Kutch Kraft

                                          saline mudflats

 
                                          Rabari woman in the desert.

                                      A sectional view of their embroidery

Rann of kutch,a vast salt marsh located in the western region of India is perhaps the harshest terrain in our subcontinent. A flat desert of saline mudflats where the earth beneath ones feet is broken and thirsting for water gets quenched seasonally during its summer monsoons. Its vast expanse is filled with standing water and its barren landscape comes to life with bright vibrant flamingoes. Speaking of flamingoes, perhaps that’s how I would describe the women of kutch, tall statuesque figures clad in colourful attires and jewellery, these women give a burst of life to their dead surrounding.

On my road trip through Gujarat this month, gujari women carrying pots filled with water could be seen walking down the roads. Life in the desert is tough, lack of basic amenities, poor health conditions and the recent earthquake have severely affected the tribes of kutch, but women from here are relentless and have made their mark in India with their embroidery skills. An article from TEHELKA (an Indian magazine) mentions “….how the embroidery and craft pieces found in the Gujari outlets in the 80’s was an outcome of successive years of drought and large scale migration, leaving women to shoulder the burden. Traditionally the women of kutch kept embroidered pieces as part of their trousseau but they have been forced to sell them. But middlemen exploited them as tradition restricted their movements….”  It was after reading this article,I decided to visit a section of kutch, so that I could get in touch directly with these women and see their wonderful art.

My search ended when I was asked to meet Binuben by the locals. A matriarchal figure in the village she is a widow with no children and has dedicated her life in helping women of the Rabari, Ahir and Harijan tribes. Despite the nomadic nature of the tribes, Binuben set up an art collective “mahila samiti” in this rural setting enabling these women to make a living out of their embroidery. Some destitute women stayed back with her and are helping with her endeavors while the rest come in seasonally with new handicrafts they have created to sell. Binuben explained to me that her efforts revolve around enabling the women to take control of the production and process, thus making them skilled entrepreneurs where they are in control of selling their handicrafts. She showed me various types of embroideries that women in her “samiti”(organization) were specialized in, which included Rabari, ahir, sindhi banni, mutwa, ari and soof styles. Beautiful intricately sown wall-hangings, chadars (bed-sheets ), covers, cholis (blouses) were being designed. I decided to get involved and do my bit in helping promote their craft, after all kriya kalash is about finding artifacts from remote corners of India and showcasing it. The story of  women from kutch and their craft needed to be told.

On my return journey I couldn’t help reflecting on how Gujarat,the state,is on the move with industrialization taking over, but side by side live the spirits of the nether world, the poltergeist of dead rivers and dry wells….a land of magic with fables of ghostly lights(Chir battis) flashing through its skies. It is here in the Rann of Kutch, impoverished women sing through late hours of the night, after a hard day of labour, jabbing their needles expertly into the cloth making fuchsia parrots, turquoise peacocks and geometric design with mirrors that glitter up their tiny huts. This is the real side of India, a rustic earnest process of creation that people of the world should witness…….

 

                                   Wall-hangings made by women of kutch.


We at kriya kalash wish to help Binuben and the women of her "mahila samiti".If you like their embroidered products,samples on display above, kindly mail us at kriyakalash@gmail.com.Your contributions will be forwarded to them.

make some noise daz!

The words “once an object has been incorporated in a picture, it accepts a new destiny” comes to mind when I think of a tiger imprinted on the wall of a blind school at garcha 1^st lane, dover place..its creator Daryl  Bennett aka Sinna one was perhaps destined to pay his tribute to Kolkata and its old world charm by marking its wall with an art form that is contemporary and very dynamic, a graffiti. As the orange tiger gazes out at the denizens of this city, I cannot help but wonder at Daryls ability to amalgamate the character of Bengal and its greats like Jamini Roy into this artefact. 


It is indeed wonderful that there are art collectives like Asthir (https://www.facebook.com/pages/ASTHIR-Art-on-the-Move/172421812793357) that initiated this whole process. We at Kriya Kalash and the local community of the place where this was held were also a part of this event to back it up and give it all our support.

My first meeting with Daryl or Daz (as his friends lovingly call him) was at a friend’s party. I was immediately enamoured by his boyish charm and goofy mannerisms. Having heard that he is a graffiti artist and works with delinquent boys back in U.K., our conversation revolved around comic strips,  sci fi movies and music. I got to know that Daryl loved the works of Frank Miller, Kev O'Neill, Simon Bisley, all of whom have associated with DC comics. But it was when he mentioned graphic artist Vaughn Bode, Hayao Miyazaki and the movie “AKIRA” by Katsuhiro Otomo that Daryl the artist started to emerge. I could easily juxtapose his “ Transformers  like” robot  graffiti with manga artists from Japan and his childlike cartoon images with Bodes “cheech wizard”. I couldn’t help comparing Daryl’s journey to India as a homage to Vaughn bode who is an apotheosis in the graffiti genre. Now, Vaughn Bode dappled with spirituality and was into mysticism, so there was nothing better than to have an artist he influenced paint his form of art in the land that defines mysticism.

However, Daryl’s connect with India does not end there. He spent his childhood in Kalimpong and has a deep connect with people from this Himalayan region. From sketching intricate Tibetan patterns to constantly showing off his Nepali saying “हुन्छ” and “बिस्तारि बिस्तारि ” was an absolute delight to a girl who always is in a hurry. Almost two decades after he had left India, Daryl had returned to the country of his childhood discovering and reminiscing. He professes to return again and we wish him the best and hope to see him soon. So Daz cheers to you for bringing a little punk and urban style of art into the City of Joy and by the words of Beastie Boys, one of your favorite bands “make (in) some noise”

SEEMA....with no boundaries.

Seema unlike her name is limitless; her talents know no boundaries and her gurgles of laughter cannot be contained.  Some, seven years back at a lounge in Pune, the only thing that could be heard above  loud “house” music was Seema’s gurgling laugh. I couldn’t help exclaim “That is loud! Who is that?!” and I was introduced to Seema who was still laughing with her friends over some drinks. That was not the last time we met. Over the days and months that went by in Pune we met regularly for short trips, outings and parties and gradually Seema, the person was revealed.  Seema turned out to be a gift hidden under layers and layers of beautiful wrapping papers. What a storehouse of talent?!

Just like our chance meeting , I was shocked when I entered her house and found myself surrounded by a platoon of murals and Ganeshas and his tiny mice. “Whoa!” I declared…still a little confused as to what these things were doing in her house. Then in one quiet corner was Pankaj religiously at work trying to get the shape of the mouse right. I quickly jumped over and congratulated him on his special talent and looked at Seema respectfully thinking what a lady to have let this dear man work in her apartment. He sheepishy smiled and credited Seema for honing his talents. I gasped unbelievingly! Seema?! My friend Seema, good ol’ Seema? Then out came the truth from behind the gurgles of laughter. She modestly whispered that she was a muralist, a painter and a sculptor and runs her business from home. That was some news! After that I started launching questions at her…how? When? Where?.... What else?. That is when I learnt that she was self taught. She never took any formal training. It is only after she was married and like most Indian brides, a homemaker that she decided to utilize her time effectively. She started observing artists in Nagpur and there on, she cultivated an interest in art. She requested permission from painters and muralists to sit beside them and just observe. Later she would go home and paint and express herself and bring it back to those artists for approval. That is how she honed her skills. Wait a minute! Did she just mention “married”? And I thought I was a good friend! I searched the house for pictures and expected those usual signs of a family to suddenly appear on walls or tables or shelves…some pictures perhaps, but they didn’t. Seema guessed what I was thinking and she said that she is a single mother and she is estranged from her husband for over 20 years. This was a lot of information and I was lost. I couldn’t believe what she was saying …she still looked so fit and young and beautiful. She then said she had a daughter a few years younger to me and that she had been raising her daughter on her own and trying to eke out a living with Pankaj’s help through these years. She walked out on her marriage for very painful reasons and has never looked back and has never taken her husband’s help. With a gulp, I digested this information and my respect for Seema grew tenfold. Never could I imagine that a spirit like hers existed beyond all that loud gurgles of laughter and smiling eyes.

Some two or three years back when I spoke to Seema she was on a crossroad. She wanted to quit art because she couldn’t keep up with the rising expenses and take up some desk job. With the art market down due to depression and high inflation rates, her business had taken a serious hit. It tore her to pieces to leave something she loved the most. In her darkest hours she had her talents to see her through…like a family like someone she was connected to from an unknown past…it had been with her. But now she was driven to the point where she was left with no options. At 50 she didn’t have anyone to look after her. 

But I would like to tell everyone who is reading this post that Seema and her art and her expressions are still with her as she is with them. She surpassed the time once again. Her devotional love for her expressions and her resilience is almost spiritual as is evident in her works. What is spirituality if not devotion, harmony and love and that undying single minded connection that one has with nature or with oneself?!

 So, we decided to do our bit for Seema, a great friend and an exceedingly talented individual. Here, we are with her products on display and for sale.

http://kriyakalash.blogspot.in/2012/01/3d-buddha.html
http://kriyakalash.blogspot.in/2012/02/indian-man-and-woman-vases.html
http://kriyakalash.blogspot.in/2012/01/meditate.html
http://kriyakalash.blogspot.in/2012/01/ganesha-clocks.html
http://kriyakalash.blogspot.in/2012/01/ganesha.html

Reflections on Meitei's fading art

                                                Manipuri Dance (Pung Cholom)

As an army officer’s daughter, I got to travel a lot. It wasn’t  a touristy way of seeing places cause most of the time I was riding in heavily armored vehicles and had an entourage of security personnel following me as I explored aptly termed ‘disturbed states’. Last year, I chanced upon an opportunity to travel to Manipur along with my father and I jumped at it.  My first impression of Manipur as I got out of the airport was how bad the roads were. Security was tight due to constant threat by militant groups and there were road blocks after every two minutes. Years of political unrest and military rule had not washed away the beauty of the landscape. The place was almost virginal, untouched by city life but it would have been serenely beautiful had it not been for constant political strife in Manipur.  Imphal, the city capital seemed like a battleground captured with all the security that one could see on the roads. As I peered out of the car to look at a woman police officer directing traffic all I could do was sigh.

That evening however, things changed for the better. As I sat among “lady wives” listening to conversations of how exorbitant food prices were in Manipur and how people were struggling to purchase basic amenities, a painting on the wall caught my attention. It depicted a strong white turbaned man holding onto the reins of a stallion ridden by a beautiful princess. I wanted to know more and walked over to Colonel Rajbir Singh, who was busy enjoying scotch and smoking his cigar in a corner. The colonel was delighted to answer  my questions and thus the night proceeded with him narrating Meitei myths and legends, among them the famous tragic  love story of ‘khamba and thoibi’ (characters in the painting). Manipur then transformed into a land of brave warriors battling elephant and tigers and beautiful princesses sacrificing  all for love.

(Now, the Meitei (s) history can be traced back to the Stone Age, from being nature worshippers, they later converted to Hinduism. The Meitei Hindus arguably belong to the Kshatriyas (the warrior clan) and consider themselves to be descendents of Prince Arjuna (from Mahabharata-the great Indian epic). Being devotees of Lord Krishna they sport large Chandan (sandalwood) tilaks from their nose to foreheads. The men are excellent horsemen and women gifted weavers, making the finest embroidered cotton fabrics. Most of their art reflects religious and mythical motifs and with such rich history and culture, Manipuris have mastered all forms of art whether its dance, paintings, artifacts or the martial arts)

My Manipuri sojourn did not end with an evening listening to Colonel Singh’s narration. Army life has its privileges even in most hostile environment, and my need to learn more about Meitei art was fulfilled with opportunities to visit museums and galleries there. From watching khamba-thoibi , pung cholom, Ras Lila dance forms to visiting handicraft cottages, I did it all. What I realized through the course of my visit was that although the government was doing its bit to promote these artists still a lot is left to be done.

 A trip to Moirang, another city in Manipur, exposed me to artists specializing in wood work. Due to the political climate, there were no tourists visiting this old cultural village. Most of these craftsmen were abandoning art to accommodate occupations that would bring in very little money for food and clean water. Samples of woodworks in Burmese teak were collected from various houses and I was told that I could choose and order the pieces I like. I was saddened by the state of affairs and decided then that something had to be done to keep this art form alive and thriving. Artists needed to get back to their craft and more people needed to know about Meitei art and culture.

(An example of Manipur Woodwork can be seen on of our previous blog posts. Here is the link : http://kriyakalash.blogspot.in/2012/01/manipuri-woodwork.html)

Fast forwarding to a year later, back in Kolkata, a friend and I decided to do our bit in reviving and promoting artisans and their artifacts. Manipur and its Meitei art form is a priority for us. Keeping our hopes and dreams alive we are pushing forward this cause inspired by words of Manipuri poet and social activist Irom Sharmila...

“I’ll spread the fragrance of peace

From kanglei, my birthplace

In the ages to come

It will spread all over the world.”

An ostiary's story

पोथी पढ़ पढ़ मुआ,पंडित भयो न कोए

ढाई आखर प्रेम के,जो  पढ़े सो पंडित होए ….. 

Reading books everyone died, none became very wise.

One who reads the words of love, only becomes wise….

                    (doha or couplets by sant kabir)

A couplet taught to most school children came to mind when we decided to write about an exceptional man from Kolkata. A working man of  no education, he is currently earning a living as a chowkidaar(gatekeeper). A chance meeting at a friend’s place lead to the discovery of Manohar ‘kaku’ and his love for making wire figurines. This is how it all came about……

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon and after a meal of ‘panta bhaat’, ‘maacher jhol’ and ‘alu shiddho’ (mouth watering Bengali food) at Anurag’s place we sat chatting over ‘masala chai’ and like many in Bengal, the topic of discussion was a need for some quality art. I argued with my friend Anurag, declaring my displeasure about how art is degenerating into mediocrity. The need for perfection has surely been lost. I would not delve into the irrelevance of that argument anymore for my perception was reversed when I met Manohar ‘kaku’. Anurag took the two of us downstairs to a small little musty room at the outhouse.  There stood ‘kaku’ looking quite comical in his dirty ‘khakhis’ with few odd strands of greys shyly standing on his bare head, gay eyes and a toothless beetel nut smeared smile. While Anurag and my friend were happily interacting with ‘kaku’ I wasn't amused. I looked at Anurag in disbelief, wondering if he is going to pull an all poor emotional angle to prove his point. Oh come on! I am a little uptight I agree but only for the right reason.

Anurag cajoled ‘kaku’ into showing what he had made. ‘Kaku’ all shy giggling like a child showing off his toys came out with most curious little items made of wires. My jaw dropped! Regardless of propriety I took a step forward to take a peek inside his little dark room. As soon as my eyes could adjust to the light, I saw small little things made of wires lined against the wall- a cycle, Gandhi’s Charkha, a cobra, the snake charmer and so on.

Wires… ?! How did he come up with this idea? What was his inspiration? How could his mind possibly think of making such things? With a meager salary of INR 1500 per month and nothing but house pliers at his disposal he created these little things. A security guard of a high rise building in India is not a regular trained personnel but usually an individual from a village, who is hired to stay on guard all night and day, permitted to take short naps in between when no one is looking , and expected to be happy working on a meager salary. He should be ready to act as an electrician, a plumber, and coolie (Man Friday), be good company to catch up on neighbor’s gossip and also the one who takes care of your children while they are playing downstairs. Such multi-skills are a pre-requisite for such a job. But ‘kaku’ is exceptional. Yes, he might not be very skilled at wire-art but with whatever little he has at his disposal and a beautiful imagination at work he creates these curious items within minutes. I forgot all about mediocrity and felt ashamed at my vanity. There is perhaps no mediocrity in true art for it is characterized by an irresistible urge in the creative artist.

   

We at kriya kalash wish to help Manohar 'kaku' continue his craft and are displaying his works on this blog, if you want to buy any of these pieces kindly email us on kriyakalash@gmail.com Your contributions will be forwarded to him along with your best wishes.

Encounter with our 'pote' maker

                                         'Pote' maker

                                       Women in rural Nepal wearing 'pote' necklaces

Colorful पोते  necklaces with तिलहरी ,चवादी चोली with फरिया , nose and ears covered with huge gold jewelry and flowers in the hair…..quintessential Nepalese beauty n all her rustic charm.

'pote' (pronounced po-they) are colorful glass beaded necklaces of various colors and length that women in Nepal wear as one of the symbols of marriage,  like a wedding ring or red “sindoor” in the parting of your hair. Though not married, I love the elegance of these handmade beads and wanted pieces that I could wear occasionally. A trip to Nepal lead to the discovery of this wonderful artist who created these necklaces and bracelets using pote and colorful jute strings in his humble backyard. Although not so uncommon (as these beaded jewellery are very often worn by several Nepalese women) he was still at this trade and trying to eke a living out of this. I wondered why isn’t he farming anymore or occupying himself in a trade more lucrative as the competition is clearly stiff in these parts. To this he gave a broken smile as if to say ‘what would you city dwellers know?!'

No! A smile wasn’t good enough for me…I wanted to know. My curiosity getting the better of me I  enquired if I could buy some of the pieces there and pat came the reply with the brightest of smiles.  He thawed after my initial enquiries and was ready to answer most of my questions. The astronomical prices of things, the constant struggle to get his children better educated, the seasonal nature of his crops left him with no option and he says he enjoys his work in some ways. It makes him happy to see women like what he so painstakingly makes, every bead that he so carefully puts together in beautiful colored strings. This is what he has known all his life apart from farming. He can’t change his trade and start afresh. It is too risky he says. So, he prefers staying away from his family for months together, traveling from one city to another, trying to sell these just so that he is able to catch up with his family’s growing needs.

I thought to myself, these are just perfect for my dresses and they will go with my t-shirts alright so, I bought several of these pieces and brought them back to India and tried selling it to my friends. This way, I will not only help this man but also bring these amazing colorful jewellery to all those who want it. What started with one man and with some friends has gone up to a larger scale and now there are several men and women who supply these 'pote' to us and we bring them to a large network of people. 

Indian Man and Woman Vases

                                                       MEASUREMENTS-36'14'14

If you want to be like me, I will help u,knowing that we are alike.
If you want to be different, I will wait until you change your mind - Anonymous


Fiberglass pieces done by an artist located in Pune, India.


(Price on request) contact us on kriyakalash@gmail.com