Raksha Bandhan: These rakhis aim to empower farmers growing indigenous cotton

The Gram Art Project and Nagpur Beejotsav group is using the festival of Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi Poornima as a means to encourage farmers growing indigenous cotton. They are getting rakhis made from cotton threads dyed in natural colours, all to promote the local species among city-based consumers.

When the young artists realised that most of the farmers committing suicide were cotton cultivators, they decided to understand the causes. After a survey at a seed festival held at various parts of Vidharbha, they observed that most of the farmers used genetically modified crops. A very small number of farmers used the locally available cotton species, but they failed to create a market for their product.

This fall in use of local cotton also led to reduced demand of local artisans. Traditional weavers are being replaced by high technology machinery.

"Once we studied the problems, we decided to find ways to market the local crop to increase its demands. The GM crops are expensive and damaging to the environment. By increasing demand for locally produced cotton, we will also encourage other farmers to cultivate the same. The rakhi initiative is a part of this larger picture," said Shweta Bhattad (30), member of Gram Art which has its centre in Nagpur.

The rakhis are completely made from cotton yarn spun and woven by artists in Wardha. "Cotton indigenous to East Asian region is used for making this yarn. It is organically grown by farmers in Vidarbha. The yarn used in Rakhis has been dyed using natural colours. The cotton has been hand-spun by women of Vidarbha using charkhas and transformed into yarn," she added.

"With the help of Wardha-based Tanmay Joshi, we are trying to connect the farmers with consumers directly. This will create an alternative system to promote the cotton," informed Lalit Vikamshi (38), Gram Art member.

After their transformation, the cotton yarn was sent to Paradsinga. A student member, Nutan Dwivedi of Gram Art trained 50 women from four hamlets in this district to make aesthetically simple yet beautiful rakhis.

"Some of these women belong to families where farming is the major occupation. They got employment opportunities via the project. Also, an indigenous seed grown by farmers in Vidarbha, year after year, generation after generation, has been placed on these rakhis. The users can sow the seeds at their homes or in gardens," he added 

In a span of four days, 2000 rakhis have already been dispatched from Nagpur and 500 were sent in Mumbai alone. To order your rakhis and encourage the farmers to grow indigenous cotton, you can send a mail to gramartproject@gmail.com