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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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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Mugunghwa - the Hardiness of the Koreans

During the heat and humidity of summer, the blooms of the Hibiscus known as Mugunghwa, or the Rose of Sharon, quietly adorn Korea. The ancient Chinese nicknamed Korea as "the land of the gentlemen where Mugunghwa blooms." Considering the number of times that Korea has resiliently stood against various invasions and hardships, it is fitting that Korea has chosen the Mugunghwa  - a hardy plant whose flowers withstand even transplanting or cuttings for floral arrangements - for its national flower. It symbolizes the country's wish for national development and prosperity.

In addition to dotting the lands of Korea, the Mugunghwa can be found in China, Japan, and northern India.

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Natural is Better

Since I showed you the painted Texas houseboat the other day, here is one of the unpainted ones - which in my opinion enables one to appreciate the natural woodwork. Which do you prefer?

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Texas, Srinagar

On Dal Lake in Kashmir, one can find some beautiful houseboats which are favorite places for tourists to stay while in Srinagar. Some had more "honeymoon" names, but this one proudly displayed bold (how else would one print the Lone Star State name?) red and blue letters of Texas. Personally, I liked the more natural wood colors, but this one did stand out....

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Haystacks in the Trees?

One of my favorite visuals of western Serbia was the large haystacks piled in the fields. In Kashmir, they not only piled it up on the ground but I also saw some in the trees. I wonder why....

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All Too Soon

All too soon, the day arrived where it was time for me to return to Chennai. My Srinagar family urged me to stay longer, asking me if it was possible to change my flight. How nice not only to be welcomed, but asked to stay longer! The mother had already prepared some Qahwa tea when I came down to the kitchen that morning. Along with the usual visitors including the local imam (the youngest son had Koran lessons), some other relatives came over. One cousin who spoke English very well exclaimed how she had been looking forward to meeting me, ever since I had arrived. It was such an honor and privilege, she added. While I was giving the youngest son some portrait drawing lessons, the mother was busy preparing a special early meal for me. In addition to the usual rice, she had purchased a special long, narrow sausage normally reserved for wedding celebrations.  The family gathered around as I ate, reminding me of parents who nostalgically watch their college age child’s last actions before departing for the semester. Knowing how much I enjoyed the Qahwa, the mother presented me with a bag of whole almonds. I thanked her but said that the carpet I had purchased had filled most of my suitcase, and there probably wasn’t room for it. To that, the daughter went to my suitcase and ensured that it did fit. Then the uncle came and brought me a second bag! Such generosity. After some hugs and kisses (even from the generally solemn grandmother) and invitations to return soon with my parents, I bid my Srinagar family adieu. What a wonderful, unexpected experience I had. In a span of less than a week, this family in a narrow alley of Srinagar had etched themselves as one of my favorite memories during my four years in India.

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Laundry day

Like my friend "Bibi" I enjoy taking laundry pictures. This one is in a small village in Kashmir. To think how laborious it must be to wash one's clothing by hand that way. To think that we complain when we have to place laundry in an automatic machine and either plunk it in a dryer or hang it on the line!

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The Zari Embroiderer

While sitting in the kitchen one cool morning, the mother gave me one of her pherans to wear. Just like the grandmother’s, hers was embellished with swirling silver designs around the V neck and sleeves. So uniformly sewn, surely it was done via machine. With Kashmiri pride, grandmother pointed out in her limited English that this was hand done. Later that morning, the mother took me to the shop where her Zari embroidery man worked. Sitting on the floor against the wall nearest the shop’s picture window, the embroiderer in his neutral-colored costume was engrossed in his detailed work. Slender silver-coated thread dangled across his shoulders. Using the couching stitch, he secured the tight silver swirls onto the “V” neck of the midnight-blue woolen pheran. Seeing how enamored I was, he showed me a maroon-colored wedding pheran, executed in a highly elaborate, skillful manner. Considering the high cost of the thread and length of time required to complete each order, it was not surprising that the elderly man’s son was not following in his father’s footsteps. 

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A Shikara in Srinagar

Like any respectable tourist who visits Srinagar, my visit was not complete without a shikara boat ride on Dal Lake. My Kashmir friends and I boarded one of these narrow pointed boats with a roof covering our cushioned seating. A young smiling man agreed to row us around the lake, including past the beautiful wooden houseboats serving as luxurious hotels. Most of the houseboats had intricately carved façades - like an embellished Victorian home.  The interiors would be equally as fancy, decorated with Kashmir carpets and other ornate items. Considering the cost of some of the rooms in these houseboats, I found it a bit incongruous to find floating snack shops next to them, selling items including ramen noodles. Still early in the season, the lake was still rather quiet, with only a few other shikaras and no flower or produce sellers around. Likely though, it was their absence that made the ride more tranquil. 

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Tulips for the Masses

Our last tourist stop for the morning was to the Tulip Gardens. To my delight, Its had just opened up the day before for the spring season. Asia’s largest tulip garden, the 90 acre facility was able to hold quite a few tourists who came in buses and cars. It was the first time on the trip that I had seen non-Indians in any number. Young and old, men and women alike were captivated by the nearly 1.3 million tulip bulbs in over 70 varieties. Although paths were neatly laid out at very manageable intervals, sweater-clad Indian tourists found it too irresistible to traipse through the middle of the tulips in order to get a good photo of themselves. To that, the security personnel would blow their plastic whistle and scold the offender to get out of the flowers. I loved all the colors and types of tulips; the scale of the place with its rows of tulips even made it more impressive. How beautiful it must look when the tulips are in full bloom!

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Chasma Shhi, Srinagar

Right after the Pari Mahaal, we visited Chasma Shahi. Another terrace garden, Chasma Shahi has the extra beauty of fountains, fed by cool spring water. Its gardens also primed for spring, It was easy to picture the site where people would come to be refreshed as well as enjoy the panoramic views.

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Pari Mahal, Srinagar

On another overcast day, we visited the Pari Mahal. Located on a ridge in the mountains overlooking Dal Lake, the garden consists of six terraces. It was designed by Mughal Prince Dara Shikoh as a royal observatory. The stone structures lacked any exterior embellishment, leaving me to wonder whether it had disappeared over the years or simply wasn’t as ornate as most Indian royal places. The grounds were prepared for the spring bloom and all trees & bushes neatly trimmed. No doubt their forthcoming colors would greatly enhance the scene. Pari Mahal provided great opportunities for viewing Dal Lake and the city below. On this overcast day, only limited visibility was available.

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Hari Parbat Hill and Fort

Having spotted the fort on the hills surrounding the old city, I was glad we would have a chance to go a bit closer. We stopped at the ruins of a Mughal-style building below the fort. Developed by the Afghan governor Atta Mohammad Kahn, the fort was enlarged to its present size in the 19th century. From the vantage point at the ruined building, we had a panoramic view of the old city, with its corrugated tin roofs, mosque pagoda spires, still-bare trees, and Dal Lake. Falcons encircled high above, screeching as they searched for food. 

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Jama Masjid, Srinagar

One of the most active mosques in Srinagar, the Jama Masjid can accommodate over 30,000 people at prayer-time. Built in 1400 AD, it has elements of Indo-Saracenic architecture and a well-kept courtyard that must look quite pleasant in spring & summer. My favorite part was its interior, with 370 smooth wooden columns, delicately towering up to the high wooden ceiling. Natural light emanating from the large pointed arched windows illuminated the wood grains on the columns as well as the carpeted floor.

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Sha Hamdan Mosque

Even though we had already been to a number of mosques, my gracious hosts were eager to bring me to one more - the Chanukah Mosque of Shah Hamdan. Although one of the oldest mosques in Srinagar (originally built 1395, rebuilt 1732), it was easily the most beautiful I had seen here. The beautifully patterned wood sections glowed in the golden late afternoon light. The ornamental Pinjrakari (latticework) on the closed window shutters reminded me of jalis found in Rajasthan. Although each let in light and provided ventilation and privacy, these were created in wood, instead of stone. On a few walls and ceilings were covered with papier mâché designs - so beautiful and yet delicate. Even the graceful wooden pyramidal steeple included ornamentation - a feast for the photographer’s eye wherever the lens was pointed!

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