seems to be an Anglicized theme and topic. Is it really? One wonders as to what exactly is this paisley? Is it a motif or a design? Or is it a Scottish town? Or a design of the old shawls? Or very simply an Indian mango or an ambi, that one sees everywhere from Punjabi juttis to handmade paper, from designer suits to kani shawls and traditional Banarasi or kangivaram Saris. The answer to that is that it has a bit of everything in it’s evolution and history. It is the motif associated with the Kashmiri shawl. The many names To a common person a Kashmiri shawl can be anything from an antique long shawl to one with a typical motif – buta, ambi, mango or paisley whatever one may call it. They all mean the same thing. How did a humble ambi then become a paisley? The name Boteh or buta is of Persian origin and its development has taken many centuries for it to develop into the shape that it is today. The original Persian buta is thought to have been representation of a floral spray combined with Cyprus tree, a Zorastrian symbol of life and eternity. It is a popular motif in Iran and South and Central Asian countries. Early historic references to shawls are found during Akbar’s reign (1556-1605 A.D.). Although the Ain-i-Akbari mentions the emperor as being a keen admirer of shawls, however, there is no mention of any types of motifs or styles. The shawls during the Mughal period have had motifs at their ends, the form of which changed over the centuries. John Irwin traces the development of the buta from the Mughal period to the British period. In late seventeenth century the motif that appeared on the shawl was a slender and curved flowering plant deriving inspiration from the floral art of Persia. By early eighteenth century from being a slimmer and graceful motif it had become one filled with flowers. This was known as buta. It was not until the middle of the eighteenth century that the outline of the motif began forming into a more rigid form that was referred to as the cone or the pine in the West. Half a century later it lost its naturalistic floral design and became a formal cone with a bent edge on top. It had acquired the shape that we recognize today as ambi or mango or buta or paisley. By the time Kashmiri shawls came to the West this pattern had become synonymous with them. East to West the first flight The journey of Kashmiri shawls from the Asian continent to Europe has been an interesting one. They were exported to Iran, Constantinople, Cairo, Russia, Yemen and Oman. This was another route via which the shawls reached Europe initially. The story goes that when Napoleon Bonaparte’s army returned from Egypt some of his men had Kashmiri shawls with them. Empress Josephine saw them and was enamored by them and acquired them to build a large collection for herself. By her wearing these generated interest amongst the nobility and was a big factor in popularizing Kashmiri shawls in France. The shawls from Kashmir were first worn in the fashionable circles in the West in the third quarter of the eighteenth century and by 1800 the shawl trade, between Kashmir and the West was being established. Maharaja Ranjit Singh who had ruled over Kashmir from 1819 to 1839 had large number of Europeans working in his army. The presence of many Europeans in the region was a key factor behind the success of the shawl trade with the West. Two key figures were from Napoleon’s army- Generals Jean-Francois Allard and Jean-Batiste Ventura who were employed by Ranjit Singh since 1822. By 1835 both of them were exporting shawls to France. With the arrival of the Kashmiri shawl in eighteenth and nineteenth century the buta pattern came into prominence in Europe. The motif that one associates with the shawl took the continent by storm. The shawls became a favored item in every fashionable lady’s wardrobe in Europe. Many European portraits of women where the artist has captured the shawls with their intricate patterns form an important source of studying the developments of the shawl patterns. Production pangs Weaving of the kani shawls in early 19^th cent in Kashmir had become so complicated and laborious that it took up to18 months to weave a shawl. The demand in Europe was such that shawls from India could not cope up with it. The popularity of the shawls in Europe led to development of the European industry that copied the Kashmiri shawls in a very short time. Britain and France were keen to develop their own shawl industry rather than dealing with the local agents. Britain was ahead of France in attempting to replicate the Kashmiri shawls. Norwich and Edinburgh the pioneering centres had been attempting to make Kashmir like shawls since 1780’s using silk warp and woollen weft. However, the first centre that was successful in making close copies of the Kashmiri designs was the Scottish town of Paisley. By 1812 Paisley weavers had successfully made a device called ten-box -lay’s that allowed five shuttles to be held in the loom simultaneously and thus five different colours could be woven giving multi coloured patterns. Quick copies Paisley weavers in order to keep up with the design changes sent agents to London to copy the designs of the shawls once they arrived from India. These were then dispatched at once to Paisley. There they were quickly able to make copies of these shawls and within eight days the imitations were sold in London. The Paisleys were priced at 12 pounds while the originals from India could be as expensive as 300 pounds. So successful were the Paisley manufacturers that they even tried to export shawls to India but without much success From this point onwards the English term for the motif or buta was paisley. Though British manufacturing pioneered manufacture of shawls in Europe, they were overtaken by France which developed the Jacquard loom in third quarter of 19^th cent. Many centres like Lyon, Vienna, Switzerland, and Paris mushroomed in Europe. Generically the European shawls are also referred to as Paisleys. The design Paisley has stayed as a popular motif in many continents over many centuries. In modern times it was The Beatles in their Eastern-influenced phase who went completely ‘paisley mad’. John Lennon’s Rolls Royce had paisley painted on it. Paisley then became a Rock n roll favorite and was popular in the 1960s and 1970s. Designers like Saint Laurent, Burberry, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, and Yves Saint Laurent have incorporated Paisley in their designs effectively. Paisley or ambi or the buta has stayed as a decorative motif for many centuries evolving to forms that fit into the fashions of the times. From India to Europe to America it remains to be a popular motif reinventing itself in many ways to the demands of fashion and style. This essay first appeared in The Tribune on 19^th January 2020

The history of accounting can be traced back to the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt and Babylon and corresponds to the very rise of empires, the development of forms of writing and early inventions. In India the influential 2nd century BCE Sanskrit text, the Arthashasthra authored by Kautilya, also known as Chanakya on aspects of statecraft included not just treatise on economics, law and military strategy but in addition contained detailed notes on the importance of maintaining accounts for a Sovereign State. The text included accounting principles, bookkeeping standards and methodology, the role and responsibilities of accountants and of course of auditors and the detection of fraud. States, merchants, traders, householders had long maintained accounting information but it was in the late 15^th century that the Venetian Luca Pacioli, regarded as the father of accounting and bookkeeping in his publication ‘Summa de Arithmetica, Geometria, Proportioni et Proportionalita’first enunciated the system of double-entry bookkeeping that with adaptations, continues in use till today. Simplistically explained, the double-entry system of bookkeeping balances two corresponding and opposite entries, assets and credits with liabilities and debits. In India like elsewhere in the world much has changed with handwritten accounts, moving on to the typewritten and now on to modern professional accounting on computers. But one bookkeeping system continues unaltered over the centuries and that is the use of the double-entry system maintained in the traditional Bahi-Khata, also called pothis and chopdis in western India. These accounting books are recognizable by their distinct dark-red cloth covers, a colour associated with Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity. This cloth of auspiciousness and good luck is wrapped around a soft cardboard to which it is stitched on to reinforce it, giving it strength and durability. The thick white cotton thread contrasts with the dark-red cloth giving the Bahi’s their distinct identity. The threadwork, earlier hand-stitched and now executed on a sewing machine, is patterned in a continuous running stitch that turns onto itself in loops and straight lines without a stitch-break thus ensuring that the Bahi-Khataremains hard-wearing to serve as a long-term record of money spent and received. Used throughout the country and across communities, castes and religions there are several variations but what remains the same as with all matters of profit and loss is that good luck is invoked with messages that resonate with the user. For the Hindus words like Shubhlaabh or goodness-and-wealth to ShriPujanuPano or Goddess Lakshmi’s prayer page are printed on to the fly-leaf. Pictures of the elephant-headed Ganpati, the Hindu god of good beginnings, of Goddess Lakshmi to a picture of the Swastika the sacred symbol of auspiciousness and good luck are also common features. A new Bahi-Khata is started on the first day of the new year and in many parts of north India, Gujarat and Maharashtra that falls on the day after Diwali, in Bengal it falls on PoilaBaisakh while in the Islamic calendar it is the start of the Hijri Year or Misri year that is followed among the many other new year days celebrated. In addition the start of the Khata is initiated with prayers and offerings to the deities who are being invoked for blessings and good fortune in the days to come.These prayers may be privately held in home, offices, shops and karkhanas or in the presence of preists. Some larger gatherings are publically held as is the ChopdaPujan in temples in Maharashtra and Gujarat.

As the Khatas are foldable their sizes can vary according to the needs of the user as can the paper lengths that sometimes extend up to a yard. The binding of the Khata depends on the number of sheets it contains so it is either held together by a central stitch or by several stitches that bind sections of sheets. The white inner pages are vertically creased into columns that are divided by the standards of precision, accuracy and intelligibility required for the double accounting system. While earlier these creased line were done by hand using a metal template they are now machine creased and often even printed in a matrix like format for ease of entry. Likewise in keeping with the times the earlier hand-stitched cover is now sewed on by machine. The Khatas are available in commercial markets across India from Delhi’s Sadar Bazaar, Mumbai’s, Mangaldas Market to General Ganj in Kanpur and now online. The Bahi-Khatahave been immortalized in art (see photo), in cinema where vivid pictures of the extortionist money-lender maintaining his accounts comes to life and in the law courts where a landmark judgment of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Prevented the exploitation of farmers by commission agents, asserting that entries in the ‘Bahi-Khataare not enough to prove that loan has been sanctioned to cultivators’ further stating ‘that farmers cannot be convicted in cheque bounce cases for non-payment of loans entered in the Bahi-Khata.’ The Bahi-Khata are now being produced for not just accounts as their retro design and long-use sturdiness and toughness is so contemporary that it is finding new uses by note-takers, artists, writers, students and many others. First published in Sunday Herald, February 2018.

Much before mill-made yarn and fabric was invented, handspinning and handweaving, was the only way to make cloth. Since ancient times, so evolved was this skill and technology, and so evocative its product- that it helped create and internationally position the demand for rare qualities of textiles, which, although unique to India, found resonance all over the world. Towards the end of the 19th century, when mill-spun fabric was fast-replacing handloom fabric, mill-spun yarn also replaced hand-spun yarn in hand weaving- marginalizing, in the process, hand-spinning and the dexterous abilities of the hand to do what no machine can ever do- manufacture differences in every millimeter of the yarn, and every inch of the yardage. Colonial rule hit us where we were most prosperous- our textile trade, causing irrepairable damage to Indian hand-skills, and mass-scale poverty. Mahatma Gandhi made khadi the tool to fight that very same oppressive rule and its impact. It was this unique combination of the economic, social and political that made khadi the all-encompassing, powerful tool it was to become- an effective means of communication, of expressing a unified identity, a symbol of pride, and of hardcore economics. Never before has any single fabric created such a public and private memory as khadi… What does it mean to us today? Where does hand-spinning fit in the evolution of the technology of cloth manufacture today? What kind of a dialogue is required in contemporary India for the handmade and the machine-made? Some of these answers will inform how we as a country evolve our own unique design vocabulary in a fast globalizing world and how we chose to express and explain who we are to ourselves and to the world. Hand-spinning, has died in most parts of the world, and stands today as our only global USP in textiles. An activity which today employs millions of people through a governmental programme for it, and a larger number hand-spinners, weavers and craftspeople outside of this. Together, they include hundreds of different qualities of hand-spun and hand-woven fabrics – from the finest 500 count muslin to the thickest blankets – across cotton, woolen and silk fibres. The context of such hand-spinning also varies…For communities in Pitthoragarh in the lower ranges of the Himalayas, it suggests supplementary income to agriculture. Here, even Re 1 more for a day’s work of hand-spinning makes a considerable difference; such is the value of money. For spinners in Wardha, where Gandhi founded his second ashram after Ahmedabad, it is an activity of service and livelihood creation- guided by the meditative spiritual strength it brings to the spinner. In Ponduru, Andhra Pradesh the entire process of manufacture- from separation of the cotton to the spinning is done by hand- and the spinners will tell you that the machine-made techniques afford for them no joy of creativity- hundreds of spinners, some as young as 19 years, and some as old as 80, pride in their knowledge that no advanced mechanised technology can replicate what they make by hand. In Ladakh, it fits into a community movement to preserve the ecological heritage of the world. For the Varanasi weavers, affected by the import of cheaper machine-made replicas of Indian brocades that once made India famous- it could suggest a way of differentiating their product in the high-end luxury market- a strategic move that could give an edge in design, business and profits. There are many more social, economic and cultural contexts for khadi. Yet its potential as an International brand has not been targeted. It survives on Government Subsidies with huge unsold stocks, poor sales infrastructure, and a lack of any pro-active competitive Market Strategy. On the other hand, involving young designers and craftspeople, textile technologists and engineers would give us innovative products. Today, when our markets and homes are inundated with things that look increasingly similar, when the mill-made finds greater strength due to its own merits in textile manufacture, khadi stands foremost in our search for products and processes unique to India that can find place in global markets. In a ‘mass-produced’ scenario, hand-spinning offers limitless artistic and creative potential- an immeasurable luxury both for the maker, and for the wearer, in a world where time itself, indeed is the ultimate luxury. A process which makes improvisations, innovations and explorations possible at every stage of manufacture- producing rare textural, aesthetic and functional qualities. While Gandhi’s khadi evolved within the context of economic nationalism and the non-violent struggle for freedom, modern contexts for khadi echo similar moods- a resurgent nation, taking global economic strides, a young India in search of a rooted identity and the pressing need to balance the many divides globalization creates. Developments around the world create the right atmosphere to launch khadi as an international brand. While globalization and free trade creates a world with increasing homogenization, khadi stands for individual uniqueness. In the face of mass-production it stands for the glory of the handmade. In a mechanized world its stands for handcraftsmanship, not in opposition but as something that aids the fast-paced forces that enable other human achievements and marvels- the pauses that enable greater speed, the moments of quiet contemplation that foster human genius and achievement. In a world affected by war, and pollution; terrorism and destruction it stands for creative, constructive, healing energies that hold the key to peace. As people the world over rediscover Gandhian ideals, the merits of organic food and agriculture, natural fibres and their products, appropriate technologies, renewable sources of energy and architecture; several international movements towards non-violence, ‘slow cities’, ‘slow food’ and ecological sustainability create a global atmosphere that is just right for khadi. But before, and beyond all this, the most important question remains of the craftspeople themselves…how can the expanding opportunities presented by global markets mean a higher wage for them? For their hand-skills, which today can command high prices from international audiences…This is the real challenge. To restore to a sophisticated skill the respect it truly deserves, and to its extension as an important expression for creative India, suggesting a product at the same time- capable of standing on its own on international runaways and Meccas of high-fashion.

Issue #003, Autumn, 2019 ISSN: 2581- 9410 After Laila’s insightful talk, what I now present is an entirely personal overview of my thoughts on khadi. I am no expert , many amongst you more knowledgeable than me might wonder at my presence here. And while I thank AIACA for having invited me, I confess I myself am mystified. Please do bear with me if some of the observations sound repetitive. Maybe it will serve to reinforce the points that all of us in the field feel very strongly about. Khadi - seventy two years on from our independence - and most strongly associated with it - is at the moment a confusing term at best and a much exploited and abused one at worst. MG had used khadi to wage the war for independence in a strategic stroke at once brilliant and effective . Sadly, its usefulness as a political tool and one which proclaimed a strong Indian identity along with the deeper underlying message of austerity and empathy for the poor seems to have quietly faded away . In the overall consumeristic landscape that we witness today, such a message of simplicity does indeed seem out of place. This was not so when we were young , there was a paucity of resources which encouraged a simpler way of life and khadi fitted in beautifully in this milieu . My own experience of khadi as a teenager, in the 70s, was limited to a coarse white or brightly coloured cloth available at reasonable prices at the Khadi Bhandar. It was comfortable to wear and we would wear it as kurtas teamed with jholas. It wasn’t difficult to identify khadi as something that belonged to us even if many of us weren’t particularly aware of the actual history behind it . When I started working in the crafts sector many years later a realisation of what makes khadi special slowly seeped in. It was a process of osmosis , from bits and pieces of information gathered here and there. Breathtaking exhibitions like the one organised by Mapu ( late Shri Martand Singh) on Khadi helped. It gave us an renewed awareness of the amazing variety of khadi that could be produced using the handspun and handwoven technique. Historically, we know that a wide spectrum , from the finest muslins to coarser and thicker fabrics , have been traditionally produced in India , all of which were hand spun and handwoven. So, were these textiles Khadi ? It appears that the Mahatma envisaged khadi as a cloth spun, woven and worn by each person himself or herself as a sign of protest against the dumping of imported fabrics and as a strong marker of our identity. It is possible that he derived the word khadi from the more commonly known 'khaddar', which meant a coarser handspun and handwoven fabric. Whilst we may agree that the entire gamut of fine and coarse textiles which are handspun and handwoven can be termed khadi, the twist in the tale today is that almost all khadi yarn is spun in a mechanised manner. The amber charkha which was introduced by the All India Khadi and Village Industries Board as early as in the 60s was provided to spinners in a hugely subsidised programme . The intention was to provide employment and increase productivity and wages. It has by now pervaded the production of khadi yarn almost completely. Experts agree that spinning on the ambar charkha does not require any special skill. Whereas in hand spinning, which is much more laborious, the fineness and evenness of the yarn is a direct outcome of the spinner’s skill. Arguments abound over the introduction of this sort of mechanisation. It is obvious however, that it robs the fabric of some of the essential qualities of hand spinning. There is also the vexing question regarding the type of raw cotton used, indigenous varieties suited to hand spinning which were earlier in use have given way to hybrid varieties affecting the feel and behavior of the fabric. The other tragedy that befell khadi is perhaps the lack of vision and real understanding of the strengths of this fabric by the very institutions meant to nurture it. Though organisations like KVIC , did indeed provide a safety net for weavers in the immediate aftermath of independence , they seem to have fallen into a state of perpetual apathy even failing to market khadi in a proper manner. This seems such a pity considering the vast network and huge infrastructure which has been built up. So where do we stand with Khadi today ? Is it simply an avenue for employment , as the Khadi commission seems to think? Should we question the legitimacy of the very institutions set up for its propagation ? Are we ready to acknowledge it as a significant historical legacy ? Are we ready to recognise its unique potential in today’s world? The 150th year of MG’s birth anniversary can be a seminal moment for an honest introspection into many such questions and for finding ways to address them. It is no small miracle that Khadi , in the sense of being a process done entirely by hand, still survives in small pockets in India. Though the hand process is tedious , and the practitioners themselves are somewhat reluctant to engage with it, with the right kind of investments and incentives, these problems are not insurmountable. Small private enterprises in some parts of India exemplify this by continuing to produce the finest of handspun and handwoven textiles , which can easily rival those in museums and can be made nowhere else in the world. Recently, at a conference in Bangladesh, we saw a display of exquisite Jamdani sarees revived from older samples, all the handspun yarn used in these pieces was sourced from India. There is , at the moment, a substantial global interest in textiles like khadi which have qualities which resonate with an awareness of what eventually creates sustainability. We ourselves must recognise the compelling advantage we have in our ability to produce these textiles and take steps to pursue these advantages. Personally I would like to see khadi cover both ends of the spectrum, available at the same time as a robust fabric at reasonable prices for a large section of our population as well as a textile which displays the highest markers of excellence. Khadi may have lost its sheen as the fabric of freedom, but whichever way you look at it, in its multifarious garb it is quintessentially an Indian legacy that we can be proud of.

Organised by AIACA

18th November 2019