Uplifting Craft communities of India

“In India, art is not just a luxury. It is a belief system and celebration that empowers our country.”

Dedicated to the innate flair of the craftsmen and the kind hearted people of Bikaner..

Background

The array of Indian crafts is like a patchwork quilt of many meanings and colors, reflecting interactions with social, economic, cultural, and religious influences. The world of crafts, which includes everything from the most basic to the most technologically sophisticated, is also full of contrasts. It is a world of utilitarian items and holy artifacts, ceremonial objects, and transient festival crafts. The term "craftsman" has a variety of meanings as well, ranging from a manual laborer to a highly skilled artist. Craft, then, occupies a complicated environment that is a dense matrix of several threads and components. My study involved many months of fieldwork and research to comprehend this. I wanted to document the craft community and specifically the Making of ‘Gangaur Dolls’ in Bikaner, Rajasthan, India.

About

Rajasthan, which translates to "the country of kings," was a territory made up of more than twenty princely kingdoms and a center of royal wealth and feudal splendor until India's Independence in 1947. There are several tales about the valor of the Rajput warriors who governed this region; the majority of these focus on the internal conflicts between the various royal houses and their resistance to the invading Islamic troops from the north. A truce was made between the Rajputs and their Rajput neighbours under the rule of the Mughal emperor Akbar, ushering in a period of political stability that prompted lavish and consistent court patronage of the arts and architecture in order to highlight the creative potential of Indian craftspeople and provide a platform for their work.

In India, a handcrafted product embodies the craftsperson’s understanding that is structural, conceptual and aesthetic, just as craft is also is also an interrelation between function, form, material, process and meaning. On my visit to Rajasthan, I was taken aback by the intricate and rich craft culture. I always want to know more about these crafts, spend more time in the state, but it would always be cut short due to prior bookings. I was given a chance by my Design school to capture any art or craft of India and document it. My research would be then published and made available for students to learn from even after many years, when probably the craft may be staggering or extinct. I felt it was a tremendous opportunity and responsibility as a researcher to get a chance in a lifetime to do something like this. So I decided, quite obviously that it would be a craft from Rajasthan!

I had always read about the princely state of Bikaner, never been there before this project. While browsing through Handmade in India, by M.P Ranjan & Aditi Ranjan; I came across this sub-section in the Rajasthan chapter which focused on the crafts of Bikaner region. Founded in 1486, Bikaner was one of three great Desert Kingdoms of Rajasthan and, like Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, prospered because of its strategic location on the overland caravan trade route to Central Asia and China. I was surprised that since 1963, no crafts from this region were documented. So I decided to go ahead and explore the crafts of Bikaner.

I came across the craft of ‘Gangaur dolls’ in this same book. I was very intrigued by it as it struck some chord in my head. The reason I chose this craft for my documentation was because I had heard about Gangaur festival (which is when the Gangaur dolls were worshipped) from many of my Rajasthani /Marwadi friends and the verbal description of the pomp and festivities was enough to interest me to explore this further. Also, being a woman myself, knowing that there is a festival dedicated especially for women was quite enticing and I wanted to know all about it, so I started out on this journey. 

Process

This document was a compilation based on my understanding about the craft of making Gangaur idols and it is composed with the information gathered on the field by talking to people, artisans, local guides, and also by books and all the experiences encountered. This project helped me understand the origin of craft, people, rituals, lifestyle and stories of the region and craft itself. This data collection helped me relate with the people and develop awareness and sensitivity towards artisans and society in general. This document is about amalgamation of the women’s faith, the crafts-men’s gifted flair, the vibrant Bikaner and the celebration of womanhood. I planned a 10 week study and which was conducted in two parts : Primary & Secondary Research.

Research Methodology

The goal for this research was to find detailed information about the craft, the craftsmen’s profiles, document the craft in its entirety : materials, tools, processes, cultural significance, etc. I realised that Gangaur is not only about the women’s celebration but highly in sync with the craftsmen who make these dolls in time for the grand festival. So I decided to connect with Craftsmen and the women who celebrate it. Since the craftsmen are not very well equipped with social media or do not have web presence, I decided to take this in stride and find people to participate in the research directly by being on field. Once I went to Bikaner, this project accelerated ahead.

Secondary Research

While reading about the Gangaur dolls, it was necessary to know about the festival in detail. I read about the story of Goddess Parvati (Gauri) & Lord Shiva associated with it and started finding the artists/ craftsmen who make these dolls. Gangaur (गणगौर) is one of the most popular, colourful and important festival for people of Rajasthan and it is observed throughout the state with great enthusiasm and devotion by womenfolk. The festival is the celebration of monsoon, harvest and martial fidelity. I had to really understand the human emotions associated with this craft. It was indeed prevalent that Faith can be highly subjective, hence as a researcher I had to bear in mind not to hurt the religious sentiments of the people I connect with and this Secondary Research proved beneficial for me to be in tune with the participants I meet in Bikaner.

Primary Research

Bikaner was like a burst of vibrancy and pomp. The people were the kindest and extremely supportive of the work I was doing. I also received the support of the Princess of Bikaner, her majesty Rajkumari Sidhikumariji of Bikaner Gharana, who encouraged me on documenting the craft of making Gangaur idols and gave me a sense of direction. I took this positive feedback and connected with the most passionate and highly skilled craftsmen of Bikaner. I conducted

1. In-depth Interviews with 7 Craftsmen / women involved in making the dolls.

2. Ethnographic research study with 2 Craftsmen. Shadowed them for 3 weeks observing their life, their routines, their process of making the dolls, their struggles. I stayed with them in their humble homes, ate what they ate, simply like a guest in their home. It was a really enticing experience and I understood so much about the realities of life.

3. In-depth interviews with 19 women who celebrate Gangaur every year. I wanted to understand the significance of this festival on their lives, the religious importance and verify all that I had read. These interviews gave me a deeper understanding into this highly celebrated festival across Rajasthan.

The Final Document

Conclusion

The Craft Documentation of Gangaur idols of Bikaner was a very enriching experience for me as I was always very curious to know about the significance of the festival and that brought me closer to this craft. The course gave me an opportunity to experience the life of Bikaner, the relevance of the craft, the craft setting and also gave me a visual treat of watching how the talent craftsmen transformed a wooden block to a beautiful and elegant idol. It enhanced my understanding of communities, their lifestyle, culture, traditions, and the environment they live in.