Gaatha

FINAL PROJECT
Gaatha- a tale of crafts

Focus: Nirona, Kutch
Student Name: Nupur Patel
Student ID: 201214006
Guide: Prof. Binita Desai
Master in Design (Communication Design)
Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology
Feedback Sheet
Acknowledgement
The completion of this project has been possible because of the
guidance and assistance of many people. I take this opportunity to
extend my gratitude to the following
Professor Binita Desai, my faculty guide, for making this project pos-
sible.
Her guidance and support instilled in me the confdence that I re-
quired for carrying out the project.
Professor Vishvajit Pandya and Professor Madhumita Mazumdar for
their insightful guidance that helped the project take shape.
The artisans and villagers of Nirona, whose help during the research
and shoot were invaluable. I value their dedicated efforts.
My family, for their unconditional and continual moral support.
Last but not the least, friends, colleagues and juniors for their advice
and help during the course of the project.
Gaatha Focus: Nirona, Kutch
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Index
1. Introduction 5
2. Project brief 8
3. Design process
3.1 Project conceptualization 11
3.2 Field work
3.2.1 Copper Bell Making 14
3.2.2 Rogan 19
3.2.3 Lacquer Wood work 24
3.2.4 Leather Work 28
3.2.5 Shawl weaving 33
3.3 Secondary research 37
3.4 Understanding 38
4. Project implementation
4.1 Selection of medium 40
4.2 Pre-production
4.2.1 Plot 41
4.2.2 Script 46
4.2.3 Storyboard 47
4.3 Production
4.3.1 Filming 48
4.3.2 Lighting 49
4.3.3 Audio 49
4.4 Post-production
4.4.1 Editing 50
4.4.2 Music 50
4.4.3 Voice Over 50
4.4.4. Test screening 51
5. Conclusion 52
6. Bibliography 53
7. Reference 54
8. Appendix 55

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Introduction
Crafts form an integral part of any culture or tradition around the
world. They refect the cultural ambience and the ethos of the region.
The village of Nirona, Kachchh is home to fve different crafts namely
Rogan art, copper bell making, lacquer work, leather work and weaving.
A handful of artisanal families are engaged in practising these crafts.
These crafts developed out of the necessity to fulfl everyday needs of
the people living in a particular region or village. The artisan gave shape
to the materials available in the nature to fulfl these needs. The crafts
evolved out of being a product of use, then were ornamented and
given an aesthetic appeal to it by the artisan. The artefacts that were
made were instrumental in expressing the individuality of the artisan
and the way of life of the people.
Although craft is a form of commodity for the artisan and the patrons,
it is made with a specifc cultural, ritualistic or utility context, which
differentiates the craft, from machine made goods. The personaliza-
tion, imperfections imparted because of the handwork and use of local
tools and skills are the factors that help to differentiate craft from a
commodity. The input of handwork and the time invested by the arti-
san, impart values to a craft, which a machine made mass produced
product can never achieve. The idea is not to consider craft as only a
ritualistic or cultural product, but also a utilitarian product that has cer-
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crafts. Industrialisation brought with it mass-produced goods, which
suddenly fooded the market. These goods were cheaper and eas-
ily available. The local market for the crafts gradually started declin-
ing and the artisans were left with few buyers. The revenue generated
from the crafts was not suffcient to sustain a livelihood and many
artisans turned towards other occupations. A drastic decline was seen
in the number of artisans for many crafts. Some regions were fortunate
enough to sustain the crafts while some were not. The actual form and
meaning attached with these crafts did alter with time.
The urban market brought with it different needs and requirements.
Depending on the demands of the urban market, the utility and func-
tion of the artefact were altered so that it could fnd relevance in the
global market. The specifc cultural, ritualistic or utility context of
these crafts is also altered according to the demography of the market.
Changes were made in the raw materials. What once used to be sourced
from the surroundings is now bought by the artisans from cities at a
higher price. The natural colors that were used before are now rapidly
being replaced by synthetic colors, which are cheaper, brighter and eas-
ily available. These colors are not always eco-friendly as their natural
counterparts. The artisans have long forgotten the tedious processes
that were employed to procure the raw materials and are satisfed with
the cheaper materials that are available in the market. Usage of such
materials has affected the quality of the artefact.
When the artisan targeted the bigger urban market, his client base
tain background to its elements, material, forms and use.
In the Indian context, crafts have been both for personal use and an
expression fulflment and economic activity. The production activity
of the artisans was not aimed at creating products on competitive lines,
but to maintain a community life, of a region or village in a holistic
way. A barter system was maintained in the village. The craftsmen pro-
duced the artefacts for other communities in exchange for either raw
material or other goods. The communities shared a healthy and sym-
biotic relationship. The artisan was well aware about the socio-cultural
requirements of his patrons and produced the artefacts keeping these
demands in mind. Most of these artisans are poor as well as illiterate
in terms society standards of education. Nevertheless, they are highly
skilled and well educated in terms of long and rich experience. The
knowledge of creating the artefacts was passed down on to the young-
er generations by the artisan. In this manner, the craft legacy was car-
ried forward.
In present times, the crafts have seen quite a lot of changes. The artisan
doubts the legacy he is carrying forward as the crafts are not generating
the kind of revenue that would help him sustain a livelihood. The craft
sector is faced with many problems that werent seen when the crafts
were contained within a particular region or village.
With time, as the physical boundaries between regions started dimin-
ishing due to globalisation, various transformations were seen in the
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ture and heritage. The crafts, which were at one point of time fourish-
ing, are now gradually declining. There is a need to sensitize the people
about the growing issues seen in the craft sector of the village.
increased substantially for a temporary period of time. The speed at
which he was producing artefacts was increased as well. The artisans
seem to have sense at which the artefact is required in the and the
speed at which the demand will diminish and the craft will exit the
market. What the market fails to understand is that the crafts require a
specifc amount of time for each process. And increasing the speed of
any of these processes affects the quality of the artefact. This speed is
a monster in the artisans way of life.
Even though commercialising the artefact did provide temporary mar-
ket for the artefact, the artisan is unable to meet the rapidly changing
demands of his urban clients. The clients belong to a different socio-
cultural group. Their aesthetics are different from that of the patrons
for whom the artisan used to produce before. These needs too keep on
changing rapidly and the artisan is then unable to keep pace with their
demands.
Globalisation has linked regions, but the artisan is still geographical-
ly and culturally apart from the client, to be able to understand their
social, cultural and aesthetic needs. The strong community linkages,
which had once insulated the crafts, have vanished over time. Even
though the artefact has crossed the threshold of the artisans home,
it is now left as a mere priced object put up for sale in craft stores.
The holistic way of life that prevailed in Nirona, is slowly diminishing.
There has been a drastic decline in the number of artisans practising
crafts. By losing artisans we are losing invaluable assets of our rich cul-
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Project Brief
The project is based on the premise that Indian arts and crafts are
declining. There is a need to preserve them. In the present times of
modernization and globalisation, crafts cannot be sustained in their
original form and changes as per the needs of the market are inevita-
ble. The craft tradition is either lost or it re-emerges in a different form
and meaning.
The project attempts to show the current situation of the artisans and
the crafts, for people to see and understand the various transforma-
tions each of these crafts have undergone over time.
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Design Process
3.1 Project conceptualization
At the onset of the project, the idea of working on the craft traditions
of Gujarat seemed challenging. While doing the preliminary research, I
found that there are quite few crafts on the verge of extinction. One of
them was the traditional craft of Rogan, which is practised in Nirona,
Kachchh. The practise is confned to only one family in the village. The
question that arose was how does a craft reach this stage of extinction.
What are the factors that contribute to this situation? Visit to the feld
revealed that other than Rogan, there are four more crafts, which are
facing declination in the number of artisans. These crafts were copper
bell making, lacquer work, leatherwork and weaving. For the project, I
decided to study and do research on each of these crafts. Nirona would
serve as model for study of a craft cluster. It could act as an ideal site to
study how crafts evolve over the years and what leads to the declination
in the number of artisans practising these crafts.
3.2 Field work
The information obtained through various books, articles and blogs on
the Internet only focused on what the craft is, who practises the craft,
the process followed and tools and materials used. This information
was written only about three crafts, Rogan, copper bell making and
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each artisan. The interview allowed for each craft to tell its own nar-
rative
Recordings were made in the form of text, photographs and video for
better understanding of the subject. Based on the goal to be achieved,
a questionnaire was prepared for each artisan.
1. Social conditions
a. Demographic data of the craftsman
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Religion:
Which Caste do you belong to?
Caste distribution in the village:
What did the members of your caste originally do?
Mother tongue:
Marital status:
2. Family composition
a. Type of family: Joint/Nuclear/Extended
b. Number of family members:
Male- Female-
Age- Age-
c. Relation to the craftsman of each member
Lacquer work. The craft of Rogan was brought into focus because of
the fact that only on family remained and that it was on the verge of
extinction. Information about the remaining two crafts of leatherwork
and weaving was quite less.
Further information about the communities practising the craft and
the reasons for the declination in the number of artisans had to be
collected from the feld. The aim of the feld work was to briefy un-
derstand the production process for each craft, the tools and materials
required, the demography of the people and the change that each craft
has undergone over the years.
The following methods were employed to perform the research.
Participant observation: since I spent ample amount of time with each
artisanal family, I was able to observe and record my observations
Audio/video taped interviews of the artisans and few family members
Review of articles, written about the existing issue, in reference books,
blogs and websites.
Field data archived through photo documentation and by maintaining
a journal.
Based on the goal to be achieved, a questionnaire was prepared for the
interview of artisans. The format of asking the questions differed for
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b. Why did you join the craft business?
Did you join because it was less investment?
c. How many generations have been practicing the craft?
d. Who taught you this craft?
e. At what age did you start doing the craft
f. Number of family members practicing the craft
g. What have you planned for your childrens future?
h. What do they want to do in the future?
i. Cite the reason for the above.
7. Health Condition:
Do you suffer from any health problems due to the craft you
practice?
8. Tools and raw materials required
a. The major tools and equipment required
b. What are these tools made up of
Earlier:
Present:
c. The number of tools you have
d. Where do you source these tools from? Do you make it your
self ?
e. Have you made any tools yourself ? A replica or a new tool?
f. Process of making the tools
g. The major raw materials required
h. How do you source the raw material?
3. Education Status
a. What languages you speak/write:
b. Education: (knowledge/literacy)
4. Income
a. Total income of the family
b. Number of earning members
c. Sources of family income(other than the craft)
d. Total income/ annual consistency
e. Migration to different places during the year for work.
5. Living conditions
a. Type of house : Own/Rented
b. Condition of the house: Kaccha/pukka/semi-pukka
Earlier:
Present:
c. Specify the condition of the work shed: Conjusted/suff
cient/spacious
Earlier:
Present:
d. Water and drainage system in the village
e. Understand the use of space in the house of a craftsman
f. Do you own a vehicle? (If yes, which one?)
6. Economic condition
a. The year you started practicing the craft
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iveness when Designers make changes to the craft?
m. Role of the craft in the various festivals and occasions of the
village.
11. Product and marketing
a. Types of product and the market for them
Earlier:
Present:
b. How do you sell your product
c. How do you cost the product?
d. Do you export the product? (if yes, advantages of exporting)
e. Do you sell via NGOs or any other organization (if yes, state
the name and the reason for selling through them)
f. Do you face any exploitation from the middleman?(what is
the nature of exploitation?)
g. Method of publicity
h. Demand of the product
Earlier:
Present:
i. Would you like to expand your craft production?
j. Are there any obstacles in doing so?
k. Is there any government support for the craft?
l. What is the function of the product depending on the target
audience? Internal audience/external market
Earlier:
Present:
Earlier:
Present:
i. The cost of the tools and raw materials?
9. Activity wise gender participation
a. Who deals with the designing/visualizing/building (different
aspects of the craft)?
b. Who sources the raw materials and tools?
c. Role of the women of the family in the craft
10. Craft production
a. Origin and features of the craft
Who started this craft and when
What was the purpose/signifcance behind starting this craft?
b. Signifcance of the designs used in the craft
c. Role of the craft in the weddings and festivals of the village
d. Time taken to produce one piece of the craft
e. Number of craftsmen required to produce one piece
f. Are there any design changes seen over the years. Why?
g. What is the role of outsiders in the production and marketing
of the craft?
h. Is the help you get from them periodic/regular/irregular?
i. Do they help only in designing or marketing or both?
j. Do you think that by changing the design the market for the
craft has increased?
k. Have any designers suggested changes in the product designs?
l. And do you think that the craft lose its identity and distinct
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m. What has affected the sales in the craft?
If the answer is industrialization: how have machine made
goods affected the craft production?
12. How handcrafted goods are different from machine made
mass-produced goods. Your views.
13. The reasons for decline in the crafts.
14. The steps that you are taking to spread the craft.
15. How is the inter-community relationship in the village?
a. Which caste is considered to be of higher status
b. Is there any caste based differentiation observed?
c. Are the families given homes in the village based on the caste
they belong to?
16. What is the signifcance of the craft in your life as a crafts
man?
17. Do you think your customers understand the value of these
crafts.
Craft distribution in the village
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COPPER BELL MAKING
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Case study: Copper Bell Making
Live-stock rearing has been a major occupation of communities like
Maldharis, Bharvads and Rabaris(pastoral communities). The copper
metal bells have long adorned the necks of cattles, camels, sheep and
goats which graze in Kachchhs arid plains. These bells were used to
identify cattle and signify the status of the animal in the herd.
In Nirona the family of Husen Siddiq Luhar is practising the craft. His
two sons, Umar Husen and Salim Husen assist him in the craft.The
family belongs to the Muslim community of Luhars who migrated to
Kachchh from Sindh Pakistan. Their ancestors brought with them the
artful craft of copper bell making. These bells were made for the local
pastoral communities of Maldharis, Bharvads and Rabaris, who would
tie the bells around the necks of their cattle when they were left to
graze in the arid plains of the desert. Each bell had a unique sound to
it which would help the shepherd recognize his cattle.
Over the years, the local market for these bells started declining. The
region Kachchh faced long stretches of drought. Many pastoral com-
munities migrated annually towards south of Gujarat, in search of
grasslands. Quite a few had to sell their cattle as they could no longer
afford to buy the fodder from the cities for their animals. This led to
the decrease in local consumption of the copper bells. The remaining
communities sold their cattle and turned towards other occupations.
This inadvertently led to the decline in number of artisans who also
turned towards other professions. These traditional metal bells were
handcrafted by Luhar artisans in 28 bell making units in Nirona,Bhuj,
Nakhatrana and Ratadia. Today, the production is limited only to the
two villages of Zura and Nirona.
Husen Sidiq Luhar who is sixty fve years old has been practising the
craft since ffty years now. He was ffteen years old when he joined the
practise. Having learnt the techniques and processes form his father
and grandfather, he passed on this knowledge to his sons in a similar
manner. Having attained formal education till the fourth standard, he
is able to read and write in Gujarati and Hindi, but is more comfortable
in speaking in the Kachchhi language.
There are eight members in his family out of which four are males and
four are females. The male members are involved in the preparatory
work of shaping the bells. The women of the family also play an im-
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portant role in the production process. It is their task to coat the bells
in a mixture of powdered copper and brass before they are fred in
the furnace. It can be said that the bell making process requires equal
family inputs.
The shaping of the bell is carried out in a semi-pukka shed attached to
the house. The artisan stores all his tools, raw materials and unfnished
artefacts in this small shed. It also doubles up as the display room
where the artisan can sell his goods to the tourists which come annu-
ally during the Rann utsav. Rest of the work is done in the veranda of
his house.
The tools that the artisan requires are designed and created by him as
per the need of the hour. He believes that the tools bought from the
market arent long lasting and sometimes do not serve the purpose.
The tools that Husen Sidiq uses are made of iron and last for quite a
long time. There is wide range of tools that the artisan uses. Out of
these the hammer and the cutter are the most important tools which
are designed in various sizes and shapes.

The bells are referred by their sizes that range from 0-13, with size 0
being the smallest and size 13 being the largest. Natural resources used
for copper bell making are mud, wood and water. Mud is easily avail-
able at Zura village; and water is not required in much quantum; bell
makers have reported scarcity of good quality wood as the charcoal
makers destroy large portions. Scrap pieces of iron and copper are the
major raw materials requires for the craft which are sourced from cities
like Bhuj or Junagadh. The cost of scrap iron ranges from Rs 24 to Rs
30 per kilogram. Depending on the size of the bell, the raw material is
consumed. The bells are referred by their sizes that range from 0-13,
with size 0 being the smallest and size 13 being the largest. The size
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tioned that, despite of these problems, the artisans have to depend on
the NGOs, because they are important source of selling the artefact.
They cannot only depend on the limited tourist market which fuctu-
ates every year.
The costing of the product is done depending on the client. The prices
vary from minimum of 25 Rupees to 1500 depending on the size. If
the buyer is a foreign national, he/she will be charged more as com-
pared to the Indian buyers. The rates for the NGOs are different too.
In the past, when the patrons were local communities, word- of- mouth
was the only way of publicity. But, for the modern market, the artisans
have come with visiting cards, brochures and websites which have been
designed for them by various designers who visit their village. Changes
have been made to the design of the bells. What was once tied around
ranges from 2 cm to 30 cm. The number of small bells made in one
kilogram of scrap iron is more compared to the number of large bells.
Only the head of the herd wears the heavy tehra( size13) bell. The need
and demand of the largest bell is low compared to the other sizes. The
time taken to produce one bell also depends on the size of the bell.
In the past designs were etched on each bell to make it look more
decorative. A lot of time was consumed in the etching a process and
gradually as the number of buyers declined the process was stopped.
In the past, the pastoral communities gave importance to their cattle
and decorative bells were preferred, as they increased the beauty of
their prized possession.
In the current time, the situation has changed. The Luhar family pro-
duces a wide range of products for the urban market. They sell these
goods during the tourist season of December to March and later
through various NGOs. They are not able to attend many government
exhibitions as the cost of putting up a stall cannot be afforded by the
family. Salim Husen, who has worked with various NGOs over the
years, was quite open about the fact that NGOs exploit the artisans
by buying the artefacts at a cheaper rate and then selling them at a
higher price. The artisans tend to make a marginal proft out of this
transaction. The government releases various schemes for the beneft
of the artisans, which most of them are not aware about. Instead of
creating awareness amongst the artisan about these schemes, some of
the NGOs, keep the information to themselves. Salim Sidiq, also men-
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dholan hathodi (hammer).
For the next step, kado is inserted in to the crown of the bell. Once
the bell is shaped, women dip it in a solution of earth and water. They
cover the wet bell with a mixture of powdered brass and copper.The
bell, with its powdered coat, is wrapped in a pancake of local clay and
cotton and placed in the kiln to bake.
After it is accurately baked, the cotton is peeled away and any excess
clay is rubbed off. A ringer or lar, made from the wood of the Keerda,
is attached inside the Kado. The artisan then hammers the bell till the
right sound eminates.
As the metal used in these bells is mostly waste tin and iron, this crea-
tive industry is a good example of recycling with aesthetics and utility.
the necks of the cattle is now produced as home decoration objects.
The function of the product has been changed according to the change
in the market.
Salim Sidiq also brought to light the competition the craft faces from
mass produced bells. The consumer sometimes isnt able make out the
difference between these two types of bells and ends up buying the
cheaper machine made bell. Based on his previous experiences, he told
that, many consumers do not value the craft. For them the artefact is
just a bell and they do not understand the time and effort his family
puts into producing one bell. These bells are their source of livelihood.
And when their craft does not receive appreciation, the artisans are left
disheartened.
Production process:
The copper bells are made with the collective work and skill of the
family. The artisan, shape the bells out of carefully-selected iron sheets.
The thickness of the sheet used depends on the type of bell to be
made.
First, strips of a bell are made by shaping the rectangular strips of
iron into a hollow cylindrical. The iron strips are skilfully interlocked
together without any kind of welding. A circular shape called the topli
is then cut using the parkar (compass) kapani (cutter). The cylindri-
cal body is then topped with a semi-circular hollow crown using the
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ROGAN
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It is practiced by the Khattri family in Nirona. The Khattris belong to a
muslim community of artisans who migrated to Kachchh from Sindh,
Pakistan. The craft has been practiced in the family for eight genera-
tions. The joint family comprises of nineteen family members out of
which eleven are male, six are females and two are children. Out of the
nineteen family members, there are six members who practice the craft,
of which one is a female. Rogan is predominantly practiced only by the
male members of the community. The women help with the task of
preparing the castor paste or Rogan.
Abdul Gafoor Khattri, his three sons and uncle Arab Hasan Khattri are
the only members practising the craft. For the purpose of my research,
I interviewed Sumer Khattri. Aged 33, Sumer Khattri has been practis-
ing the craft since the age of twelve. He was thought the techniques
of the craft by his elder brother. He has received formal education till
the sixth standard and is well versed in Kachchhi, Hindi and Gujarati.
The family lives in a pukka house near the entrance of the village. The
artisans have converted the main room of the house in to work area,
where they put up their products for display for the tourists and visi-
tors. The work space is congested for fve artisans to work at the same
time.
The major raw materials required for the craft are castor oil, synthetic
colors and short iron rod. The castor oil used to be procured from the
surroundings owing to the huge cultivation of castor in the region. The
colors used before were naturally extracted form various minerals and
Case study: Rogan
Rogan, the rare art of oil-based painting on cloth, is a centuries old
craft tradition. A local legend has it that this art came into India from
the Afridis, originating in Syria; the route it followed wound through
Persia, Afghanistan and Pakistan and then to India.
The craft was concentrated in the Northwestern parts of India, and
was practiced mainly by the Muslim descendants of the Afridis. It was
found that in Pakistan where it was practised in Lahore and Peshawar,
linseed oil was used. The artefact produced came to be known as Afridi
lac cloth or Peshawar Lac cloth.
Feliccia Yacopina has stated in her book, Thread lines Pakistan that Af-
ridi lac cloth was sold in the bazaars of Peshawar, Lahore and Karachi
where it was known as Khosi from the word Khosai(the dress of the
Afridi women).
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stones. The process of extracting these colors has been forgotten over
time. The artisans prefer to buy synthetic colors which are brighter,
cheaper and easily available. The most important tool is the kalam( iron
rod or stylus), without which the patterns will not unfold on the cloth.
Each artisan has his personalised stylus which he gets made from the
Lohars according to his need. The production cost is quite low as the
synthetic colors used are quite cheap and the castor oil that is bought
costs Rs. 500- 600 per kilogram. The cost of the artefacts starts from
Rs500 and can go up to Rs 12,000 depending on the artefact.
Traditionally, it was used to decorate the ghaghra, odhna, jhablo, dara-
jo of a bride and the dowry products like pillowcases, quilts and bed
sheets. The patterns that the artisans created were specifc to the com-
munity for whom it was being made. Sumer Khattri explained that
in the past, the Ahirs were the major patrons of the craft. A lot of
infuence of their designs is seen on the craft. In the past, Rogan was a
cheaper substitute for embroidery. The local communities preferred to
buy Rogan work because at a glance, it gives a texture which is visually
similar to embroidery and it took less time than embroidery. With the
advent of cheaper mass produced synthetic goods, the local market for
Rogan declined and many artisan gave the practise to join other oc-
cupations that would help sustain a livelihood. Only one Khattri fam-
ily remained in India who continued to practise the craft. Earlier, the
craft was practiced in Vadodara (Baroda), Patan, Chowbhari and the
Khavada districts of Gujarat and in Nasik, Maharashtra.
When asked about how their craft is different from machine made
goods, Sumer Khattri replied that art is in the imperfections that are
imparted to the handmade artefact. These imperfections cannot be
seen in machine made objects.

Sumer Khattri further explained that, the craft did not generate enough
revenue to sustain their family. Changes were made to the design of
the craft to target a different market by Abdul Gafoor Khattri. The
patterns were made more intricate and delicate as compared to the
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viewing the artisan who practised leather work, Khetsingh Punja, I
had noticed that he created a few designs which incorporated elements
from other crafts like bells and lacquer work. On questioning him
about why Rogan was not used, he explained that it is quite diffcult
to afford one piece of Rogan and the cost of production of his craft
would increase.
The family does not work with NGOs as they believe that then the
focus does not remain on the artisan as the NGO tries to build its own
brand value. The artisan is not paid according to the level of work he
has done and the middleman tends to make most of the profts. They
prefer to directly interact with their clients, because that way they seem
to earn more and the value for the craft is not lost.
Even though the Gujarat government is taking active interest, the art
has not received suffcient support from the central government. Sum-
er Khattri, Abdul Khattri are both National award winners while Arab
Khattri is State award winner. As national award winners, the artisans
are entitled to foreign trips to showcase their art. They still havent
received any notifcation from the government regarding this. Khattri
says that these trips would have provided an international platform
to the art which would have given a boost to their talent. The fam-
ily majorly depends word-of- mouth publicity but has also developed
visiting cards, brochures and website for their craft to market it in the
urban market. Other than the tourist market, the artisans also visit vari-
ous governement exhibitions. The cost of setting up stalls at these
previous designs which were thick and blunt. A new artefact called
the Kalpavruksh or the tree of life was introduced. This design had a
major Persian infuence on it explains Khattri. While Geometric pat-
terns are his perennial favourite, motifs such as The Tree of Life and
Moghul paisleys that fnd expression in cushion covers, bedspreads,
kurtas, curtains, table cloths, wall hangings, folders, paintings, purses
, dress material and saris have also been experimented by the artisans.

The art was unique and coupled with the fact that only one family
remained in India which practises the craft, the value for the art did
increase substantially. The family started targeting the elite urban con-
sumers for the craft. Subsequently, the rates of the artefacts increased
to a level that local patrons are unable to afford Rogan. While inter-
kalpavrukhsa (the tree of life)
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Using a wooden/steel stick or pen, craftsmen extract a fne thread
from the residue, which is then painted on the cloth to be decorated.
Artisans place a small amount of this paint paste into their palm. At
room temperature, the paint is carefully twisted into motifs and images
using a metal rod that never comes in contact with the fabric. Next, the
artisan folds his designs into a blank fabric, thereby printing its mirror
image
exhibitions has to be paid by the artisan, which can range from 10 to
15 thousand. This cost cannot be afforded by the artisans every time.
Production Process:
A number of ingredients were used during the entire process of Rogan
like castor oil, kerosene, oil and dyes. The method used traditionally for
preparation of Rogan paste was a tedious process. Rogan took a long
time at each successive step in order to have a desirable result. The
process was handled only by skilled artisan and was carried out on the
outskirts of the village, as it emits bad odour which affects the lungs.
Castor oil is boiled for almost twelve hours, depending on the qual-
ity of the oil and cast into cold water. A solid gelatinous residue is
produced which is then mixed with natural or synthetic colors. These
colors are then stored in earthen pots or plastic boxes with water to
retain their malleability.
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LACQUER WORK
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25
Case study: Lacquer work
The craft of lacquer work or Vadakaam has been in practiced by the
semi-nomadic Vadha community since centuries. The Vadhas tradition-
ally moved and worked, as per the needs and requirements, throughout
the villages bordering the Great Rann of Kachchh.
They collected wood, natural stones and colors from the forests which
were then used to create colored wooden furniture and household ac-
cessories like chamcha(Spoons) and ladles, chakla belan (board and
rolling pin), Charpoy(bedsteads),bajot(stools), gotani(furniture legs).
These artefacts were then bartered with the local communities.The
craft of lacquer work used to be practiced in quite a few villages in
Kachchh, but the number of artisans is depleting rapidly due to the
current social scenario.
In Nirona, there are two families remaining which practice this craft.
One is that of Bachaya Bhai Vadha and other is that of Mala Bhai
Vadha. Each family consists of ten- twelve family members out of
which only four male members practice the craft.
Vekhayabhai learnt the craft from his father, Bachaya Bhai, who still
helps in the craft Though he is partially blind and quite old, he can pre-
cisely cut the wood into proper shape without faltering once. Years of
experience have inculcated this talent in each of these artisans.
Families of both, Mala Kaka and Bachayabhai live in the same com-
pound in semi-pukka houses. Mala Kaka passed away in 2013 and now
his son, Lalji Vadha carries the legacy forward. All the craft work is
done in the middle of the compound. The craft is carried out primarily
by the male members of the community. The female members help in
polishing the artefact. They also create soft toys which are embroidered
or beaded and sold with the lacquer products to the tourists. When a
tourist/potential buyer visits the artisan, the female members display
the toys and artefacts in the veranda. The scene reminds one of a crafts
bazaar, with the artisan making the product in front of you and the
women setting up the display.
Vekhayabhai, the artisan I interviewed for the research explained to me
the story of the craft and its present condition. Vekhayabhai has not
received any formal education and has been practicing the craft since
the age of ten. The literacy rate in the family is quite low. He is well
versed with Kachchhi and Gujarati and owing to the rising number of
tourists, his Hindi has improved as well. In the past, the Vadhas used
to move around the villages of Kachchh , doing the work as the de-
mand was. Now, they have permanently settled in specifc villages and
have adopted the ways and customs of the communities they came in
contact with.
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In case of raw materials, they majorly require wood, lac and colors
which are either natural or synthetic. The process of extracting natu-
ral colors is almost forgotten and the artisan prefers to buy synthetic
colors as they are cheap and easily available Bhuj. The wood used to be
collected form the forests. But due to the rules of the forest depart-
ment and the deforestation, it has become impossible to cut trees. The
wood now has to be bought from the market. What was once available
free of cost is acquired at a high price now. The lac which was collected
from the forests too, is now bought from Ahmedabad and Bhuj.
Like the other artisans, the Vadhas are dependent on the uncertain
tourist market for sales. As the demand for wooden objects declined
due to the advent of cheaper machine made goods, the number of
local buyers declined for the craft. Vekhayabhai explained that there
are a few local buyers, but the number has gone down drastically over
the few years. People prefer to buy steel and plastic utensils which are
more durable.
Other than the tourist market, the family is dependent on the NGOs
for sale during the off-season. They are aware about the fact that the
middleman charges them more and sells their product at a higher price.
To overcome this problem, they sell products of lower quality to these
people.
The living condition of the Vadha family, is not as good as compared to
that of the other craftsmen. They live in single room houses and have
one common water connection for all. Some of the male members are
addicted to alcohol and tobacco. These members have lost interest in
the craft. The money they earn per day is spent on their addictions.
The major source for his family is the craft. But when they are in dire
need of money, they take up odd jobs of collecting honey and wood
from the forests and repairing the furniture if the local communities.
The major tools required for the craft are the lathe, axes and cutters to
shape the wood. The lathes that are used for the craft are fxed in to the
ground and cannot be carried around.
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A major part of the process of making lacquer-ware is done on a man-
ual lathe. Babool wood, which is found locally, is mostly used for the
products.Once the wood is cut into basic forms, each piece is indi-
vidually put on the lathe and smoothened using carving tools.The lathe
is manually powered using a stick and rope arrangement. A rope is
wound around the object to be worked on and is pulled with the help
of a stick attached to it.
This generates a rotating motion on the object, which can then be ma-
nipulated by the artisan. The lac which is mixed with synthetic colors is
pressed against the fast rotating object on the lathe. The lacquer melts
with the heat generated due to friction and sticks to the surface of the
wood, thus giving the object its colour.
The artisan has a characteristic pattern of mixing colors. This inter-
esting effect is achieved by frst transferring stripes of color from an
unpolished lacquered stick and then pushing the colors into each other
on the lathe. This creates the peculiar kaleidoscopic design with vivid
colors. Next, the metal and wooden tools, are used to smoothen the
coating. Finally, the piece is given a glossy polish with groundnut oil.
Unlike the other artisans, Vekhayabhai was not able to afford the ad-
vertising machinery that others have employed and seems to depend
on word of mouth for publicity for his craft. As the local market has
diminished over the years, the artisans depend on the tourist market
for seasonal sales. Depending on the market, new products and designs
have also been introduced by the artisan.The uncertainty of sales and
the task of meeting the ever-changing demands of the market has left
the artisan uncertain about his legacy.
Production process
Lac has been used in Indian craft since centuries. The Certeria Lacta, an
insect indigenous to Kachchh as well as other parts of India, secretes a
resin to protect it and the eggs. This resin, called lac, is collected from
babul trees, heated and mixed with groundnut oil and color to form a
thick decorative wood coating known as Lacquer
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LEATHER WORK
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29
Case Study: Leather work
The Dalit Meghwals of Rajasthan migrated to Kachchh, bringing an
artful leather craft with them. The trade was kept alive by a partner-
ship with nomadic pastoralists, the Maldharis. When a Maldhari cattle
died, the Meghwals converted the raw hides into leather. The work
was tough and the meghwals who lived on the outskirts of the village,
treated and washed the hide, taking eighteen labor intensive days to
cure the hide. Kachchhi leather was so well treated and durable that it
could hold water. The leather craft was traditionally used to make har-
nesses for camels and horses, musical instruments, storage containers
and mojdis(footwear).
The Punja family in Nirona has practiced this craft for generations.
The craft is also an important supplement to the income from farming
for these communities in Hodko, Bhirandiyaro, Dhordo, Sumrasar and
many other villages in Kachchh.
Khetsingh PunjaNajar, has been practising the artful leather craft since
seventeen years. The Punjas belong to the scheduled caste of Vankars.
The Vankars of Kutch are Meghwal migrants who came from Ra-
jasthan six centuries ago. With years of practise, Khetsingh has mas-
tered the techniques and processes of the craft and can create beautiful
leather artefacts with simple and basic tools. The craft has been passed
on from one generation to another. Looking at the current condition
of the craft, he is unsure whether the younger generation of the family
would want to join the practice.
The family house was once placed on the outskirts of the village. As
the craft required association with hides and leather, the artisans were
placed on the outskirts. Over the years, houses have been built around
their house due to the growing population of the village.
The craft at one point in time, used to be the only source of income for
the family. But due to changing circumstances and the problems that
the craft faces, they have turned to agriculture. It is only Khetsinghs
love and passion towards the craft that has kept the legacy alive in the
family. Khetsinghs elder brother, who was involved in the craft earlier
had to stop practising due to shoulder injury. The task of keeping the
craft alive depends only on Khetsingh.
After receiving formal education till the twelfth standard, Khetsingh
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In the past, the artisans used to cure the cattle hide. A social stigma
was attached to the practice of working with animal hide. With time,
the artisan gradually started buying the leather from cities. The process
of curing the hide was soon forgotten. Khetsingh explained that his
grandfather and father used to cure the hide and the use of leather
bought from the cities started when he took over the craft. The price
of the leather keeps on rising every day, making the cost of production
quite high for the artisan. Each meter of leather costs Rs.30 and a kilo-
gram of leather would cost Rs. 600. The selling price of the products
is quite less as compared to the production cost. He makes marginal
proft out of his sales. The other raw materials required for the craft
are threads which cost him Rs 150- Rs 200 per kilogram and cotton
which costs Rs. 45 per meter. The cost of these materials is minimal
as compared to the cost of the leather. The leather is also required in
larger quantities compared to these.
At one point, Khetsingh employed 10-20 workers who helped him in
the craft. These workers were paid on daily bases. With the rise in cost
of living, these workers started demanding 200-250 Rs per day which
could not be afforded by the artisan. The production cost is more com-
joined his father in the craft business and has been practising the craft
ever since. The artisan who had majorly produced leather footwear
for the local communities has now started producing modern forms
of products like keychains, penholders, fles, photo frames and so on.
These products are targeted towards a different audience.
The local market for the craft had declined and he felt the need to
target a different market in order to sustain his craft. He was able to
get new ideas for the designs when he visited cities for craft exhibi-
tions. He has now started making phone covers and tablet covers for
the urban client. The idea for the making this change came from one
of his visits to the cities when one buyer gave him the suggestion of
producing these covers as there was a huge demand for them. The re-
quirement for such products is negligible in the village.
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31
borders of leather goods. The craftsmen either leave the leather in its
natural colour, or dye it with stainers in shades of brown or sometimes
even bright colors like yellows, blues and reds. Using punches of a
range of shapes and sizes; from geometric shapes like circles, triangles,
squares, ovals and rectangles, to shapes like leaf, heart, moon and stars,
the craftsmen make holes in the leather for a reverse appliqu tech-
nique or a lace like effect. With carefully composed, concentric or lin-
ear geometrical patterns, they play with colors that are visible through
the punched holes. Working with simple punches and hammers, an
amazing variety of geometric patterns are created by the craftsmen giv-
pared to the amount of sales the artisan makes. Khetsingh slowly had
to let go of these workers.
Over the years, variation has also been seen in the tools and techniques.
In the past different shapes were cut out using a singular blade or cutter.
Now, the artisan uses different cutters which can cut different shapes in
the leather. These cutters are easily available in Bhuj and Ahmedabad.
They save a lot of time in the process of making the artefact.
Emerging, cheaper factory-made products in the local market have
caused the local value chain to become fragmented. The artisan is now
dependent on external markets for both raw material and trade.
Fluctuating market prices and their inability to reach the right clientele
has left the artisan with large stocks and very few buyers with no one
to help them understand and bridge the gap between them and the
market.
Production process
The main techniques of leather craftsmanship in Kachchh are Jari
Kaam and Torni kaam. In Jari Kaam, a silver and golden thread is used
to sew various design and motifs on leather goods. Traditionally Jari
kaam was used to decorate saddles. The same work is also transferred
on to the modern products like shoes, bags and other accessories.
In the Torni work technique, the coarse yarns are used to create color-
ful patterns on various leather items. It is mainly used to decorate the
An old artefact made by the artisans father
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32
ing the surface a playful, vibrant character giving the product elegance,
not generally associated with the ruggedness of thick leather.

With a little less pressure on the same punches, sometimes the crafts-
men set a low relief to the surface, to create textured patterns. As the
leather weathers, the punch engraved relief area becomes darker.
The pieces of leather are hand stitched by passing thick thread through
small slits made with a stitching awl. Craftsmen have also started using
sewing machines to assemble the pieces together, thereby adding ef-
fciency to the traditional craft.
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33
t
SHAWL WEAVING
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34
two children. Dhanjibhai and his brother Shivjibhai are the two master
craftsmen in the family. Weaving is primarily a mans job. However it
always begins with the women. The female members of the family are
responsible for creating the thread for the warp. Dhanjibhais mother
and wife are involved in this process. The children of the family are
learning the techniques of the craft and help in preparing the bobbins,
which are installed on the loom. The knowledge of the techniques is
passed down from one generation to another. Dhanji Bhai, explains
that it takes a lot of time to understanding the working of the loom.
But once that technique is understood, weaving shawls is an easy task
for the artisan.
Case study: Weaving
Weavers are an important part of community life in any village. The
Vankars or the weavers of Kutch are Meghwal migrants who came
from Rajasthan six centuries ago. Among the Meghwals, the Mahesh-
wari and Marwada sub-castes were involved in weaving and leather
work. While the Maheshwaris have gradually transitioned to other jobs,
the Marwada weave on to this day.
The local art of weaving provided for the identity and needs of many
communities in the region. Among these, their alliance with the no-
madic, sheep herding community of the rabaris is well known. The
weavers depended on the rabaris for woollen feece from sheep and
in exchange weaved for them. The weavers also shared a rapport with
Ahirs, a Hindu herding clan, for whom they weaved colourful pat-
terned shawls or dhablos in exchange for cotton grown in their felds.
The designs woven using colorful threads by the weavers were specifc
to the communities who wore them. The craft is an important part of
the customs of the Rabari community. It was and is still used as a part
of their marriage customs and rituals
Vankar Dhanjibhai, aged 39, has been practising the craft since the
age of twenty. Dhanjibhai has received formal education till the tenth
standard. He is well versed in Kachchhi, gujarati and Hindi. The craft
has been practised in the family for three generations now. Out of
the twelve members of the family, six are males, four are females and
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35
After the 2001 earthquake, the family was allotted three frame looms
by the government. The artisans have also designed a portable loom
on which they give demonstrations during exhibitions. Dhanjibhai ex-
plains that this helps them to connect with the client who is not aware
about the time and effort they put into the craft. The client is able to
appreciate the craft more when they see working of the loom them-
selves. The yarn used to be prepared from the rawmaterials the artisans
received from the Rabaris and Ahirs.
Today, departing from traditional raw materials, the family now uses
silk, rayon, and acrylic yarn in their textiles bought from Ludhiana, Ra-
jasthan and Ahmedabad. The change in the threads has brought about
a change in the quality .The shawl that used to be made before used to
be coarse and thick. Adhering to the demands of the urban market, the
changes made in the raw material have caused the shawls to become
thinner and soft. A new range of stoles was introduced which made
use of brighter hues of thread. The patterns were also changed. The
intricacy and the delicacy of the patterns were increased. The time re-
quired to produce each shawl depends on the level of intricacy of the
pattern. A simple shawl that involves only weaving can take about two
days to create and at least 5-6 shawls of the same model will be weaved
each time, making a minimum weaving stint last for at least 10 to 12
days. Shawls with intricate designs can take months on end.
In the 1960s, cheaper mill made cloth fooded the market and the local
market declined. The weavers were forced to look for external clients
The craft is the only source of income for the family. They are not
involved in any other work. The artisams are dependent on the tourist
market for sales. Other than that, they go to exhibitions when they are
invited either by the government or NGOs. The craft has benefted
the most from the geographical indication (GI) mark that it has re-
ceived from the government. The Kachchh Weavers Association was
founded in order to apply for the GI, the Geographical Indications Act
with the World Trade Organization, for the Kachchh shawl. Receiving
the GI designation has been a step towards protecting a craft which has
been signifcantly damaged by power loom imitations. As compared to
the other crafts of the village, the income generated from weaving is
quite consistent and the artisans cant be said to be fourishing, but are
satisfed with their craft.
The major tools and materials required for the craft are the loom and
the yarn. The vankar family traditionally used to work on the pit looms,
where the artisan has to sit in a pit for long hours and handle the loom.
The GI (Geographical Indication) mark that has
been given to the craft by the Indian government
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36
Production process
The production process requires equal inputs of the family members.
The women frst make the warp for the loom through many days pro-
cess. The warp thread is prepared putting together a bundle of exactly
1600 threads of 50 meters each that will be used to create a 39inch
width shawl. It takes the women around six hours of work for about
two days to fnish the job.
The weft yarn is then prepared by rolling on to small bobbins from
the hanks. It is then laid on the loom, where the long thread, tana,
intersects with bana, the shorter one, hence weaving here is called tana
bana. In Kutch, two types of shuttle looms are in use, a pit loom,
which is on ground level and a shuttle loom that is slightly more struc-
tured. The work done in the loom depends on the result one is aim-
ing for. For colour variations thread ft into the loom is varied, bigger
fabrics means more threads. For intricate patterns on the fabric, time
consuming hand weaving that could last for a fortnight or more is
required. The weaver will handpick the warp in the weft with patterns
from his memory. Any error in weaving or threads splitting will mean
starting the process over.
and shift their practices to ft the demand of larger markets. Dhanjib-
hai believes that as compared to the power loom cloth the handloom
shawls are better in design and quality. But the local communities now
prefer to buy the machine made shawls as they are cheap and eas-
ily available. The production process of the power loom units works
around the clock, while the weavers can only work for a specifc amount
of time every day. It takes almost two days to create shawls sometimes.
In the same amount of time the power loom can produce quite a lot
of shawls of varied designs. The power loom sector has cast a shadow
on this craft and many artisans have turned towards other occupations.
The artisans now work as daily wage workers in agricultural felds. The
artisans were unable to sustain a livelihood through weaving and were
forced to look for other occupations.
He explains that the people who appreciate the craft are sole reason
behind the artisan being able to save his craft. Those who understand
the value of the handwork done in the craft will prefer to buy the craft
over power loom imitations. But the number of such people is quite
less in present times.
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37
craftsmanship grew from the village communities, its joys and bur-
dens, the change of seasons, the memories flled with song and verse,
legends, myths and local romances, form the core and substance of
their daily existence. They wove a rough and forceful art [3]
The crafts evolved out of the needs and demands of the local commu-
nities. The artisans gave shapes to the materials available in the nature
to fulfl these needs. These products were then ornamented and given
an aesthetic appeal to it. The designs were also specifc to the commu-
nities for whom the artefact was being made. A symbiotic relationship
was maintained, where the artisan provided the artefact in exchange for
raw materials or other goods.
These community linkages were damaged because of industrialisation
and globalisation. The cheaper mass produced goods have cast a shad-
ow on the crafts of the village. With the local communities preferring
to buy these cheaper goods, the artisans were left with no other option
than to change design of the craft or watch their legacy fade away as
the revenue generated by them was not suffcient to sustain a liveli-
hood. In the modern scenario, if there were no commercialisation, the
local crafts would simply die out.
Commercialisation, though it may lead to substantial changes in the
appearance and uses of the craft products in comparison with those
previously made for local use, may in some ceased also help to keep
alive moribund crafts or revive half-forgotten old techniques or even
3.3 Secondary research
Most artisans are poor as well as illiterate. Nevertheless, they are high-
ly skilled and
well educated in terms of their long and rich experience. S Bal-
aram[1]
The knowledge that each artisan has about the techniques and pro-
cesses of the crafts is invaluable. This knowledge is passed down from
one generation to another like ancestral legacy. We think of crafts-
manship ordinarily as the ability to skilfully manipulate the tools and
materials of craft or trade. But true craftsmanship is much more than
this. The real essential element in it is not manual skill or dexterity, but
the knowledge stored in the minds of the artisan which gives the craft
its identity. This knowledge enables him to understand and overcome
the constantly arising diffculties, which grow out of variations in the
tools, materials and the condition under which the work must be done.
It is rightly said when an artisan dies, thousand libraries are burnt S
Balaram [2]
All crafted objects are an extension of the personality of the artisan.
Kamaladevi Chattopadhaya, who was instrumental in salvaging the In-
dian crafts from the twin onslaughts of colonialism and consumerism,
defnes this symbiotic relationship
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38
in many cases, whereas previously an overlap between the two--way of
life and livelihood--had established a sustainable environment for the
safeguarding of local culture. One without the other results in the pro-
jection of pale shadows of the original versions of human creativity
whether dance, music or traditional craftsmanship. [5]
3.4 Understanding
The crafts had developed out of the necessity to fulfl the needs of the
local communities in Nirona. The artefacts made were instrumental in
expressing the individuality of the artisan and the way of life of the
people.
Over the years, the crafts faced competition from the mass produced
machine made goods which were cheaper and easily available. The local
artisans owing to the penetration of these industrial goods and their
substitution for locally produced artefacts, are gradually driven out of
business. In the process, their numbers declined substantially, the qual-
ity of the work deteriorated.
For the sake of sustenance, the traditional crafts of the village went
through many transformations. The target audience for the artefacts
was changed. Design changes were made in each of the crafts. Either
the utility or the authenticity of the artefacts was changed in order to
service the demands of the urban market. The craft traditions have re-
whole crafts which have disappeared in the past. [4]
The increased contact and communication with the urban market may
also bring the artisans in touch with tourists or middleman who pro-
vide an alternative outlet for their declining crafts. This circumstance
may sometimes blow a new life in to the dying craft.
Initially the production for the market may be quite proftable, as the
novelty of the products attracts more and more new customers how-
ever the market is soon satiated. The needs and demands of the urban
clientele keep changing rapidly. Consequently, demand and proftability
of the craft soon decline. The growing market brings with it additional
producers who do not understand the aesthetics of the craft. To satisfy
their needs, the artisan has to increase the production and thus lower
the quality of his craft. As the quality and attractiveness of the wares
deteriorates, the market shrinks further. A viscious cycle is started due
to commercialisation. In the past, when the artisans produced for the
local communities and remained in isolation, the craft practices four-
ished. But, in modern times, the commercialized artefacts have gradu-
ally lost their individuality and refect the needs and demands of the
urban market.
As a result of the escalating pace of change, many of these traditional
forms of art, dance, ancient theatre and music are disappearing from
Indias cultural landscape. (2) This has resulted in the devaluing of the
dance form from a way of life to a mere income-generating practice
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39
Even though the artisans commercialized their artefacts they are un-
able to market the craft in the urban market, and then sell the product
through the middleman. The artefacts are bought cheap and sold at
higher price in the market by him. The artisan is unable to get the mon-
etary value for his work and effort. The middleman makes the most out
of this interaction between the artisan and urban clientele.
The artefacts that were created had a certain value and meaning attached
to them. Some crafts were part of traditional rituals and customs. Com-
mercialization of these artefacts altered the meanings attached to each
craft. The artefact now, remains as a mere priced product in the urban
market. The holistic way of life that existed when the communities
lived in isolation, has been destroyed. As the communities developed
in isolation, there was no rush of new materials. What emerged was a
complex relationship between the people and handcrafted objects, in-
fuenced by the particular food production system, religion, culture and
social organizations which were inter-related. The designs that were
generated in the minds of the artisan which refected an entire cul-
tural ethos are now dictated by the urban market. Unable to cope with
this change many artisans have stopped practicing the craft and have
turned towards other occupations.
emerged in a new form and a different set of problems.
In the past, when there were artisans and consumers, the artisan was in
direct contact with the consumer, being familiar with their aesthetic and
socio-cultural requirements. The artisan used to interact with the client
on a regular basis and in this process of interaction, design evolved.
The artisan never had to depend on external sources to understand the
aesthetic requirements of his client. But in the case of the urban clien-
tele, the artisan is unable to understand their socio-cultural demands.
Even though globalization has bridged boundaries, the artisan fails to
understand the requirements of a client who is geographically apart
from them. The needs and requirements of the urban market keep
changing rapidly and the artisan is not able to keep up with the pace of
this change and the craft suffers.
Commercialization brought with it changes in raw materials and tech-
niques of the craft. The materials which were sourced from the nature
are now bought buy the artisans from cities. The natural colors that are
were used for crafts like Rogan and lacquer work is replaced by syn-
thetic colors which are not always ecofriendly like the natural colors.
The traditional yarn used for the weaving has now been replaced by
silk, rayon and cotton to suit the aesthetic requirements of the urban
clientele. The leather is now being bought by the artisan from cities at a
high price instead of being cured and treated by him. These changes in
the raw materials have inadvertently affected the quality of the product.
Nupur Patel | 201214006 | M Des | 2014
40
Product Implementation
4.1 Selection of medium

The project attempts to show the current situation of the artisans and
the crafts, for people to see and understand the various transforma-
tions each of these crafts have undergone over time.
A picture speaks a thousand words
The message that was to be communicated had to be conveyed in such
a way that the target audience was able to understand and witness the
transformations of each craft. The target audience comprises of the
potential protectors of crafts, who could be the government, designers
or art/craft collectors and the general audience.
The medium of flm was selected for the project. The genre of docu-
mentary flm was chosen as it produces a visual document of a particu-
lar event. I wanted to show the conditions of each craft and artisan as
IT IS. The documentary would help to capture the emotions of each
artisan while they were working and their living conditions. It would
also bring to light the entire process of production for each craft. On
being able to see the tools and techniques the artisan employs to cre-
ate each artefact, which is their source of livelihood, and the transfor-
mation from an artefact to a mere priced object that the crafts have
undergone, the audience will be able to better understand the value of
these crafts for the artisan. The holistic way of life that prevailed in vil-
lages before, is being lost. With it we are gradually losing our crafts and
Nupur Patel | 201214006 | M Des | 2014
41
down on the carpet. Lost in his world, he spreads a piece of cloth on
his legs and pins it down tactfully to his jeans. He pulls a small circu-
lar blue box close to him and picks up a thin steel rod from top of it.
This, he proudly explains, is the only tool required to do the painting.
Just one simple Steel rod is all it takes to create a breathtaking artifact.
He opens the box which is the container for the Rogan paste which
acts as the paint required for the painting. The colorful dollops of Ro-
gan paste are kept submerged in water. And then the process begins.
The rod is dipped in to the small ball of yellow Rogan and pulled out
quickly. He quickly applies this paste on his palm and with swift strokes
the paste is stretched and made loose with the rod. He places one hand
below the cloth and with the other hand he begins to apply the paste on
it. The hand beneath the cloth gives direction to the paste which is be-
ing applied and slowly the design starts taking shape. Within minutes
the design is completed which he proudly displays to the awestruck
visitors. He shows the other pieces of artwork created by his family, the
most beautiful being that of the kalpvruksh or the tree of life. The tree
did actually give a new life to the dying craft of Rogan.
In a house nearby, a young girl who is getting married in a few days is
arguing with her mother regarding her bridal trousseau. The old grand-
mother remembers her the bygone days when the brides of the village
were dressed up in clothes on which Rogan work was done. Rogan
back then was a cheap alternative to embroidery but has seen a lot of
changes over the years. Affording a piece of Rogan art for a villager is
quite impossible. We are to blame as well, she says. We were the ones
artisans. The documentary could play a pivotal role in creating social
awareness about the issue at hand.

4.2 Pre-production
4.2.1 Central Story
Based on the theme to be shown in the flm, I wrote a narrative which
tells the tale of each craft.
GAATHA
The tiny village of Nirona is slowly waking from its deep slumber.
The sun is about to rise. A new day is about to begin and who knows
what stories it might bring with it today. Lights have been lit in a few
houses. The women are setting up the chullah to heat up the water. The
cows are getting restless; the bells tied around their necks are music to
the ears. The men take the cattle out for grazing passing through the
narrow and dusty lanes of the village which are witness to fve unique
crafts. The sun has risen and so have the villagers and here begins the
story of this village in the house of a craftsman.
The artisan, Sumer Khattri, is the younger brother of the master arti-
san, Gafurbhai Khattri. The family of nineteen people lives in a small
household with eight of the family members doing the art. The work-
shed which also acts as their shop is a small area where Sumerbhai is
getting ready to demonstrate the craft to interested visitors. He sits
Nupur Patel | 201214006 | M Des | 2014
42
artisan who has been practicing the art of copper bell making since the
age of three. I left school and joined my father in this craft because we
werent able to afford it, he says as he tidies his work place. He learnt
the craft from his forefathers. The craft was not an option for them; it
was the only source of livelihood for the family and still is. He sits in
his regular place, surrounded by his tools and materials. The younger
generation of my family is being trained but it depends upon them I
they want to join or not. If they dont the craft will end there, he states
as he readies himself for the demonstration.
He takes up a piece of iron picks up a hammer and there begins the
loud process of beating the piece into shape. His collection of tools
is quite large with different types and sizes of hammers, cutters, geo-
metric tools. He continues to hammer, the sound resonating loudly in
his small shed. His hands which were once soft have now been scarred
and hardened but they still possess the strength required to continu-
ously beat pieces of iron throughout the day. The bell making process
which looks simple to the eye at frst is quite tricky and takes a lot of
effort to produce one small bell. Each bell that Hussain bhai makes has
a distinct sound to it. No two bells that he makes can have the same
sound to it. He explains, in the olden times this helped the Maldharis
identify their cattle around whose neck the bell was tied, when they
were left to graze in the forest alone. He hammers at the bell until he
feels that the right resonance has been achieved. In a nearby house lives
a Maldhari tribesman, who once used to be a regular customer of Hus-
sain Bhai. The bells made by the artisans used to adorn the necks of his
who opted to buy cheaper machine made clothes instead of Rogan.
Which lead to the decline in the number of artisans.
Here begins the tale of the captivating and extremely rare Rogan art.
Having Persian origins, this art was used only to decorate the brides of
the village with garments like the ghaghra, odhna, jhable, darajo and as
dowry products like pillowcases, quilts and bed sheets. But due to the
competition the craft faced from machine made and screen printed gar-
ments, gradually the local demand for Rogan subsided, which eventual-
ly led to the drastic decrease in the number of artisans leaving only one
surviving family. The craft was on the verge of extinction. Gafurbhai
Khattri decided to bring about design changes to the craft and he initi-
ated the tree of life paintings which intensifed the level of intricacy
of the craft. The craft started getting recognition and slowly attained
the status of an art form. The lives of the artisans revolve around mak-
ing these artifacts throughout the year and then selling them during
the tourist season of December to February. The number of tourists
that might visit each year is uncertain. This season can sometimes be a
complete failure if the tourists dont come to Kutch. Their whole stock
of artifacts which they create throughout the years doesnt get to see
light outside the cupboard in which they are stored. Its a matter of luck
for this family and that of others as well. Sometimes the craft sells and
sometimes it doesnt.
As the lanes wind further into the village, in a house, resides a copper
bell maker. Hussain Siddiq Luhaar is an energetic sixty fve year old
Nupur Patel | 201214006 | M Des | 2014
43
they are directly able to sell their wares. The need of doing other jobs
during the off season is not felt anymore.
The tinkling sound of the bell slowly fades away and the dusty lanes
carry you forward towards the house of the third craftsman. Vekhaya
Bhai Vadha is part of the handful of families from Kutchs semi-no-
madic Vadha community who are practicing the craft of lacquer wood
work. The artisan is a huge man with a thick moustache and intimidat-
ing demeanor. Watching such a huge man at work on a small lathe is
quite fascinating. Working with precision and patience the craftsman
produces colorful artifacts that are useful in the kitchen. Vekhaya bhai
gets a piece of wood and fxes it on the lathe and starts carving the
wood with help of his chisels. He wraps the string of his bow around
the piece of wood and secures the wood with his foot. With his right
hand, he pulls the bow back and forth to turn the wood. With his left
hand, he holds a chisel to the wood as it turns. And with varying de-
grees of pressure he gives the piece of wood the desired shape. After
this he again turns the carved wood and applies a piece of lacquer on it.
The friction causes the lac to melt against the wood coating it in color.
The frst color is applied as base and the he applies different colors
which he rubs off, marbles it or engraves it.
The craft which was initiated to beautify objects that are used by wom-
en daily in the household does not fnd many buyers in the village itself.
The kitchens of a few houses are proof to that. Steel utensils decorate
the shelves in these kitchens. The utensils like ladle, which are used for
cattle. The sound which resonated was clear and helped him identify
his cattle. He says, The forests in Kutch have rapidly decreased due
to frequent droughts. No forests were left for the cattle to graze in.
We gradually had to sell off our cattle because after a point of time it
became diffcult to afford the fodder which had to be brought in from
Bhuj. This led to the decrease in customers for the bell maker.
The hammering sound has stopped, bringing us back the small shed.
The artisans daughter is holding up a copper bell which has freshly
come out of the Bhatti (furnace) where it had been placed with the
other iron bells with a coating of copper, zinc oxide and other materi-
als and an upper coating of mud. The most important step of giving
the bell its distinct sound is still remaining. Hussain Bhai is getting rest-
less to hold the bell and start working again. He takes the bell, chooses
his hammer and the hammering begins again and doesnt stop until he
feels right note has been touched.
Because of the decline in local audience, the family of bell makers had
to turn to newer markets to sustain their livelihood and had to diversify
their products. These copper bells now adorn the houses of people in
the city in the form of wind chimes or items of house decoration or as
musical instruments. The artisan had never felt the need to market their
product before because the audience was local. The middleman initially
helped the family in marketing the craft but slowly he started exploiting
them. The wares were purchased at a lower price and sold at a higher
price in the urban market. But he says, The situation is a bit different
nowadays. Because of the Rann Utsav, tourists visit their village and
Nupur Patel | 201214006 | M Des | 2014
44
ing orders at his workers to bring out the best leather that they have.
The worker brings out a long roll of camel hide. This is the leather
which Khetsingh buys. The price of this leather is quite high for a sim-
ple villager like Khetsingh. With the price of leather increasing day by
day it becomes diffcult for artisans like Khetsingh to be able to afford
such leather, says the dealer. Khetsingh has fnished punching holes in
to the leather and is now pasting colorful pieces of cloth on the back
side of these holes to make the artifact more colorful. In a matter of
minutes a colorful photo frame is created. There different product
which range from keychains, photoframes, chappals, boxes, mirrors,
comb holders which are displayed in one corner of the room. This
basic utility objects have been beautifed to cater to the urban market
as the local market had gradually decreased because of the competi-
tion from cheaper goods and high cost of raw material. He says, at
one point I used to employ 20-25 workers who used to create these
artifacts for me. But with changing times, he is now not able to afford
the wages as the cost of raw material is high and has had to let them
go. The artisan seems disappointed because of the current state of
his craft, but hasnt lost the will to continue doing this craft. this is
what we have been doing and we will do , he explains.
The wind and dust keep rising in the village, and leads you towards
a small house which is almost on the outskirts of the village. This is
the house of the shawl weavers. Vankar Dhamji Bhai explains, Over
600 years ago, the Meghwal community from Rajasthan migrated to
Kachchh , bringing with them the art of handloom weaving. Tradi-
stirring the food, are found in varied materials, ranging from plastic to
steel or wood. But one rarely fnds a lacquer work utensil in the collec-
tion.
He says, we lack the exposure to stable markets. The artisans have
abandoned the local market and now produce primarily for the limited
seasonal tourist market and tourist markets. Our dependence on the
tourist market is a source of vulnerability because the market fuctu-
ates depending on the tourist fow and time of the year. Even though
our craft has great potential to reach different markets we are not able
to do it.
The colorful lacquer work table top spins its way to the next house, that
of the leather worker, Khet Singh Punja. The Punja family has been
practicing this craft since seven generations. Like the other houses of
craftsmen, Khetsinh has turned one room of his house into a work-
shed and display room. He has fxed spot in the room where he sits and
does his work, which is right in front of the entrance. Right now, he
is about to begin his demonstration of the craft. He has a wide range
of punching tools which are used to make different types of holes in
the leather. These tools which look the same from afar leave a distinct
mark on the leather. He picks up a small piece of leather, picks up
a punch and starts making holes of different shapes and pattern on
it. The design is all in his head, he says, as he meticulously hammers
the punches on the leather. This process goes on for quite some time.
Meanwhile, in the faraway city of Ahmedabad, a leather dealer is shout-
Nupur Patel | 201214006 | M Des | 2014
45
to an end in this tiny village. Tomorrow, another day will rise bring-
ing in new visitors to their village. Their craft will get to see one more
beautiful day tomorrow. The artisans heave a sigh of relief.
tionally, weavers used hand spun yarn provided by Rabaris, a nomadic
community of sheep and goat herders. Weaving was a local art which
provided Kachchh communities with blankets, cloth, and traditional
dress. The value of Kachchh handlooms exceeds aesthetic appeal; its
value is created by the hands of skilled artisans who weave their tradi-
tion and way of life into each piece.
He sits at his loom and like all the other craftsmen of the village starts
to give a demonstration of how the loom works. Over the loud sound
that the loom emulates he continues with his tale of the craft, Many
natural disasters have denigrated Kachchh livelihoods. The steady ero-
sion of the regions primary productive assets has resulted in an in-
creasing dependence on craft as livelihood. With the mass-production
of synthetic fabrics in the 1960s, the local markets for woven cloth
decreased dramatically. This dependence coupled with limited access
to raw materials and markets forced artisans to look for new markets
and attempt to reinvent traditions-old skills to sustain the craft as a
livelihood. Many weavers left their craft to work as factory laborers.
Those who remained are engaged in the craft and face continued chal-
lenges that threaten their livelihoods sustainability. Today, Kachchh s
handloom sector stands at a crucial stage. Either the weaving sector
will make a dramatic shift or it will wither away.
The wind blows against the door of the house. The sun is about to set,
the craftsmen of the village are setting down their tools and equipment
to take sip of hot tea in the comfort of their house. Another day comes
Nupur Patel | 201214006 | M Des | 2014
46
4.2.2 Script
It is impossible to envision a flm without a script, as the script is the
base for what appears onscreen. The script evolved from the day I
started writing it until I fnished editing the documentary. Developing
the narration of the flm proved to be a diffcult task as there were no
interviews in the flm and issue was to be narrated.
Nupur Patel | 201214006 | M Des | 2014
47
4.2.3 Storyboard
A storyboard is a graphic representation of how the flm will unfold,
shot by shot. The story board helped in setting up a plan for produc-
tion, including all the shots that I would need, the order that theyll
be laid out, and how the visuals will interact with the script. This was
really useful when I was flming the documentary, as it ensured that I
wouldnt forget any shots. It also came in handy during editing, as it
served as a nice guide for me to piece the video together according to
my vision
Nupur Patel | 201214006 | M Des | 2014
48
4.3 Production
4.3.1 Filming
Documentary Film is a broad category of visual expression that is
based on the attempt, in one fashion or another, to document reality.
This reality should be supported by data and the visuals in the flm.
The flm showed the process of creation of each craft. I decided not
to convey the message through the interviews of the artisans as it ham-
pered the fow of the visuals. The interviews were not incorporated
in the flm, but the information collected through them was narrated
through a voice over.
A documentary requires good visual evidence to back the message that
is to be conveyed. After my fnal shoot, I had 14 hours of video foot-
age which included establishing shots of the region, homes and work
areas of the artisans, interviews of the artisan, the artisan at work,
bus journey towards the village and shots of the artefacts being sold
through craft stores.
It was quite challenging to flm on the site. I had to be alert at all
times. Many shots were unexpected and taken on the spot. It was nec-
essary to reach the location at the right time, else I would have missed
some important footage.
The audio and light, especially indoors, were the two critical aspects
during the shoot which had to kept in mind at all times. While flming,
Nupur Patel | 201214006 | M Des | 2014
49
Focus technique
Manual focus
Auto focus
Depth of feld
White Balance
Custom
4.3.2 Lighting
Lighting is a crucial part of flm making. For a few crafts the shoot
was done indoors, where the lighting was low. For this purpose, I had
carried sheets of thermocol to use as diffusers. Most of the time, I
worked with the natural light. Major part of the shoot was fnished in
the morning when the light was not bright and harsh.
4.3.3 Audio
A good shot can be spoiled by unwanted noises. For most of the crafts,
distinct sounds were made by the tools that the artisan used to create
the artefact. It was necessary to record this audio perfectly. Any exter-
nal noise was avoided as much as possible.
I had to move the camera at all times, to capture the artisan making
the artefact from different angles. Before starting the shoot, I made a
list of different angles and different location that could be shot during
that day. The footage was reviewed each night for any errors or missing
shots. So that these shots could be captured again, the next day.
The technical aspects which were adopted while flming
Camera shots
Establishing shots
Long shots
Mid shot
Close up
Camera angles
Eye level
low level
high angle
top level
bottom level
Camera movement
Pan
Point of view
Zoom
Nupur Patel | 201214006 | M Des | 2014
50
ward. The narration was to be done such that it did not sound judge-
mental and it did not over emphasize on words. It had to be fat and
monotonous.
The frst recording was done with a female voice which was later dis-
carded as there was a lot emphasis put on various words. This was not
required. The second recording was done with a male voice, which was
more fat as compared to the female voice. The only problem felt was
that there was a low whistling sound that was heard for the words end-
ing with S. The sound that was recorded was edited on Sound Forge
to reduce these sounds as much as possible.
The fnal recording was then cut in to parts and placed on the video in
Final Cut Pro.
4.4.3 Music
Music is the soul of a documentary flm. Good music can help main-
tain the emotion and drive the narration forward. At the start of the
flm where I introduce the audience to the region of Kachchh, I want-
ed to use music which was specifc to the land.
Searching for a good quality and relevant background music was not
easy and I listened to numerous scores before I fnalised the music to
be used. In the beginning, I decided to use the instrumental music of
jodia pava (twin futes). In the middle section, where I explain each
craft, I used a similar kind of tune from futes. Towards the end of the
4.4 Post-production
4.4.1 Editing
The editing process started with viewing the footage from the begin-
ning and improvising the storyboard based on the additional shots that
were taken during the shoot. The video was transferred on the timeline
in the video editing software, fnal cut pro. All the shots which were out
of focus and the ones which were not required were deleted. A rough
cut of the flm was created which extended time slot I had chosen for
the documentary. To tighten the footage, further shots were deleted in
such a way that the structure of the flm wouldnt be disrupted. There
were some shots which were not working with fow of the flm. How-
ever diffcult they were to obtain, these shots were removed.
After the video was projected on the screen, it was noticed that quite a
few shots needed some color correction. Either the exposure was too
much or too low, the colors looked subdued for some shots. Fortu-
nately Final cut pro provides a range of tools and flters to enhance the
video. Even though the process was time consuming, the fnal quality
of the video looked better than the one before the editing.
4.4.2 Voice dubbing
As there were no interviews of artisans in the flm, the message had to
be conveyed through a voice over. The voiceover carries the story for-
Nupur Patel | 201214006 | M Des | 2014
51
flm, where I want the audience to feel and understand the transforma-
tion the crafts have undergone, a slow remorseful track was used to
bring out the seriousness of the topic.
4.4.4 Test screening
In order to test how effective the flm was in terms of communicating
the central idea and flm aesthetics, a test screening was done. The flm
was reviewed by my colleagues, juniors and friends. I made note of the
suggestions given to me during the screening.
-Mostly everybody correctly interpreted the message of the movie.
-Some viewers remarked about the sound jumps caused because of the
background music.
-There were quite a few variations in the voice level and quality of the
voice over.
-For some scenes, the voice over did not make sense for the viewer.
That could have been placed in a more meaningful manner.
-Everybody found all the crafts appealing and some of them liked the
last sequence, which brought out an emotion of sorrow for the crafts
in them.
-The folk music that was used at the beginning set the stage for the
region that was being shown.
Changes according to the critiques were subsequently made to the flm.
Nupur Patel | 201214006 | M Des | 2014
52
it is today. To a greater extent the message of the flm was conveyed.
Nevertheless, I fully understand that this work can yet be enhanced and
taken a level higher.
5 Conclusion
The project was an effort to design a communication product using
the learnings from the past two years, viz. videography, photography,
ethnography, writing skills.
The fnal product is a documentation of the reality of the fve crafts
of Nirona, which brings to light the general problem faced by many
crafts of our country. It also brings focus on the point that no craft can
remain in isolation and with time the craft tradition is either lost or it
re-emerges in a different form. This transformation or change is inevi-
table and is also one of the reasons for the decline in the number of
artisans. The contribution of the artisan to the craft sector is invaluable
and the loss of each artisan is unbearable for the crafts.
The product is not targeted towards craft lovers only; it is also targeted
towards the government, people working in the craft sector, students,
tourists, consumers of the craft and any person who can be potential
protector of the crafts.
The project helped me understand the culture and traditions of the
people and the value of the crafts for the artisans. and the local com-
munities for whom it is made.
Months of persistance is what it took for the flm to unfold the way
Nupur Patel | 201214006 | M Des | 2014
53
6 Bibliography
[1] & [2], Balaram S, Thinking Design, SAGE India, 2010
[3] Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya Papers, Nehru Memorial Museum and
Library cited in Reena Nanda, Kamaladevi Chattopadhaya: A biography,
Oxford University Press, 2002, P. 126.
[4] Cohen Erik, The commercialisation of ehtnic crafts, Journal of De-
sign history, Vol 2, No 2/3 (1989), P. 161-168.
[5] Srinivasan Shubha, Preservation of Indias Intangible Cultural Her-
itage: The Case of Chhau Dance,MARG, volume 65, Number 1 (2013)
Nupur Patel | 201214006 | M Des | 2014
54
7 Reference
Handmade in India By Aditi Ranjan
Shifting sands by Archana Shah
Threads of identity By Judy Frater
Eames India Report By Charles and Ray Eames
The commercialization of ethnic crafts: Eric Cohen (Journal of De-
sign History, vol 2)
Thinking Design By S Balaram (1998 NID)
Designing Freedom By Poonam Bir Kasturi (Design Issues, volume
21, number 4, Autumn 2005)
Craft Verses consumerism By Vijaya Ramaswamy (India International
Centre Quarterly, vol 29,no.2)
Crafts council of India
Websites
http://www.gujaratindia.com/about-gujarat/handicraft.htm#txt
http://www.craftrevival.org/
http://www.craftroots.org/
http://gaatha.com/rogan-art-kutch-gujarat/
Handloom and Handicrafts of Gujarat | Mapin Publishing-
http://www.mapinpub.in/bookinfo.php?id=213&catid=24
Nupur Patel | 201214006 | M Des | 2014
55
8 Appendix
The storyboard that was visualized before going to flm the documen-
tary has been attached here

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FINAL PROJECT

Gaatha- a tale of crafts

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