On August 7, 1905, Indian freedom fighters launched the Swadeshi movement, asking Indians to boycott British goods. Over a hundred years later, the movement continues to promote traditional arts, crafts, and textiles that, ironically, often find use in western clothing.
One such organisation is Paramparik Karigar, an association of traditional craftspeople. It will be hosting its annual exhibition and series of workshops in the city this week.
Established in 1996 by designer Roshan Kalapesi and politician and art aficionado Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, the organisation encourages the direct sale of products by artists without a middleman. Kalapesi travelled the country in search of workers with exquisite craft skills who are in need of financial aid. That pattern still exists today. “A group of volunteers undertake field trips to identify craftsmen whose work is worth promoting,” says Vijaya Venkat from Paramparik Karigar. “Just this April, we visited Kashmir to explore pashmina designs, and then invited [the artists] as members of our community.”
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In its twentieth year, the exhibition will showcase an eclectic collection: tribal weaves by Kapila Mohonto, famous with the Nehru-Gandhi family; woven cotton carpets or durries from Andhra Pradesh; Patashilpa, painted narrative scrolls, by the Patuas community of West Bengal; kantha silk saris made from patchwork fabrics; clay ornaments and idols by the Adivasis of Bastar, among other things. Plus, there will be a running stitch worked on a ‘lep’.
The exhibition will also feature lesser-known traditions, like the Sanjhi art from Mathur.
Presented here through intricate paper cutting, legend has it that the design style originated with Radha, who used natural dyes to create Sanjhi rangoli to woo Lord Krishna. In recent times, the style has been used to decorate the walls of the Delhi metro and has even appeared in the pictograms of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
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“We don’t charge the artisans for their stalls as the exhibitions are organised with the sole purpose of reviving and spreading awareness of these dying arts,” says Venkat.
Following the four-day exhibition is a weeklong workshop that will enable participants to interact with the craftsmen and learn traditional methods of painting and printing themselves.
Hosted by the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, the event will include classes on painting techniques such as Mithila, batik, Phad, block, Cherial and Pipli embroidery work, apart from other programmes.
In the past, the workshops have been widely popular with students from schools, colleges, and design institutes who have the opportunity to dabble with these crafts using a more hands-on approach.
“The karigar s use swatches to showcase various types of silks or provide canvases to experiment with various forms of painting,” says Venkat. “Most of our organisation’s members have won accolades like the National awards, Padam Shri, or Shilp Guru awards that help ensure a certain kind of quality of the artworks and teachings.”
The craftsmen work with materials as diverse as clay, wood, metal and cloth using skills and techniques passed down through generations. They’re constantly innovating and experimenting with concepts that appeal to the modern consumer, while retaining the essence of traditional patterns. They’re also provided with resources to further enhance their art and are encouraged to write books that will keep the knowledge of these artworks alive.
Venkat believes that while there is an obvious rise in the demand for Western clothing, there exists a loyal population that prefers traditional products. “Our arts, crafts, and textiles are like a painting: one that never chooses its charm.”
The author is a freelance writer
Paramparik Karigarexhibition: World Trade Centre, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., August 19 – 22. Workshops: CSMVS, August 23 – 31. Contact education@csmvs.in or 022-2284 4484/ 4519.