Two-day natural dyeing workshops at Aranya Natural, Munnar

aranya natural

 

The first two days of “The sustainability of natural dyes” conference took place at Eastend hotel in Munnar, followed by two days of natural dyeing workshops (at an extra cost) at Aranya Natural’s HQ. Due to limited numbers, all the spaces for the workshops filled up quickly, but many conference attendees requested to stand by and watch, which subsequently overfilled the workshops on the first day.

It was hard to blame those who wanted to watch the workshops as it was a rare opportunity to learn from three leading natural dyeing experts and a group of Japanese indigo farmers and dyers. Since the process of natural dyeing involves the understanding of chemistry, many of the experts would focus more on the chemistry rather than the aesthetics. To me, this is quite valuable, as I believe it is crucial to understand the science behind it all in order to achieve the desired results.

 

aranya natural

aranya natural

aranya natural

 

The first workshop that I attended was conducted by Michel Garcia, a world-renowned botanist, chemist, dyer, and naturalist. He is the founder of Couleur Garance (1998) in Lauris, France, and established Le Jardin Conservatoire de Plantes Tinctoriales (Botanical Garden of Dye Plants) in 2000. I have long wanted to attend a workshop by Michel, but he doesn’t seem to conduct many regular workshops, and I can only watch his videos online. In person, he is very funny, passionate and creative, you can really feel his passion for plants and natural dyeing.

In natural dyeing, a mordant is often needed to fix the dyes onto the textiles, and the most common mordant used is alum/potassium aluminium sulfate. At the workshop, Michel demonstrated how to use old tea leaves as a natural mordant, which was very interesting. However, the workshop was extremely packed, which made it difficult for us to hear and follow him properly. It was a shame that this issue was only addressed on the next day.

 

aranya natural  michel garcia

aranya natural

aranya natural

aranya natural

aranya natural

Screen printing workshop using natural dyes with Michel Garcia

 

The afternoon workshop was conducted by Jagada Rajappa, who is an independent textile entrepreneur/consultant on natural dyes. She demonstrated dyeing silk yarn with kapila (mellotus Phllipinces) and lac (coccous Lacca), which resulted in vibrant red and yellow. The results revealed that naturally dyed colours are not dull and muted as many would expect.

 

aranya natural

aranya natural  aranya natural

aranya natural

aranya natural  aranya natural

aranya natural

aranya natural

aranya natural

Jagada Rajappas workshop and ceremony

 

The next day, the workshops were restricted to those who had originally enrolled, which made more sense. The first workshop was conducted by Linda LaBelle, who is a weaver and natural dyer specialising in indigo. She also runs the website The Yarn Tree that sells fair-trade indigo and other natural dyed items. After yesterday’s observational workshops, I was longing to get my hands dirty. Finally, we got to do some doodling with natural indigo on some cotton fabric that has been pre-dyed in myrobalan. It was a fun session and we got to taste some indigo tea grown by Linda.

 

aranya natural

aranya natural  aranya natural

aranya natural

Indigo Doodles workshop with Linda LaBelle

 

The last session was the one I had been looking forward to since I signed up months ago. Buaisou was established in Tokushima by a collective of indigo farmers in 2015, and it is partly responsible for the revival of natural indigo worldwide in recent years. Not only it has over 44K followers on Instagram, it also collaborates frequently with other fashion and textiles companies to promote Japanese indigo and the colour ‘Japan Blue’. Buaisou is renowned for its indigo leaf farming – from cultivating the raw indigo, fermenting the indigo leaves (Sukumo), dyeing, and designing, all the way to production. Since the fermentation process takes around 10 days, Kyoko (the manager) had to arrive 2 weeks earlier to set up the vat.

 

buaisou

buaisou workshop

buaisou workshop  buaisou workshop

buaisou workshop

 

Since I have previously tried katagami (making paper stencils for dyeing textiles) and katazome (the Japanese method of dyeing fabrics using a resist paste applied through a stencil) with Bryan Whitehead in Japan (see my earlier post), I was quite familiar with the process. This time, I didn’t need to design and cut my own stencils as there were many beautiful and complex precut designs to choose from. We were all given a cotton bandana to work on, and after applying the paste through the stencils, we all took turns to dip the fabric into the indigo vat with some guidance.

I would say this was a taster workshop, and would love to learn more from them when I next visit Tokushima (which was supposed to happen this year but it got cancelled because of COVID-19).

 

buaisou workshop  buaisou workshop

buaisou workshop

buaisou workshop

buaisou workshop

buaisou workshop

 

After the workshop, it was time to say goodbye to everyone. Over the four days, I made many new friends from around the world who share the same passion as me, and got the opportunity to chat to many experts in the field, hence the conference has exceeded all my expectations. The fact that it managed to take place just before COVID-19 became a pandemic was extremely lucky.

After exchanging contacts with many attendees, a few of us decided to walk back to town and have dinner together. It was a pleasant walk downhill and we had a fun girls’ night out – something that I haven’t done for a long time.

In the past few years, the pursue of natural dyeing has opened doors for me and enabled me to make new friends from around the world. This was completely unexpected, and it made me realise that I am on the right path.

 

srishti welfare centre

srishti welfare centre

srishti welfare centre

munnar

munnar

aranya natural

munnar

munnar

 

 

Aranya Natural & Athulya at Srishti Welfare Centre in Munnar

aranya natural

 

Before visiting Munnar, I was not aware of the health issues related to tea plantation workers in India. Often foreign media would focus on the working conditions of garment factory workers, yet the problems related to tea plantation workers (primarily female) are largely ignored. Although they are not stuck inside cramped factories, tea plantation workers have to deal with other serious safety and health issues. Locals told me that workers not only have to work long hours at low wages, they also have to live together in communial dormitories with poor sanitation at the tea estates. Health awareness among the tea plantation workers is poor, and often they give births to children with various health conditions and disabilities, yet they receive hardly any government support.

 

srishti welfare centre

srishti welfare centre

 

In 1991, the Srishti Trust was formed, backed by Tata Tea Limited, to support differently-abled children of the estate workers. Founded by Ratna Krishna Kumar, the Trust launched two major projects: Aranya Natural and Athulya, aiming to rehabilitate local youngsters in a safe and fair environment. Later, Nisarga (the strawberry unit) and The Deli (a bakery and confectionery) were added to make preserves, breads and cookies using locally-grown ingredients.

Most visitors to Munnar would head to the main tourist attractions, but few would seek out the Srishti Welfare Centre. Well, they are really missing out. In 1996, the Srishti Welfare Centre moved to an abandoned shed in Tata Tea’s Nettimudi estate outside of the town centre. Their beautiful site is open to the public and visitors can meet many happy workers who are trained at natural dyeing and paper-making. What started out as an experiment has paid off for Ratna and her all-female team’, now even big corporations have employed the Trust to make paper and textiles-related products.

 

aranya natural

aranya natural

aranya natural

aranya natural

aranya natural

aranya natural

 

Aryana Natural is the natural dyeing department at Srishti. All the textiles here are created in a non-toxic environment and all the dyes are azo-free. Many dyes are locally sourced, like eucalyptus, Nilgiri kozha (eupatorium), tea waste, pine cones and other leaves, petals, roots and bark are harvested from the forest nearby. Some specific dyes are sourced elsewhere, like indigo from South India, lac from Jangir Champa, and myrobalan, from traditional medicine shops in Coimbatore. Only natural fabrics such as cotton and silk are used as they work best with natural dyes.

 

aranya natural

aranya natural

aranya natural

aranya natural

 

Every newcomer would receive training by volunteered trainers for about six months on skills particular to their aptitude and interests. Each artisan would specialise in at least one technique i.e. shibori or traditional block printing. World-renowned Japanese textile artist and researcher, Yoshiko Iwamoto Wada, regularly visits and acts as mentor to the young learners. She introduced many traditional Japanese shibori techniques to the trainees, which enable them to develop the skills further. Most of the artisans I spoke to told me that they really enjoy their work, and it was amazing to watch them work – they are fast and very skilled.

 

aranya natural

aranya natural  aranya natural

aranya natural

aranya natural  aranya natural

 

Athulya is the handmade paper unit that creates handmade paper from recycle waste paper, cut boards and other stationery waste. It is committed to use only natural additives in their paper, most of them are found around Munnar like tea, eucalyptus leaves, lemon grass, pineapple leaves, onion peel, flower petals, elephant droppings and water hyacinth (which is a weed affecting our back waters).

Now around thirty people work in this unit and they produce over 52 eco-friendly, azo-free, biodegradable recycled paper products by hand. It is also encouraging to see Starbucks hiring the unit to produce their shopping bags.

 

Athulya

Athulya

Athulya

Athulya

Athulya

Athulya

Athulya

Athulya

Athulya

Athulya

Athulya  Athulya

 

At the back of the sheds, there are a line of greenhouses growing organic vegetables and plants. Seasonal vegetables are picked and used in the Srishti canteen where nearly two hundred employees have lunch every day. There is also a playground for the staff’s children to play, and an award-winning flower garden that features a wide variety of flowers.

 

srishti welfare centre

srishti welfare centre

srishti welfare centre

srishti welfare centre

 

One cannot come here without stopping at the shop. The Aranya Natural shop has to be the most beautiful shop in Munnar. It sells one-of-a-kind handdyed scarves, clothing and home accessories made by the artisans next door. The prices are extremely reasonable and you would not be able to find them elsewhere. If you purchase here, you are directly helping the centre and the artisans, thus making a bold statement supporting sustainable textiles and fashion.

 

aranya natural  aranya natural

aranya natural

aranya natural  aranya natural

aranya natural

aranya natural

 

The Srishti Welfare Centre is not only a beautiful site, it is also an inspiring organisation. Before my trip, I knew little about this place, and I am flabbergasted that few people outside of the textiles world have heard of it. If you have only one day in Munnar, make sure that you spare time to visit this centre because it is well worth it.

 

 

 

 

Aranya Natural’s “The sustainability of natural dyes” conference in Munnar

aranya natural conference

 

The purpose of my trip to India in February was to attend a natural dyeing conference. And it took place before COVID-19 changed our lives. Aranya Natural is a natural dyeing organisation under Srishti Trust in Munnar, supported by TATA Global Beverages Limited, which runs programs for the education training and rehabilitation of the differently abled children of Munnar’s tea plantation workers. Last year, it was the organisation’s 25th anniversary, and “The sustainability of natural dyes” conference was organised as part of the celebration. However, the conference was postponed by a year after a major flood in Kerala devasted many parts of the state. It was fortunate that the conference managed to take place before COVID-19 started to spread in India, otherwise it would have been cancelled for the second time.

Honestly, I am not a big fan of conference and would rarely volunteerily attend one. Yet this conference was like no other, and I felt that it would be beneficial if I want to continue my natural dyeing practice. To me, natural dyeing is not merely a hobby, it has become my passion and aspiration in recent years. Currently, we are seeing a revival of natural and indigo dyeing as many people realise the harmful effects of synthetic dyes on our bodies and environment.

 

aranya natural conference  indigo farmer aranya natural conference

Left: The conference schedule; Right: A local indigo farmer and conference attendee

 

The 2-day conference took place at Eastend Hotel in Munnar, bringing dyers, manufacturers, teachers, designers, farmers, and enthusiasts etc together from Indian and around the world. One huge draw for me was the list of speakers, which included experts like Yoshiko Wada, Jenny Balfour Paul, Michel Garcia, Charlotte Kwon (Maiwa), Dominique Cardon, Jagada Rajappa and Buaisou… these are all big names in the natural dyeing and textiles world, so it was a rare opportunity to meet them all in one room.

One factor differentiates Aranya Natural from other organisations – it is an all-women team led by a visionary founder, Ratna Krishnakumar. Since India is a patriarchal society, it is inspiring to see the empowerment of women here. The fact is women in India are likely to face more challenges than women in the West, so being able to run an all-female team here is highly commendable.

The conference also addressed the most important issue that we are facing in the textiles and fashion industry today – sustainability. The rise of fast fashion has done immense damage to our environment in the past decade or so, hence the conference aimed to increase the awareness of natural dyes, and discuss how the industry can shift from using synthetic dyes to more sustainable ones.

 

aranya natural conference

aranya natural conference

aranya natural conference

aranya natural conference

 

Until recently, sustainability has been fashion industry’s last concern. If you trace the path of your favourite item from Primark, then you might be in for a surprise. Your ‘bargain’ £10 shirt probably costs about £3-4 to make, meanwhile the garment factory worker in Bangladesh would receive less than £1 for a day’s work (14-16 hours). Aside from exploitation of these workers, the environmental damage caused by the chemicals used is unaccountable. Although India has had a long history with natural dyes, many garment manufacturers have now switched to synthetic dyes to cope with the high demand from the fast fashion sector. Natural dyes have been pushed aside due to higher costs. lower production rate and more labour intensive.

So, how can we re-introduce natural dyes back into the profit-driven industry? There are no easy answers, but I did meet some young Indian designers at the conference who are using natural dyes to create beautiful designs. I do hope that they will change the landscape of Indian fashion in the future.

 

aranya natural conference

Soham Dave and his sustainable collection

 

When I was still a student years ago, I bought my first shibori book, “Shibori: The Inventive Art Of Japanese Shaped Resist Dyeing” by artist, author, and curator, Yoshiko Iwamoto Wada. This is an important book to me and I never thought I would get the chance to meet Yoshiko in person, but I did – we even exchanged contacts, and later had dinner together, which all felt a bit surreal. Besides Yoshida, I also spoke to other speakers like Dominique Cardon, Michel Garcia, Axel Becker, Jagada Rajappa, William Ingram from Threads of Life, and Rashmi Bharti, the co-founder of Avani. The conference also enabled me to connect and make friends with attendees from around the world. Many of them are dyers, designers, textiles teachers, and shop owners etc, so I found the whole experience valuable and unforgettable.

 

aranya natural conference

aranya natural conference

aranya natural conference

 

The talks on both days covered a wide range of topics relating to sustainability and natural dyeing, but the word ‘indigo’ was a key term at the conference. Indigo is probably the most mysterious and complex natural dye of all. Indigofera is a flowering plant of over 750 species and belongs to the pea family, Fabaceae. It has been in cultivation in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide for many centuries, yet the characteristics of each specie varies and can yield different shades of blue. The world-renowned indigo expert writer, artist and curator, Jenny Balfour-Paul has published several indigo-related books, and she was the last speaker to give a talk on indigo. Not long ago, I read her novel “Deeper than Indigo: Tracing Thomas Machell, Forgotten Explorer, hence it was interesting to hear her examine the colour ‘blue’ from many angles.

 

aranya natural conference

aranya natural conference

aranya natural conference

aranya natural conference

Talks and slides on indigo

 

On both evenings after the conference, there were entertainments including dance and music performances, violin recital, and fashion show. The fashion show featured natural dyed designs created by Riddhi Jain (Studio Medium), Sreejith Jeevan (Studio Rouka) and Sunita Shankar. Unlike other fashion shows, their show was modelled by workers at Srishti, which was more authentic and fun.

Based in New Dehli, Riddhi Jain is a rising star in India’s fashion world who has won the Elle Decor India Design Awards, International Craft Awards and India Story design awards amongst others. She told me that she employs a small team of artisans and designers to create beautiful hand-dyed and hand-stitched shibori pieces that are one of a kind. I love her designs, and honestly, I would rather spend my money on an unique handmade piece that supports a local craft community than a designer piece that supports its marketing campaigns and executives.

 

aranya natural conference

aranya natural conference

aranya natural conference  aranya natural conference

Riddhi Jain (Studio Medium)

 Sunita Shankar

Sreejith Jeevan (Studio Rouka)

3rd row: Riddhi Jain and her collection; 4th row: Sunita Shankar and her collection; bottom row: Sreejith Jeevan and his collection.

 

I never knew that conferences could be so exhausting! Besides two full-day talks from 9am to 5pm, I did not anticipate two hours of evening entertainments, followed by dinners at 9 pm on both nights. Despite the lack of rest, I was still looking forward to attending two more days of workshops led by different experts. And I got to visit the beautiful site of Aranya Natural, which is located outside of the polluted town centre.

To be continued…

 

aranya natural conference

I loved my conference gift bag

 

 

Festival of Natural Fibres & Saori weaving at Craft Central

craft central  craft central

 

Even though I live in London, I don’t often venture away from my neighbourhood or the centre, and I had no idea where the Isle of Dogs is until I looked it up on google. I have not been to the Craft Central‘s new venue since they moved across town more than two years ago. Their new space is a Grade II listed Victorian (1860) forge with many historic features located Isle of Dogs not far from Canary Wharf. The spacious industrial building was converted by Emrys Architects to provide artist studios and exhibition hall for crafts people and other creative professionals.

I missed the Festival of Natural fibre in Sept, but I attended part 2 of the festival in November. Organised by Khadi London, Freeweaver SAORI Studio, ONE and Craft Central, the festival aimed to showcase the best ethical and sustainable products, and discussed current trends and challenges in the revolution in the global textiles industry. Personally, I I believe that when the public learn more about the environmental damage caused by fast fashion, many are likely to change their shopping habits (though it takes times), and this festival highlights the beauty and sustainability of textiles and fashion made from natural fibres.

 

craft central  craft central

craft central  craft central

 

There were textiles workshops throughout the day, but unfortunately they were all fully booked when I tried to book. It shows the popularity of these craft workshops nowadays!

 

craft central  craft central

craft central

craft central

craft central

 

There was a demonstration of Indian Charkha wheel spinning, a craft that is often associated with Mahatma Gandhi and regarded as the symbol of the Provisional Government of Free India. The handwoven cloth spun by the wheel is called Khadi, which is usually made of cotton or other natural fiber cloth originating from India and Bangladesh. Also, the yarn used is dyed naturally, so it is much more sustainable than synthetic dyes.

 

craft central  craft central

house of tamarind  house of tamarind

Bottom: House of tamarind

 

At the event, there were some items that are woven with natural fibres in the Japanese Saori weaving style, which I found quite fascinating. Established by Misao Jo (1913-2018) at the age of 57, Saori is free style hand weaving with no rules or restrictions. There is a sense of freedom and liberation, and it enables the weaver to express his/her creativity through the weaving.

Although I couldn’t sign up for the workshop on the day of the festival, I did sign up for a workshop with textiles artist Erna Janine from Freeweaver Saori studio a few weeks after the event ended. Erna helped us to set up the loom and asked us to pick from a wide range of coloured threads from her studio.

 

freeweaver saori  freeweaver saori

freeweaver saori

 

For next few hours, we were just weaving away and being as creative as possible. Since there were no rules, I decided to go a bit ‘wild’ and make a more 3-D piece with the wool I found. I absolutely loved the experience, and I wished that the workshop was longer. I used to think that weaving is a boring and repetitive task, but this workshop completely changed my mind, and I am hoping to learn more about this craft in the future.

 

craft central

freeweaver saori

freeweaver saori  freeweaver saori

 

The Arvind Indigo Museum in Ahmedabad, India

arvind indigo museum

arvind indigo museum

 

If you visit Gujarat, you are likely to pass through/visit Ahmedabad the largest city and former capital of Gujarat. The Old city of Ahmedabad was the first in India to be declared as UNESCO World Heritage City in 2017. The historic city is also known for its textiles industry and it is home to one of the best textiles museums in the world: The Calico Museum of Textiles. Founded in 1949 by the industrialist Gautam Sarabhai and his sister Gira Sarabhai, the museum has a stunning array of Indian textiles dating back to the Mughal period, as well as collections of sacred bronzes, Jaina manuscripts, sculptures, and Indian miniature paintings etc. Visits to the museum must be booked well in advanced as there is only one guided tour per day (except Wed), and no photography is allowed. The 2.5 hour long tour is guided by a knowledgable but rather stern lady, and I found it hard to listen to her and take in all the history and information. Despite the fascinating collection, it was hard to enjoy the tour when being rushed around and forbidden to linger.

 

Arvind indigo museum  Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum

 

Luckily, there is a new museum in the city that is less formal and more relaxing, and it is dedicated to indigo. The new Arvind Indigo Museum is located at the former Kasturbhai Lalbhai Museum, hence it is a bit confusing if you are trying to look for its website. When we visited, the museum had just opened (partially), hence there were no other tourists and no prior booking was needed. Set among tall trees and lush gardens, the Kasturbhai Lalbhai Museum complex consists of two buildings restored by renowned architect Rahul Mehrotra. The colonial structure was built in 1905, but it was closed during our visit. The new indigo collection is called “Alchemy” and it is displayed in the adjacent building, the Claude Batley house built in the 1930s, which showcases indigo-dyed textiles, art and objects created by renowned contemporary artists from Indian and around the world.

 

Arvind indigo museum aboubakar fofana

Amit Ambalal's "Birds Of A Feather Flock Together"  Amit Ambalal's "Birds Of A Feather Flock Together"

Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum  Arvind indigo museum

First and last rows: Aboubakar Fofana; Second row: Amit Ambalal’s “Birds Of A Feather Flock Together”

 

Natural and indigo dyeing has made a huge comeback in recent years due to the issue of sustainability in the fashion and textiles industry. Therefore the opening of this museum is a timely one. Indigo is an indigenuous dye and it comes from a native plant called Indigofera tinctoria, grown mostly in Tamil Nadu nowadays.

The chairman and managing director of the 88-year-old textile and denim company Arvind Ltd, Sanjay Lalbhai wanted to pay homage to this magical dye that is closely related to his company and Indian’s heritage, so a 20,000 sqft museum dedicated to the artistic manifestations of indigo was born.

 

Arvind indigo museum  Arvind indigo museum

Artisan Kirit Chitara’s rendition of ‘Mata ni Pachedi’.

Arvind indigo museum hansika sharma

Arvind indigo museum  Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum Bhagyashree Suthar

Arvind indigo museum  Arvind indigo museum

manish nai 95 Natural Indigo Sticks installations

2nd row: Kirit Chitara’s rendition of ‘Mata ni Pachedi’; 3rd row: Hansikar Sharma; 5th row: Bhagyashree Suthar; 6th right and last row: Manish Nai indigo-dyed aluminium and 95 Natural Indigo Sticks installations

 

The exhibition is ambitious and fascinating because it goes way beyond textiles… there are sculptures, paintings, paper art, and even furniture. You can expect the unexpected here, and I think the curation is top-notch. Whilst the exhibition features many local artists, there are also works by artists from other parts of the world like Malian arist/designer, Aboubakar Fofana, whose beautiful indigo-dyed textile works can be seen hanging at the entrance area and in the courtyard of the new building.

 

Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum shola carletti

based upon's indigo fragmented crack

Arvind indigo museum Manisha Parekh

Arvind indigo museum Manisha Parekh Annie Morris  Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum Nibha Sikander

Arvind indigo museum Nibha Sikander

Nibha Sikander  Arvind indigo museum Sachin Tekade

Arvind indigo museum Sachin Tekade

3rd row: Shola Carletti‘s “essence”; 4th row: British duo Based Upon‘s “indigo Fragmented Crack”; 6th: Manisha Parekh’s paintings and British artist Annie Morris‘s sculpture made with indigo-dyed concrete, plaster, sand and steel; 7th, 8th and bottom left: Nibha Sikander; 8th right and bottom right: Sachin Tekade

 

The exhibition shows how diverse the indigo dye can be, and it is not just restricted to textiles. After the intense guided tour at the Calico Museum, it was pleasant to spend the afternoon here in a more relaxing setting surrounded by beautiful artworks. The museum is due to fully open in 2020, and I look forward to returning here again in the future to see more indigo art works.

 

Arvind indigo museum Alwar Balasubramanium

Arvind indigo museum Alwar Balasubramanium

Arvind indigo museum Tanya Goel

Arvind indigo museum

  Arvind indigo museum ‘Container’ by Kavin MehtaArvind indigo museum Shihoko Fukumoto

Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum Aboubakar Fofana’s denim installation

1st & 2nd rows: Alwar Balasubramaniam’s indigo landscapes; 3rd row: Tanya Goel; 5th left: Kavin Mehta’s ‘Container’; 5th right: Shihoko Fukumoto’s ‘Time Space’, made with indigo-dyed linen; 7th & 8th rows: Vipul Mahadevia’s “Kimono, the fabric of life”. Bottom row: Aboubakar Fofana’s Indian denim installation

 

 

Kutch art: Kalamkari & Warli painting

Kalamkari

 

Besides embroidery and Ajrakh, there is a lesser known ancient art form called Kalamkari, which literally means ‘pen-worked’. The 23-step process is either hand-painted or block-printed onto a piece of cloth, and only natural dyes are used. The name Kalamkari is derived from the Persian words qalam (pen) and kari (craftmanship), meaning drawing with a pen.

The two types of Kalamkari are Srikalahasti and Machilipatnam. With Machilipatnam style, Kalamkari designs are printed by hand using hand carved blocks with intricate details. On the other hand, the Srikalahasti style involves hand-painting and often depicting scenes inspired from Hindu mythology. Kalamakari was born out of story-telling, and the motifs include flowers, peacock, paisleys as well as divine characters from Ramayana and Mahabharata.

We visited the home of a Kalamkari artist who lives with his family in a small Kutch village. He specialises in Srikalahasti Kalamkari, and his hand-painted works are extremely intricate and precise.

 

indian village life  Kalamkari

Indian ink painting

Indian ink painting

Indian ink painting

 

Usually, cotton fabric is used for Kalamkari; though silk fabric can also be used. The long process involves treating the fabric first with a solution of cow dung and bleach, and to avoid smudging, it is then dipped in a mixture of buffalo milk and mylobalans. Kalamkari fabric is then washed twenty times and sun-dried. After this, the fabric is ready for printing or painting. Kalamkari designs are usually drawn/outlined by hand using a bamboo pen and black ink, then filled in with natural dyes extracted from flowers and vegetables. Often these paintings depict religious myths and epics stories, so they would feature borders around them.

 

Kalamkari

img_0397

Indian ink painting

 

Interestly, the artist’s wife also paints, but she specialises in another ancient art form called Warli painting. This is a tribal art originated from the North Sahyadri Range in Maharashtra, India. This form of folk art uses geometric shapes such as circles, triangles and squares to form numerous shapes depicting life and beliefs of the Warli tribe. In the old days, Warli art was done on walls on special occasions. The painting would be done over a brown background using a mixture of mud and cow dung cakes. The white pigment is made from a mixture of rice, water and gum.

Since the Warli culture is centered around the concept of Mother Nature, so elements of nature are often focal points depicted in Warli painting. One of the most popular themes in Warli art is a spiral chain of humans around one central motif. This is in accordance with their belief that life is an eternal journey, and it has no beginning and end.

This was the first time that I encountered Warli painting, and it was love at first sight. I love the primitive style and simplicity. It also involves story-telling, but in a more back-to-basic style. After a bit of negotiation, I bought the painting for about USD70, which I thought was a bargain and I know I would not find it elsewhere. Everyone from my group congratulated me on this good buy and I left their home feeling happy. At the back of mind, I was also glad that I supported a local female artist, and I hope that she would continue creating these wonderful paintings in the future.

 

warli art

karli art

img_0400

 

Kutch textiles: Tangalia & Patola weaving

 Surendranagar village

Surendranagar

 

After days of visiting numerous textiles artisans from different tribal communities in Kutch, I was feeling quite overwhelmed. I am no expert on Indian textiles, and after arriving in Kutch, I was surprised by the variety of textiles traditions being practised in just one region. From embroidery to weaving, blockprinting and natural dyeing… every tribal community specialises in one particular (or more) tradition that has been passed down the generations. Many small villages are somehow well-known for an ancient craft or textiles-related tradition, which is quite incredible in this day and age. When you visit these villages, you almost feel like you are entering a time warp… and you can imagine how life used to be hundreds of years ago. The people we encountered in these villages are not rich, but they seem happier (and friendlier) than the inhabitants in big cities; life in these villages is slow and relaxed.

 

 Surendranagar

 Surendranagar

 Surendranagar

 Surendranagar

 Surendranagar

 Surendranagar

 Surendranagar

 Surendranagar

 

In Kutch’s Surendranagar district, there is a rare 700-year-old indigenous craft native to the region. Tangalia (Tangaliya/Tangalio) is a weave technique practised by the Dangasia community. Surendranagar district has one of the largest handloom clusters in Gujarat, and tangalia can be seen in Bajana, Wadhwan, Sayla, and other villages in this region.

The Tangalia weavers are adept at adding extra knots on the weft which create motifs and figures in a dotted pattern on the woven fabric. Besides dots, other geometric patterns like circles, straight lines, hyperbolic or parabolic designs etc are often seen on these woven textiles. Using this technique, artisans weave shawls, stoles and wraparound skirts worn by women of the Bharwad shepherd community. The single Ikat done at various places in this district, including Somasar and Sayla, creates a less expensive version of the ultra-rich double Ikat Patolas of Patan. Traditionally, black sheep and camel wool is used as the raw material, though cotton and other materials were later introduced for the contemporary market.

 

Tangalia weaving

Tangalia weaving

Tangalia weaving  Tangalia weaving

Tangalia weaving

Tangalia weaving  Tangalia weaving

Tangalia weaving

Dahyabhai Motibhai Parmar’s studio

 

In Bajana, we visited the studio of a Tangalia weaver, Dahyabhai Motibhai Parmar, who has been practising this craft for over 30 years. We learned that Dahyabhai’s family has been weaving tangalia textiles for Bharvad Shepherds for the last 2-3 centuries. However, Dahyabhai did not have any finished woven Tangalia shawl to show us at his studio, so we wandered around the village, and soon found a home/shop that selling Tangalia shawls in various colours and designs. The prices of these shawls are extremely reasonable, and I doubt you could find handmade woven pieces at these prices outside of these villahes.

 

Tangalia weaving

weaving

weaving

Woven Tangalia shawls

 

In the nearby Patan, the medieval capital of Gujarat, it is famous not only for Rani ki vav (an UNESCO World Heritage Site), but also for its Patola weaving technique. Patola is an ancient double Ikat weave (meaning there is no reverse side to it, and can be worn from both sides) that involves intricate and complex process of tie-dyeing on the warp and weft before weaving. Patola saris (made of silk) used to be worn only by royalty and aristocracy, so they were (are) seen as luxury items. The weaving technique is a closely guarded family tradition, and there are only three families left in Patan that can weave these beautiful and expensive double ikat saris, which can take six months to one year to make.

About 900 years ago in 1143 A.D., around 700 craftsmen from the Salvi community in Karnataka and Maharashtra were brought by king Kumarpal of the Solanki dynasty (who then ruled Gujarat, parts of Rajasthan and Malwa) to his court in Patan. These craftsmen lived in Jalna, situated in southern Maharashtra, and were considered to be the finest craftsmen of Patola.

 

patola museum

patola weave  patola weave 

patola weave

patola weave

 

In 2014, the Patan Patola Museum, a private museum run by Patan’s Salvi family opened its doors to the public. The three-storey museum documents the history of the Patan Patola, which combines techniques of tyeing, dyeing and weaving. Here, you can watch demonstrations by master weavers, and see rare ikat collection from India, Japan, Guatemala, Bali and Kalimantan. And if you want to splash out, you can also find a small shop on the top floor selling patola saris.

 

 

The scene behind India’s cotton production

India is the world’s largest producer of cotton (it surpassed China recently), while Gujarat is the largest cotton producing state in India with a production of 125 Lakh Bales. Cotton is considered not only the most important fibre crop in India but the entire world.

Cotton is the most popular cellulose fibre in the textiles and fashion industry, yet it uses more than half the chemical pesticides used in the entire agricultural production in India. In fact, cotton production is very unsustainable and poses serious challenges to the environment through the excessive use of inputs like water, fertilizers and pesticides.
Although most of us consider cotton as a preferable fibre to other synthetic fibres, few of us actually know much about the process of cotton production. Our visit to a cotton production factory in Kutch was an eye-opening experience, and it made me think hard about my consumption habit and how it has to change in the future.

 

cottoncotton

cotton

cotton

 

The cotton plant is a shrub native to tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Americas, Africa, Egypt and India. The essential requirement for growing cotton crop is high temperature varying between 21°C and 30°C.

Cotton is a kharif crop which requires 6 to 8 months to mature. Traditionally, cotton production takes about 10,000 litres of water to produce one kilogramme of cotton fabric. And since India’s cotton is grown in drier regions, government subsidises the costs of farmers’ electric pumps, placing no limits on the volumes of groundwater extracted at little or no cost. This has created a widespread pattern of unsustainable water use and strained electrical grids.

So what happens after the cotton has been picked? Raw cotton is then brought to the ginning mills or factories to be cleaned and processed, and we visited one of them in Kutch. From afar, the raw cotton looked like mountains of snow – I have never seen so much cotton before, and it looked incredibly fluffy!

cotton factory

cotton factory

cotton factory  cotton factory

cotton factory

 

However, when we entered the factory, it was another story… the dark and polluted environment was shocking. We could barely breathe properly inside, and I had to take out and wear my ’emergency’ face mask immeditately. The factory was filled with cotton dust – a mixture of many substances including ground up plant matter, fibre, bacteria, fungi, soil, pesticides, non cotton plant matter and other contaminants. Yet in this appalling condition, none of the young workers there were wearing face masks, which made us question our guide about the ethics of the factory.

 

cotton factory

cotton factory

 

The guide told us that the factory boss does provide face masks for the workers, though they refuse to wear them. He claimed that even social workers have tried to persuade them but failed. I found it a bit hard to understand, and said that the government needs to impose stricter safety regulations and fines in order to protect the workers’ health and safety. Even though we didn’t spend a long time inside the factory, we were already finding the air inhalable and very toxic; it was inconceivable to think that the workers have to work in this hazardous environment all day long. I am sure that the young workers here would develop respiratory-related illnesses from this. Yet this factory is only one of many in the region/ country; the overall situation is probably more horrific and depressing.

 

As we left the factory, I felt quite upset and helpless. The tour has made me reconsider my consumption habit and it reminded me of the importance of supporting eco-conscious fashion and textiles. Although I can’t help the situations of the workers, I hope that I can spread the message and let consumers understand the truth about the cheap cotton t-shirts and other garments that are costing lives of so many around the world.

Nirona village: Rogan art, copper bell & lacquer craft

Nirona

 

Kutch is a fascinating place; besides textiles, there are various other arts and crafts being practised in the region. Located around 35 km north of Bhuj, Nirona village is a small village famous for Rogan art, a rare traditional art form originated from Persia/Sindh, which almost disappeared until efforts to revive it in recent years. For over three centuries, one Khatri (Muslim) family called Abdul Gafur in Nirona has kept this traditional art form from vanishing completely.

There are only about 5000 people living in this quiet village, and there is nothing particularly appealing as you walk through the village, though I do like the bright colours and geometric patterns on the facades of the buildings.

 

Nirona

Nirona

Nirona

Nirona  Nirona

Nirona

Nirona

Nirona

Nirona

Nirona

Nirona

Nirona

Nirona

Nirona

Nirona

 

It is hard to believe that only one family in this world has managed to keep the Rogan art alive. The reason for this is because traditionally the art form was passed on only to the male members of the Khatri family. (Many ancient art and craft forms around the world have died out because of family secrecies, which is a big shame.) Today, Khatri Abdul Gafoor Daud and Khatri Sumar Daud along with five other artists, including a woman are the practitioners at their studio in the village. Abdul Gafoor Daud has also been teaching the art to local women in collaboration with a non-profit organisation as a way of reviving the art.

The family has been presented with the Padma Shri Award (2019), an International Designer award, 5 National award, 8 State award and 3 National Merit certificates over the last four decades. In 2014, Rogan art became internationally known when it was presented to Barack Obama (the then President of the United States of America) by Narendra Modi during his visit to the US.

Traditionally, the Rogan art was painted on bridal clothing of the regional tribes, and on ghagras, odhanis and bed spreads. Nowadays, though, more people used them as wall pieces and ‘Rogan kaam’ has gained immense popularity.

 

Nirona  rogan art

rogan art

 

The word rogan means oil or oil-based in Persian. Paint made from thick brightly coloured castor seed oil is used to paint on fabric. Castor is a crop commonly grown in the Kutch region of Gujarat and the artists source it from the local farmers.

To prepare the paint, castor oil is heated in a vessel and continuously stirred for more than 12 hours till it catches fire. The paint-maker has to take extreme care to ensure it doesn’t get burnt. The residue is then mixed with cold water until it thickens into a sticky elastic paste called rogan. This paste is then mixed with stone pigments to lend it different hues. Next, the artisan uses a six-inch metal stick to paint with a fine thread of rogan on cloth.

During our short visit, a young artisan demonstrated his skills and it was jawdropping to watch him apply paint onto the fabric with such precision and focus. If he makes one mistake, he would have to start all over again because there is nowhere to hide the mistakes. It is no wonder this art form is being so highly regarded in India and globally.

 

rogan art  rogan art

rogan art

rogan art  rogan art

 

After the visit, we went to the studio of a copper bell maker, Mr Husen Luhar, who has been making bell-making since the age of 12. The Lohar community is originally from Sindh, and Mr Luhar‘s family has been making copper bells for at least 7 generations. I have never seen a bell being made before, and I was captivated by Mr Luhar‘s skills and speed. Within 15 minutes of cutting and hammering continuously, he somehow turned a piece of copper into a bell that produces a crisp sound – it was like magic! Besides bells, he also makes wind Chimes, Xylophone and Jhumar etc. I have never given much thought on the different sounds produce by bells or other metal materials, but the visit to Mr Luhar‘s studio has opened my eyes and made me appreciate the craft of bell-making.

 

Mr Husen Luhar

Mr Husen Luhar  copper bell art

copper bell art

copper bell art

copper bell art

copper bell art

 

Our final stop in the village was to meet the artisans of lacquer art practiced a semi-nomadic tribe called Vadha. Traditionally, artists used to obtain the lac resin from insects found in the forests. Nowadays, lac is readily available in the market.

The resin is mixed with different colours and applied onto carved wooden objects such as wooden spoons, bread rolling pins, containers, toys and utensils etc. The tools to make these objects are very basic: a manual lathe, a hammer and chisels, but it is the bright zigzag patterns that distinguish them from other lacquerware.

It is incredible that such a small village can produce such an interesting variety of arts and crafts. I think all visitors who come to Kutch have to explore beyond the cities to appreciate all the hidden treasures in this region.

 

lacquar  lacquer

nirona village

lacquer  lacquer

 

 

Shaam E Sarhad village resort & Hodka village visit

Shaam E Sarhad village resort

Shaam E Sarhad village resort

Shaam E Sarhad village resort

 

Unexpectedly, on the edge of the desert region lies a wonderful eco-friendly and rustic village resort owned and run by the Village Tourism Committee of Hodka village. The village is believed to have been set up by the ‘Halepotra’ clan from Sindh (now Pakistan) who were cattle herders and eventually settled in the grasslands of Banni. The name ‘Shaam E Sarhadmeans ‘sunset on the border’. There are a number of Bhungas, tents, and family cottages that are crafted with indigenous resources based on traditional architecture and design.

Bhungas are circular mud huts made of water and cow dung. The huts have sloping roofs that are typical of the Banni region. They are made of grass thatch which is an indigenous invention that tackles the extreme climate. The Bhungas keep cool during the hot Kutch summers and warm in the cold desert winters.

 

Shaam E Sarhad village resort

Shaam E Sarhad village resort

 

We did not stay at this resort, but we came here for lunch during our day excursion in the area. I fell in love with this resort as soon I stepped in. I particularly love all the colourful textiles covering the ceiling of the communal/dining area. Bold indigenous patterns can be seen on walls and mirror work is also incorporated in the design. I would love to stay here next time if I get to return to the region again.

 

Shaam E Sarhad village resort

Shaam E Sarhad village resort

Shaam E Sarhad village resort

Shaam E Sarhad village resort

Shaam E Sarhad village resort

Shaam E Sarhad village resort

Shaam E Sarhad village resort

 

We enjoyed a leisurely vegetarian lunch before heading off to the nearby village for a visit. We were told that the village is not a ‘tourist’ village where all the tourists flock to, but rather an authentic and hospitable one where it receives few foreign visitors.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by some villagers and were then led into the village. The village has a number of round and rectangular bhungas, while sheep, cattle, goats and horses can be seen around the village.

 

hodka village

hodka village

hodka village

hodka village

hodka village

hodka village

 

Since it was the first time for me to visit a tribal village in India, I had no idea what to expect. I have had negative experiences before in other countries where locals kept asking for money when we visited local villages, so I became slightly weary when I arrived. Yet the hospitality and warmth we received from the villagers truly blew me away. No one asked for money, and the villagers seemed genuinely happy to see us. All of them, including the children, looked content and at ease.

They were also eager to show-off their traditional embroidery work which features small mirrors. These mirrors are adorned on women’s costumes and sarees so that they can be spotted in the desert when they reflect in the sun. I was fascinated by their colourful outfits, which are conspicuous against the dry landscape and bhungas.

 

hodka village

hodka village

hodka village

hodka village  hodka village

hodka village

hodka village

hodka village  hodka village

 

Most of the men in the village were out herding, so only women and children were left in the village during our visit. I have travelled extensively over the years, but I have never encountered a nationality that loves being photographed as much as the Indians – honestly, they genuinely love to be photographed and would even pose for you without you telling them to do so. This is ideal for me because I love taking photographs of people. In this village, the children were excited to be photographed and rejoiced when they saw the results.

I asked the locals for permission to look inside the huts, and they did not hesitate to let me in. Aside from vibrant textiles, there are also many colourful wardrobes and cases decorated with motifs, birds and flowers. I felt like I was intruding as when I saw the elderly napping inside the huts, but they didn’t seem to mind me poking my head into their bhungas.

 

hodka village

hodka village

hodka village  hodka village

hodka village

hodka village  hodka village

hodka village

hodka village

 

As we were were leaving the village, many of the villagers came to wave us goodbye. The village experience was extremely memorable and heartwarming, and it reminded me how preconception can be quite misleading sometimes. Although daily life in the village is simple and frugal, I felt that the villagers are happier and more generous than many city dwellers in wealthier countries. I am sure we can learn more from them about the wisdom of true happiness than from self-help books bought from Amazon.