Sujani craft (Deccan Herald, 31 May 2015)

Source: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/480647/at-needlepoint.html

At the needlepoint

Juanita Kakoty, May 31, 2015, DHNS

Rural crafts

I was struck by pieces of cloth depicting Madhubani art in stitches at the Design Haat organised by the Apeejay Institute of Design in New Delhi. Meera Jha, a 55-year-old artist, sat in the midst of a group of foreign students seeking to learn the craft from her. Black, broad-rimmed glasses rested on the bridge of her nose, as she applied a running stitch to what was sketched out on a cloth. She told me that this is the sujani stitch from the Madhubani region of Bihar.

Sujani has an interesting story. Meera told me, “I’ve been practising this craft since I was 10 years old. I am from Madhubani in Bihar, and I learnt sujani from my mother. In those days, girls were not sent to school. We stayed home and learnt to cook and stitch from our mothers and aunts. They said this is what would come of use when we got married, when people would say how nice this girl is, how much work she knows! We were made to study a little though in the confines of our homes. Sujani, traditionally, has been used to prepare blankets or quilts, as people in villages were not rich enough to afford mattresses or beds. Earlier, the threads used for stitching were pulled out from the borders of old saris and dhotis.”

I pointed towards a huge rectangular piece of cloth hanging behind her and asked if that was a quilt. Meera said, “This is simply for wall decor. Here, I have used sujani stitches to tell tales from the Ramayana. And a few of my sujani works are on display at museums in India and Japan.” I looked at the piece intently and saw the depictions of Ravana arriving at Sita’s cottage; Sita coming out to offer bhiksha; Ravana carrying Sita off; Ravana and Jatayu fighting in the air; Hanuman with his tail aflame… all these in one fascinating canvas. She informed, “People interested in sujani are now more keen on buying works that depict some story.” Because of this, sujani holds great aesthetic value as customers buy it for display.

Meera has been teaching sujani to Indian and foreign students at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts in New Delhi, as well as in Anandgram, New Delhi. And she reveals with great pride that she has displayed her sujani works at Pragati Maidan at least 10 to 15 times so far. Her husband Umesh also practises the art form with her. He started much later in life to augment his wife’s gaining popularity. This is interesting because, traditionally, men in Madhubani never practised stitching.

“We have been hosting this Design Haat as an annual event since last year,” informed graphic designer Ashit Sarkar, who has been working with the Apeejay Institute of Design for the past 15 years. “The idea is to create awareness about the design throughout India and abroad, and to promote Indian art. A lot of Indian art like patachitra, sujani, etc. is dying. To survive they have to come out in contemporary forms. The Apeejay Institute facilitates interactions and exchange of design ideas between Indian and foreign craftsmen. Such collaborations encourage innovative and novel creations using traditional crafts. So, sujani, for instance, compared to 50 years ago, has more simplified designs now. Plus the stories are also not just from the epics anymore; contemporary stories are being portrayed.”

Stitches from Kutch (26 April 2015, Deccan Herald)

source: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/473821/stitches-kutch.html

Stitches from Kutch

Juanita Kakoty, April 26, 2015,

Folk craft

In a corner of the courtyard at the recently concluded Design Haat by the Apeejay Institute of Design in New Delhi, 40-year-old Keshav Bhai sat in his stall displaying all sorts of embroidery from Kutch — patka, chaupar, khatri. Intricate embroidery with glasswork, made with threads of vibrant colours, enchanted visitors at the stall. Gorgeous bags, quilts in patchwork and apparel were on display. 

“Weaving has been a family tradition,” Keshav said as he laid out beautiful kanjaris before me. Kanjaris are long backless blouses which are heavily embroidered, traditionally worn by the women of Gujarat’s Kutch region. “These are only worn by married women,” he thus spoke of the kanjaris. 

“And they stitch it themselves for their wedding and to wear thereafter. By the time a girl is eight or 10 years old age, she learns to stitch; and when she is about 20, she would have stitched some eight to 10 of these kanjaris for herself.” For contemporary fashion, he said, kanjaris could be used in kurtas as embellishment.

Sitting next to him, 35-year-old Umra, wearing a stunning kanjari, was teaching a team of Chinese students a few stitches. These students were working out some Chinese designs with these stitches. “This is in tandem with the spirit of the Apeejay event, the Design Haat that is being organised,” said graphic designer Ashit Sarkar, who has been working with the Apeejay Institute of Design for the past 15 years. “The intention is to facilitate the exchange of ideas whereby the traditional crafts could be taken on to the level of contemporary expressions, which would attune them to modern markets.”

“I learnt these stitches from my mother and aunts when I was a little girl,” Umra said. Referring to the kanjari she was wearing, the talented artiste revealed that she had stitched it as a young girl, before she got married. “We get a lot of demand for our embroidered bags and quilts, which we make through appliqué and patchwork,” Keshav explained. “Appliqué and patchwork have been traditionally used by women in Gujarat to create bags, quilts, dresses, etc. from worn and torn pieces of cloth.” These techniques have been especially used in the region for making quilts for domestic use, he emphasised.  

Laying out a quilt in front of me where little patches of geometric-shaped fabrics were sewn together, Keshav said, “This is patchwork. Traditionally, this technique was used by women to create quilts with used pieces of fabric.” Appliqué, on the other hand, he said, is the art of decorating a piece of textile by applying fabric on fabric with the edges sewn down. “We cut the fabric in some form or shape and then stitch it on the surface of the textile. Appliqué is one of the oldest crafts of Gujarat; the women have used it to create quilts, wall hangings, and dresses by using different patches of fabric and piecing them together.”

Parvathy Baul (Deccan Herald, 19 April 2015)

source: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/472424/singing-her-way-divine.html

Singing her way to the divine

Juanita Kakoty, April 19, 2015, DHNS

Baul music

Parvathy Baul needs no introduction. She has mesmerised audiences in India and abroad for 22 years now. And I understood the why and how of it when I saw her on stage for the first time at a recent event in Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi. Draped in a saffron cotton saree, jata hair falling like a cascade down to her ankles, an iktara in one hand and a duggi slung over the shoulder hanging by one side of the waist, Parvathy cast a spell over the audience every time she sang in that powerful voice of hers.

It wasn’t just the voice or her singing, but the strumming of the iktara and the playing of the duggi along with it, accompanied by graceful dance movements, that had a transcendental quality to her performance. Sitting in the audience, I realised, although she sang in Bengali, I could experience the transcendence she was going through as well as the transcendence she was affecting upon me. The manner in which the audience applauded her after every performance was evidence enough that the others felt the magic too.

Baul is listed as one of the ‘Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity’ by UNESCO since 2005. Parvathy told me, a few hours before she went on stage, “It is a tradition which is thousands of years old. And it is a guru-shishya parampara where one needs to be initiated into the Baul tradition. The singing and dancing here is typically used for meditation: You start feeling lightness, you give up your ego and all that you carry in your mind, and finally you transcend, you experience freedom. That is Baul. And once you experience freedom and cross all your blocks in the mind and knots of the mind, you experience pure joy and love! To experience this is Baul.”

Parvathy doesn’t come from a Baul family. “I have learnt Baul singing and dancing from my guruji Sanathan Das Baul from Bakura and Shashanta Goshain from Murshidabad.” As a child, she had been trained in classical music and classical dance though. “But,” she admitted, “What I was looking for was freedom of the spiritual kind. I was looking for an art form with a strong spiritual side; which would not only be a performance, but also a path that would make me live in a certain way and make me experience what I perform throughout the way... Like you need to keep a connection which is divine! With Baul, I think, it is complete because it involves singing, dancing, meditation, as well as playing one’s instrument: You become a complete receiver, absolutely open and transparent.” Then she added candidly with a smile, “Now I can articulate all these things. But when I chose Baul, I could not articulate it. I just loved it.”

“The Baul songs used to be oral, maybe up till the 1990s,” she informed. “After the 1990s, we have lots of books. Many people have published the Baul songs.” Bauls of yore used to go from place to place in search of music, collecting songs. But there is an available repertoire today. “And this repertoire is strong. But, one has to remember that Baul is about continuity. It is not about looking for an end by just gathering information. It has to come from within. If one is with the flow, then naturally one will write a poem and compose music for it. That’s the uniqueness of this tradition. It never settles. You have a repertoire which you collect from your guru. And then you have to go beyond this repertoire. You have to become independent and find your style, your song.”

Today, Parvathy is one of the foremost Baul singers of the country. “I feel happy that my work has been appreciated, but I feel I am still a student and I have a long way to go.” She is just 38 years old but when she speaks it seems like she carries the wisdom of a soul which is civilisations old. “What I am doing is a service to mankind. I am sharing the experience of love that I have inside. If I can make somebody happy or if someone draws strength from my Baul, then my work is worthwhile. And I feel this is a service to my gurus as well. I feel a need to carry on this parampara without compromises, without diluting it in any way and practicing it in its absolutely pure form.” 

For all those who have watched Parvathy on stage and have interacted with her, it is not difficult to see how she lives what she practices. Incredibly warm, with the glow of compassion and kindness in her eyes, she connects with people and her songs with a smile that reflects how free she is. It is not only her Baul that stays with you; she does too.

Bone jewellery (Deccan Herald, 2 April 2015)

Source: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/471105/unusual-accessories.html

Unusual accessories

Juanita Kakoty, April 12, 2015, DHNS

Camel bone jewellery

Bone jewellery is an imitation of ivory jewellery, and has been an exquisite craft from the walled city of old Delhi. I recently came across master craftsman Kahkashan from Old Delhi, a 42-year-old woman who represents the fourth generation of a family which has traditionally dealt in jewellery making. 

“Traditionally, we used to first carve jewellery out of ivory,” Kahkashan revealed. “But since the ban on ivory some 30 years ago, we now work on sandalwood, buffalo bone and camel bone. We source our camel bones from Rajasthan.” Speaking of the difference between ivory and camel bone  jewellery, the former has an off-white tinge, she said.

Ivory assumes an important cultural symbol in many societies across the world. In India, Kahkashan informed, a Gujarati bride is given an ivory bangle as a gift by her family just before the wedding. In Rajasthan too, she said, ivory bangles form an important part of bridal jewellery. “There are many other regions in India where it is compulsory for the bride to wear ivory bangles during the wedding ceremony.” Elsewhere in the world, ivory has also been much sought after not only for jewellery, but also for piano keys. This profuse use had resulted in the incessant killing of elephants for their tusks. A steady decline in the elephant population prompted a worldwide ban on ivory sales in 1989.

“We have been using buffalo and camel bones since the ban,” Kahkashan said as she strung a few beads together around an engraved piece carved out of bone. And then she disclosed in a lighter vein, “There are some people who freak out at the mention of bones and think that we kill animals to procure them! It is quite a Eureka moment for them when we tell them that we use the bones of dead animals.” 

Kahkashan has been regularly invited to train students at the National Institute of Design, Ahmadabad as well as art institutes and craft centres around Delhi. She and her husband, who happens to be a cousin and from the same family of craftsmen, are often invited by centres in South Africa. “That’s one country where we have met with a good response,” she said. “My husband goes there to impart training on this craft as well.” 

Speaking about the market for bone jewellery, Kahkashan apprised that the demand mostly came from markets in Europe. “They love this type of jewellery, which goes elegantly with their apparel. South Africa also has a good market for bone and beaded jewellery. In India, there is not much demand, although it used to receive great patronage sometime in history under the Mughals. Today, it is mostly high-society women in India who make for a steady clientele.”

I came across Kahkashan at the recently held Design Haat by the Apeejay Institute of Design in New Delhi. She was one among the five noted master craftsmen invited to display their products and share their craft techniques with design students. 

My latest short story (fiction), 'Boundaries' published by Earthen Lamp Journal, Volume 3, Issue 1

My short story 'Boundaries' gets featured by Earthen Lamp Journal's latest issue. It is primarily the story of a Bangladeshi domestic help and the domestic help woes of middle class women, but, as the editor mentions in the editorial, "the reader must not miss reading between the lines". The story, largely, addresses the complexities of socio-religious identities.

One can access the story at the link below.

http://www.earthenlampjournal.com/content.php?content_id=129

Jungle calm: Ranthambore

This is a photo-essay on Ranthambore, drawn from a recent visit. We were very excited about the tigers when we took the train from Delhi to Sawai Madhopur, a five to six hour long journey depending upon the train one takes. We didn't see the tiger; but came back charmed by Ranthambore nonetheless. The jungle safari early in the morning was most refreshing. We spotted a variety of birds, deer, bear, and other animals; unfortunately not the tiger. They say you have to be very lucky to see one in your first jungle tour. We saw pug marks though! And were very happy about it. The other species of animals and birds made up for the tiger's absence and the jungle cast a dense calm upon us.  

We reached the beautiful Ranthambore Vatika Resort in ten minutes from Sawai Madhopur railway station. I had booked the rooms online beforehand and had no difficulty checking in. The staff, led by Devendra, was very polite and helpful; and the cottages were amazing with very clean bathrooms. The stay was so pleasant that I would recommend this place to anybody planning a trip to Ranthambore.

we enter Ranthambore Vatika Resort 

this resort is ten minutes away from the tiger reserve

the absolutely beautiful Ranthambore Vatika Resort

the view from our cottage

my daughter Zaara is delighted to be there!

Zaara stops to pose for me :)

and then runs around again!

the next day we visit the tiger reserve. there are open canters and open jeeps that take tourists around. one can book a safari online. 

this is an old banyan tree inside the tiger reserve. 

there are lots of peacocks in the reserve

right at the entrance of the reserve, one can see this centuries' old fort, which has an ancient Ganesh temple inside.

the first time i spotted a Tiger Toothpicker

these birds are called Tiger Toothpickers because when the tiger sleeps, with its mouth open, these birds pick food from its teeth, thus, cleaning its teeth in the process. fascinating!

saw many spotted deers 

the stunning spotted deer

a kingfisher

the most convenient mode of transport in Sawai Madhopur: Autorickshaw. they charge a little more compared to the distances they cover, considering Sawai Madhopur is a small town. 

coming back to Ranthambore Vatika Resort, it offers delightful vegetarian fare. but one can go to town and eat non-vegetarian from one or two places around, like the new place Karim, where our autorickshaw guy took us. it is about five minutes from the resort, and we had amazing chicken stew and rotis there.  

spent some relaxed hours at this resort. a home away from home, and far far far from the maddening crowd!

A tip for those who love block printing: Don't forget to pick up lovely kurtas, shirts, pajamas, bed sheets, etc. from Dastkar while you are in Ranthambore.    

Vaswati Misra: Kathak (Deccan Herald, 8 March 2015)

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/464009/poetry-motion.html

Poetry in motion

Juanita Kakoty, March 8, 2015, DHNS

Stepping it up

Vaswati Misra conveyed poetic elegance through Raha at the Kathak Mahotsav in New Delhi recently. Inspired by Baul philosophy, she weaved a wonderful balance between kathak and Baul, where the audience was taken through a trance by Parvathy Baul’s singing and the Dhwani Repertory dancers’ grace. It was a choreography that deserved the standing ovation the audience honoured it with.

Vaswati has been a kathak dancer, teacher and choreographer for over 35 years now. She is the artistic director of Dhwani Repertory and has created an impeccable body of work that has contributed to the extensive range of new movement vocabulary, extending the horizons of the art form. She is also the first woman performing artiste in the legendary Shambhu Maharaj’s family.

A fine balance

A little before the curtains went up, Vaswati told me, “Choreography should always be well-balanced. None of the forms or techniques used in the choreography should overshadow the other. Often I have seen kathak choreographies studded with the entire repertoire: The tukras, the tihais, and the parans, all of it! This is a little strange because a performing art is like cooking where there are a few select ingredients brought together proportionately for a delicious dish; a little more or a little less could spoil it. Nor do we use all the ingredients for all the dishes!”

This balance is unmistakably present in her choreography. And it is achieved while giving space to every performer and partaker, which reflects on the success of her compositions. “I always feel that choreography is about giving space to everybody: To the thoughts of the choreographer, to the dancers, to the musicians, to the person you are collaborating with, like in this production, Parvathy, and also giving space to the audience to take their own flight.” No wonder this is a choreography which you take back home with you.

The package is a delightful balance of the songs and charisma of Parvathy; the dance poetry created by Daniel Freddy, Ipshita Mishra, Anasua Majumdar, Surashree Bhattacharya, Garima Arya, Rishika Roy and Pradeep on stage; the music composed by Rahul Chatterjee, Pritam Ghoshal and Kiran Kumar; the live percussion by Suchet Malhotra; the sets created by Kailash Jiwani; costumes by Jyoti Talukdar; and make-up by Naresh Khare.  

Born to a family of doctors, Vaswati admitted that she has been lucky to have had the right exposure from an early age. Her mother was an actor associated with the Bengali organisation, Juba Sampradayak. “There used to be regular gatherings of people from cultural fields in our house. Also, right next door was the Kathak Kendra, where I used to accompany my elder sister. So, even before I realised it, I was in that atmosphere. My formal training started when I was seven, and I was lucky to have the best gurus of the time — Reba Vidyarthi and Birju Maharaj.” 

Breaking conventions

Later, at 18, when she married Birju Maharaj’s first cousin Krishan Mohan Mishra, Birju Maharaj was upset because in their family, women did not dance. Vaswati broke this tradition with the support of her mother-in-law. She reminisced with a twinkle in her eye, “I wore the ghunghut at my in-laws, but when I performed on stage, my neighbours used to sit in the first row and watch. So I didn’t mind the restrictions.” Her stint as teacher and choreographer began when she joined Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra as a teacher at 19.

Speaking about Raha, Vaswatiji said, “I am fascinated with Baul, but not that kind of Baul which is blended with contemporary elements. In this composition, the subject is prem and we try to walk together: kathak and Baul. There are points where Parvathy talks about something and the dancers carry it forward, and there are times when the dancers say something and she carries it forward. And, gradually, we flow in such a way that we become one part, which is the main thought of Baul: oneness of the body, mind and soul.” 

Trying to articulate the inspiration behind Raha, Vaswatiji expressed, “When I saw Parvathy perform for the first time, I was touched by her singing which is so rustic and so rooted. Besides, the spontaneity of Baul singing, its saral rendition, fascinates me. It’s like you get into a trance and you have the courage to talk about anything and to move in any way you want. This spontaneity is also a main feature of kathak although the dance form has its own grammar and structure. 

But then, any kind of creation is very spontaneous, it’s like a spark. One can get inspired by seeing a piece of stone, a leaf, or a flower, by a thought, or poetry. And all the concepts that come to your mind are based on the ambience that you are in, the way you are groomed up, your entire upbringing. All of this together leads to the creation of something.”