Under the Flowering Tree

Under the shade of a flowering tree were two cattle, which had just been brought in by Mr. Valji’s father. While they were eating, the father knelt next to them and began carefully inspecting them. Mr. Valji explained that this was done every night to ensure that no tic-like insects were on the cattle after a day of free grazing. Such tender treatment of their cattle!

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Kutch Kitchen and Silver Jewelry

Mr. Valji then showed of his house. One white wall of the kitchen was decorated with the same relief design and mirrors as we had seen in the Banni region. Family–woven blankets covered the refrigerator sides and door. In the next equally clean room stood two storage cab made out of mud and decorated with the same relief/ mirror design combination. Elevated off the ground and away slightly from the wall in case of condensation, this is where they still stored their food grain. Mr. Valji’s mother was on the floor on a carpet, working on a quilt. Along with her colorful, traditional dress, she wore some chunky looking jewelry. Her two silver necklaces weighed 800 and 200 g respectively (1.76 lb and .44 lb), while her two anklets weighed 500 g (1.1 lb) each.

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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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Vijay Vilas Palace, Mandvi

Next, we visited the Vijay Villas–the summer palace built for its courtly ruler in 1929. Its architecture, particularly the curved bangaldar eaves above the windows in the upper floor, was reminiscent of that in Rajasthan. From its rooftop, we had a sweeping view of the Arabian Sea.

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Mandvi Shipbuilding

After a quick stop at a Jain temple, we headed south about 60 km (37 mi) to the seaport town of Mandvi. For hundreds of years, this principle port of Gujarat witnessed the departure of its famous merchant navigators to all ports of India as well as to far-flung places such as South Africa, Arabia, Malaysia, China, and Japan - bringing back great wealth. Even now, one can find massive ships being built by hand in much the same way as they did hundreds of years ago. With nary a construction safety barrier in sight, we were able to go right up to the mass of wooden ships and even up the crude ladder into its hull. Inside, we had the undivided attention of each of the young workers; they didn’t seem to be working that hard anyway.

 On the outside of the unfinished ship, one man sat on a suspended plank, patiently wedging in strips of thick cotton cord in the spaces between the wide boards of the ship’s exterior. Supposedly this was done to help waterproof the ship. In the shipyard, several men worked in the heat at a simple lumber mill, transforming a massive log from Myanmar into lumber.

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Mutwa Embroidery, Dhordo, Gujarat

In the Banni village of Dhordo, we met an artist named Sofiya. She demonstrated the Mutwa style of embroidery that incorporated tiny, round mirrors that she cut, along with intricate stitching using the buttonhole and chain stitches. Motifs were mostly geometric, in keeping with Islamic rules forbidding depiction of human and animal forms. Even during this short demonstration, she had to stop a few times to tend to her young son. Therefore, it was understandable when she regrettably replied that she did not have any larger pieces to sell. Such exquisite stitch work is passed down from the mother and learned at an early age (5-7 years old), which is when a girl begins preparing dresses that she will embroider, as part of the dowry.

Due to the increasing salinity of the ground, receding of rivers, and loss of grasslands, the people of the region have shifted their main livelihood from cattle breeding (as well as ghee and butter products) to handicrafts. For such women, belonging to a cooperative where they can retain a higher percentage from their embroidery work becomes even more important.

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Banni Bhoonghas

The Banni villages we visited were quite clean– both inside and out. The surface was covered with a layer of cow dung, which made it easy to clean and the surface cooler. Goats freely roamed about. When a goat got too close to our shoes left right outside the door, our host shooed it away. Another bold one even tried to get inside the house. Most of the people in the village were related. Hanging from a column of a building was a round rusty container with a slit and small door that served as the village’s only mailbox. Despite the heat, children were outside playing. When they saw a certain motorcycle pull up, they dropped what they were doing and ran over to it. Their eyes widened with anticipation as the ice cream man pulled out treats for them: even in the desert, the ice cream man cometh!

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Banni Women: of Sparkles and Spectrum

Muslim communities form a majority of the inhabitants of the Banni area. A few are from the Harijan (formerly called the “Untouchable” Hindu caste). Regardless, they are known for their bright colored clothing–probably as a response to the normally arid, hot conditions of the area. Here the women wore a type of blouse that was completely open in the back, with a couple strings securing it. Brilliant red, green, and yellow colors dominated. Their clothing was particularly heavily embroidered and sparkled in the sun as the light reflected off the mirrors.

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On the Way to the Banni Villages

Kutch police hut, where we obtained permission to enter Banni villages near Pakistan border

After a picnic lunch at a crossroads area where people could buy a few convenience foods, have a glass of chai, drop off people or cattle, and rearrange their loads, we drove to the northern areas of Kutch. This treeless area looked rather desolate and foreboding. The dull green of thorny acacia provided the only color against the dusty land. Dust devils spun around playfully.

A desert fox - a rare sighting

A Desert Fox raced across the road - a rare sighting. The road shimmered with heat. We were very thankful that our car had air-conditioning. To reach some of these villages, we had to obtain written permission from the area police. This was likely due to the proximity of the villages to the Pakistan border. As we got closer to the villages, we began seeing a type of role scrub plants that had moisture in it, and was consumed by grazing animals. We began seeing more boats, sheep, and the type of water buffalo that had very curly horns.

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Recycled Fabric Dolls, Nirona

After the demonstration, the women quickly spread out toys and dolls created from recycled fabric and seed beads. Although rather crude, they had their charm. A few women also created jewelry out of seed beads. I was particularly interested in the women’s colorful clothing and jewelry, including large white bangles on their upper arms and brightly colored bangles extending from their wrists ¾ the way up their forearm.

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Koli Wooden Lac, Nirona

Under the shade of a tree in Nirona, a group of Koli men were engaged in making wooden objects with lac coloring. Using a primitive lathe, pieces of teak wood were rounded and shaped. An elderly man used a chisel and file to form the main spatula part. Back on the lathe, a colored lac stick was pressed against the surface of the revolving handle. Due to the heat of friction, the colored lac melted and spread on the wooden handle. A cotton rag containing oil was applied to create even application as well as forming designs.

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Copper Coated Iron Bells, Nirona

Located in a small dirt floor room whose main light source was the open door, was a young man who quietly demonstrated the craft of making copper coated iron bells. Currently, only two villages make these types of bells – Nirona and Zura. It is done by the Lohars of the Muslim community. Although the entire family is often involved (women and children help with the less technical aspects), only the men shape the bells and define their sound. These bells were traditionally hung around their necks of cattle and goats to help locate them. Now they may be made for musical instruments, wind chimes, and even for churches.

First the young man a rectangular strip of iron and shaped it into a cylindrical hollow. A cap was then formed by pounding metal into a die called a paroni. A Nero iron strip shaped like a horseshoe was then pushed through the Bell top to the inside of the Bell with both ends twisted and locked, forming the clasp loop at the top of the bell. We did not see the process of creating the burnished copper coating that includes baking the powdered brass & copper with stretched cotton. The metal is then buffed to create a lustrous polished tone. A shaped piece of dense hard wood was then hung in the inside to create the clanger. Using such simple tools and materials, it was amazing to hear their beautiful tonal quality.

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Nirona - Small in Size, Big in Crafts: Part 1: Rogan Art

Although Nirona is considered rather small by Indian standards (15,000), a wealth of different types of crafts is created here. Driving through the narrow streets, we first visited Mr. Khatri Sumar Daud, whose family (males only) has been making Rogan art for the last eight generations. Mr. Daud pulled out a small round covered palette containing brightly colored pigment. He explained that the gooey gum substance was made from castor oil. Natural pigments are then added. He then transferred a small amount of the paste to the palm of his hand, working the substance until it felt pliable. Using an iron rod, flat at both ends, Mr. Daud touched the surface of the cloth with the tip containing the paste. It was amazing to watch how he was able to control the sticky, stringy paste and manipulate it so that it would form beautiful, curved shapes. In addition to varied lines and shapes, perfect dots could be made. Work was done intuitively and spontaneously.

After one color was completed on the half of the cloth, the cloth was then folded, transferring the impression to form a symmetrical design. A second color would then be added to the dried first half, but the cloth being folded again. This would be repeated until all colors were added. Many of the pieces he showed us (although each were unique) had the recurring theme of the Tree of Life. Mr. Daud explained that his family was the only one currently engaged in this craft. In the efforts of preventing this art from dying out, he is now teaching Rogan art to 25 females in the village.

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Kala Raksha Organization

We then took an impromptu visit to Kala Raksha, of grassroots social enterprise dedicated to the preservation of traditional Kutch arts. ( I had been enamored by some pieces I had seen at a craft fair in Chennai a few years ago and had kept its business card). Our guide was keen for us to meet Judy Frater, an American who visited the area as curator at the Textile Museum in Washington DC, fell in love with Kutch embroidery and subsequently stayed and founded the organization. While we were waiting for Judy to arrive, we were shown the room where exemplars of traditional pieces of varying styles were preserved in museum–quality format. Such preservation with accompanying documentation not only served to ensure that Kutch-style embroidery can be seen in the future, but it also provides inspiration to artisans as they create new designs.

In another building, we saw some women of the Artisan Pricing Committee inspecting pieces for quality. Not only does the organization provide these rural women with a viable means of income, it also provides education programs focused on health, economics, and management. Such earning has empowered these female artisans, enabling them to use income and instant loans for building homes, celebrating weddings, and purchasing sewing machines. Rather than seeing such gorgeous handicrafts dying out, such organizations serve to ensure a market for years to come.

For more information on Kala Raksha, visit their website http://www.kala-raksha.org/

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Bandhani Tie Dye, Gujarat

The tie-dye technique known as Bandhani is renowned in the Kutch area. Is considered a symbol of married life and is often incorporated in both Hindu and Muslim marriages. Typically, each village would have its own color scheme and design. Tie-dyeing in the area can be traced back to the Indus Valley civilization around 5000 years ago. Now, many of the designs are machine printed, but there still are places where the craft remains intact, particularly in Jamnagar, Anjar, and Bhuj. We visited the home of Mr. Ali Mohammed Isha in Bhuj.

First the cloth was laid on a table, on top of which stencil paper was laid. Thinned dye was brushed over the paper, with the color penetrating into the holes of the design. Tiny knots (whose positions are indicated by the dot design) are then tied in the folded cloth. The areas tied with string retain the color of the fabric. To remove the stencil marks, the cloth is bleached. It is then dyed in a light color, after which the areas that are to remain in that color are tied. The number of times that a piece is knotted is directly proportional to the number of colors used. A skillful person could tie about 2500 knots in about six hours. Imagine how many knots were made in a piece that took 15 to 20 days to tie! Seeing this process in action prompted me to purchase a Chandro Khani, a marriage shawl from the Khatri community. Along with such traditional designs, Mr. Isha had many contemporary pieces as well.

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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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Ajrakh Block Printing, Gujarat

Now in the Kutch area, we visited two towns engaged in block printing. The Arabic name Ajrakh denotes the blue color, an essential component of this style. Typically there is a central design surrounded by a series of borders including around the periphery. In both places we observed in Dhamanka and Khavda, machine spun cotton cloth was used. After the cloth was washed to remove sizing, a pre-mordant was added to increase color intensity. The color of the cloth was preserved through the printing of a resist consisting of line, gum, and water. In one place, they sprinkled sawdust used to strengthen the resist. Both sides of the cloth are printed. The black outlines of the design and then stamped, with the color being made from rested iron and Jaggery (raw cane sugar). Read is then printed using alum as a mordant. The cloth is then boiled in a mixture containing Alizarine or madder root, after which it is dried in the sun. Other colors are then added in order to achieve the desired color combinations and depth. For each color, the cloth is both printed and dyed. To achieve green, pomegranate shells with yellow made from a local nut are combined. Although natural indigo is sometimes used, synthetic colors are now common. In all, the fabric is typically washed 13 to 14 times. Around 20 different wooden printing blocks would be used. Some of the cloth we saw was destined for Fab India and others for international markets.

For more information on Ajrakh block printing, visit: http://www.craftrevival.org/CraftArtDetails.asp?CountryCode=India&CraftCode=003664

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At the Cotton Factory

After our last scrumptious meal in Dasada, we departed, thanking the owners for their hospitality. Cows and goats were on the road, going out to pasture. Buses were being loaded and women were hopping in back of trucks to go out to the fields. Sheep were already in the field, grazing. Tractors decorated with colorful tassels and fake flowers puttered along. In Dhrangadhra, we stopped at a cotton gin factory. Although it was closed for the day due to the Rama festival, we still were given a tour. Every single part of the cotton was used including the seeds for oil and waste for the cattle.

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At the Rabari Village

Now that the farmers were back from the fields, we went to visit a Rabari village. Their cattle were now tied up and feeding in simple pens made up of thorny acacia twigs. While men were busy milking their cows, the women made chapattis on an open stove. Clothes still hung out to dry on thorny bushes. One woman invited us into her house. Inside the second room, pots and other cooking utensils were neatly arranged along the wall. Along the narrow path, we had to watch where we stepped in order to avoids cows with sharp horns and copwies on the ground. Children greeted us, still licking their popsicle treats.

 My father got to meet some farmers and do some farm talk through our guide as an interpreter. Considering that the man was about half the size of my father, it was amazing how much physical labor they were capable of doing. The women proudly showed us they’re wide ivory bracelet given to them by their husband’s family upon marriage. After all, they were quite aware of all the hard work that she would soon do for the family. Also decorating her forearm were some triangular and diamond tattoo designs made mostly from dots. Both she and her husband wore large gold loop earrings at the top of their ears.

Further into the village, we saw an extended family for taking of a ceremony to Bala Bahuchar, the Hindu mother goddess. Large pots of rice, chapatis, and other food were first offered to the goddess, and then they ate. A farmer pushed his son who had severe cerebral palsy in a makeshift wheelchair made with a plastic chair. And father had recently purchased a repoussé silver leg symbol in hopes that his son would be cured and could then walk.

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At the Water's Edge

Moving onward, our driver took us to the outskirts of a village where women were drawing water out of a well. Balancing two pots of water on their heads, the women then proceeded towards the village. Even a little girl worked at carrying a bucket on her head. With a golden light of the late afternoon sun, the women in their brightly colored Ghanghara skirts, choli blouses, and odhni shawl, were stunning. Walking tall, they went past men resting in the shade. Other women were busy washing clothes at the water’s edge.

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Meeting the Mir Tribe Family

After resting during the heat of the day, it was now time to meet some more local people. Our first stop was to a temporary settlement of a Mir family (semi-nomadic people from Rajasthan). Certainly not their first visitors, they brought out bangles and decorative items with broken mirrors in hopes that we would purchase something. Although living in a plastic tent, the females had quite a bit of jewelry. All the children had tousled hair that hadn’t been combed in quite some time.

Time for the young goat’s feeding, one of the girls scooped up the goat and asked to have her picture taken, still clutching a cell phone.

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Working in the Heat - Dasada

Near a small village, the saw some men weighing newly harvested wheat using a crude scale with a large weight hanging from the opposite string. Nearby was a truck with a full load of cotton. Next to it was a farmer all dressed in white. It amazed me they could keep their clothes so clean looking. On the road back towards the resort, some workers including women wearing saris were repaving the road in the searing heat. Running out of an Islamic school where some children, still clutching their slates.

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By the Reservoir, Little Rann of Kutch

Crossing the cracked earth still sparkling with white salt residue, we once again reached the narrow road. In a field, women and children were squatting, gathering up cow pies. Immediately, lots of happy children ran up to greet us asking in English “What’s your name?” One of the girls had a pile of fresh dung in her hand. We reached into our pockets and gave the children some little prizes including matchbox cars, candy, and whistles. From the looks on their faces, you would think we had given them treasures. A small reservoir of water, now nearly dried up, was a source of activity. Water buffalo cooled themselves. Birds with stilt-like legs stood in the shallow waters. Young men formed bricks out of mud. Older women carried bowls of dirt on their heads. In a small clearing between thorny Acacia bushes, a mother and some children gather twigs, placed them in piles near their campfire pit. Judging from the presence of some cooking bowls and a crude tenant made out of sticks and plastic, I presumed this was their home.

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