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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Santa Monica Church of Sarrat

On our way to a small weaving village, we stopped in Sarrat. Here we visited the Sarrat church, more likely known as Santa Monica, and earlier as San Miguel.  The church was constructed around 1669 in the Earthquake Baroque and Neoclassical styles. Large buttresses give the structure its strength and stability. 

Its 137 meter long nave is the largest in the country. After several devastating fires (the church was rebuilt twice), the church was restored for a June, 1983 wedding of the daughter of Ferdinand Marcos. Just a few months after this massive (and costly) expansion and restoration, a devastating earthquake caused massive destruction of the façade and toppled the bell tower. I wondered how ornate the interior must have been prior to the destruction. 

Grotto outside the main church

Crucifix during Holy Week against the exposed bricks

An open shutter reveals the thick brick walls of the church

A bridge staircase connecting the church to a convent was constructed in 1799. Despite the earthquake and other destructive forces, it was still in rather good condition.

According to our local guide, this was once a torture room.

The church has now been declared by the government as an important cultural heritage property. It is hoped that this will provide funding needed for restoration.

The town of Sarrat is also known as the birthplace for  President Ferdinand Marcos.

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Sinking Bell Tower

One of Laoag's famous monuments is known as the Sinking Bell Tower. Built around 1707 by Augustinians after an earthquake, it is one of the oldest and most massive bell towers in the Philippines. Standing at 45 meters ( feet) tall, the structure is of the earthquake baroque style, constructed of locally manufactured bricks, joined with molasses and plastered with lime stucco. The massive base whose foundation is 90 meters (300 ft) supports its graduated upper tiers and is topped with a dome and cross. 

Like other earthquake-proof baroque style buildings, the tower has sturdy buttresses and is separate from St. William's Cathedral, which is actually 85 meters (279 ft) away. 

Built on sandy soil, the tower has been sinking at a rate of 2.5 cm (one inch) per year, thus lending its landmark name. At one time, a horse-mounted rider could once enter the vaulted door quite easily; now even a person of ordinary height would have to stoop. Despite its sinking status, the tower still performs its function of calling its Catholic members to mass via massive bells. 

When I visited the Ilocos Norte town, entry inside the tower was not permitted.

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The Jigsaw Puzzle at Prambanan

Along with the Buddhist Borobudur temple nearby, the Hindu complex of Prambanan competes for the distinction of most important site on Indonesian Java. Both have deservedly earned the distinction of being a UNESCO World Heritage site. Borobudur is the world's largest Buddhist temple and Prambanan is the largest Hindu complex in Indonesia and one of the largest in Southeast Asia. 

Just as the Borobudur temple struggled with natural calamities, the 9th century Hindu Prambanan complex faced a devastating earthquake and volcanic destruction already in the early 11th century. Combined with the shift of political power at this time, Prambanan was largely abandoned. A subsequent major earthquake in the 16th century caused further collapse, at which time the temple became swallowed up by the jungle. In the 17th century, a British surveyor rediscovered the site, but it wasn't until the 1930s that proper restoration really began. An earthquake in 2006 caused severe damage to the temple and the surrounding area, including the destruction of 300,000 homes and the loss of over 6,000 lives. 

Efforts have been made to rebuild some of the 240 temples within Prambanan, but it is unlikely that all can or ever will be restored. Some of the blocks were taken by locals for construction materials and many of the statues were stolen. Financial support is always a need.

The tour guide I had within the complex also had worked on the restoration effort. He described how each block was numbered, moved, and regrouped. Restorers utilized the traditional interlocking method for reconstruction. Concrete was also used to strengthen the structure. In the quest for authenticity and accuracy, it will take some time to complete the individual projects.  

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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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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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Bhujodi Harijan Weavers, Gujarat

In the Harijan village of Bhujodi, just a few kilometers from Bhuj, we met Mr. Valji. His family was engaged in the art of weaving. We commented about his beautifully carved wooden door that opened to the entrance of his courtyard. He explained that it was one of the things that he had salvaged from the earthquake that had destroyed his family house as well as most of the village. Although I’m sure was quite devastating, the way he spoke about it demonstrated the resilience that I saw in so much of the state.

Under a small shelter were below–ground containers. Lifting up the lids, he showed us their contents - a fresh and older batch of indigo dye mixture also containing lime and dates. To achieve the intense, dark indigo color, pieces would need to be dipped about five times. Beneath the containers (1.06 m or 3 ½ feet in height), goat dung was placed. All of this provided insulation from the heat and helped preserve the valuable dye. Inside one of the buildings, several people were engaged in different stages of the weaving process. Some were cranking a machine that spun the thread onto a spindle. A woman worked at high-speed to prepare the warp thread. In the corner, a man was weaving on a shuttle loom. Mr. Valji explained that such looms have replaced most of the pit looms that were almost exclusively used prior to the earthquake. While some wool from locally grown sheep is still used, his family has now also begun using synthetic wool and fine cotton. The fine cotton has enabled him to create more intricate, colorful designs. Such pieces had 90 threads per square inch instead of the usual 24. Although he has done some experimentation, traditional designs are still a major part of his work. About one plain shawl can be a woven in a day.

Inside his showroom, blankets, shawls, bed covers, bags, 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. As our conversation continued, Mr. Valji explained that he had been invited to attend the Folk arts and crafts festival in Santa Fe. Curious, I asked if he had met Nancy Walkup, an art teacher (an ArtsEdNet member I had known online for over 15 years) heavily involved in the festival, to which he replied, “Yes, I know Nancy.” Small world indeed.

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Ahir Embroidery, Kutch Region

Our next stop was the house of Geetha Laxmiben in the town of New Dhaneti. The Ahir style of embroidery is similar to that of the Rabaris (another agricultural community), but only round mirrors are used with geometrical and floral motifs. It was amazing to see Geetha transform the red silk cloth into designs incorporating the finest of stitches. Even rather small designs could take up to seven days to complete.

On our way to Bhuj, the flat land on both sides of the road contained many factories, particularly those that made tiles. Most of these factories, enticed by a tax-free holiday, were erected as incentives for business development after the area’s devastating quake in 2001.

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