Parched land, thriving crafts

Kutchi handicrafts seem to be found everywhere with their vibrant colours and bold motifs. Whether it is on the catwalk or melas, there appears to be no other region of our country, perhaps with the exception of neighbouring Rajasthan, that finds greater representation than Kutch, be it through its richly colourful fabrics, beautifully dyed Bandhni, printed Ajrakh, exquisitely intricate embroidery, wooden laquer toys or ethnic silver jewelry or decorative metalware.

Ami Shroff, director, Living and Learning Design Centre, an offshoot of Shrujan Trust, dedicated to nurturing embroidery in the far flung northwest district of Gujarat, attributes this popularity to "our skills finally going mainstream…. and we have 22 of them".

What is amazing is that each of these crafts are distinct in style, form and medium. Entire villages and communities work at particular decorative objects and this heritage is proudly passed on to the next generation.

Handmade in India, edited by Aditi and MP Ranjan, the veritable bible for referencing our ethnic skills, lists the crafts of Kutch as clay relief work, painted terracotta, Rogan painting, Bandhni, applique, Namda (felt making), embroidery, leatherware, wood and lac turning, wood carving, Ajrakh printing, silver smithy and bell metal work.

Within each is a plethora of diversity. For instance, there are 14 traditional embroideries, with their own set of easily distinguishable stitches, motifs and colours. The Muslim community called Mutva uses geometric designs, the Harijan community of Kambira works with quilt type stitches while the Ahirs excel in Mochi bhart.

Pankaj Shah, cofounder of NGO Qasab, that works with artisans, explains the revival of Kutch as a concerted effort of the state government, NGOs and the active involvement of the community in the aftermath of the 2001 Bhuj earthquake to rebuild the area and the government's initiative to make it a tourist destination. The Rann Utsav was started around that time. It's a festival that has become very popular and is growing bigger each year, attracting people from all over the world. It lasts the entire winter season with visitors arriving to "experience" the region — stay amid sand dunes, interact with the village folk, buy local produce and sample their traditional fare.

Amitabh Bachchan, the brand ambassador for Gujarat has also done much to popularise the tourist trade through his advertising campaigns and many remember his famous one liners like "Kachch nahi dekha to kuchch bhi nahi dekha !"

Shroff emphasises the serious work done by NGOs and the dedication of the hard-working Kutchi communities. "They are conscious of the uniqueness of their culture and the need to preserve it. Technology is used to reduce the drudgery of certain tasks but has not replaced their hand work. What is heartening is that many young people in their 20s are becoming craftsmen and making a good living." In fact, in January 2017, the Jankidevi Bajaj Puraskar for Women Rural Entrepreneurs was awarded to Pabiben, from the Rabari community for her initiative to empower women artisans and creation of the distinctive neo-embroidery style with Pabibag that has been exported worldwide.

"I remember asking Chandaben Shroff, founder of Shrujan and one of the early movers in Kutch in the late 1960s, (and Ami Shroff's mother) more than 20 years ago, as to what motivated her to work only with embroidery among the women there," says Pabiben. "I still remain inspired by her response — 'If Gandhiji taught the poor the means of livelihood through the charkha, perhaps we can help them earn a living through a one-inch needle'."