Post Card ~ Of Paos and Pomphrets

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

Myths & Stories

Post Card ~ Of Paos and Pomphrets

May 1, 2016

Ponk ponk, goes off the Goan morning alarm. It’s 6 AM and the Poder appears in the horizon looking like an umbrella blown inside out. He adeptly balances the bamboo basket on his head carrying loaves of Pao, fresh from woodfire oven.

mario-miranda-gaatha

Mario de Miranda scratches this onto paper; a picture that speaks of Goa to many. Pao matched with no spice potato-onion sabzi is a typical breakfast of a Goan household.
The fisherman presents his assorted catch for the day.
Not each one prefers the same fish.
Women, strong and gay and bright hold a conversation on the fish they got for the day.
Was it Pomphret, Salmon, Bonbil, Gobro or catfish…
Their fish for the day, that’s all they care