KUTCH LEATHER CRAFT

Leather Craft of Kutch

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PURPOSE OF CRAFT Craft documentation is a process of recording, categorizing, through both graphic and written mediums. The process documents and explains the significant characteristics of craft, the materials, process, tools and techniques involved in creating it.

The craft documentation expects the student to get in depth knowledge about the chosen craft by being physically present in the field where the craft is concentrated and by studying the experiences, lifestyle and hardships that the artisan had gone through in keeping their tradition and heritage alive, although it barely provides them the means of subsistence.

We also got an opportunity to understand the micro level industry as well as establishing relationships with the craftsman. We felt humble and had a sense of strong urge to help in uplifting their position in society and bring their art to fore.

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

ŠLeather craft-Nazar-e-Safar MRID 2019 This craft documentation is written, edited, illustrated, designed and photographed by students of MRID - MSU, Baroda.

Aadhityaan Mannan Bachelors of Design, Moving Images 6th Semester Batch 2016-20 Banani Sahoo Bachelors of Design, Accessory Design 6th Semester Batch 2016-20 Kriti Jain Bachelors of Design, Communication Design 6th Semester Batch 2016-20 Shubhra Bhatnagar Bachelors of Design, Accessory Design 6th Semester Batch 2016-20 Publication Year January 2019 Craft Documentation is for academic learning purpose only.

Guided: Dr. Jayaram Poduval

MRID MAHARAJA RANJITSINH GAEKWAD INSTITUTE OF DESIGN

Maharaja Ranjitsinh Gaekwad Institute of Design (MRID) Sayaji Bhavan, Behind University Head Office, Pratapgunj, Vadodara (Gujarat) All rights reserved under international copyright convention. No part of this documentation maybe reproduced or translated in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photography, recording or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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Leather Craft Of Kutch - Nazar-E-Safar

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

ABOUT MRID The Faculty of Fine Arts, one of the premier art schools of India, is dedicated to the education of professional artists and scholars of theory of art more than half a century. It has been recognised on global level as the foremost institute in India in the field of Visual Arts. As part of the dissemination and expansion of the art and design curriculum, Faculty of Fine Arts has established in 2013, a National level Design Institute under its auspices. The Design Institute is named after the alumni of the Faculty and the erstwhile Maharaja of Baroda, Shrimant Ranjit Sinh Gaekwad, hence the name, Maharaja Ranjit Sinh instate of Design (MRID). MRID offers design courses at the Graduate and Post Graduate levels specialising in Craft and Design, Communication Design, Accessory Design, Ceramic & Glass, and Moving Images. The Degrees offered are with the Bachelor of Design (B.Des) and Master of Design (M.Des).

MRID is intending to create an advantageous academic environment of creative minds working in pure visual arts along with Craft and Modern Design. The Maharaja Sayajirao University envisages a very fruitful interaction of these creative minds which will be a unique experiment in the design as well as visual art pedagogy in India.

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150 YEARS OF GANDHI Government of India has decided to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Father of the Nation, at national and international level to propagate his message.

A National Committee (NC) headed by Hon’ble President of India has been constituted for this purpose. This Committee includes Hon’ble Vice-President, Hon’ble Prime Minister, Chief Ministers of all states of the country, representatives from across the political spectrum, Gandhians, thinkers, and eminent persons from all walks of life. The NC will guide and approve policies/programmes/activities for the commemoration and will also supervise implementation of the decisions taken from time to time. An Executive Committee (EC) headed by Hon’ble Prime Minister with 19 members has also been constituted.

Mandate of EC is to consider policies and lay down guidelines for the commemoration and chalk out the plan, programmes and activities under the commemoration. One meeting each of the National Committee and Executive Committee has been held on 2.5.2018 and 18.7.2018 respectively

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We would like to acknowledge and pay our sincere gratitude to all those who helped us throughout the documentation process.

We would like to thank MRID for giving us the wonderful opportunity to study the rich leather craft of Nirona. We would specially like to thank our guide Mr. Jayram Poduval , Mrs Anju Pawar and Mr. Shatrughan Thakur who introduced the course to us and helped us throughout the module. We thank them for their guidance and input in each and every step. We would also like to acknowledge Mr. Hitesh Dhamecha for his valuable advices.

We would also appreciate the people of Nirona for their cooperation. A very special thanks to the craftsman for giving their valuable time for this project. We are also thankful to the families of the craftsman for providing us such amazing hospitality and making us fell like we are at home. We would also like to thank Shyam bhai for his help whenever needed.

We would like to thank Swati mam (Librarian) for providing us the books we needed for the research work.

Last but not the least we would thank our seniors and classmates for giving us guidance and for helping us in each possible step.

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

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PREFACE India is so rich and diverse in terms of crafts and it has existed since time immemorial. It has been one of the biggest identities of the country and has undoubtedly contributed to the magnificence of the country.

Yet there has been decline of the craft sector slowly. Hence in order to revive the craft and give them new dimension to match according the current scenario, people from various background like designers, architects, NGOs etc come up to study and understand these craft and come up with solutions about how to implement in our daily lives.

One such attempt was our trip to Kutch, Gujarat. Craft documentation was introduced to us as a part of our curriculum. In order to gain knowledge regarding different craft we were given this module. We were asked to choose a craft from the village named Nirona, at Kutch. Our college has adopted Nirona village in design point of view. We were given the task of thoroughly studying the craft and come out with some initiatives that will help in upliftment of the craft as well as the village. Out of all the craft we decided to do a detailed study on “Leather craft�. We began our journey of study with research and we went to the field spent time with the craftsman and learned new things.

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

CONTENTS

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• Gujarat Introduction • Map

• Kutch • Geographic & Climate • Culture • Cuisine • Crafts Of Kutch

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• Nirona • Crafts Of Nirona • Leather Craft Of Nirona • About Nirona • Leather Craft In India

• Artists Involved • Nazar Bhai • Devji Bhai • Raw Materials • Fun Stories

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• Process • Steps • Tools

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• Product Range • Product & Packaging • S.W.O.T • Steps By Govt.

• Leather pros/cons

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GUJARAT

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

ABOUT GUJARAT In the process to study the craft it is also important to know the state and the region this craft belongs to and how this factor influences the craft and its reach to people.

Gujarat is one of the most diverse states in India. Gujarat derives its name from the word ‘Gujaratta’ which means land of Gurjars. The state of Gujarat is an industrially advanced state.

Gujarat is bounded by the Arabian Sea in the west, by Rajasthan in the north and northeast, by Madhya Pradesh in the east and by Maharashtra in the south and south east.

The state has an international border and has a common frontier with Pakistan at the north western fringe. It is situated on the north end of the west coast of India and covers an area of 196,024 square km.

Gandhinagar, located near Ahmedabad is the state capital of Gujarat. The people of Gujarat are also known to be a successful business community. At present, Gujarat comprises of 25 districts. The official and primary language spoken is Gujarati.

The culture of the place is a reflection of the society. The state of Gujarat is known all over the world for its holy temples, historic capitals, wildlife sanctuaries, cultural significance, fascinating handicrafts, mouth-watering cuisine and colourful lifestyle of the people of Gujarat.

Source-akshartravels.com

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KUTCH

GUJARAT GUJARAT GUJARAT

NIRONA

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

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KUTCH

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

ABOUT Kutch is a princely place of India. It is the largest district of the state of Gujarat and the second largest district in India covering an area of 45,612 sq. kms. A large part of this district is known as Rann of Kutch which is shallow wetland which submerges in water during the rainy season and becomes dry during other seasons.

The same word is also used in Sanskrit origin for a tortoise.

The land is virtually ‘an island’ resembling a tortoise “Katchua “, surrounded by seawater. The Great “Rann of Kutch” dominates a major portion of the district. Kutch literally means something which becomes wet and dry.

The earliest earthquake recorded in Kutch dates back to 16th June 1819. Since then, over 90 earthquakes of varying intensity have struck the region. Since then Kutch meaning Katchua is truly defined. The people of Kutch believe that when the earthquake struck, they turned their hard back towards the earthquake to tackle it just like a tortoise does.

Source-www.tripsavvy.com

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GEOGRAPHIC & CLIMATE Kutch District, at 45,691.895 square Kilometres, is the largest district in India. The administrative headquarters is in Bhuj which is geographically in the center of district.

Other main towns are Gandhidham, Rapar, Nirona, Anjar, Mandvi, Madhapar, Mundra and Bhachau. Kutch has 969 villages. Kala Dungar (Black Hill) is the highest point in Kutch at 458 metres (1,503 ft).

Kutch is virtually an island, as it is surrounded by the Arabian Sea in the west; the Gulf of Kutch in south and southeast and Rann of Kutch in north and northeast.

Talukas of Kutch are Bhuj, Anjar, Mandvi, Mundra, AbdasaNalia, Lakhpat, Rapar, Bhachau and Nakhatran. Khavda village. Khavda village in Bhuj is best known as the gateway to the famous flamingo colony at the Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary. Hodka village, Jura village, Nirona village, Ajrakhpur village in all these village one will get to see a great impact of craft. Various crafts are practiced in these villages.

Kutch has extreme climate & temperature ranges from 20oC in winter to 450oC in summer. Rainfall is very less while average annual rainfall - 14 inches. The three main seasons in Kutch are Summer, from February to June, Monsoon season, from July to September, Winter, from October to January.

Source-edition.cnn.com

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

CULTURE The Kutch district in Gujarat is well known for its traditional and cultural values. Kutch Culture is famous for its creative art. They speak Kutchi language. Culture of Kutch has different communities such as nomadic, semi nomadic still living. The houses in Kutch are very creative and civilized. Culture in Kutch is very artistic and colourful.

The language spoken predominantly in the Kutch is Kutchi language, Sindhi and Gujarati. The script of the Kutchi language has become extinct. It is now mainly written in the Gujarati script. Samples of Kutch script are available in the Kutch Museum. The increased use of Gujarati language is mainly because of its being a medium of instruction in schools.

Kutch is a creative region in India in the field of textile art. The embroidery work which is done in a very intense manner and it seems to be very attractive. The specialty of this region is embroidery work with different styles such as mirrors. Tatoo is the main Culture in Kutch.

Kutch district is very fond of Kutchi Folk Music and it plays a vital part of everyone’s lives. The foundation of the Folk Music is existed since the ancient period. The man in the early stage used to invent new sounds for showing his feelings and sentiments and at that time music further developed as folk music.

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In Kutch the main folk songs were composed for marriage purpose like for mehendi, bidaai, etc. When we visited Nirona a group of old ladies of the village sang the cultural kuchhi song for us and it was beautiful and melodious. We were astonished that ladies of above 75 years can sing that beautifully without a breath break. Although they were forgetting lyrics but didn’t show the break and kept on singing. We all felt so enlightened and happy being a part of their Nirona family.

Music is like harmony and the way through a person can show his feeling and sentiments. There are various instruments such as Daklu, Damaru, Dholak, Duff, Flute, Ghaghar, Khanjari, Manjira and Jhanjha, Murli, Nagara, Sarnai, Tabla which are used for music. Musical Instruments are linked with various aspect of people and their religion.

Kutch folk dance is the oldest form of dance. There are different forms of folk dance such as Dandiya Raas and Kutchi Gajiyo. There are modern forms of dandiya known as disco dandiya. Mainly people dance in weddings and Navratri and special occasions.

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

CUISINE The majority of the population is Hindu and Jain and thus largely vegetarian. Jains also refrain from eating kandmool food grown below the ground such as potatoes, garlic, onion, and yam. There are also a sizeable population of Muslims, who eat vegetables, chicken, mutton and occasionally camels.

In the villages, staple foods include kadi-khichdi, bajra and milk; bajara na rotla with curd and buttermilk is very common food for all the Gujarati people. Bajra was introduced by a king of this region named Lakho Fulani.

During his period of exile, he came to know about this grain in some tribal regions.

They also extensively drink buttermilk during lunch. Milk is considered to be sacred food and offering it to somebody is considered a gesture of friendship and welcoming.

Settlement of dispute invariably follows offering milk to each other as a concluding remark. Tea is the most popular drink in this region and is enjoyed widely.

In our stay in Nirona we used to have bhajiya, dal, chawal, puri, aloo, fried chillies, chatni and chaas was the prominent food we had. Apart from that in dessert we had suji ka halwa and boondi in the days.

Bajra Na Rotla Recipe is a A Traditional Gujarati Pearl Millet bread. This healthy rotla can be served as part of Gujarati meals or just as a snack along with some jaggery and butter.

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The food was amazing. We were extraordinally happy and surprised with the hospitality of the Nazar family and the people of Nirona. The way every single day we were offered tea in Khetsi bhai’s house in every 2 hours is something we could never forget as we love tea.

Fun Fact In the Kutchi engagement ceremony, the bride’s family offers milk to the groom’s relatives as a symbol of accepting their relationship.

The great hospitality shown by the Nazar family by making chicken biryani for everyone in the authentic kutchi way.

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

CRAFTS OF KUTCH The rich and diverse creative traditions of Kutch live at the intersection of cultures and communities. From the early civilizations, Kutch is home to handicraft traditions.

The arid climate has pushed communities here to evolve an ingenious balance of meeting their needs by converting resources into products for daily living. While embroidery has become a craft synonymous with Kachchh, other textile crafts and hard materials crafts give this land colour and identity. Craft is inextricable from the numerous communities, connected by trade, agriculture and pastoralism in Kutch.

Ajrakh

Ajrakh is a time-honoured emblem for the local communities of Kachchh. Nomadic pastoralist and agricultural communities like the Rabaris, Maldharis, and Ahirs wear Ajrakh printed cloth as turbans, lungis or stoles. It was given as a gift for the Muslim festival of Eid, for bridegrooms, and for other special occasions. The cloth is made in a sixteen-step process of washing, dyeing, printing, and drying, which requires a high level of skill and concentration in order to keep colors fast and even.

Pomegranate seeds, gum, Harde powder, wood, flour of Kachika, flower of Dhavadi, alizarine and locally cultivated Indigo are just some of the natural resources that printers in this craft.

In Kachchh, tie and dye craft are known as “Bandhani.�

Bandhani dates back to the 12th century, and came

Bandhani 26

to Kachchh when members of the Khatri community migrated from Sindh. Much like the local block printers, bandhani artisans used local, natural resources like madder and pomegranate to dye their cloth in a brilliant range of hues. The technique of tightly winding a thread around a section of cloth, dyeing it, and then removing the thread to reveal a circular resist motif has remained the same since bandhani was first practiced.

Kachchh Gujarat is renowned for its fine folk embroideries.

Embroidery is one of the few crafts of Kachchh done primarily by women. Each of Kachchh’s many communities have a distinct embroidery tradition which has been passed on for generations from mother to daughter. Some communities have lived in Kachchh for centuries, others have migrated to the region bringing distinct embroidery skills from regions beyond the Northwest frontier.

Different kinds of embroidery work done by different women communities of kutch.

Source images-http://pgarya.blogspot.com (EMBROIDERY) http://travelsintextiles.com (AJRAKH) www.indianeagle.com (BANDHNI)

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NIRONA

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

NIRONA One knows you have arrived in Nirona when you spot young girls dressed in exquisite hand-embroidered clothes playing around a cluster of trees and houses. The setting and the garments—befitting of a scene from a film—make up everyday life for these village folks. While the men graze their cattle, the women and children make magnificent embroidered fabric, which is sold as quilts, bedspreads, kanjiris (long blouses) or hair accessories. Nirona village is located 33km towards north from the district headquarter Bhuj.

It is positioned in Nakhatrana Block of Kutch district in Gujarat.

The village has 1085 houses. Latest surveys say it has 2916 males and 2794 females. Most of the working people depends on the craft of this village and agriculture.

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CRAFTS OF NIRONA LEATHER ART

The Dalit Meghwals of Rajasthan migrated to Kachchh, bringing an artful leather craft with them. The trade was kept alive by a partnership with nomadic pastoralist Maldharis. When a Maldhari cattle died, the Meghwals converted the raw hides into leather. The work was tough, taking eighteen labor intensive days to treat and wash the hide. By recycling the dead cattle, the Meghwals gave new life to waste, transforming it into a product of utility. The Meghwals’ close relationship with the Maldharis resulted in a remarkable fusion of cultural customs which can be seen in the shared styles of dress and embroidery traditions of the various communities in the region.

METAL BELL

Like any other craft, the craft of copper coated bells evolved from the need of the time and region. In earlier times, before the division of India and Pakistan, there used to be constant movement of people between these regions.

The Lohar community from Sindh, (now in Pakistan) saw the potential for their craft and brought the craft to the land of Kachchh. This craft is emerged from one of the major activities of villagers “Cattle rearing”. The villagers use to tie bell to the neck of the cattle to know their whereabout. There are 13 different types of bells to identify one’s own cattle. Since the bells are made from metals like copper, tin and iron it can be recycled. This craft has emerged to suit the current needs and modern objects like

Source-clicked by shubhra saha

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

chime, lamps or other decorative objects are being made using these bells apart from being used just for cattle.

ROGAN

Rogan is the technique of painting on fabric, crafted from thick brightly coloured paint made with castor seed oil.

Castor is a local crop grown in Kachchh, and artists most likely sourced it from farmers originally. Artisans place a small amount of this paint paste into their palm. At room temperature, the paint is carefully twisted into motifs and images using a metal rod that never comes in contact with the fabric. Next, the artisan folds his designs into a blank fabric, thereby printing its mirror image. In effect it is a very basic form of printing. While designed used to be more rustic, over time the craft has become more stylized and now is almost a high art.

Source-http://deshgujarat.com

WOOD LACQUER TURNING

Another very colourful and unique technique that survives only in the region of Nirona, Kutch is wood lacquer Turning. This is an altogether different technique of applying colours to the lathe products. Lac is the natural dye produced from the resins of insects and these lac colours in their solid form are applied simultaneously as the lathe is rotated using a basic equipment that is manually producing heat. The outcome of all hard work is pretty colourful and beautiful, distinct and yet again ecofriendly.

BANDHINI

Bandhini and Tie and Dye is practiced mainly in Rajasthan and Gujarat. The patterns are mainly used for odhnis, sarees and turbans. Red, Blue, yellow, green and black are the main colours. That can be seen. The dyes are natural

Source-rakheeghelani.com

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and extracted from the roots, flower, leaves and other different berries. Variety of shapes can be seen on fabric such as dots, square, waves and strips. This work is done

by Khatri community of Kutch. The design is drawn and marked on the tracing paper. The shape or the pattern is pierced with the help of needle. Knots called bhindi are made according to the pattern. Then the clothed is dyed and later on the threads are opened.

WEAVING

Weavers are closely linked socioeconomically with their local clients, the Ahirs, Rajputs, and Rabaris. Each weaver was once personally linked with a Rabari family, who would supply yarn from sheep and goats. Farming communities like Ahirs cultivated kala cotton, which produced woven textiles for shoulder cloths and headgear. Sheep and goat wool was used for veils, skirts, shawls and blankets. The designs woven into Kachchhi woven fabrics were inspired by the communities who wore them, replicating the shapes of musical instruments, the footsteps of an animal herd, etc. The names for motifs like vakhiyo, chaumukh, satkani, hathi, or dholki are evocative of the rural images.

Source-mediaindia.eu/art-culture/a-tied-and-dyed-fashion-tale/

Source-in.pinterest.com/pin/379357968598585814/?lp=true

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

LEATHER CRAFT OF NIRONA In the land filled with richness, we explore the leather craft of Kutch of since it has most prominent impact on our day to day lives. Leather craft in India has its prominence since Indus valley civilization. From prehistoric times man has used the skin of animals to satisfy his basic needs. The concept of leather craft came into existence when men realised the usage of animal skin for their clothing. The skins were also used as shelter, carpets and even decorative attire. At some time, by accident or by trail and error, man discovered methods of preserving and softening leather treating animal skin with such things as smoke, greases and bark extracts. The art of tanning leather using the bark of tree probably originated among the herbrews. In primitive societies, the art was a closely guarded secret passed down from father to son. This craft belongs to the land which is known for its earthy nature yet filled with colours. The right blend of hard and soft materials looks balanced and give a distinctive texture to the buyer.

The leather artisan came from Rajasthan to Kutch. The rural and tribal people initially practiced this craft in India. Earlier people used the goat hide to store water.

They use the whole goat skin and insert water through its mouth and the legs area is used to tie it around the shoulder. It keeps the water chilled. They procure their

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raw materials i.e. camel and goat hide from Rajasthan. They used to produce intricately embroidered mojdi (shoes), but recently have shifted to belts, purses, wallets, bags, etc.

In addition to clothing and footwear people also used it t make bags, caps, armours, saddles and many more artefacts.

Some of the earlier techniques and tools used were found useful in modern world. Earlier the leather used was organic tanned but nowadays chemically processed leather is used ad it had high demand in current market. It has punches of basic geometric shapes like circular, triangular, oval, leaf like etc. Fabric is always used as backing of the leather. This short of reverse applique technique is used in this craft. The designs and the product were made according to the current scenario.

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

ABOUT LEATHER Leather is a durable and flexible material created by tanning animal rawhide and skin, often cattle hide. Real leather is a natural product. It breathes, it’s warm and has individual characteristics which are the natural charm and beauty of hide. Shade Variation can be seen. No two hides are identical and due to variation in grain structure. We can find hidden scars, loose belly fats etc. as natural defects.

Tanning is necessary for leather because if the raw hide is not tanned, it will rot and decay. The tanning process stabilizes the protein of the raw hide or skin, preventing putrefaction, and preparing it for a wide variety of end applications. Tanning also changes the appearance of the hide. The change depends on how long it takes and the tanning agents used. Tanning of hides for leather has been done for thousands of years by ancient civilizations.

First of all, curing is done where salt (NaCl) is applied on the animal skin for the temporary preservation of the hide. It greatly reduces the moisture content of the hide.

Then the next step is to remove the salts left over from the curing in a process called soaking. This process involves soaking the skins in water which has certain chemicals added to prevent bacterial and fungal growth. Soaking the hides in a drum filled of lime and Sodium sulphate which results in the removal of natural fats as well as hair. It also causes the swelling and splitting of fibers to the desired extent and prepares the hide to a condition that is ideal for tanning.

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There are many ways to tan hides, but the end result is that the hides will not decay and are ready for dyeing and other uses such as manufacturing goods. There are two types of tanning.

ORGANIC TANNING

It is also known as vegetable tanning. It is in use since ancient times and involves the tannins from the bark and leaves of trees and plants. Over a period of two to three months, the tanners move the hides from drum to drum, with the solution getting progressively stronger. The tanning agents penetrate the skins and the fermentation and depositions process leaves the hides with a distinct colour and appearance.

INORGANIC TANNING

It also called chrome tanning. It is a relatively recent method of tanning and a faster one, but easily the most dominant. It involves soaking the hides in baths containing acidic salts. The wet hides produced from this process are blue, and known as wet blue hides.

In post tanning operation the physical property of the leather is decided. The colour, strength, thickness, softness etc. after the tanning the leather is dyed and skived according to the thickness. Then the leather is passed through a roller to remove the excessive water and remove the creases from the leather. The finishing process uses a combination of surface coating techniques such as padding, spraying or roller coating.

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

LEATHER CRAFT OF INDIA JAWAJA LEATHER CRAFT

Leather work was the main occupation of the Regar community. They live in the draught prone areas around the town Beawar, Rajasthan. Traditionally, they have been experts in the tanning of hides and making strong leather products like mojaris (shoes), saddles and harnesses for animals.

From processing of raw skins to the finishing of the product, every process is done without the use of any machines, in the houses of the craftsmen. The use of new techniques considerably reduced the odour of leather while it is prepared; therefore, the craftsmen are able to work at their homes from start to finish.

Raw buffalo skins that are sourced from nearby towns of Nasirabad and Raipur, are first soaked in a solution of lime (choona) and sodium sulphate for about 15 to 20 days.

This removes hair from the raw skin and prepares it for further processing. The hides are stitched at the edges with a local grass, known as moonj, and filled with salt water and babool bark powder for the process of veg-tanning.

This solution is changed around 10 to 15 times, until the hide becomes stable and watertight. The hides are then sun dried and polished with oil. After some scraping of the underside and dyeing, the hide is ready to be turned into the most desirable products.

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Craftsmen gather in each other’s’ houses and courtyards to work; friendly chats accompanying chores. Bags and accessories, some in new designs and some in old ones, are handcrafted by the men and women, who divide their work equally.

The beauty of Jawaja leather work is that it is not just handcrafted from start to finish, the leather products are even stitched with leather strips instead of threads. Two layers of leather are first stuck together and then stitched by punching holes with awls, or large needle like tools, and leather strips are made to pass through the layers, binding them together. The leather stitches have a characteristic diamond shape that adds to the understated elegance of these leather products.

LEATHER LAMPSHADE MAKING

The legacy of this craft can be traced back to 200 years ago to an ancient folk world. Indian tradition and religion have had a significant influence on leather-puppetry, this has been evident from its mention in the two great Hindu epics- the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. These have been an integral cherished part of the craft of Southern India. The art form offers a splendid history of the region.

A consistent triangular relationship exists between the three words often used in this art form of leather-puppetry “Killekyatha” and “Bangarakka”. These two were well known communities of Karnataka a few decades ago. Its origin can be traced back to the pre-historic times.

Vegetable colours were earlier used but photo colours are now used as these colours are readily available. The puppet sizes range from 3 inches to about 6 feet. They are used as shadow puppets. They have a wider range of productsfrom lampshades to door hanging and wall hangings.

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

In Nimmalakunta about 60 families are engaged in this craft. They depict stories related to the Hindu Mythology such as Ramayana and Mahabharata. The puppets are heavily decorated. The theatres where these puppet shows are performed are known as Tolubommalata. These artisans migrated from Maharashtra to Andhra Pradesh during the Maratha rule. The themes are mostly based on mythological epics like Satisulodhana and Dasavatra.

KOLHAPURI CHAPPAL

Footwear protects the feet from thorns, sharp stones, slushy mud, sunny sand, uneven surfaces to provide a comfort and luxury for the activities of man (human being) like walking, running, jumping, climbing etc. The heel size is decided as per the trend in the market and popular choice. Durability and ornamentation are some of the aspect, which is looked into from the time of civilizations of man.

The search for some of the ornamental and durable footwear led to the city of Kolhapur located in Maharashtra, India. As the name itself Kolhapuri Chappal originated from Kolhapur, which was especially made for the people of this place. Chappals of hard core for the farmers and fancy chappals for the office bearers in the courts of the king as per their need (of work- rough use) were made. It is believed that the artisans were encouraged in making varieties of chappals during the reign of Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur. For which artisan’s had tussle with themselves to find the ways in making best and variety of chappals for the king according the artisan, who runs chappal business since many generations.

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Chamar community does the hereditary occupation of tanning and leatherwork. Subash Nagar of Kolhapur is one of the main areas, where about 15-20 artisans together make the Kolhapur chappals. Chappals are usually flat with intricate patterns made of the buffalo/ cowhide as the base and fine goat leather for the plaited strips to decorate the upper portion. The cords used to stitch the chappals are usually made of the tail part of the buffalo/ cow leather for all chappals, but nowadays it is only done based on order, instead nylon threads are used.

They are traditional chappals with a toe strap for strength, decorated with golden cords and leather braids with varieties of designs.

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ARTISTS INVOLVED

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

KHETSHI PUNJABHAI NAZAR AGE: 47 ADDRESS: Nazar Vas, At Po. Nirona, Ta. Nakhaatrana Kutch.

side he makes small products of leather like keychain etc.

He practices this craft in summers and winters. He works dedicatedly in that period and is able to complete different products. He tries to incorporate more crafts of the same village in order to bring them to the customers eye.

He also visits various institutes like NID, NIFT, MRID etc.

Nazar bhai and his family migrated from Rajasthan to Kutch. he has learned the craft from his father and his forefather. This craft is taught and established since 7 generations. His father used to make the mojris for wedding purpose wherein the bride and the groom were gifted mojris to wear in their wedding day. Also, he used to make the saddles for horses in the wedding using leather.

This was a tradition of Nirona village which is now not practised. These mojris were made using camel, horse, ox leather due its stiffness and stability.

Firstly, he started with weaving and he also owned a lot of buffalos. Nazar bhai’s family is originally from Thalvad, Pakistan and then settled in Indian subcontinent during partition time. The language they know is Kutchi (mixture of Gujarati and Sindhi), and Hindi. He lives with his wife, mother, four brother and their respective families. He has one daughter and one son. He and his brother in his family practice this craft as they both wanted to take their father and forefathers work ahead. Now his nephew also joined this craft. He studied till 12 and later on started with this craft. He makes various kind of products which go well with the current trends and market. Leather craft was his primary occupation. During monsoon when the production of products becomes low, he does farm but at 44

DEVJIBHAI PUNJABHAI NAZAR AGE: 54 ADDRESS: Nazar Vas, At Po. Nirona, Ta. Nakhaatrana - Kutch.

He started to work with leather when he was 8. He studied till class 2 and later on started working with leather with his father. He has a joint family. He is brother of Nazar bhai. They all work together on leather. They have established their shop together. He also makes leather purses, wallets, belts, mirrors etc. He also works during summer and winters. Rest of the year he visits to exhibitions, institutes etc. He buys 5-6kg leather at a time. The amount of leather changes on the basis of the order.

If the order is large, they have to order the leather faster and in a bulk amount otherwise the small products are made using the waste of the larger products. On an average he goes to take leather in every 15 days but that also depends on order. Different from other artisan was he himself goes to Ahmedabad to get required leather for his work. He works on leather of all the animals depending upon the product requirement. Like for the sole of the shoe they use camel/cow leather. For larger surface ornamentation on leather he uses goat leather which is softer and it is easy to punch on it.

Now in the new generation of designers he has enhanced and established himself with the new trends and products made. So, he makes the trending products like wallets, belts, slings, hair pin, mirrors, stationary box which are the newer generation products but adds his traditional punch work and motif cut work and the overall product is divine and beautiful with all the colours of embroidery.

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

Apart from the artisan his family also plays a major role in building up the craft beautiful and popular as it is now.

The family of the artisan is its backbone, staying behind them and helping them in small tasks. This is the backbone of the leather craft artisans of Nirona, Kutch.

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

RAW MATERIALS The city of Bhuj and Ahmedabad serves as the raw material sourcing hub for Kutch leather and embroidery crafts.

There are 2 local shops in Bhuj from where Khetshi bhai buys leather.

The leather is sold in kilograms and depending on the leather it is sold in meters as well. The leather price starts from Rs 650 depending upon the size and the weight. He buys leather of goat, cow, sheep and buffalo.

Punches of all kinds from geometrics like circles, triangles, squares, ovals and rectangles, to shapes like leaf, heart, moon and stars are brought from Ahmedabad.

From leather and its dyes, to threads and tassels for embroidery, or phunkas to decorate, all is sourced from Bhuj.

They use the chindi (waste fabric) in small strips enough for backing the punch work from back side using different colours giving an altogether vibrant coloured product from the front. They buy the waste from the tailor’s shop in Nirona. For the finishing of the product they put a clean coloured fabric and card board. Sometimes a backing is given to the composition, usually with colourful block printed cotton which is also handmade in Kutch.

They also need larger pieces of cloth for embroidery to attach with products like footwear, purses etc. which they source from Bhuj. Fevicol is Purchased from Bhuj 48

FUN EXPERIENCES OF THE CRAFTSMAN “I went for an exhibition in Ahmedabad and was ideally sitting and thought of doing something out of the waste leather so I took a leather piece and started to cut it and punched it in a design and embroidered like my every product. Then I took a wooden piece and shaped it in a stick and attached it to the leather piece. This is how I came up with a hair pin which was new to the market and praised so much by the customers. Every piece I made sold out due to high demand”.

“My father used to make these traditional mojris to be gifted in wedding which were worn by the bride and the groom. Once he made a spectacular piece for one of the weddings and it was sold in exchange with buffalo worth Rs50,000. Then sold the buffalo and received Rs 50,000 in cash”.

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

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PROCESS

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

STEPS He mainly uses vegetable tanned leather and rarely uses chrome tanned leather for ornamentation of shoes. These leathers are available in different colours but they are machine dyed. He also self-dyes his leather with batik colours depending upon the product. He uses thin part leather so as to punch precisely and accurately and use tools and cut easily and uses the butt portion of the animal for mojris and chappals because it is heavy leather.

The sole of the footwear is very heavy so they soak it in water and then it is easy to use the awl stitch it. The thin part where he does surface ornamentation should not come in contact with water.

Cutting Process

CUTTING

He draws a template (pharma) on paper and then directly cut on leather after marking the template onto the leather wit a pencil. He keeps a wooden block under the leather before cutting to not blunt the tool on the stone beneath.

Then the leather is cut using a Raapi (cutting tool). You can sharpen the tool on the stone on which the work is done.

DYEING

The craftsmen either leave the leather in its natural colour, or dye it with strainers in shades or brown, or sometimes even bright colours like yellows, blues and reds.

The colour powder is mixed with water to make colour solution in the ratio of 1/3 powder and ž water. They use

Dyeing Process 52

PUNCHING

For punching on the leather, he keeps a fibre slab on the bottom so that the punches don’t break and you get a clean cut along the leather. The punch is hammered using a hathodi (hammer) or a thukni.

Using punches of a range of shapes and sizes; from geometrics like circles, triangles, squares, ovals and rectangles, to shapes like leaf, heart, moon and stars, the craftsmen make holes in the leather for a reverse appliquĂŠ like technique. Working with simple punches and hammers, an amazing variety of geometric patterns are created by the craftsmen, giving the surface a playful, vibrant character, not generally associated with the ruggedness of thick leather. With a little less pressure on the same punches, sometimes the craftsmen just give a low relief to the surface, for textured patterns. As the leather weathers, the punch engraved relief area becomes darker and appears like the tattoos that adorn the people of Kutch. It is one of the many instances where expressions of beliefs and expressions for livelihood merge at the juncture of creativity.

Punching Process

FABRIC BACKING

They use the chindi (waste fabric) in small strips enough for backing the punch work and with carefully composed, concentric or linear geometrical patterns, they play with colours as they place fabric pieces in bright hues under punched holes in leather. Rubber glue sticks the fabric bits with leather and then a backing is given to the composition, usually with colourful block printed cotton which is also handmade in Kutch.

STITCHING

The pieces of leather are hand stitched by passing thick thread through small slits made with a stitching awl. The

Fabric Backing 53

Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

threads of 4 vibrant bright colours (red, blue, yellow and green) are stitched along with the border when they stich the entire piece naming the tassel as “PHUMKA� and multicoloured thread tassels make the piece irresistibly charming. They use a single colour thread twice and then series go on with other colours.

EMBROIDERY

While the men are involved in the processes of cutting, punching, shaping and joining of the leather pieces, the women add the necessary colourful embellishment to the leather with embroidery in contrasting coloured threads.

Golden and silver thread stitches and mirror work adds a touch of sparkle The village craft of leather work moulds itself to any purpose, for any place. Just a few tools, some cloth and plenty of imagination, are all that is needed to create new and beautiful things from an age-old tradition.

Embroidery

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TOOLS

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

TOOLS

RAAPI-Used for cutting leather. It has a sharp iron metal with a

KUNDI AAR (AWL)-Used for stitching purpose. It has a hook

HATHODI (HAMMER) – Used for hammering the punches

PATLI OR FIBRE SHEET-This is a slab which is kept under the

wooden handle. It is sharpened before each use on the stone to get a clean cut.

on the head through which thread is passed and pulled out to the other side to stich.

leather while punching so that the punches don’t break.

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THUKNI (CIRCULAR HAMMER)-Used for hammering the back-

PUNCHES-They are used to create cut patterns of different

ing leather to the front part to stick it without getting any mark due to a larger surface area.

shapes on the leather. They are made of iron and are hammered on the leather to cut out.

WOODEN BLOCK–This is kept under the leather while cutting so that the raapi doesn’t loose its sharpness and gives a clean cut on the leather.

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

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PRODUCT RANGE

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

PRODUCT & PACKAGING There are various products made out of leather having a traditional touch of the Kutch leatherwork. The products are beautifully made with the punchwork and embroidery technique. The main products that are made are mojris, wallets, mirrors etc.

They make products which are in trends with todays fashion. For example, he has all type of bags like clutch, slings wallets etc. They have very wide range of product with different touch in it. Some has punching in the product and some has embroidery. Most of the chappals and mojris has embroider work in it. The embroidery part is done by the ladies of their families.

There were bags which has nice uniform punchwork and some has the embroidery work. They also did the zari work on the wallets and slings to give it a different look. The thread embroidery is the most prominent thing that one will see in Kutch leather craft.

They also make mirrors by keeping cardboard in between in order to give it strength. Punchwork is done in it and the border was made by phunkas.

The cardboard boxes are stuffed with the different leather products.

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The products were mainly sold at their homes and at exhibitions. They exhibit the products at their home on a bed. The tourist comes and have a look at it and buy stuffs.

They do not have any specific packaging, the simply wrap the product on a newspaper and put it inside a carry bag.

There are different product ranges so the packaging for each product must be different. Even while travelling for the exhibition they put all the products inside a bag and carry. The mirrors are vertically kept so that it wont break.

The bag is packed accordingly so the products don’t get damaged.

The packaging in which Nazarbhai brings his stuff for exhibitions.

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

S.W.O.T STRENGTH

WEAKNESS

• It is the potential source of foreign revenue because of authenticity and uniqueness.

• Large, diversified and potential market.

• Lack of infrastructure and communication facilities.

• Unawareness about the craft.

• Unawareness about international requirements and market.

• There is large product variety and range is available because of diversified culture and need.

• Diversified product range that service different market.

• Lack of co-ordination between government bodies and private players.

• Cheap labour rates that result to competitive price.

• Inadequate information of new technology.

• Availability of raw material is nearby.

• Inadequate information of current market trends.

• Profit is greater than other crafts.

• Less interest of young people in craft industry.

• There is no need for macro-investment.

• Requires intense labour work.

• Products are high value added, and handicrafts have various applications.

• Still confined to rural areas and small cities and untapped market.

• Production reduces to quarter in rainy season.

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OPPORTUNITIES

THREATS

• Rising demand for handicraft products in different states and countries and abroad such as USA, Canada, France, Germany, Italy etc.

• Competition in domestic market.

• Developing fashion industry requires handicrafts products.

• Quality products produced by competing countries and reach to the audience.

• Development of sectors like Retail, Real Estate that offers great requirements of handicrafts products.

• Awareness of the Kutch leather craft over the industry made products.

• Development of domestic and international tourism sector

• Better Trade terms offered by competing industries.

• E-Commerce and Internet are emerged as promissory distribution channels to market and sell the craft products.

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• Balance between high demand and supply.

• Increased and better technological support and facility in competing leather industries.

Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

STEPS TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT Both the state and central government have taken steps to work towards the well being of these craftsmen and steps have been taken to provide them with financial support and to make sure about their interest in the craft.

Special loan schemes have been introduced for the craftsmen to give them financial support and the rate of interest charged is comparatively low. The craftsmen’s children are also given free primary education under the Sarva Shiksha Abhigyan.

The state government has also provided the craftsmen with a platform to come out and experience the outside world.

Different NGOs and government organisation organise exhibitions so that the craftsmen can showcase their works.

Craftsmen welfare association has been formed to inform the craftsmen about the exhibitions taking place in the country and also around the world. They award them on the basis of their skills and hard work. This keeps the craftsmen motivated and encourage them to give better results.

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Nazarbhai participated in the Craftroots exhibition 2019 held at Surya Palace, Vadodara

LEATHER PRO/ CONS

Leather is more sensitive to fluctuations in temperature, where it can feel warmer in summer and rather chilly in winter. Wear and tear on leather is very consistent.

Initially, leather can be stiff when it is first purchased, but with time the material becomes more flexible and relaxed.

Leather is available in its natural form, dyed or undyed, but the combinations of patterns and textures are more restricted, given the natural characteristics.

Real leather has natural marks, shade difference and grain difference. Leather fibres hold large quantities of water vapour which enables leather to absorb perspiration which is later dissipated.

As leather ages, it does not wear out but develops a shiny coating or layer known as ‘Patina’. Patina protects the leather and overtime makes it look better and makes it more durable and stronger. High tensile strength

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

WORK INPUTS OF GROUP MEMBERS Primary Research - Shubhra and Banani (Accessory Design) Secondary Research - Banani and Shubhra (Accessory Design) Questionnaire and Interview - Banani and Shubhra (Accessory Design) Cinematography for documentary - Aadithyan M. (Moving Images) Editing - Aadithyan M. (Moving Images) Sound Design - Aadithyan M. (Moving Images) Product Photography - Shubhra, Banani and Kriti (Accessory Design and Communication Design) Process Photography - Banani, Shubhra and Kriti (Accessory Design and Communication Design) Tag line for documentation -Shubhra(Accessory Design) Craft Documentation Layout - Kriti (Communication Design) Brochure - Kriti (Communication Design) Data board- Kriti (Communication Design) Price tag- Kriti (Communication Design) Visiting Card- Kriti (Communication Design) 68

Content for documentation - Shubhra and Banani (Accessory Design) Packaging - Shubhra and Banani (Accessory Design) Stabilizer rig for camera - Shubhra (Accessory Design) Leather cutting Product - Banani and Shubhra (Accessory Design)

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

AADITHYAN MANNAR MANNAN What should I start off with? About the heart-warming hospitality of the craft family? The mind-blowing craftsmanship? The peaceful village? The golden opportunity our college provided? The beautiful memories and the merry time with my friends? I will be out of words if I elaborate my experience. My teammates and myself had a wonderful time in Kutch documenting and residing with craftsman and his family. Even though the days were countable the memories and knowledge we gained cannot be measured. They never made us feel we were far from home. The interaction between us and the craftsman couldn’t have been friendlier and more comfortable, such politeness, mouth-watering desi home cooked food served with smiling faces made our day. I could go on and on‌ but somethings cannot be portrayed in words.

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BANANI SAHOO

The process of documenting the craft was an amazing experience. I would appreciate my college having such kind of modules in the curriculum. I learned how to work in a team and respecting the strengths and weakness of the team members. The visit to Nirona village and interaction with the craftsman and their family was a great experience.

We stayed with them for 3 days and documented their daily routines and their works. The kind of response and hospitality we got was amazing. This project gave me an opportunity to work beyond my comfort zone and learning new things. I got to learn a lot from the craftsman as well as my friends. The guidance of our faculty was also helpful during the process. Overall, we had fun and learned a lot from others

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

KRITI JAIN

Documenting the whole craft was initially terrifying for me but after reaching Nirona and interacting with the craftsmen and his family I forgot my worries. During the stay in Nirona I learned the power of simplicity which later helped me in layouting and combining the whole data in a document. I learned the value of teamwork with my amazing group members and gained immense knowledge from the craftsman about the craft. The hospitality shown by the Nazar family was heart-touching and could not be expressed in words. I am grateful that I was the part of this module with such supporting faculty and amazing team mates.

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SHUBHRA BHATNAGAR

The experience was just overwhelming. Thanks to our college for such an opportunity of documenting a craft this vibrantly. The feeling of being treated like a family is most joyous and it was fulfilled by our Nirona family.

The enjoyment of short chai break and funny jokes of the craftsmen was never ending. I had a lot of knowledge and skill gaining not to mention the amount of hospitality and friendliness. So, the craft was very interesting and fun to help shoot with my other group members. Words are too less to explain the experience the life of village and with so much love they serve the delicious food. It was a beautiful experience in total looking forward for such more field trips and work.

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

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CONCLUSION The study of this leather craft shows the origin of the craft, how it has sustained through so many years and its current state in market. With involving years there has been crisis for many resources and crafts. Getting raw materials is the biggest challenge in this craft. The leather today used is the by product of the meat industry. But as years passed the quality of the leather decreased. So, the craftsmen have compromise with the product. More people need to know about this craft so that the craft gets its actual position it deserved.

The scope of the technique in modern market will be pretty good. The designs oft the products made need a little upgradation in order to place it in current scenario. Leather as a material can be used at various places and incorporation of the touch of the craft will give any product a different style.

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar

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BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS Aditi Ranjan & MP Ranjan- Handmade in India Jaya Jaitly -Craft Atlas of India INTERNET http://gaatha.com/kutch-leather-punch-work/ http://www.khamir.org/about/khamir/who https://www.gujarattourism.com/ https://www.google.com/search?q=vegetable+tanned+leather&tbs=isz:lt,islt:svga&tbm=isch&source=lnt&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiO3-uoh8LgAhUG9LwKHVW9BkMQpwUIIA&biw=1366&bih=618&dpr=1#imgdii=VdatRTUaBDPIuM:&imgrc=17npVS3HyOTazM: https://www.google.com/search?q=vegetable+tanned+leather+india&tbs=isz:lt,islt:2mp&tbm=isch&source=lnt&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjss422g8LgAhWPbysKHc6NA2QQpwUIIA&biw=1366&bih=618&dpr=1 http://www.natgeotraveller.in/the-handicraft-hunters-guide-to-kutch/ https://potliwalas.wordpress.com/2013/02/19/nirona-the-pride-of-kutch/ https://www.google.com/search?q=nirona+weaving&rlz=1C1CHZL_enIN763IN763&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjt-bWpur7gAhUPT48KHau6ABAQ_AUICSgA&biw=1366&bih=618&dpr=1 https://punemirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/unwind/what-is-your-view-on-the-state-govt-introducing-textbooks-on-our-pms-accomplishments-in-schools/articleshow/65648282.cms https://www.craftsbazaar.com/inr/marketplace/seller/profile/?mageuserid=572 http://plan.rajasthan.gov.in/content/industries/handmadeinrajasthandepartment/artandcraft/leather/jawajaleatherwork.html# https://www.jawajaleather.com/jawaja-trip.php https://www.itokri.com/collections/leather-craft-online http://traveltalesfromindia.in/2018/02/a-village-called-nirona/

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Leather craft: Nazar-E-Safar