Gaatha

It’s a familiar sight. Hues of the melting twilight blend into the silhouettes of curious listeners who have assembled around a balladeer under an anonymous tree in Rajasthan. A peculiar ritual of the Bhopas who have settled here requires the balladeer to narrate a story to all of village folk because a family’s wishes have finally been fulfilled. The story isn’t any ordinary story. It is narrated frame by frame from the Phad paintings that illustrate the glory of Pabuji, a hero of the local tribe. Once these paintings are unfurled, the Bhopa storyteller gracefully steers his narrative through this 9m long scroll dawned in red and blue colors against a backdrop of soulful music spilling out of a folk instrument called Ravanhatta. Maybe somewhere we are lead to believe that the pied–piper man must have had similar inspiration as these native storytellers with the Ravanhatta, because the essence of hypnotizing with words and casting a spell with music is a treasured part of human fantasy. Only, the former tried it on rats first

Image: Marg-Publication, Insight into the narrative tradition in Indian Art

The origin of the Ravanhatta may be traced back to the Hela civilization that existed in Sri Lanka during the reign of demon king Raavana. Myth has it that Raavan was an ardent devotee of Hindu God Lord Shiva and rendered divine music to please the lord using the Ravanhatta or Raavanstorm.

But why would a Sri Lankan instrument become such a revered object amongst masses in the states of Rajasthan, Madyha Pradesh and Gujarat? A certain story from the Ramayana suggests that during a war between Sri Ram and Raavan, Hanuman had incidentally picked up the Ravanhatta from Lanka and brought it to North India. Another folk belief prevalent amongst the localities in the Mandsaur district in Madhya Pradesh is that Raavan’s wife Mandodari was their daughter and hence Raavan is regarded as their son-in-law. The Ravanhatta played by the thori or Nayak Bhopas of Rajasthan is infact believed to be one of the most ancient stringed instruments, which became a precursor to the present day violins.

It is fascinating to know that people pursuing this craft are not only skilled artisans but also double up as proficient musicians. Materials required to make this instrument are the locally available bamboo shoots, wood, coconut shell and metal pipes. These materials are the preferred choice to create the 80-90cms long bent central stem of the instrument. This long stem is punctured with holes at regular intervals on one end, in order to affix the knobs, which are used to fine tune the music being rendered by the strings attached to them. On the other end of the stem, a bowl made out of coconut shell (even metal and clay at times) with its mouth covered in goat hide is affixed. The two fundamental sets of strings that are eventually caressed in the creation of music are that of metal wire and horse hair.

These hair obtained from the tail of the horse can sum up to be the most exclusive ingredient for the creation of this instrument as besides being really strong, they lend a unique unparalleled quality of the music. Interestingly, the hair are coated with a powder cake (Bejara) to reduce the friction that might occur when they are rubbed against each other in the process of weaving tunes. Variation in sound texture may be achieved by modifying the tension in horse hair as the fingers move over them. The instrument may further be accessorized by attaching colorful pouches, beads, tassels, musical adornments (ghunghroo) according to the sensibility and convenience of the designer.

The story tellers do not follow a specific set of rules. They devise the synchronies of music and narration as and when they practice. But the craft seeks as much sensitivity of sound as it seeks dexterity of the fingers.

“With the age old traditional ceremonies losing their identity, the ritual of story telling on auspicious occasions is fading away. These days we are left with the option of performing at tourist spots and fairs” says Shor Ji Bhai Bhopa as he recalls that scores like “kesariya balam padhaaro more des…” and other popular songs strike greater familiar chords with the local village folk and tourists alike. Today as this art is quietly losing its sheen, Shorji Bhai is left as one of the handful of storytellers who continue to balladeer with the Ravanhatta at local fairs like the Pushkar mela.

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Music, they say, is the silence between two notes. The silence becomes even more omnipresent as it makes rare appearances between the constant sounds of metal being beaten in the ‘Thatheron ki gali’. This street in Jaipur is a home to utensil makers, locally known as the ‘Thatherey’ and is as old as the city itself.

In 1727, Jaipur was established as a new capital by Sawai Jai Singh II (1700-1743) and artisans, craftsmen & merchants were invited to institute centers of trade in Jaipur. As a result, the ‘Thatherey’ who had all along lived with the Maharajas in Amer Fort, came down to settle in Jaipur. Of the 200 families that had inhabited these hallowed streets back then, only 80 remain today. But unlike other artisans who were beckoned for their knowledge of craft, the ‘Thatherey’ artisans were summoned because they were absolutely necessary for their supply of utilitarian objects in the newly springing city.

Metal vessels became a ubiquitous household necessity in the primordial times as elements of storing water and other edible fluids, for kneading the flour dough and other common chores. The belief that is concurred upon even in these days of steel and aluminum is that food and beverages stored in copper and brass utensils were rendered preserved, whilst the mineral content of the utensil lent health benefits to the consumers.

Premchandji, a veteran craftsman from the street recalls that the bygone era had artisans make water vessels - lotas, large serving plates - paraat, paani ka ghada, mandir ka kalash. He continues to narrate that huge silver water vessels were created for kings travelling away to foreign lands. One such vessel is housed in Jaipur’s city palace today.

Square or circular pieces are cut out of the flat metal sheets – Brass (70% Cu + 30% Zn) and Copper. The gauge of these sheets is determined by the vessel they are intended for.

These disks are beaten up using a ‘Khachara’ or a mallet with varying weights and a wooden support. The wooden support of this tool is of indispensable importance as it equips the artisan with greater control for making dents, unlike a less preferred metal stem that might completely butcher the metal. The metal is beaten till it naturally bends along a concave or convex curve as required. Another important tool that assists this process is the ‘Bangad’ or a solid metal ring anchored in sand. This becomes the seat for the metal as it undergoes controlled bending. A sold iron rod bent at the tip, called ‘Megh khushiya’ further contribute to the process of handling the utensil while it is being textured.

The desired utensil is always designed as a combination of parts which are welded into a unanimous whole. In former days blacksmiths used a joinery technique which involves creation of a subtle ridge which camouflages the welding on further beating and finishing. According to this procedure, the pieces of metal were placed in a furnace made of mud (bhatti) and heated to high temperatures. The metal thus acquired would be more malleable and merge into one another to form a single mass as against the gas welding used in the present times.

Eventually, the obtained products are given an acid wash until they appear to shine like gold. These containers retain the impression of the hammer strokes that mold them, which in turn accentuate their forms and textures. Over a period of time the craftsmen have designed variously shaped hammers that render different patterns on the body of the metal vessel. As a matter of fact, the local craftsmen believe these multiple miniature dents make the sheet metal stronger and prevent further surface manipulation.

Today the craftsmen are mostly approached for creation of Singhasans (royal seats) for idols, Chatris (umbrellas) and bells for temples. While light weight and low cost steel and aluminum utensils have largely replaced brass from the modern day kitchen, there still exists a group of dedicated admirers who appreciate them for their aesthetic quality and health benefits.

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On a casual stroll along the meandering markets of the Pushkar fair, as spectacles of mystery unfold and as strong local flavors swell within the atmosphere of the fair, it is hard to miss the visual delight oozing out of curious little wooden combs, even as you get lost in the euphoria of the festivities around. Natively called Kangsi, the craft of making wooden combs is a few hundred-year-old tradition, that is practiced only by a minority today. The array of wooden combs decorated with intriguing carving, jail work, inlay and gold & silver ornamentation is indeed a treat to the curious eyes. But for Chotamal Banjara it is a way of life. A conversation with the craftsman amidst the pandemonium of the fair gives riveting insights about the history and idea of the wooden comb.

The hair has always been an innate asset for human kind through ages. As texts in Kalidasa suggest, men have traditionally maintained longer tresses which they tied using a hair band. The women on the other hand had their long oiled, perfumed and braided hair, decked up with flowers, pearls and gems. Bathed in the fragrance of sandal and aguru, hair were knit into one mass and place on the crown of the head.

The most primitive folk of the Banjara and Gawariya communities of Rajasthan were commissioned for trade of coconut and dates with buyers based in Jaipur. According to a popular fable, the head of the community martyred to the cause of saving the modesty of the womenfolk of his tribe from the invading Mughals during a ceratin local war. In absence of their chieftain the entire community broke down into smaller groups that eventually drifted away and found their own vocation. Today, two of these groups, originally from the same family pursue the art of wooden-comb making. One of the two is based in Delhi and crafts combs out of animal bones of buffalos and camels, and the other is that of Chotamal Banjara that crafts combs out of wood. The family spends about four months in their own village creating combs and trading them with the localites. The remaining eight months are spent touring cities of Rathlam, Ujjain, Devaas, Bhilwara in search of patrons.

In ancient India, women applied a mixture of Multani mitti (Fuller’s Earth) and Kali Mitti on their hair for nurturing their mane. A wooden comb was always used to massage the hair along with sesame seed oil. This combination, the localites believed could initiate hair growth. Grooming with the wooden comb is also believed to ease labor pains amongst pregnant women. Another enthralling native narrative suggests that women who carried cakes of dry cow dung on their heads over long distances were often troubled by problems of ticks and lice in the hair. The fine bristles of the comb were vital in driving them away.

The wood that is utilized to craft these combs is obtained from trees such as shesham, babool, kadama, ker and ber, which are also reputed for their health benefits. These combs are crafted using tools that the craftsmen make by themselves. On ensuring that their thumbs are protected and fingers are oiled, the craftsmen use small hacksaws and finer chisels to carve the various fine and coarse teeth. The combs are then finished using files which are essentially choir attached on a wooden base. Eventually, to suit the ergonomics of the human hand, curves are further introduced in the body of the comb. An umpteen number of color variations are available in these wooden combs with finishes ranging from that of exquisite rosewood to normal wood.

It is interesting to observe that these combs have bristles on the either side of the stem. The thin bristles on one side are used to comb the hair of the head and the thick bristles on the other side are used to comb the beard. This makes the wooden comb an indispensable accessory amongst the local tribe, which mainly includes the Sikh and the Rajput folk from the surrounding areas.

The obsession with grooming of hair isn’t a mere thing of the past. Even to this day, one of the first gifts for a newborn includes hairbrushes with silk soft bristles. The hairbrushes have transcended from the idea of being a common object of utilitarian virtue to a thoughtful gift for young brides, from a husband to a wife amongst others. But combs aren’t merely the sweet ambassadors from the alluring lands of vanity. There is infarct something sensual, appeal­ing and comforting about having your hair brushed and yet, there’s a sweet innocence to it.

Experience they say is the comb that nature gives to men when they start balding. But when the comb is a wooden one, it truly is an experience in itself. The craft of Kangsi or comb making is indeed facing new questions on survival in the changing contexts, which are marred by fast moving plastic lookalikes. But it can never go unacknowledged for being such a sheer revelation of Indian craft.

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His mind was limitless but his hands were not, so he lay his hands upon the back of a beast!… for it would be a continuation of his limited body in the times to come….As time passed and awareness of creatures around him heightened, man recognized ways to tame animals to assist him with his daily chores including his desire to traverse distances. Taking dauntless leaps across hurdles of terrain and mind, men and horses  made legends together. And when heroes made history draped in classic costumes that get etched in memory, how could their extensions be left behind?

Enough evidence exists to suggest that horse riding was prevalent as early as 4000BC. Recent excavations indicate presence of numerous horse bones of both domesticated and war combat types in the late and early Harrapan period (dated before the Aryan invasion).

To most a horse isn’t a mere pet, it’s an experience. A favorite amongst the warrior class, its owners took extra care that their privileged vehicle of gallantry remains well tamed and thoroughly accessorized, thus developing the craft of creating leather pieces to adorn its body. These pieces weren’t employed to merely decorate the horse, but helped the master to control the movement and speed of the creature. The natural softness of leather gave it an edge as a wearable accessory over its metal counterparts because it was durable and at the same time interacted smoothly with the mammal’s skin without bruising it.

As observed in the eras gone by, Delhi, Rajasthan and surrounding areas were seats of power for the Mughals and the Rajputs. The defense forces of these kingdoms were rich in war horses besides using horses for chariot racing, traveling and other interests. Who can possibly forget the spirited ‘Chetak’ who sacrificed his life for Rana Pratap in the Battle of Haldighati (1576), immortalizing the mettle of the horse heart.

The family of  Bhavar lal ji , an artisan from Nimbi khurd village in Nagore distirict (Rajasthan) has been customarily engaged in this craft for about 300 years now. He belongs to the Regar cast which worships Guru Ravidas as the house deity. As put in the craftsman’s words, the days of royal splendor saw leather accessories embellished in gold, silver and precious stones. Mr Nagadi further elaborates that according to a popular fable Guru Ravidas divided everything he earned into three parts, of which one was devoted to religious pursuits, the second for purchase of leather and the third was utilized for personal needs. He continues to inspire the craftsmen even to this day with his ideals of unrelenting hard work and patience.

The most essential material required for this craft is naturally tanned leather acquired from the hide of dead cattle such as cow, buffalo and ox. Leather that has been soaked in water for about 3 to 4 days is consequently coated with a paste made of wheat flour and finely powdered pearl millet. This facilitates the process of hair removal. The animal skin so obtained after 4 months of treatment, is further polished and introduced into a tank containing water and dissolved barks of the plum tree (Ziziphus mauritiana).The processed hide is then rubbed with oil and sun dried. Eventually, this hide comes to be recognized as ‘desi chamda’ or native leather which is about  5-10mm thick. This process of leather making from its beginning takes about six months to finish.

Using tools that cobblers do, the raw leather is then cut and converted into utilitarian objects that enhance the appearance of the horse. The various pieces of material are stitched with leather strings and not nailed as stitches ensure increased strength. The mechanism of joining leather pieces is indeed an indigenous one as these special knots and stitches ensure that the assembly does not give away against the strength of the beast.

To further beautify and make it stand out on the body, the accessory is dyed or colored, brass hooks are affixed into the leather and with intricate needlework, it may be finely embroidered.

The variety of objects custom designed for the horse could very well amuse the over-indulgent pets of this day. The craft includes design of the Tobra (the eating sack in which fodder for the horse is arranged), Pichadi (an ornament for the legs which prevents them from running away ), Lagaam (leather reins used to bridle the horse), Tung (the tread cover used by the rider to rest his feet ), Chabuk ( leather whips used to control the movement and speed of the horse during the travel) and the saddle.

While most of the men in Mr. Nagadi’s village are farmers, his family continues to be the dark horse who devotes time and skill in keeping this historic and ingenious craft alive. However, today’s time sees decreasing number of people who domesticate horses owing to the readily available mechanical means of transport and increasing accessories casted in plastic, which offer cheaper and attractive alternatives, compelling the new generation to head city-wards in search of other means of livelihood.

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If Kashmir is fondly regarded as the paradise on earth then Srinagar has to be the ultimate abode for all things angelic. One of its heavenly offerings is the Shikhara or the wooden house boat used for ferrying visitors across the lakes and rivers. As an ever dynamic cultural identity of Kashmir, the shikhara is as popular among tourists who come for sightseeing as it is for local vending of fruits, vegetable and flowers, for fishing and for harvest­ing aquatic vegetation.

Kashmir as it appears from the ancient Hindu texts, was a lake until sage Kashyapa drained it and land surfaced. And perhaps it is hence known as Kashmir or desiccated land (in Sanskrit “ka” stands for water and “shimeera” means to desiccate). This holy matrimony of land and water becomes further apparent as one surveys the 12^th century literature of Rajatranjini authored by Kalhana. According to these scripts the great sage Kashyapa (grandson of Brahma) pierced fissures in the hills of varaha-mula (popularly known as Baramulla) to allow all the water to bleed away. He thus rendered the land habitable for the Brahmans who settled here to become the greatest scholars, poets and creators of masterpieces in Sanskrit Literature.

Another interesting piece of history establishes the alliance between the Shikhara and India’s colonial past where English settlers who could not buy themselves land in the valley, had boats like these named after them, which becomes evident as one comes across boats named “H.B Duke Wells”, “Silver Street” and others even today.

Shikhara is small paddled taxi boat often about 15 feet long and made of wood obtained from deodar trees, growing in the vicinity of the Dal Lake. With a colorful canopy and a spade shape bottom it is no ordinary boat. In its relentless pursuit of being a lifeline for everyday chores, the Shikhara has almost left the trail of a legend by stirring the souls of numerous poets through history who fell for its awe-inspiring gait.

The ingenious craft relies on deodar wood, which inherently does not decompose in water and remains sturdy throughout. The unprocessed logs of wood are reduced to slippers of a varying 25 feet to 41 feet length and further divided into three parts. The pointed front end known as the zero point is followed by the central section made of 8 planks of wood and the boat eventually ends in a flat rear segment. Two planks of wood lend to each of the side elevations and account for a vertical height of 1.5 feet. The rear and the forward end are maintained by rectangular logs of wood, which guarantee that the framework remains in shape. Its conspicuous spade shaped base is unlike another water vehicle.

A longitudinal cut section of the boat reveals the presence of 5 beams or karis which are positioned equidistant from each other except the central ones. The beams at the extremities are 3”x5”while those towards the center are 5”x3”.

In order to avoid leakages through the structure, the nails and iron clamps used for joinery are flushed and fixed into the wood diagonally (i.e. never at right angles) and only when they are red hot, to ensure stronger bonding. As a matter of fact these custom made rust-proof nails are made longer than the ones generally used and care is taken to keep them hidden in the visual aesthetics of the boat. Cocking, where intermittent gaps and creeks in the wooden body are sealed using a paste (made of wool given away by poplar trees and indigenous weeds) further assures that water is kept at bay.

As the skeleton of the boat stands prepared, seating arrangements are organized in the central segment of the boat by positioning cushions and related upholstery over the built-in storage space underneath. The spatial quality is further enhanced by exquisite use of a canopy supported on four pillars. The centre and the ends are equipped with iron anchor rings and wooden pegs, which are used to fasten the shikara on the banks of the lake.

The shikaras are eventually painted in bright colors ensuring the palette captures the essence of the valley. When on sail they constantly remind one of a brush carrying shades of eternal spring even as the canvas embraces the hues of the changing seasons. Boats may further be polished, engraved, embellished and furnished with pieces of walnut furniture.

An impressive banquet of carpentry like this one may be prepared over 10 to 12 days. The boats are often navigated by two boat men draped in fhran (the tradi­tional wear) and they carry kangris or portable heaters on the boat. A shikara can seat about 6 people and has heavily cushioned seats and back rests that take inspiration from the Mughal style of luxury.

While casually meandering over waters of the Jhelum, the Skikhara unconsciously casts a spell as it converses with the caresses of the Kashmiri breeze. One journey on this modest piece of boat architecture embodied with opulent yet homely accommodation makes an interesting ride over the waters less travelled, hidden in the laps of mountains and the bosoms of the valleys. Besides, it is a sheer indulgence for the shopaholics who discover the rich art of this paradise while actually voyaging on one.

Documentation by~
Angad Chauhan

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Assam has a rich tradition of the theatrical arts. The tradition of the temple dancers in Assam goes back to the 9th century AD, when Shaiva and Vaishnava temples of Assam would reverberate with dance and music. Characters like Bhrama, Yama, Putna, Mura, Narkasura, Jambuvan painted into masks would come alive and start projecting various sentiments and emotions. Ramayana, a popular fable from Hindu mythology however, was translated into a series of plays by Mahapurusha Shankardeva of Assam in 15^th-16^th century, which came to be known as ‘Ankia nat’. ‘Bhavona’, the theatrical presentation of these stories revolving around Assamese tribal myths and folktales are staged for public entertainment and knowledge by people disguised in masks as gods, goddesses and demons.

‘Bhavona’ derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Bhavna’ meaning ‘emotions’ is also known as Jatra in some regions of Assam, Bengal and Orissa eg. Arjunabhanjan yatra, Janma yatra, Boka yatra. These plays are also said to have their songs rooted in the dramas of the vedic times which is in the form of hymns in dialogue.

Bordhuvan village in the Nangaon district of Assam is the birthplace of the craft of mask making, popularly known as ‘Mukha’. Here masks are elevated beyond our everyday gag-cosmetic-masquerade deal to a level of spirituality and worship. The craftsmen locally addressed as ‘khonikors’(the story tellers) are mostly farmers who pursue this art for the labor of love and not for commercial satisfaction. Considering the religious significance of these masks, the craftsmen observe certain rules to ensure that the sanctity of performing the art is not an ounce meeker than the sanctity of performing a prayer. Hence, the artists never let their feet touch the masks. They start the day’s work only after  bathing and are obliged to start on an empty stomach .They ensure that the main ingredients - cowdung and aatha (natural gum) are mixed in coconut sap.

The traditional Assamese masks are made from a variety of materials, ranging from terracotta and bamboo to wood, pith and metals. The main raw materials used in the craft are naturally available and free of cost. Besides cowdung, cloth, mud, jute, coconut sap and aatha (natural gum) are essential constituent of the craft.

Two centimeter wide strips of two-year-old bamboo shoots with ample flexibility are cut using a big knife called “Daau” and woven into a hexagonal pattern known as the Vishwakarma mur (one of the most stable locking systems). Vishvakarma being the presiding deity of all craftsmen and architects of the world. Through continuous bending and twisting, a three dimensional skeleton or ‘hoja’ is acquired. Once the edges are trimmed, soft coconut sap is lined around it to make the mask wearable. Small pieces of cotton cloth dipped in a mixture of cowdung and aatha are placed on the skeleton to give that base layer on which facial features may be etched out. Post drying, holes are created for breathing and primary attributes of the eyes, nose, eyebrows and lips are inscribed with hands using the cowdung mixture.

Following this, the masks are detailed (using ‘kaamkathi’ or knives made of bamboo) with keen accuracy as they now start accommodating the expressions and traits of the particular character. A new thin coating of cowdung soaked fabric is again applied to prevent the features from falling off. The kuhila (pith) is a soft natural thermacol like local material, which lends shapes for the ears and the teeth. The adhesive rich mixture of cowdung and aatha is employed again to fix the ears to the face. Ultimately the supple deities in disguise are baked or sundried depending on the state of urgency. Natural colorants or even synthetic paints can be coated preceded by a coat of primer. The masks are creatively clad in ornaments such as earrings (crafted out of bent bamboo strips) and mukuts (crowns).

Organic colors that are used here are Khorimati (white), hengul (red), charcoal (black) and haital (yellow). The craft is a seasonal one and is usually started in winter (early November) in the hallowed premises of Vaishnav monasteries. A three day long ordeal, which requires immense precision and awareness of the material at hand, creates a single mask.

A fact worth acknowledging is that in the shadow of mukhas, smaller and finer crafts such as pith mask making have originated. Pith is exquisitely used in ‘latootkari’, which involves construction of blooming forms out of the soft material that pith is. Besides these, the pith is also used to create play ornaments. The hexagonal bamboo weaves inspire a great deal of local furniture and sculptures too.

The beauty of folk theater is its adoption of wide range of theatrical techniques to entertain the people. Mimicry, tableaux, processions, acrobatics, magic shows, enactment of short and long skits, in short every conceivable entertainment factor is weaved imaginatively into the rich fabric of their performing art. And the craft that is all about recreating its identities is fighting for its own today, leaving it entirely up to us, whether we want to hold the mirror that reflects the folk culture of our society or break it.

Craft Documentation by~
Akash More, Nayan Shrimali

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Meet Mr. Sudhamay Das. When this 55 year old gentleman retired from his government job, little did he realize that within him lived a passionate doll maker. In his 10’ x 11’ workshop, a man infuses life into clay, a man sows seeds of expression into little loams of earth and a man, gives his creative indulgence, a professional virtue. While these dolls aren’t blessed with the gift of gab, yet they almost strike a conversation with their distinguished verve in expression.

The craft of doll making is practiced by many ‘anonymous genius’ in Krishnanagar (Nadia district), West Bengal. Genius, because the ability to infuse details like delicacy of expression in miniature modeling isn’t mere creative flair. Anonymous because well…we hadn’t heard of it until this post came along!

A skill that has almost 250 years of inspiring history to it, Krishnanagar dolls have come a long way as an art that carries the wisdom of generations with it and yet represents a unique breakaway from the traditional form.

Craftsmen practicing this craft belong to the community called ‘Kumbhakaras’ (kumbha – earthen pot, akar – to form) constituting potters and clay modelers. What started as an art practiced by a couple of families has now become a community exercise with over 300 people, including women and children involved in the craft today.

Maharaja Krishna Chandra (1710–1783), a patron of arts, supported the production of clay dolls. As a pioneer who started Kali pooja, Jagadhatri pooja for the first time in Bengal, he encouraged the local artisans and brought in more potters from Dhaka & Natore districts of Bengal to the Ghurni- a neighbourhood of Krishnanagar. Hence, started the Bengali tradition of clay image making, which is indeed a celebrated feature of the culture to this day.

The dolls as they appear are crafted out of clay that is locally available off the banks of the river Jalangi. The strength of clay may be increased with the addition of admixtures like cotton, rice husk, saw dust, loam or sandy soil. Individual components of the model are crafted out of clay and assembled on the metal wire framework, which supports the clay and can be bent to form desired postures. As modeling and detailing are accomplished with hand, final finishes are applied.

Some locally crafted tools made of bamboo and kamni wood are used in this process are, Chirage (a flat and pointed tool used for fine detailing in clay), Basua (a blunt tip tool used to create folds of simulated clay clothing). Besides these, knives of different sizes are used for scraping and brushes of varying sizes made of horse/goat/hag hair are utilized based on requirements. Consequently the model may be placed under the sun for drying, followed by firing.

Eventually, it may be subjected to the penultimate life-giving step i.e coloring. With colors ranging from powdered pigments, dyes, water colors to poster colors, priceless expressions are earnestly painted on the teeny anatomies of the dolls. Powder color is mixed with water and adhesives. These adhesives are at times a local preparation made using fried tamarind seeds which on prolonged soaking, drying, peeling, grinding and boiling yield a sticky viscous liquid with a strong adhesive property. The luster found in these colors may be attributed to corn flour. A coat of varnish supplements the shine. Generally green, red, blue and yellow colors are the preferred flavors of clay besides its original color. The colored dolls are then sun dried. And ultimately the dolls may be further varnished (if required) and clothed. Designed for dolls is a miniature wardrobe, which carries fabric garments for the minuscule clay populace.

Only 10 in every 100 craftsmen today believe they are doing well at doll making as a profession.  the poor knowledge amongst the artisans about sales and marketing, the market is defiantly not as commercially viable as it can be. Besides, the craftsmen as a usual trend today find it more fulfilling to move to bigger cities like Calcutta where occasions (seasonal and otherwise) give their skill the raison d’être to persist. Nevertheless, doll making is passion personified and an admirable piece of indigenous art, which will find an increased number of takers as public awareness increases.

Craft Documentation by~
M. S. Swarup & Sujay Das

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Theater, street plays, wanderer storytellers have always given face to what were mere descriptions in the scripts. These tales, a brainchild of our epic writers like vyas, valmiki, kalidas, tulsidas… glorifying and immortalizing their heroes, provided for the performances in the history, the filmmakers of today are following their footsteps. Starting from folk story tellers like puppet artists, Charamkari puppeteers to theater groups traveling places, enacting tales from epics to the early times of Indian cinema, as a new stage for the mythological stories and stories of our history, all have successfully given faces to their written characters, faces that we idealize today as our worthy kings, faces that we pray today as Gods….Indian cinema has come a long way since those times and so have the heroes and Gods of today.

The birth of cinema in Indian history was the beginning of a whole new industry, which along with occupational opportunities, laid a base for many art and craft forms like set making, costumes, make up, jewelry and poster making. One of the many artists who contributed with their skills was late Mr. R Gajjar. A talented self taught artist who started his journey painting backgrounds of the theater sets. He got is first big break as a movie poster artist in 1932 when one of his painted backgrounds for a play got appreciated by guests from the film industry. “His work was his signature, people would distinctly recognize and call out his name” says his son and now owner of the studio, Mr. Janak bhai Gajjar.

The process unlike any other craft is very simple and purely skill based. Off white color of grey muslin fabric is quoted with a strengthening paste of white chalk powder and adhesive, boiled in double quantity of water, however, now canvas is used. While the carpenter prepares the wooden frame, on which the fabric is going to be stretched, the artist divides the small photograph to be replicated into a square grid. The same grid is magnified on the canvas, first pencil sketched, then painted and then final touch ups.

Like a piece of art demands for its originality to be intact, no matter how big the canvas is, the person to start is the one who ends it. And a trained artist can stretch up to three large sized posters (45’ x 24’) per day, if need be. The art owing to its harsh strokes can best be appreciated from a distance, as it is meant for distant viewing only.

The influence of cinema percolated deeper into the lifestyle of people and the art form took a new dimension in the form of Auto Rickshaw decorations about thirty years ago.

The eclectic combination of Indian street aesthetics and bollywood made autos an exhibition on wheels. This also became a way of keeping the unique art language alive; when the hand painted posters were fast getting replaced by printing technology.

Saleem Bhai and Bobby are few popular names amongst the auto rickshaw drivers, who switched from painting posters to making radium stickers of film stars. These stickers are made by cutting sharp lines and curves of many colorful radium strips and layering them up to make faces and highlights on the faces of the stars. The use of flat, bold colors in making this pop street art makes it popular not just amongst auto drivers but many a designers aswell.

Hot and vibrant as it is, this contemporary craft is the most beautiful way of keeping us close to our very own bollywood masala movies, which in turn is a representation of our society.

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Ever been to a music concert? …. Well the one that plays in the houses of Bhujodi is a wee bit different, not just in what you hear but also in the instruments that play. The musicians of Bhujodi play on … from morning to dusk, meditatively. Their orchestra constitutes of spin wheels for strings, wooden loom for beats, and for vocals there are chirping birds, sojourning the mud ledges for grains and water, offsprings giggling and playing pee-ka-boo across the courtyard, Mooing cow in the corner and almost certainly, filling the background will be either the folk tunes or the old bollywood melodies.

All of this manifesting into a concert, not just ears get accustomed to, but hands follow too. Meditatively weaving motifs out of a deeper conscience we call genetic inheritance. Each woven fabric carries with it, millions of such consciences, intertwined with the warp and the weft, closely put together to form the fabric of life.

Bhujodi, a 500 years old village in kutch is the mother to this need-fully evolved craft, shouldered by 200 of its weavers today. The craft is said to have evolved as a need to cover against weather, at the time barter system was practiced as a method of exchange. ‘Rabaris’ being the original nomads and cattle rearers provided wool, milk products and grains to the village and ‘Vankars’ took up to weaving cloth. While rearing cattle pretty much remained the same, the Vankars with an indigenous technique in hand had breakthroughs one after the other.

The basic structure of the loom remained the same, but it evolved to a more convenient model with time. The one in use today has the shuttle movement controlled by a foot-over pedal, as against the slow process of passing it through the warp manually. The fabric got finer with speed and variety of yarns available. The motifs however remained traditional and characteristic of communities. Like wheel, weaving is an invention that revolutionized the way we saw life there after, the basics holding valid till date.

While some wool from locally grown sheep is still used, they also procure silk from Bangalore, acrylic from Ludhiana, wool from Badmere and cotton from various places, to cater to the increasing demands. The fine cotton has enabled them to create more intricate and colorful designs. Such pieces may have 70 threads per square inch instead of the usual 24. Weaving of a piece may take days to months, depending upon the intricacy and newness of the design.

The yarn in its raw form is soft, breakable and capable of getting entangled easily. To get rid of these properties, a thin paste of wheat flour with water is boiled and the bunch of woolen strands is soaked in it. Soon after sun drying it in the fields, a layer of the paste covers the strands. These are then separated by combing them apart with a brush.

This bunch of strong strands is then taken inside the house, where several people are engaged in different stages of the weaving process. Some are busy cranking a machine that spins the thread onto a spindle, preparing the weft. A woman is working at high-speed to prepare the warp thread on a wooden frame called ‘chaukhta’. In the corner, a man is weaving on a shuttle loom. Vankaar Mosi Belji explained that, through the means of division of labor, it’s the men who sit on the loom as it needs a lot of stamina, while women take care of the auxiliary processes like making yarn on the charkha, laying it on the loom and adding value to the woven articles.

Inside his room, carpets, shawls, stoles and placemats were neatly piled. Some had bright colors others dark, and still others retained the natural color of the fibers. Many of them contained small round mirrors that were so naturally into the woven design.

Apart from Bhujodi, Vannora, Kota, Jamthara, Sarli, Bhuj, Kadarthi are other villages in Kutch region where weaving happens. Weaving as a process goes around the year apart from the rainy season, when work hits a lean because of practical reasons.

Not relying too much on today’s education system, the vankars train their future weavers from a very tender age. Growing around the traditional looms in the household, the kids learn by seeing, even before they develop conscience.

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