Innovation and Tradition- A Story of Collaboration between Chaubundi and Bindaas Unlimited

Issue #007, Winter, 2021                                                               ISSN: 2581- 9410

The value of the Chaubundi and Bindaas Unlimited collaboration is richly varied and has created unexpected benefits.  It has increased employment while expanding the design ecosystem and creating new techniques and colours. It supports community development, including that of women and children. A vivacious, rural-urban cultural equality and exchange has emerged out of this collaboration. Beginning in 1993 and still going strong, the relationships span two generations and include people from all over the world. All those involved, the makers, community developers, designers, artists and retailers engage as equals and play overlapping roles. Our success is due to all of us pushing boundaries, trusting each other and investing effort and finances in a common pool without the need for individual credit.

The people of Chaubundi and Bindaas Unlimited today

The collaboration was initially between Raghunath Nama and Kalavati Devi of Chaubundi, (traditional block printers from Kaladera ,Rajasthan) and myself and Sandeep Narang of Bindaas Unlimited. Gurpreet Sidhu and Orijit Sen of People Tree, Delhi were the initial design and retail partners. NGOs like Dastkar, Delhi