Bamboo Craft 1j284s

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Through craft cluster we would like to thank numerous people whose consistent and guidance has been the standing pillar in architecture of this project. To begin with, our sincere thanks to the management of NIFT for giving this opportunity to experience and learn the processes practiced in crafts of India.

For the completion of this document we would like to thank Mr. Niteen Rangdal (Professor, Department of Textile Design, NIFT) for being our mentor and our guide throughout the project. We would like to extend our heartiest thanks to our CC Dr. Reena Agarwal for providing us with the opportunity of learning about the Bamboo Craft of Maharastra and helping us whenever we needed her help.

We would also like to thanks Mrs. Sneha Lata (chiva designer), Prasant Karane (manager of Konbac), Jitu Vajradkar (manager of chiva) and George Joel (founder of chiva) for providing us with ample for completing this assignment.

CONTENTS 1. About the Craft 2. Products 3. Kudal 4. Status of Bamboo Craft in Kudal- Then and Now 5. Raw Materials 6. Instruments Used 7. Technique 8. End Use 9. Skills 10. Colours 11. Factors of Dyeing Process 12. Market 13. Visits Of Craft Cluster- The Artisans 14. Craft Cluster Diaries 15. Visits- The Organisations 16. Conclusion 17. Product Designs 18. Weaves Developed

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ABOUT THE CRAFT Bamboo crafts in India are very popular due to its eco friendly attributes. Since ancient times, bamboo crafts have held a significant position in India as the country produces a huge amount of bamboo and cane. Bamboo craft, as the name suggests, is associated with cane and bamboo, and forms an integral part of Indian crafts giving rise to the expression of tribal art and providing them with livelihood. As India is blessed with deft artistry, these types of crafts developed in this country very soon and with the changes in style, trend, as well as demand the craft has developed its designs and skilfully blended tradition with fashion. Figure 1 intro pic of bamboo

The Indian artisans are dexterous in creating bamboo crafts and arrays of bamboo items are famous in India as well as nations abroad. Basically the artisans create variations in their creations. The craftsmen create different items with the help of different bamboos and canes that are locally known as ‘sundi’, ‘barjali’, ‘harua’, ‘golla’ etc. which are required for making furniture and baskets. It is observed that generally three species of cane are exploited in commercial quantities- Jati (Calamus Tenuis), Tita (Calamus Leptospadix) and Lejai (Calamus Floribundus). Some less important qualities like Sundi (Calamus Guruba) and Raidang (Calamus flagellum) are also extracted for creating innovative designs.

Figure 2 Bamboo products

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PRODUCTS: Generally the products of bamboo are of two types, namely: 1)articles required for day to day use and of medium quality, that are more suited to local requirements; 2Another type is articles of finer quality, both decorative and functional, to meet the requirements and tastes of more sophisticated markets. For instance, items like baskets, Chalani, Crossbows, Kula, Khorahi ,Dukula or Tukuri, DalaDukula or Tali , Doon or Kathi, Bamboo Mats etc. Some of the Indian states are famous for creating beautiful bamboo items like mugs for rice beer, hukkas, musical instruments, floor mats, fishing devices and handles. In this respect, the namesof Assam, Tripura and West Bengal can be mentioned. This traditional craft has received great success in making winnowing baskets, special Pitaras, oval boxes, oblong caskets, and flower baskets. Assam, a state with abundant raw materials, has a large variety of beautiful products. Some of the well known bamboo and cane crafts are Baskets, Chalani, dolls, toys etc which are made in different sizes and fine designs. One the most interesting and colourful item of bamboo is leaf-headgear for tea garden workers and farmers. Umbrella handles made of bamboo are a speciality of the North-East. A number of designs like leaves, plants and creepers are etched on them. A variety of furniture items are made to suit the modern homes. Apart from all these, bamboo mats are extensively used for construction of temporary walls and sheds, big pandals, roofing of country boats, dwelling houses etc.

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Kudal ABOUT THE AREA

Kudal is asmall town located in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra. It is surrounded by a river named Niranjana (also known as Kudali) on the banks of which happens to be the major attraction of the place- the Pimpleshwar Temple. Kudal is the second-largest town in Sindhudurg after Sawantwadi. As of 2011, the population is more than 25,000.The town is known for its natural beauty full of greenery. Agriculture is the main activity of the people here. Kudal provides a closer view of the historic Vairatgad Fort. Kudal houses two dams, which are located in Mahu and Hatgeghar area. Kudal s one MIDC area.

CONNECTIVITY A railway station in Kudal on the KRCL route connects Mumbai and Mangalore. The Deccan Odyssey train also has a stoppage here. National Highway 66 es through Kudal, along with this the town enjoys great connectivity with various parts of Maharashtra by means of road. The National Highway 4 connects Kudal to Panchwad. Further, several important towns and tourist places like Mahabaleswar, Satara, Panchgani, Wai and Chiplun are located near Kudal again with great road connectivity. Regular buses are available to towns like Tarkarli, Malvan, Mumbai, Ratnagiri, Pune, Raigad and Satara among others. Weather: Population:

29°C, Wind NW at 11 km/h, 77% Humidity 25,000 (2011)

Pimpleshwar temple

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Geography Kudal is located at 16.008°N , 73.687°E. It has an average elevation of 20 metres (65 feet). The climate is mostly like that of coastal regions and so is humid. Annual temperature rises from 22 to 40 degree celcius. kudal gets very heavy rainfall of 1100mm per year. DEMOGRAPHY As of 2001 India census: Kudal had a population of more than 25,000 people. Males constitute 51% of the population while females- 49%. Kudal has an average literacy rate of 78%, which is higher than the national average of 59.5%, of which: Male literacy stands at 81%, and female literacy is 75%.

Vairatgad fort

Interesting fact!- 12% of Kudal’s population is under 6 years

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Places to visit in and around kudal ARVALEM CAVES

The Arvalem caves, also known as ‘Pandavas Caves,’ are ancient rock cut caves dating back to the 5th-6th century. These are excavated into the laterite hill and consist of two major chambers. The cave complex draws tourists and archaeologists alike.

MANOHARGAD

This fort made Shivapur a thrilling exeperience for the trekkers. To watch the deep valley among these two forts is also a thrilling exeperience. This fort are in the dense forest of Shivapur. Fort Ragangad is 18 Km from Kudal. It is 2600 feet above the sealevel. It was built by the Emperor ShilaharBhoj. ChhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj conquered this in 1959. It was his favourite ‘Rest House’ The beautiful lake & the temple in the fort are also tourist attractions. RANGANA FORT It is in Sahyadri range on the border of districts Kolhapur &Sindhudurg. It was constructed by Shilahar Raja Bhoj. ShivajiMaharaj conquered this fort in 1659. Maharaj use to rest here while going to Konkan from Pune. The fort has very pleasant air, very large lake for swimmers & very tasty, sweet, cool, fresh water. There is a temple near the lake of Goddess Raganai. Visitors enjoy to visit this fort for many such reasons & so it is a great tourist attraction. 6

RAWOOL MAHARAJ MATH It is at Sindhudurg in Kudal talunka. It is established by Raul Maharaj. He was a devotee of Datta. This math is blessed with nature. Devotees from all over India visit this math.

TARKARLI BEACH Tarkarli is a village in MalvanTaluka in Sindhudurg district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is tourist destination and an attractive beach. Ramnavmi is celebrated every year in Mahapurush Temple of the village.Tarkarli has the state's only scuba diving training centre.

NIVATI BEACH Offers peace and serenity to independent travelers. Fishermen seen launching their traditional boats and nets daily into the sea is an interesting feature to watch on this beach. Ading the beach is a twin village Kochara which offers wonderful view of small tropical oasis on Nivti shore.

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AMBOLI WATERFALLS Amboli village is well known as ‘Mahabaleshwar' of konkan. It is an eco-friendly hill station that promises you an experience to get lost into the spectacular beauty of nature, nuturing the poet in you. Amboli is an ideal retreat for the vacationers searching for seclusion and solace.The sunset point, the origin of Hiranyakeshi riverNagartas fall, Narayangad, Mahadergad, Kawalesad are some major points worth visiting.

KUNKERESHWAR TEMPLE Kunkeshwar Temple, an ancient Shiva Temple is located in Kunkeshwar village, 14 Kms from Devgad town. A pristine beach with a very long stretch of seashore and white sand adds to the beauty of temple surroundings.This beautiful temple near beach has alluring architecture with reminiscent of South Indian style of temple architecture. Yadav Kings built this temple in 1100 A. D. ChhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj who rejuvenated this temple many times was a frequent visitor to this temple. This temple is also famous as Kashi of South Konkan. Every year a huge celebration takes place on the occasion of Mahashivratri, which keeps religious beliefs in constant sight of the multitudes. During the festival a large number of devotees throng this place with their families and friends. This vigilant Shiva deity bestows blessings on everyone who surrenders to its feet. 8

VIJAYDURG PORT Vijaydurg Port is a natural harbour on the west coast of the district of Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, India. The port is situated midway between Malvan and Ratnagiri at the mouth of the Vijaydurg creek in Devgadtaluka. Its coastal jurisdiction extends 10 km north up to the Jaitapur lighthouse.

KUNKESHWAR SHIVLING A walk through the 5 Kms long Kunkeshwar beach across the temple on one side of the hill has quieting effect on the mind. Swimming in the clear water freshens the mind and if you are lucky ones you can get a rare view of dolphins diving in the deep sea from a distance. Greenery of coconut and mango trees surrounding one side of the beach adds to the beauty and makes the whole experience of every visitor a memorable one.

SINDHUDURG FORT and BEACH Sindhudurg Fort is a fort which occupies an islet in the Arabian Sea, just off the coast of Maharashtra in Western India. The fortress lies on the shore of Malvan town of Sindhudurg District in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, 450 kilometres (280 mi) south of Mumbai. It is a protected monument

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Lifestyle and Cuisine of Kudal Malvani cuisine is the standard cuisine of Kudal. Although it is an independent cuisine, it overlaps Maharashtrian cuisine and Goan or coastal South Indian cuisine. Malvani cuisine is predominantly non-vegetarian, but there are many vegetarian delicacies. Malvani dishes have some distinctive features like it uses coconut liberally in various forms such as grated, dry grated, fried, coconut paste and coconut milk. Many masalas have dried red chilies and other spices like coriander seeds, peppercorns, cumin, cardamom, ginger, garlic, etc. Some dishes also use kokum, dried kokam (amsul), tamarind, and raw mango (kairi). Fishing being one of the major occupations, Fish dishes dominate the Malvani cuisine. Major Crops cultivated that influence the cuisine of the place are: • Rice • Coconut • Kokam • Mango • Cashew

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STATUS OF BAMBOO CRAFT IN KUDAL- THEN AND NOW Interestingly, the bamboo craft has a long history but not as a commercial commodity, whereas more of a household commodity.It was made on a small scale for the basic house hold need products such as hand fans,jewellery boxes,food storage boxes,grain containers, baskets, plantation pots, wedding sets comprising of articles needed by the bride such as a basic small hand purseetc.It was only made on large scale during the occasion of ganeshchaturthi when required by local commodity. Traditional house hold craft was generallydone by ladies in their leisure time so as to meet their needs and also to keep themselves occupied, almost like a creative hobby. With the initiatives taken by Govt. & different NGOs now the household work has been transformed to commercial activity with the purpose of increasing small scale industries and providing employment to the locals (though through our personal interviews we got to know that in fact there is a lack of government in many aspects). Learned by young ones & teenagers and taught by mother and grandmother, however, they are not as keen on learning the craft as the generations before them had been. (as found out from interviewing the artisans) Naubuddha community generally used to practice this craft

Traditional product 11

RAW MATERIALS The raw materials essential for this craft are as follows: Bamboo- either bought locally at the rate of Rs 40-50 per bamboo (40ft) or cultivated at home. Price fluctuates according to the demand and availability. 10-12 bamboo shoots are bought at a time.

Products made are mostly decorative or fancy items. Pen stands, incense burners, hair clips, flower vases, lamp shades etc. earlier sieves, baskets, etc. were made.

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About a hundred small pieces can be made from one bamboo branch, which would sell at a price of around Rs 1000 altogether. No artificial colours are added. If coloured slivers are required, then they are dyed using natural colours which are made using indigenous materia The products are finished with a touch of lacquer.

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Instruments Used Billhook drill

Chisel

Planer

Hacksaw

Scissors

Sand Paper

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sizing machine

Cutter

Adhesive

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Technique

The bamboo is first cut into suitable pieces with the billhook. Then skinned and cut into fine strips which are known as slivers. These are cut into further fine strips. The slivers are then wetted in water then weaving or construction is started.

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End Use In construction Bamboo house

Chairs

Tables

Gazebo

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In craft

Veneers (matts, these form the basic structure of most products)

Tea coaster

Lamps

Clips

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Flower pot

Dinner matts

Basket

Rack Stand

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Skills

Deg Skills Weaving Skills Need to have a good judgment in of estimations while sizing as well as weaving. NOTE: Artisans don’t have their own unique products or ideas, follow what has always been done, deg of new products is done by the instructor or other designer/organization and is made to order

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Colours The various sources from which colour for dyeing of slivers can be carried out are as follows Haldi

Onion

Harda

Beetroots

Tea leaf

Boric

Mehendi

NOTE: These are all found locally, occasionally when a new colour is required which cannot be dyed using indigenous materials, sourcing is done from as far as Mumbai. 21

FACTORS OF DYEING PROCESS

Process varies for different colours. Time consumed varies for different colours. Salt is added so that colour doesn’t fade or come off while handling product Slivers are coloured as per order Slivers doesn’t get damaged during boiling Boling while colouring destroys the sugar present in the sliver and therefore bamboo products doesn’t degrade.

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Market

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Craft Products are sold in the local market, in cities and even sentto the international market, all of these varying from each other depending on the demand and need of the place. Konbac&Chiva mostly export products to metropolitan cities of the country and also the international market. Tourist also like to buy these products and are amazed by the workmanship of the women of the village.

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Visits of Craft Cluster at Kudal The Artisans Paushi The first visit for our study was to the MSSIDC, Paushi where a workshop is held for women who want to learn the craft of bamboo weaving in order to make products. The course teaches novices everything there is to learn about the craft and makes them independent as by the end of it they will most likely get a job in bamboo crafting and will have also learnt a new skill. Not only this but in addition to learning the weaving, they are given a basic stipend for their efforts which is also helpful for them. We got a chance to be a part of the workshop for a day and learn about the craft as well as the people that make the craft happen.

Trainee of Paushi

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About the workshop The workshop was started in 2003.Mr. Sanju Karpe, belonging to the Konbac organization, initiated it.MS. SnehaLata Sandesh Malwankar is the head of this workshop who organizes, oversees and teaches the course. Ms. SnehaLata had learnt the craft and obtained her skills from IIT Bombay.The products made by the students serve both purposes- practice as well as for selling.They make commercial products.Products are sold to the companies that place orders.

A four months long workshop is carried out in batches for women, where they are taught the entire process of the craft- from the selection of bamboo to the finishing of end products.Three batches of the workshop are carried out in a year and on an average 100 people learn this craft every year.Timing of the class everyday is 11am to 4pm.

Students have to pay Rs.10, 000 as fees to the workshop. But the paid amount is recovered by the daily wages they earn because of the products they make.Rs. 100-200 is paid to the learner for the products they make.The aim of this workshop is to make people independent, especially women.The students can work for the company or individually on their own once the workshop gets over.Another advantage is that because of the workshop, the caste barrier is no moreSince people from other castes are also learning and promoting the commercialization of the product, there are higher chances that this craft won’t die soon.

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About Ms. SnehaLata sandesh Malwankar

SnehaLata sandesh Malwankar who heads Paushi& other centres was sent by Konbak to IIT Mumbai in 2004 to do 3 months bamboo art course. She has been teaching bamboo craft to locals since last 12 years. She also teaches bamboo craft at Mumbai, Pune & Gujarat. SnehaLata is now working with Chiva after she left Konbak due to poor health for one year. She agrees payment was better in Konbak but she got a chance to use her inner creativity after working with Chiva. She also added that she is working on a different product using the art viz making a sareeborder with bamboo sliver and has succeeded in doing so by creating a sample product more of which can be made as per customer orders.



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Ambedkar Nagar

The second visit was to the village called Ambedkar Nagar. The residents of this village make up the community who started bamboo crafts in this area and have been continuing and ing it on from generation to generation since years in Kudal. The designers of Chiva and the organization called Konbak which we visited in the following days are able to deliver high quality finished products owing to the experienced and creative women of this village. After the visit we were left inspired by these artisans.

Artisans OF AMBEDKAR NAGAR 27

ABOUT THE AMBEDKAR NAGAR COMMUNITY

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Here most of the women folk work together and make products on order for the company. They are professional and very experienced. They all started this initiative of starting to sell bamboo craft products together and till date have continued working as a community and team. Since 12 years they have been making commercial products Everyone had learnt the traditional craft in their childhood from their mothers or grandmothers Later on they learned to make innovative commercial products from the workshop. Ms. Lata manages this place too

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CRAFT CLUSTER DIARIES VISIT 1: What the artisans have to say…

At the : MSSIDC (Paushi) Q. How are strips obtained from bamboo? -> The sliver is taken out from the bamboo and polished using a sickle. -> Sizing of slivers is done using a machine known as the sizer machine. Q. Which type of dyes and colours are used to colour the slivers? -> Only natural colours are used which are obtained locally from sources such as Haldi, Harda, Beet, Tea leaves, Henna, etc. Q. What about the process of dyeing? -> It can take from 30 minutes to 1-2 hours for the whole process, depending on the colour. -> For example in dyeing yellow colour, it takes 30 minutes, salt is put to avoid the spreading of colour later during weaving and for colour fastness, haldi powder is added, and the mixture is boiled along with the slivers. ->OR, if no colour is wanted and we only want the natuarl bamboo coloured sliver, allum is added to the slivers along with borax and it is boiled/ left in these chemicals for about a day. Q. When did the craft and workshops start here? -> It was started in the year 2003, by Mr.SanjeevKarpe.

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Q. Where is the bamboo obtained from? -> We have our own backyard plantation, the bamboos from which are used to obtain all slivers we use for weaving. Q. What is the market you cater to? -> Not for local markets, the products are sold in Bombay and Goa. -> We send the products to the company that places the order such as Konbac or Chiva, for Chiva we have made upto 65 types of vineers which are creative, whereas Konbac doesn’t require that much variety. Q. What are the wages? -> Rs.100 per day for learners ->Rs. 200-300 per day for learned artisans depending on the product made by them. Q. Is the preparation and processing of the slivers done by workers? ->Either the company that orders can provide the materials or workers can acquire raw materials and do dyeing and processing on their own. Q. How is the pricing of the product done? -> Depending on weaving pattern, if the design is simple then the cost is lower and the price increases with the complexity of the weave. Q. How is the finishing of products done? -> A border is stuck and stitched around the unfinished edges. Q. What are the most commonly made weave names? -> The weave names are given by us for our own understanding, for example: -Cross (Plain Weave) -Stitch (Variation of plain weave + basket weave) -Herringbone (Twill variation, not always actual Herringbone weave) -Also the hair pin is made by making a Celtic Knot 30

Q. Why do you use water on strips while weaving? ->Wetting the strips makes it less prone to breaking while we weave. Q. How many students are taken for one batch of the workshop? ->20 students are taken at a time for the course, and per year there are around 100 students. Q. How much is the charge for the course? ->Rs. 8,000 Q. What are the job prospects after the course for the students? -> Some have options individually, for people who don’t the organisation helps them in the job search. Q. BeforeKonbak, who did this craft? ->Parampara organisation and the people of Ambedkarnagar used to do this for Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Q. What is the sequence of the lessons taught to the students? 1. Bamboo Choice 2. Cutting of Bamboo 3. Obtaining sliver 4. Polishing of sliver 5. Size 6. Colour 7. Weaving of basic vineer 8. Table matts (basically finishing of vineer by using fevicol and stitching border at edges) 9. 10 other products

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VISIT 2:

AMBEDKAR NAGAR (ARTISANS VILLAGE) Q. Did you learn the craft from home or from the 4 month workshop? ->From both the places: first basic knowledge ed down from mother, then learning of new things at the workshop. Q. What kind of orders do you get and types of sale you put up? ->First it started out at a small scale for home use and everyday needs ->Now products are made only for Konbak or orders are taken for bulk by showing samples. Q. Do you teach the children bamboo craft too? ->We try but the children go to school and are not willing to learn the craft too. Q. Then how will you keep the craft revived and continue ing down the skill? -> We are willing to teach outside our own community too to keep the craft going. Q. Are you comfortable with doing this craft using a machine? -> We are only comfortable with doing sizing process on machine since even if we do craft on the machine, we will have to make alterations by hand afterwards. Although we use the gauge system instead of the sizing machine as sizing can be done easily by estimation once you have years of practice.

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The Organisations Konbac (NGO)

The third and fourth visits were paid to organisations instead of artisans. Their aim is to create well finished, aesthetically pleasing as well as functional products and cater to the modern customer base- such as in metropolitan cities. Unlike the next to nothing cheap prices that the artisans ask for, these products are quite expensive but are also high quality and durable.

ABOUT KONBAC The organisation focuses mainly on home furnishings and constructions using bamboo. However, there is also a small range of bamboo craft products. For both these lines, two different types of bamboo are used: 1) 2)

For bamboo crafts- the bamboo with a hollow middle is used as only slivers are required. For construction purposes and furniture – a solid bamboo is required so as to provide strength and durability.

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In 2002, a group of young women and men in maharashtra started experimenting with bamboo furniture and crafts through konkannisaargmanch (konim), an NGO, which was working on processing of other NTFP products. During 2004, a team from international network for bamboo and rattah(INBAR) visited the area and the establishment of the konkan bamboo and can development centre (KONBAC), a section 25 nonprofit company. In 2009, to add scale, a for profit entity native KONBAC bamboo products private ltd was ed

Technique In Construction: • Bending of bamboos by heating using jets of flame, this is followed by local cooling using water in these areas. • Bamboo is first drilled and then nails are used for ing and reinforcement to provide more strength and hence durability. • Smoothing the cuts for aesthetic purposes as well as for safety. • Finishing

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In craft •

Weaving (weaves havebeen given local names or numbers by the crafts women for identification purposes) • Wetting with water to make sliver flexible and easier to weave. • Applying mixture of Water and fevicol for finishing and also so it works as a fixative

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Processing Processing method for bamboo used in Construction and furniture

Drilling Bamboos: so that while the chemical treatment is given, the liqour seeps into the bamboos easily. Treating with chemical is done so that the sugar that is present in the bamboos is destroyed. Hence the bamboos won’t age or undergo any decay.

Processing method for bamboo used in craft:

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Selection of bamboos Cutting of bamboos Sizing and making of the slivers Polishing the slivers Colouring the slivers

Amongst the best work done by Konbak comes the MTDC Resort: Bamboo Boathouse at the Tarkali beach. Other products are furniture such as dining table set with bamboo weaving on the base, and a sofa set, or a gazebo entirely constructed of bamboo. 36

BOAT HOUSE

CHAIR & TABLE

KEY HOLDER

CLOCK FLOWER POT

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Chiva This is where the second half of the bamboo craft process (done by artisans) takes place. Chivais an organisation founded by a mechanical engineer turned interior designer who is also the architect of the bamboo cottages made by them- George Joel. He is also the founder of greenearth culture. He chose to work with bamboo rather than usual industrial materials due to the human element of the women of the village weaving the craft vineers, and also due to the eco- friendly aspect of bamboo, though it is more difficult to promote and work with. Also there is not much help from the government in promoting the women and this craft either. While interviewing Mr. Joel, we found out that the deg of the products and finishing process is carried out by the organisation but the actual creative weaving patterns, over 65 varieties, are all the innovation and creation of the women of the workshop and Ambedkar Nagar.

WHAT IS CHIVA? Chivais basically handcrafted bamboo veneer is crafted out of selected bamboo slivers treated in non toxic preservation for an extended life expectancy against pests & decay. Dyed with natural colours. Chiva enhances & Compliments ethnic &comtemporary interior environment. The weaves consists of ‘daayami’ the traditional herringbone Weave, ’gawaaksh’ the cross weave with small windows & ‘jaalikaa’ or the basketry. The colour schemes within the range are –‘Manjul’-Pastel Shades,’Gattik’ meaning dynamic &‘Taamrata’ meaning tanned. Chiva name comes from the types of bamboo named chiva and cultivated in malvani region. 38

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They have 80 different designs in total. They are trying to patent some of their designs. Their target markets are metropolitan cities and the international market. No from government Need new designers & more commercial designs Use organic preservatives

Dhaari Manjul

Dhaari Gaatik

Dhaari Taamrata 39

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, bamboo craft not only is a thriving and beautiful craft, but also has great potential in of innovative products that can be made with it. Once new products keep coming into the market and with further promotion, the demand and market for the craft will only grow further. Another positive point is that it provides so may women with a source of income and is hence a source of women empowerment in the rural areas. As seen from the artisans of Ambedkar Nagar and the learners at Ms.SnehaLata’s workshop, once they learn the craft, the women are very skillful at it and even create new and innovative colour and weave effects which even textile students are inspired by. Further, it is not at all a dying craft owing to the fact that the craft is not only ed down generations, but they are also willing to teach other communities. With organisations like KONBAC and Chiva providing the women with work and promoting their skills, the craft holds a lot of promise. However, the government must promote the craft as well in order for it to do even better.

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PRODUCT DESIGN

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DEVELOPED WEAVE

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