10/01/2022
An artisan is someone that works with their hands to create unique items using traditional techniques. These artisanal techniques are learned through decades of tribal knowledge and passed down within families and communities.
Here in Kutch, it's outer edges are brimming with wildlife in the patched earth colour and dusty desert shrubs. Small wisps of sand randomly rise, like the spirits of a million thirsty seeds buried in the alluvial soil underneath and waiting for the rains.
This stark land too accounts for the intense thirst its people have for life in all its colours, for a sense of aesthetic that runs like blood in their veins. It is evident too in their decorated homes, their cattle and their bodies, through vibrant colours, intricate patterns, and the rhythm of their steps. The sheer beauty of what this land has managed to produce is overwhelming — more so when you step backstage, meet, interact and break bread with the artists involved.
Spending a day with these artists was an unforgettable experience. I was elated to see how a piece of plain, unbleached cotton evolves into a beautiful hand woven quilt involving such intricate hand work and designing. When we talked to them about what they think is a good life for them, they said, ‘We don’t want to just earn money, we want our identity too.’
Here, we are using e-commerce to support artisans and their work via the portal Gulabi Kapaas, believing that customer education is equally important for the growth and development of crafts. It is only when consumers realise what goes into crafting every single product that they can truly understand the value of the product and the craft. That’s why Gulabi Kapaas believes it is important to educate their buyers about the process and the artisans who bring them the exquisite products they purchase on the portal.