Craftsmen

Gaatha project was originally conjured only for researching and documenting the rapid erosion of Indian craft clusters and heritage. However, we soon learnt from the artisans themselves that need was not to do research alone, but to restore ‘pride and serious commercial opportunity’ in their ecosystem. Today Gaatha thus aims to bring the lost respect and wealth back to these beautiful and aesthetically rich Indian handicraft clusters. These researches are important because just like Industrial goods sell on ‘features’, crafts sell on the processes / stories / heritage that go into making them.

We should give crafts a fair chance, someone is right now merrily making something for us, singing a folk song, in a humble house, deep inside India.

Buy: Indian Handicrafts Online
Research & Archive: Indian Crafts

09Sep

Creators of the Creator (bronze casting)

The process of bronze casting is, in itself, a very spiritual experience. A Sthapathi is expected to be well-versed in the Neetisaram, Amaram, Shilpasaaram, and the Dhyan shlokas. He recites these shlokas and lets the aura of God guide him and help conceive the deity’s form in his mind.

35 Likes

9 mins read

14658 Views

17Jul

Amidst Rays of Hope and Sunlight (Bagru)

This verse rang true when they came across a piece of land near Jaipur, soil-rich with the waters from river Sanjaria. They rejoiced and settled down with newfound hopes in the place that would come to be known as Bagru.

60 Likes

8 mins read

12530 Views

23Nov

Bobbili ~ a look into the culture & state of Veena today!

The village is said to have been chosen by the king Sveta Chalapati Rangarao for making of this instrument for the quality of sound the craftsmen here could achieve was to be found nowhere else. Veena, the soul of Carnatic music finds place in the hands

46 Likes

9 mins read

13971 Views

01Nov

Kandur waan…

It is a six inch round everyday breakfast bread. A small ball of dough is spread across a stone platform with the palm dipped in milk. Texturing it with the impression of the fingers, the naan-wai pulls the stretchy dough off the stone and slaps it on the warm oven wall gently. It come out with golden on the upper side and white on the lower and is usually had with butter or jam along with nun-chai.

54 Likes

9 mins read

18375 Views

20Sep

The toys that made them!

Etikoppaka excelled in making playing tops and Baranis (wooden boxes) to contain various items to be offered to Gods since historic times.

31 Likes

9 mins read

14079 Views

04Aug

Back from the memory lane…

Pilkuwa motifs are inspired from existing vocabulary of motifs like Mughal Butta, Soorajmukhi Jaal, Tree of Life, elephants, peacocks, been documented by Sardar Hussain.

16 Likes

9 mins read

12265 Views