Artwork: Just Me and My Goat

My latest artwork, a watercolor of a little girl from Gujarat, India

Just Me and My Goat

Watercolor

Dasada region, Gujarat, India

©2018 Melissa Enderle

Since I finished helping my sister carry water for cooking, I finally get some time to play with our baby goat. He is a lot less wiggly now because he just finished drinking from his momma. I like carrying our baby goat. It is fun and will help make me strong. Then it will be easier for me to help carry more wood for our cooking fire. I also have to watch and make sure that the baby goat doesn’t walk too close to the road. Daddy says that the goat is not so smart yet and might get runned over. I feel important when I can help my family.

See more artwork on my Facebook page - Melissa Enderle Artwork  or my website www.melissaenderle.com 

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Mirrorwork Murals of the Kutch

About 63 km north of Bhuj lies some remote Banni villages in the Kutch region of Gujarat. We made the dusty drive there to appreciate the architecture and handicrafts of the people living here. Many of the people still live in these circular bhoonga (also spelled bhunga) huts, whose shape and mud walls are conducive to counteracting the oppressive heat of the region. In direct contrast to the drab surroundings, the exteriors of these conical dwellings are painted with brilliant colors. Traditional bhoongas have thick mud walls and conical thatched roofs, but some of the ones rebuilt after devastating earthquakes in 2001 were constructed from cement. 

Enter these bhoongas, and you'll be treated to some intricate mirrorwork murals. This mud relief mirrorwork is known as Lippan kam or Chittar kam. There are variations of this relief mudwork in various communities throughout the Kutch region. Equal mixtures of dung (either from wild ass or camels) is mixed with finely sifted clay. Men traditionally are in charge of gathering the clay and hauling it to the village. Some use millet husks, which provides a natural repellent to termites. Very fine coils are rolled on top of fresh slabs of clay. Round, diamond, or triangular mirrors known as aahbla are interspersed. Muslim artists generally constrain their motifs to geometric or floral designs. Women, often working together, form communal bonds as they work on the creative process, much like our quilting bees.

Lippan Kam is also functional. When placed on the outside, it acts as an insulator by reflecting heat. interior work helps magnify the effect of limited light sources. Imagine even how a single candle could magically light up an entire room, reflected by all the mirrors! 

A Rabari woman demonstrates how to make Lippan kam

A Banni woman with Paako embroidery

Interior of a Muslim Mutwa home

Lintel above a doorway

Mutwa embroidery

The designs of the Lippan kam are strongly reminiscent of their highly intricate embroidery. Beauty times two!

The Lippan Kam mirrorwork has currently appeared in two of my artworks, seen below.

Two of My Favorite Things. Color pencil, 2018 by Melissa Enderle

Bhunga and Bhandani. Color Pencil, 2017 by Melissa Enderle

See more of my artwork at www.melissaenderle.com.

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Two of My Favorite Things

I wrote a story to accompany the color pencil artwork I just finished. We met this family of the Mir ethnic group on our way back to Dasada, Gujarat. (Read my blog post on our encounter). Note the red flip phone that she is clutching, along with the goat "kid." Like other Mir families who have settled in the Rann of Kutch region of Gujarat, her family lives in poverty. Nowhere near their "tent" (a plastic tarp propped up with skinny logs) could I see access to potable drinking water, electricity, or toilets. 

The elaborate background in this piece is of Mutva mudwork known as Lippan Kaam, seen in some homes in the Kutch region.

See more of my artwork at www.melissaenderle.com.

With the heat beginning to let up, I climb over my sleeping brother and lift up the flap of our plastic tarp. Time to play a bit with the baby goats before their feeding time! I’m glad that our mamma goat had some babies. It gets a little boring living out here in the dry, flat region of Gujarat called the Rann of Kutch. I would like Papa to move our tent closer to the town of Dasada, because then I would have more kids to play with– besides my brother and three sisters. Plus, we might even get electricity so we could charge our cell phone more easily. Papa says our location is just fine because it is right along the highway. That way, more tourists can stop to buy our bangles. Oh, wait! Here comes a car right now! Gotta go!

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Block Printing of India

A video shared by my friend reminded me of why I love the textiles of India so much. Each step reveals the artistry and intricacy that is so lovingly performed.                                                                    

The textile lover that I am, the Anokhi Museum in Jaipur was a perfect place to visit when in the Pink City. Along with informative displays on the history of block printing in India, they had a few craftsmen doing demonstrations.

I especially enjoyed watching the man carving the wood block. It amazed me how such intricate, narrow lines could be formed by such simple tools. Each stroke was made with confident precision. Definitely not a beginner piece!

Holding up a finished block

Floral block detail with chisels

Three blocks that are needed to form one print. Precision is needed for both the carving and in alignment of the inked blocks.

Printing on a small handkerchief cloth

Stamping on a resist (in Gujarat, India)

In addition to printing with multiple blocks, a resist might be added, the cloth immersed in a dye bath, and the cloth washed, dried, and re-printed multiple times. So next time you see a hand-printed piece of fabric, you'll appreciate the artistry and understand why it is more expensive than that commercial knock-off.

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My latest Artwork: Bhunga and Bandhani, Gujarat (Color Pencil)

Here is my latest artwork, a color pencil composition of a Gujarat woman inside a Bhunga home in the Gujarat, whose walls were covered with mirror-work known as Lippan. She was wearing a heavy silver necklace, anklets, bangles, and gold earrings and nose ring. Her clothing is in Bandhani tie-dye. 

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Artwork: Rabari Farmer, Gujarat (Watercolor)

In anticipation of an art exhibition, I wrote a short story about each painting, as if written by the person in the painting. These are all real people, and the stories are based on experience, observation, and representative/factual information typical of someone from that region/profession. Some of these paintings are still available, so if you are interested in purchasing one, please contact me.

Greetings, a blessed Ram-Ram to you! After a long, hot day in the sun with my sheep, goats, and a few water buffalo, I walk along the dusty path that will take me to my village. It’s amazing that my white tunic isn’t dirtier! The lack of rains requires my herd to walk even further in order to find water and grazing land, and now . With the support of my fellow Rabari clan and blessings of the gods, somehow we will persevere through the oppression of industry and capitalization.

See more artwork on www.melissaenderle.com.

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Gujarat Farmer with Young Water Buffalo - sketch

Sketch for watercolor painting of a Gujarat farmer with his young water buffalo.

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Tie-Dyeing of the Bai Ethnic Group, Yunnan

Having a "weakness" towards loving textiles, I was naturally attracted to the tie-dyeing by the Bai ethnic group. This ancient handicraft was already being practiced around the 3-4th century in China. The Bai people living around the Dali area of Yunnan (southwest China) are renowned for their tie-dyeing in this particular style. The village of Zhoucheng has been awarded the title of "The Hometown of National Embroidery and Dyeing." 

The Bai people use white cotton cloth, or sometimes a blend of cotton and linen. To create the "resist" areas where the dye will not reach, the Bai people use knots, rubber bands, sticks, and stones. According to the needs of the desired pattern, several binding techniques are used, such as pinching, crimping, folding, squeezing and pulling into shapes. The cloth is stitched, bound, and tightened, with the un-dyed piece looking like a very textured sculpture. 

Bandhani tie-dye from Gujarat, India

 Having seen the process already when traveling in Gujarat, India, I could appreciate the finished products of this time-intensive art. The Bandhani  piece pictured here took 21 days just to tie the knots.

Removing the knotted strings, revealing the designs. Gujarat

The natural indigo color is formed from fermented leaves of the radix isatidis, mugwort, and a few other plants. The cloth is typically soaked and then air-dried several times before the desired intensity of color is achieved.

Like so many other traditional handicrafts, Bai tie-dyeing is becoming increasingly endangered, due to industrialization, as well as limited access of the dye plants themselves because of over-harvesting and pollution.

For more information on Bai tie-dyeing, visit this article or another by Interact China.
Tie-dying video by TravelChina Guide

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India Reflections

So now my four years in India are over. I've met such wonderful, warm people, both at school and within communities around the country. I've had the opportunity to experience glimpses all over "Incredible India" –from the temples and churches of Tamil Nadu to the lush coconut backwaters of Kerala, to the deserts & fortresses of Rajasthan to the snowy mountains of Kashmir. I've been fortunate to have witnessed a variety of handicrafts being made. It never ceases to amaze me how India's artisans are able to transform simple threads into masterpieces; zardosi, silk saris, bandini tie dyeing, ikat weaving, and endless types of embroidery. Such a rich artistic heritage. Reflecting back though, I would have to say that India's greatest wealth is its people. I will miss the many citizens of India who were my colleagues for four years, as well as the many others I have met while living and traveling in the incredibly diverse subcontinent.

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You Never Know what You'll Pass on an Indian Road

Indian roads are far from dull. There's the constant honking, daredevil passing, selective adherence to road rules/signs, and then there's those who use the roads. Aside from the usual melange of trucks, auto rickshaws, buses, cars, motorcycles, motorbikes, pedestrians, and bicycles, one can also find animals being used as transport vehicles. In South India, that usually is the cow. In northern India, camels are a favored beast. Occasionally though, elephants are also used. Staying observant and keeping the camera handy enabled me to quickly snap this photo as we drove past on the highway to Patan, Gujarat.

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Men in White

While we baked in the "AC room" of the restaurant that didn't have electricity, these men enjoyed the company of fellow farmers outside. They had gathered to celebrate a birthday of another farmer. The typical uniform for farmers in this region of Gujarat is all white - from the turban down to the pants.

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Shadowebs

When walking through a small Banni village in remote Gujarat, I was intrigued by the shadows cast by an incomplete conical thatched roof. Many of the buildings (mud and concrete alike) in the Kutch region of Gujarat were flattened during the devastating earthquake in 2001. Many of the mud huts are being rebuilt using concrete. 

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Gujarat's Nuclear Power Plants

After the terrible nuclear tragedies in Japan, many counties are reconsidering their nuclear power programs.   Gujarat is one of the states in India that have recently initiated nuclear plant constructions. In a particularly energy-deficient country such as India, what future role will nuclear power play? This plant was photographed in Gujarat near Ahmedabad.

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The Broom Seller

A ritual taking place inside and in front of nearly every home and business in India involves sweeping the area with a natural-bristle broom. These brooms tend to lose their sweeping efficiency rather quickly, so a new purchase is in line. Perhaps this mobile broom store would even deliver a broom right to your doorstop.

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Reflections: Gujarat

Despite the heat, we had an awesome time in Gujarat. It’s a pity that the neighboring state of Rajasthan commands all of the attention on touristic scene. While Gujarat doesn’t have the sheer numbers of forts and palaces of which Rajasthan can boast, its stark beauty, vibrant rural life, exquisite step wells and Jain temples, incredibly warm, authentic people, and magnificent crafts puts Gujarat on par with its neighbor. Considering that most of the textile pieces I had purchased in Rajasthan were actually from Gujarat, it was only fitting that I traveled to see where they were created. Going into the homes of the artists and seeing the process made me appreciate the demonstrated art form even more. Having a car and driver, along with a knowledgeable guide, enabled us to spontaneously stop or stay longer at things that particularly interested us. While this method is more expensive than traveling by public transport or going on a bus tour, we experienced so much more. Gujarat will forever hold a special place in my heart.

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The Kutch Museum, Bhuj

Likely to my father’s delight, he had only been to only one full-fledged museum so far on the trip. Today would visit a second- the Kutch Museum. Established in 1877, it is Gujarat’s oldest museum. Once only for the eyes of the ruler’s guests, it has in its collection ancient Kutchi script writings, local silver, gold, and enameling work, would work, coins, musical instruments, and the ever–present artillery display. My favorite part though was a section devoted to the tribal people and their arts. Life–size dioramas were made depicting the various tribes showcasing their unique clothing, homes, and ways of life. Beautiful examples of the different styles of embroidery and other textile arts were preserved under glass. It made me want to visit the villages all over again and perhaps do a bit of shopping.

Photo from http://gujaratgumo.blogspot.com/2011/05/kutch-museum-bhuj.html, as photography was not allowed.

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Aina Mahal, Bhuj

In the same compound as the Prag Mahal was the Aina Mahal, heavily affected by the 2001 earthquake. A portion of it has been made into a museum. Meaning “palace of mirrors,” the 18th-century palace’s name to fame is its Hall of Mirrors room. Though its splendor didn’t quite match that of the palaces I had visited in Rajasthan (not to mention the earthquake tarnishing some of that beauty), there still was some to see. The wall still contained portions covered with white marble. Gilded mirrors covered the majority of space at eye-level. Venetian glass candelabras and colored glass lamps dangled from the ceiling. For me, the room’s most striking feature was the floor, decorated with blue china tiles manufactured in Bhuj.

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Prag Mahal, Bhuj

Walking past a large mound of rubble from the earthquake (including portions of more colonial sculptures), the first building we saw was the Prag Mahal.
Bui 1865-79, this Gothic-style building was constructed by Italian architects. From the outside, it looked like this part of the Prag Mahal fared better than many buildings in this area. Looking up at the towers, one could see huge cracks zigzagging down the large bricks.

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Gateway of the Nagar Khana, Bhuj

On our last day, we visited a part of Bhuj where older buildings still remained, albeit with earthquake damage. Although I would not be able to see the walled city with beautiful palaces and havelis and famous bazaars, as described in older guidebooks, I would try to appreciate what remained. At one time, Bhuj (and the region of Kutch) was a wealthy city due to its sea trade with East Africa and Persian Gulf countries. We started by entering through the arched Gateway of the Nagar Khana that leads to the Prag Mahal (new palace), Rani Mahal (Queen’s Palace), and Aina Mhaal (old palace). Once three-stories high, only the front shell of the second floor remained. A few sculptures on the lower level looked very colonial European – a visual reminder.

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Bhuj - Kutch Area Headquarters

While visiting the various villages in the Kutch area, we used a larger city of Bhuj (population 137,000) as our headquarters. Our hotel was located on a rather drab street, whose stores only sold items such as motorbike parts, hardware, and auto parts. The dusty street was shared by ambling cattle, the occasional camels, cow–pulled carts, tractors, large trucks, and various public transportation vehicles such as trucks, motor bikes modified with a wagon on back. If we wanted to get something to eat at a place other than our hotel, we would need to be satisfied with packaged snacks from the tiny convenience shack. At least there were ATM machines, enabling us to make additional crafts purchases!

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