The Banana fibre craft of Anegundi

Banana Fibre Craft Anegundi - Karnataka

Rohit R Chandak Vaibhav Sathawane

Lifestyle Accessory Design - 2015

} 1 Craft Documentation | Lifestyle Accessory Design | NID - 2015-17

Masters of Design Lifestyle Accessory Design National Institute of Design Gandhinagar This Craft Documentation is written, edited and documented by student researchers, Rohit Chandak and Vaibhav Sathwawane, Guided by Shimul Mehta Vyas, Mentor, LAD All rights reserved under International Copyright convention Š No part of this document shall be reproduced or transmitted by any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopy or any other information system, storage or retrieval system,without prior permission in writing from the author or the institution.

Publishing Year: 2017 Designed and Developed at: National Institute of Design Gandhinagar.

Lifestyle Accessory Design - 2015

Banana Fibre Craft Of Anegundi

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the craftswomen of The Kishkinda Trust, people of Anegundi Village for their selfless hospitality and openness towards speaking for their craft, which has made this book to be possible, and we would also like to thank Ms Shama Pawar who was very generous to let us explore this craft.

Preface The overall structure of NID’s program is its research and design services. It is an Ministry of Commerce & Industry. It is also recognized by the Department of

Management Centre. Sponsored design projects are brought into the classroom to provide professional experience.

Interdisciplinary design studies in Science and Liberal Arts widen the students’ horizons and increase general awareness of contemporary issues.

value, our culture and economy, hence programs at Bachelors and Masters

and research in India, and has been a principle with which many of the design

diverse design domains. NID has has also been playing

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Value to the community & gives access module enables student to recognize a

culture around it and adding to the economic and cultural value to that

study made to Anegundi, a village in Gangavathi taluk, Koppal district in the Indian state of Karnataka. About the

visit and research, and compiling the research text which forms a rich archival

people, process and area around it

An old house in anegundi village

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Lifestyle Accessory Design

with a pure visual appeal. Lifestyle Accessory Design complements and enhances our lifestyles from the mundane to luxury. technology and with the easy availability to experiment and try new methods and processes. India is rich in culture and its

decor market and the consumer trends, a range of home accessories can be elegance to the contemporary Indian urban home. Old products can be completely redesigned with keeping its

LAD/NID

Lifestyle Accessory Design involves research and understanding of the way people live and their habits, in order to and accessories. Skill development modules such as Design Drawing, Material and Structure, and Geometry give an understanding of various skills.

People are ready to experiment today due to more exposure and hence there given to comfort, performance and home and lifestyle products and serious like Ikea, Conran and Habitat etc.

ii

LAD/NID This program endeavors to move away from the legendary mantra of ‘form

research lifestyle accessory design has found its relevance in society and has

which is concerned with successfully catering to newly evolving product consumer, who are ready to experiment.

Hence, understanding the consumer and

explored & further applied to various projects. From lifestyle mega-trends to diverse and would require a good

the program.

LAD Batch of 2015

ii (a)

Content

21 - 33

35 - 57

59 - 67

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69 - 79

81 - 129 107- 109 111- 119

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1. Karnataka

The Karnataka state Karnataka is a tapestry of colours, cultures, flavours, landscapes, timelessness and heart-stopping beauty.

It’s a place where vibrant worlds seamlessly meld into one another every few hundred kilometres. Sedate plains suddenly rise to the dizzying mist covered hilly heights, and then plunge with careless abandon in a white watered free-fall to become languid rivers that flow past cities where time has stopped altogether.

And cities where time rushes a relentless rush to keep up with the world; cities that sometimes escape into the deep quietude of thick forests and sometimes, stretches their arms wide open to embrace the sea. Host to some of India’s largest and most powerful dynasties, the state has across the centuries carried a legacy of art and culture. Its geography - making it, by all means, a 191,791 square kilometre trail of whimsy.

Geography: In terms of area, Karnataka is the eighth biggest state in India. The capital of Karnataka is Bengaluru or Bangalore which is dubbed as the Information Technology Capital of India. Not long ago Bangalore was called the “Garden City”, now it is the ‘IT City’.

In 1973, the Mysore State was renamed Karnataka. The region has been ruled by many rulers and dynasties and thus has a distinctive culture. Early history of Karnataka states that it was a part of the Maurya Empire, and then ruled by the Satvahanas, Pallavas, Kadambas and much more. Each dynasty has been immortalized in history through its architectural prowess, which can be seen in the form of monuments and temples spread over the state. After the independence of India, Karnataka state was reorganized on the basis of the ‘Kannada speaking’ people. The state forms a part of the Deccan Plateau, it lies on the western edge of the plateau.

It shares its borders with the Arabian Sea in the west,

The state forms a part of the Deccan Plateau, it lies on the western edge of the plateau. It shares its borders with the Arabian Sea in the west, Maharashtra in the north, Kerala in the southwest, Goa in the northwest, Tamil Nadu to the southeast and Andhra Pradesh to the east. The economy of the state is dependent on agriculture, animal husbandry, mining, quarrying, manufacture, Information Technology, education, etc. It has the highest economic growth rate in India.

Karnataka is a mineral rich state. The main minerals found are gold, silver, copper, iron-ore, manganese, limestone, dolomite, asbestos, bauxite, chromite, kaolin and granite rock. More than 90% of the gold produced in India is produced in the southern part of Karnataka. Kolar Gold Fields (Kolar District) and Hatti Gold Mines (Raichur District) are probably one of the oldest gold mines in the world.

Content reference: www.karnataka.com Map Source: www.mapsofindia.com

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Vidhan Sabha - Bengaluru

Besides these, gold reserves have been found in Dharwad and Chitradurga as well. Raichur is also known for its silver deposits. Hospet and Bellary are the two districts in the state where a significant amount of Iron ore is excavated. Karnataka also has the largest reserves of Manganese ore in the country.

Image Source: www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vidhana_Soudha www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysore_Palace

Karnataka holds the top rank in producing raw silk, coffee, and sandalwood oriented goods. The service sector of the state comprises Consultancies, Real Estate, Academic Institutions, Travel and Tourism, Insurance, IT and Hotel Industry.

Karnataka: •Area - 191,791 square kilometers •Area rank- 7th •Latitude - 74° and 78° East.

•Longitude - 11° and 18° North.

•Capital – Bangalore (Bengaluru) •Districts - 30.

•Principal language – Kannada •Population (2011) • Total 61,130,704 • Rank 8th • Density 320/km2 (830/sq. mi) •Literacy Rate-75.60%

Karnataka state flag

Mysore Palace - Mysore

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Culture and Religion: The diverse linguistic and religious ethnicities native to Karnataka combines with their long histories contributing immensely to the varied cultural heritage of the state. Apart from Kannadigas, Karnataka serves as home to Tuluvas, Kodavas and Konkanis.

Minor populations of Tibetan Buddhists and tribes like the Soligas, Yeravas, Todas and Siddhis also live in Karnataka.

There are mentions about this region in the period of the great epic Ramayana as Kishkinda. Based on literary factors the region of Mysore is called as Mahisha Mandala after a demon named Mahishasura. In the cultural history of India one can strongly say that the Haridasa Devotional movement has brought a great change. The culture change by spiritual influences also includes art and philosophy which was more concentrated in the state of Karnataka.

Dollu Kunitha (Karnataka’s traditional dance form)

Ugadi Festival (Festival to celebrate harvesting season)

Image Source: www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dollu_Kunitha www.tripadvisor.com www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arjuna_(elephant) Www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugadi

www.karnataka.com › Profile

Leather puppetry show

Yakshagana

Bharatanatyam

Mysore Dushera Procession

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Flora and Fauna: Karnataka has a rich diversity of flora and fauna. It has forest area of 38720 km2 which constitutes 20.19% of the total geographical area of the state. These forests support 25% of the elephant and 20% of the tiger population of India. Many regions of Karnataka is still unexplored and new species of flora and fauna are still found. The Western Ghats Mountains in the western region of Karnataka is a biodiversity hot-spot.

Two sub-clusters of the Western Ghats, Talacauvery and Kudremukh in Karnataka, are in a tentative list of sites that could be designated as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The Bandipur and Nagarahole national parks which fall outside these sub-clusters was included in the Nilgiri biosphere reserve in 1986, a UNESCO designation. BR hills or Biligiriranga Hills in Karnataka is a place where the Eastern Ghats meets the Western Ghats. The state bird and state animal of Karnataka are Indian roller and the Indian elephant respectively.

Image Source: www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandipur_National_Park www.holidify.com/places/jog-falls/ www.holidify.com/places/gokarna/ rahuld-rocks.blogspot.com/2015/09/

The state tree and state flower are sandalwood and lotus respectively.

Karnataka is home to 406+ tigers which is around 12 % tiger of the world.

Jog Falls

Bison (Gaur), Western Ghats

Tigers (Benarghatta National Park)

Kudremukh Mountain Ranges, Western Ghats

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Tourism: Karnataka is the eighth largest state in India and has been ranked as the third most popular state in the country for tourism in the year 2014. It is home to 507 of the 3600 centrally protected monuments in India. Tourism centres on the ancient sculptured temples, modern cities, the hill ranges, forests and beaches. Broadly, tourism in Karnataka can be divided into four geographical regions: North Karnataka, the Hill Stations, Coastal Karnataka and South Karnataka.

Bangalore palace - Bangalore

Murdeshwara Temple - Murdeshwar

Gol gumbaz - Bijapur

Badami

Gomateshwara - Shravanabelaola

Karwar Beach - Karwar

Stone Chariot - Hampi Image Source: www.justdial.com/Karnataka-State-Tourism.../Photos www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gol_Gumbaz www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gommateshwara_statue www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangalore_Palace 31 Craft Documentation | Lifestyle Accessory Design | NID - 2015-17

2. The Vijayanagara Empire

The royal emblem of the Vijayanagara Empire

Image Source: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/cf/40/1c/cf401c20bc9774cd1e2eea12801a5053.jpg

The Vijayanagara Empire.

Vijayanagara or “city of victory� was the name of both a city and an empire. The empire was founded in the fourteenth century. In its heydey, it stretched from the river Krishna in the north to the extreme south of the peninsula. In 1565 the city was sacked and subsequently deserted. Although it fell into ruin in the Seventeenth eighteenth centuries, it lived on in the memories of people living in the Krishna Tungabadhra doab. They remembered it as Hampi, a name derived from that of the local mother goddess, Pampadevi. These oral traditions combined with archaeological finds, monuments and inscriptions and other records helped scholars to rediscover the Vijayanagara Empire.

Pillars from narshima temple complex, Hampi 35 Craft Documentation | Lifestyle Accessory Design | NID - 2015-17

UNESCO World heritage site - Hampi The Hampi group of monuments was listed in UNESCO “World Heritage sites� in 1986. Since this declaration, Hampi receives an increasing number of pilgrims and tourists. Although this has resulted in the prosperity of the local people the associated problems cannot be ignored. It is a startling fact that the entire site is at risk and greater public sector involvement and intervention is called for to protect the natural and archaeological heritage.

Transportation within the core area has been used to meet the demands of growing tourism. This has resulted in the rural atmosphere being transformed by multi-storied concrete structures in the form of guest houses, hotels, restaurants and shops that cater to tourists and threaten the architectural integrity of the place.

Temple authorities and religious bodies have encouraged ashrams to come up in the area around the sites. Many have renovated and even dismantled ancient structures to construct a new concrete eyesores completely removed from the Existing archaeological context. In an effort to provide modern amenities the religious and public sector seem to have been a bit heavy handed with new constructions and facing surrounding the monuments.

Virupaksha Temple as seen from a distance

Illegal quarrying in the core and buffer zones are rampant. Although there is no direct threat to monuments, the landscape is being ravaged and this is bound to have a serious impact on the environment and natural heritage of the area.

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Historical & Mythological Association The Vijayanagara Empire was an important South Indian empire was founded by Harihara Raya, I and his brother Bukka Raya, I. The capital of the empire was Vijayanagara now as Hampi in Karnataka. The empire ruled from 1336 AD to 1646 AD although the power of the empire declined after the Battle of Talikota in 1565 AD. Vijayanagara Empire was ruled by mainly four important dynasties. They were 1. Sangama Dynasty: It was the first dynasty of Vijayanagara Empire and Harihara Raya I was the first ruler of the dynasty from 1336 to 1356 AD. Some of the rulers of the dynasty were: Bukka Raya, Virupaksha Raya, Deva Raya, Ramachandra Raya, Mallikarjuna Raya and Praudha Raya.

2. Saluva Dynasty: It was the second dynasty of Vijayanagara Empire and Narasimhadeva Raya first ruler of Saluva Dynasty of Vijayanagara Empire from 1485 AD to 1491 AD. He Content reference: www.ncert.nic.in

Was succeeded by his son Thimma Bhupala. Narasimha Raya II was the last ruler of Saluva Dynasty succeeded his father Thimma Bhupala.

3. Tuluva Dynasty: It was the third dynasty of Vijayanagara Empire.

The rulers of Tuluva Dynasty were Narasa Nayaka, Viranarasimha Raya, KrishnadevaRaya, Achyutadeva Raya and Sadasiva Raya.

Krishnadeva Raya was a very powerful ruler of Vijayanagara Empire. It is considered that during his reign the empire reached its zenith. He ruled the empire from 1509 AD to 1529 AD. 4. Aravidu Dynasty: The fourth and last dynasty of Vijayanagara Empire was Aravidu Dynasty. After the Battle of Talikota the empire started to decline and Muslim states of Bijapur (now Vijapur) became prominent.

Tungabadhra River, Dividing Hampi and Anegundi

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The ruins of Vijayanagara Empire

Map of Hampi Heritage Site and its distance from nearby places (drawn on a wall near the heritage site)

Hemkuta hills & Temple complex

Sasivekalu Ganesha Temple, Hemkuta Hills, Hampi

Pushkarni Tank, Hampi

Image Source: www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijayanagara www. wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampi 41 Craft Documentation | Lifestyle Accessory Design | NID - 2015-17

Kadlekalu Ganesha temple Idol, the ruins After mughal Invasion

Vitthala Temple Complex

Stone Chariot, Hampi

Vitthala Temple Complex

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Lotus temple

Musical Pillars temple

Hanuman temple, Hemkuta Hills

Boulders in Hampi Site

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Anegundi Anegundi is the cradle city of Hampi; it is located to the north of the Tungabadhra River. The village has a distinct character, with humble, whitewashed flat-roofed houses with inner labyrinths that contrast with the four main roads that form a simple square. With its many ancient temples, Anegundi falls within the core zone of the Hampi World Heritage Site, thus requiring the local population to maintain its traditional buildings and appearance.

Life In Anegundi: Anegundi has a charm; its beauty is like no other. If one walks around its streets, we can see women grinding spices to make the pickle, decorating their houses with rangoli, or weaving banana fibre for the product which is making in the Kishkinda trust. They sit in front of ancient whitewashed houses, with beautiful carved wooden pillars and granite floors. Anegundi’s architectural heritage is relatively unspoilt and its inspiring landscape makes it not only an important heritage site, but a living, natural one as well.

North Gate Entrance to Anegundi Village

History and geographical Significance: Anegundi’s history dates back to before Hampi-vijayanagara and to the time of Ashoka in the 3rd

city from where they initially ruled then letter shifted their capital to Hampi.

Anegundi was known as the Monkey Kingdom of kishkinda at that time, Hampi served as the stage for the unfolding of several events in the Ramayana. The entire episode of Kishkinda kanda took place in and around Anegundi. Kishkinda is the birthplace of Hanuman; it was here that he was supposed to have met Rama who received a message that his beloved kidnapped wife Sita was still alive. Later, assisted by sugreeva he helped Rama to find her.

Century BC Even after the collapse of the Empire in 1565 AD in continued to the seat of the devaraya dynasty. When Vijayanagara was founded in the mid14th Century by the Sangama brothers Harihara I and bukka I, Anegundi was already well established as the cradle

The places in which these events happened are scattered over sixty square kilometres and are worshipped as Sacred pilgrim sites by locals and other. Since time immemorial, ‘Rishis’ and saints have been meditating in the caves. Rishimukha along the Tungabadhra River has rendered the whole region sacred. In addition to these live monuments, intact Remnants of a several thousandyear-old stone-age colonies known as ‘Maurya Mane’ has been found. There is several other Neolithic dwelling that has very clear cave paintings. All these things together make this a popular sacred destination.

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People & Culture

confident,capable individuals.

The people of Anegundi have been working on their self-motivated program “Education through Performing Arts�. This has been one of the most effective programs where the young children learn to dance, music theatre from various specialized artists, They have experienced that the children involved in this program are overall much more tuned to the concept of conservation, ecology etc. Along with teamwork, ethics, their ability to grasp and learn Strengths, and in the long run they get involved in social projects as well as turn out to be confident, capable individuals.

The local tourism industry contributes to strengthening the solid waste management (SWM) of village Anegundi through the trust. The activities being carried out are; providing tools and training workers, Regular sweeping, Collection and segregation, composting of bio-waste, dissemination of dry waste such as plastics, etc. Realizing that to appreciate and be involved in conserving ancient lineage and historic surroundings, the villagers of Anegundi must be self-sufficient with sustainable economic support, the Union government under its rural tourism scheme formed a trust named Kishkinda to build capacity in the villagers to maintain business incubators.

The local tourism industry contributes to strengthening the solid waste management (SWM) of village Anegundi through the trust. The activities being carried out are; providing tools and training workers, Regular sweeping, Collection and segregation, composting of bio-waste, dissemination of dry waste such as plastics, etc. Realizing that to appreciate and be involved in conserving Strengths, and in the long run they get involved in social projects as well as turn out to be

The main activities have taken up engaging the locals were improving the village surroundings through landscaping, developing parks and gardens, putting up fences and constructing Compound walls, laying roads within the panchayat limits, fixing street lights, managing solid waste and sewerage, procuring equipment required for water sports and adventure sports, introducing Eco-

Content reference: www.gounesco.com/linking-heritage-livelihood-kishkinda-trust-hampi-anegundi www. http://tktkishkinda.org/anegundi/

friendly modes of transport for moving within the tourism zone and setting up reception centres.

To meet contemporary needs of tourists, traditional houses in the village were converted into guest houses without disturbing their ancient looks.

The villagers are earning a handsome amount by renting out these houses to the tourists. They have also set up a craft shop offering a range of items made locally using banana fibre, an Internet cafe to help visitors keep in touch with the outer world and a restaurant to treat their taste buds.

Local art forms have also been revived to entertain the visitors.

Anjanadri Hills, Birthplace of lord Hanuman

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Gagan Mahal, Anegundi

Pampa Sarovar (lotus lake), Anegundi

Wooden Chariot, Anegundi

Raja Achyuta Deva Raya’s Statue, Anegundi Village Entrance

Fields near Anegundi village

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Playground and common place for villagers to gather, Anegundi

Sri Krishnadevaraya 64 pillars tomb, Anegundi

Transport and connectivity to the outside world Anegundi is located on the northern bank of River Tungabadhra. It is situated at a distance of 3 km from Hampi and can only be reached by private vehicles or by crossing the river. There is no public transport that operates between Hampi and Anegundi. Visitors can hire a two-wheeler or auto rickshaw to reach Anegundi from Hampi. Another way is to cross the River Tungabadhra and reach Anegundi.

By air: Ballari is the closest town to

One can take a bus or taxi to reach Anegundi from Hospet. Another way to reach Anegundi is to take a rickshaw or a taxi to Talawarghatta and then cross River Tungabadhra by a coracle (local round boat).

By road: Anegundi is connected through the road network. There are regular buses that operate between Anegundi and Hospet is located at a distance of 40 km from Anegundi.

have an airport. Anegundi is situated at a distance of about 75 km from Ballari and other convenient airports are at Belgaum and Bangalore on the distance of 190 Km and 353 km respectively.

By rail: The nearest railway station

is located in the town of Hospet. The railway station at Hospet is connected to several other places like Bangalore, Hubli, Bijapur, etc

Image Source: www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kishkinda www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahishmati

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South gate entrance to Anegundi

Ferry connecting to south gate, Anegundi (Tungabadhra river)

Arts and Crafts of nearby region The artisans of nearby region are pioneers in new and innovative low-waste methods of banana fibre production, from which a variety of items for daily use and decorations are crafted. They make excellent souvenirs.

Banana fibre craft and stone carvings are the most famous crafts of Anegundi.

The other existing arts of the region are quilting, Lambadi embroidery, wood carvings, black potter, and traditional masonry and bamboo crafts. A new genre of jewellery has been crafted from beautiful teardrop-like white and dyed seeds.

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3. The Kishkinda Trust

The Kishkinda Trust The Kishkinda Trust was born out for the conservation of village, heritage homes and rural tourism to take place in Anegundi; it must first and foremost benefit the people of Anegundi, economically, culturally and socially.

Raising community awareness and participation in heritage conservation for development are conducted from the community training centre established with UNESCO support in 2001.

Ideology of Kishkinda trust The banana fibre Cottage Industry was conceived and initiated by the kishkinda Trust in 1999 and has been a success story in capacity building in the region, It has provided women artisans with a regular source of income, thereby making them financially and independent. It has helped hone their design skills and develop technical expertise.

In 2002, the artisans came together to form the “Bhoomi Society for working women� (BSWW),

With the aim of consolidating supporting the woman and providing them with an independent Standing and a chance to hold their head up high Over the years, several exposure trips have been organized for the members of the BSWW to build capacity in the areas of responsibility and management.

The Trust now has an export promotion license which enables the cottage industry to take on overseas assignments. For this purpose, some specialized export production groups have also been developed- Smaller groups of highly skilled artisan who manufacture high quality products exclusively for export. Currently, we are supplying to Finland, Italy, France and other European countries.

This not only ensures that the Banana fibre craft of Anegundi delight people across the world, but that the women themselves are exposed to the new ideas and designs.

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Heritage homes and rural tourism Linking heritage to livelihood is not always an easy task, as efforts to conserve traditional settings impose certain constraints on the local population. No road widening, no possibility of new constructions; the obligation to maintain traditional facades of houses and to use specific traditional materials for construction. It is no wonder heritage is often perceived by the local population as hampering development rather than being a source of their empowerment. The Kishkinda Trust remedies such a view by bringing locals into heritage based small-scale businesses. Among the Trust’s many programs is the adaptive re-use of traditional houses as tourism facilities.

The main activities have taken up engaging the locals were improving the village surroundings through landscaping, developing parks and gardens, putting up fences and constructing compound walls, laying roads within the panchayat limits, fixing street lights, managing solid waste

And sewerage, procuring equipment required for water sports and adventure sports, introducing Eco-friendly modes of transport for moving within the tourism zone and setting up reception centers.

To meet contemporary needs of tourists, traditional houses in the village were converted into guest houses without disturbing their ancient looks.

The villagers are earning a handsome amount by renting out these houses to the tourists.

They have also set up a craft shop offering a range of Banana fibre products, an Internet cafe to help visitors keep in touch with the outer world and a restaurant to treat their taste buds. Local art forms have also been revived to entertain the visitors.

The Kishkinda Heritage Homes and Guest House, Anegundi village

Exterior of Uramma Resorts

Interior of guest house (1)

Interior of guest house (2)

Image Source: http://www.urammaheritagehomes.com/

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Dining area for guests

Bamboo ferry to cross the river

Image Source: http://www.urammaheritagehomes.com/

Waiting lounge

Conservation of Village: The kishkinda trust has worked with volunteers to clean up the village and the Northern gate.

Kattas or community space has been constructed for the village and personal gatherings.

A solid waste management program has been initiated under the rural tourism project with the aim of promoting clean and hygienic conditions within the village and making the village more congenial to tourists.

In an effort to promote Ecotransportation, TKT has organized coracle rides for tourists which are being managed by the locals on a profit sharing basis. The same is also being done with the rental of bicycles.

In order to provide clean and safe drinking water for the community, existing water tanks were redesigned to cater to a large number of people at a given time. More taps and hygienic surrounding were created with proper drainage facilities for run-off of water.

‘Bhoomi for working women’ this consists of fifteen self-help groups involved in banana fibre based cottage industry, This was one of the Major achievement of the kishkinda trust.

Training workshops are conducted regularly for capacity building of women artisans A population continues to increases and tourism continues to be promoted in the area, it has become crucial to implement an integrated regional plan that will be respectful towards traditional practices and the quality of the environment and still provide comfortable infrastructure for Visitors.

The kishkinda trust is attempting to do just this by creating respect for the Vernacular architecture and maintain public spaces. By integrating this with small businesses incubation programs the trust that the stakeholders will see the potential and feasibility of the same.

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In an effort to maintain the original rural charm of Anegundi village various grass roots activities have been taken up since 1997.

The rangoli competition is used as a tool to maintain the hygiene of village spaces. These competitions not only receive ruler traditions but also help immensely in keeping the streets and the village as a whole clean.

Keeping the cultural aspects in perspective and at the same time taking into account the local people’s participation in various activities, traditional houses were rented from village residents to serve as a craft shops, guest-houses and educational centre through activities of the performing arts and computer training.

An old house converted into community library

Crafts In 1998, The Kishkinda Trust founder, Mrs Shama Pawar established a banana fibre craft initiative in the historic settlement of Anegundi (Hampi) Her focus was on developing local livelihood opportunities for women, based on the natural ecology of the region.

Traditional method of making slurry for construction

Blending locally available materials and skills that could be strengthened shama developed a range of ‘banana fibre products’, today TKT’s banana fibre unit has been grown from its original group of 8 women, to supporting the livelihoods of around 150-200 women, many of whom are the second generation of weavers/artisans to be working with the organization.

There are currently three units of banana fibre production, which includes a rope making unit, a domestic market craft unit and an export unit named as ‘TIKAU’ which works with a market linkage partner from Finland.

TKT aims to build capacity of the women at the grassroots level, to run the production units themselves, and has recently established the ‘Hari Dharti co-operative, to help transition the units to being owned and managed by the artisans.

One another as a family, and this reflects the core values of creativity, friendship and community that underpin all of TKT’s initiatives.

TKT focuses intensively on the capacity building of the locals, the villagers, across multidisciplinary fields of creative and cultural industries architectural conservation, heritage restoration, crafts and design, management and hospitality That their lives are nurtured, enriched and empowered by their own culture and identities. In this process of reaffirming ties between tradition, everyday commerce and the quality of life, they shall share their fruits of labour with the visitors in the celebration called ‘LIFE’.

All proceeds from product sales support these livelihood initiatives and help the women of the village to earn an independent income, while also creating a space, where they can work together, share their experiences and learn from Content reference: www.tktkishkinda.org/

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4. The Banana Plant

What is a Natural fibre?

The earliest evidence of humans using fibres is the discovery of wool and dyed flax fibres found in a prehistoric cave in the Republic of Georgia that date back to 36,000 BP Now, natural fibres can be used for high-tech applications, such as composite parts for automobiles.

Compared to composites reinforced with glass fibres, composites with natural fibres have advantages such as lower density, better thermal insulation, and reduced skin irritation. Further, unlike glass fibres, natural fibres can be broken down by bacteria once they are no longer in use.

Image showing a banana fibre basket in use

Natural Fibres are fibres that are produced by plants, animals, and geological processes. They can be used as a component of composite materials, where the orientation of fibres impacts the properties. Natural fibres can also be matted into sheets to make products such as paper, felt or fabric.

Why Banana Fibre?

India has been blessed with abundant natural fibres due to its geographical placement. As India falls in the tropical region, it is one of the biodiversity hot spots. Though the world is being hit with issues like global warming in recent times, India has been known for using natural fibres since time immemorial.

India has large resource of natural fibres such as Banana, Khus, Sisal, Korai grass, Talipot, Palm leaf, Coconut, Pineapple, Screw pine, Golden grass, Jute, Sabai, coir etc.

Banana fibre is considered to be the next revolution in many industries such as textile and automobile interiors, they have silk quality grade fibre yarn which has a natural golden sheen the banana plantation consumes much less water compared to cotton in the agriculture, making it a much sought after material amongst many such industries and designers.

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Cultivation of Banana

Economic Significance:

Banana is the second most important fruit crop in India next to mango. Its year-round availability, affordability, varietal range, taste, nutritive and medicinal value makes it the favourite fruit among all classes of people. It has also good export potential.

Banana is grown in about 120 countries.

Total annual world production is estimated at 86 million tons of fruits.

India leads the world in banana production with an annual output of about 14.2 million tons or 17% of world share produced. It ranks first in production and third in an area along fruit crops accounting for 13% of the total area and 33% of the production of fruits.

Banana evolved in the humid tropical regions of South East Asia with India as one of its centre of origin. Modern edible varieties have evolved from the two species – Musa culminate and Musa balbisiana and their natural hybrids, originally found in the rain forests of South East Asia. During the seventh century AD its cultivation spread to Egypt and Africa.

Annually, about 1.5 million tons of dry banana fibres can be produced from the outer sheath of pseudo stem. With the increasing demand for Banana in both the Indian and International markets.

A Banana Flower

Banana Plantation in Anegundi Village

Cultural Significance: In all the important festivals and occasions of Hindus, the serving of bananas play a prominent part.

Traditionally in south Indian marriages, banana plants are tied on both sides of the entrance of houses to bless the newlyweds to be useful to each other.

The banana is one of three fruits with this significance, the others being mango and jackfruit.

Banana leaf used in Marriage Decoration

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A traditional meal on a banana leaf is a must at any South Indian celebration.

Eating from a banana leaf is considered hygienic and healthy. Any guest can be served on a banana leaf which is considered humble and respectful.

Hindu mythology describes it as “kalpavriksha� a plant that gives us food, medicines, shelter and clothings, it is natural that it was considered as a plant that gave us garments. Therefore during ancient India use of its fibres for garment Industry was fairly known.

Perhaps it was discarded due to its later discoveries.

Banana is a rich source of carbohydrate and is rich in vitamins particularly vitamin B. It is also a good source of potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. The fruit is easy to digest, free from fat and cholesterol.

Banana powder is used as the first baby food. It helps in reducing risk of heart diseases when used regularly and is recommended for patients suffering from high blood pressure, arthritis, ulcer, gastroenteritis and kidney disorders. Processed products, such as chips, banana puree, jam, jelly, juice, wine and halva can be made from the

A South Indian meal served on Banana plantain

fruit. The tender stem, which bears the inflorescence is extracted by removing the leaf sheaths of the harvested pseudostem and used as a vegetable.

Plantains or cooking bananas are rich in starch and have a chemical composition similar to that of potato.

Banana fibre is used to make items like bags, pots and wall hangers. Rope and good quality paper can be prepared from banana waste. Banana leaves are used as healthy and hygienic eating plates.

Properties of Banana Fibre Banana plant not only gives the delicious fruit but it also provides the banana fibre. Banana fibre is a natural fibre. Natural fibres present important advantages such as low density, appropriate stiffness and mechanical properties and high decomposability and renew-ability. Moreover, they are recyclable and biodegradable. There has been a lot of research on the use of natural fibres in reinforcements. Banana fibre is a lignocellulosic fibre, obtained from the pseudo-stem of banana plant (Musa sepientum), is a baste fibre with relatively good mechanical properties.

Appearance of banana fibre is similar to that of bamboo fibre and ramie fibre, but its fineness, strength and spin ability is better than the two. It can be spun through almost all the methods of spinning including ring spinning, open end spinning, bast fibre spinning, and semi-worsted spinning among others.

Banana fibre absorbs moisture and releases moisture at great speed

Banana fibre has its own physical and chemical characteristics and many other properties that make it a fine quality fibre. It is a large perennial herb with leaf sheaths that form a pseudo stem.

Its height can be 10-40 feet surrounding with 8-12 large leaves. The leaves are up to 9 feet long and 2 feet wide.

Dried and peeled Banana fibres from Sheath

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All varieties of banana trees abound in fibres. In fact almost each and every part of the banana plant gives fibres of various strength, colour and beauty and staple length which can be used for various purposes Out of the 14-18 sheaths available in a stem, the outermost 4-6 sheaths yield course fibre, the outer 6-8 sheath soft lustrous fibre and the rest middle sheath excluding the innermost 4-6 sheaths yield very soft fibres.

In each sheath, there are 3distinct layers, the outer layer including the epidermis, contain the bundles of fibres dispersed in a soft tissue matrix. The middle layer consists of water transporting fibre vascular tissue. And the inner layer consists of soft, cellular tissue. The quantity of fibre in each sheath depends upon its width and its location in the stem, as does its quality. In addition to fruit production, huge quantity of biomass (pseudostem, leaves, suckers etc.) Is generated.

Illustration Source: www.promusa.org/Morphology+of+banana+plant

Biological Diagram, explaining the structure of banana plant

Image showing an extracted sheath

Cross section showing coil like arrangement of sheath in banana stem

Quick Facts:

- The banana is not a tree but a high herb that can attain Up to 15 feet of height.

- It is a perennial plant that replaces itself.

- Bananas do not grow from a seed but from a bulb or Rhizome.

- The time between planting a banana plant and the Harvest of the banana bunch goes from 9 to 12 months And the flower appears in the sixth or seventh month.

- Bananas are available all year long.

- It is resistant to sea water and has natural buoyance.

Content reference: nhb.gov.in/report_files/banana/BANANA.htm www. wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana textilelearner.blogspot.com/2014/01/properties-of-banana-fibre.html shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/7230/6/06_chapter%201.pdf 75 Craft Documentation | Lifestyle Accessory Design | NID - 2015-17

5. Banana fibre craft of Anegundi

A craftswomen knitting, Workshop facility, Anegundi

The Crafts Women The women’s who practices this craft are mostly from the Anegundi village itself, a place where it was alien enough to think of women’s going out and work once upon a time, are now independently working under the kishkinda trust (TKT), the one making rope operates from home and sells rope to the facility, and craftswomen who makes products comes to the workshop facility, which is in the heart of the village, walkable distance from almost all the corners of the village. it integrates their life to one another and empowers them economically TKT also helps these women’s form selfhelp groups (SHGs), wherein an artisan help others to join the community and sharing of knowledge takes place.

The kishkinda trust started with the focus of creating livelihood opportunities for women’s blending locally available material with the basic skill-set what an Indian household women would possess to create an ecologically sustainable craft, which TKT has been successful since then. It started with a group of eight women’s and is now supporting one hundred and fifty to two hundred women’s, many of which are second generation artisans working with the organization.

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Women working in this organization train other women who have interest to join the groups and both ends share knowledge with each other, of new techniques, designs and interventions they want to bring upon the products. Adding value to the craft and their daily life.

Artisan sharing their techniques and skills, Workshop Facility, Anegundi

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Artisan’s Profile: Name: Sophiya

Age: 17 yrs Sophiya is one of the youngest craftswoman in the cluster and she is belonging from Muslim community. She has done her schooling till the 7th standard in the native village Anegundi itself. She knows Urdu fluently as a mother tongue and bit of Kannada, Hindi and English. She has a FatherMother and two siblings in the family. She is working from last one year in same craft cluster and earning Rs. 2000 per/ Month.

Name: Radha

Age: 23 yrs Radha is working in the cluster from last 6 years and now her acting as a manager of Product development and raw material. She is staying with her Husband and two children.

She has done her schooling till the 10th standard. She is good with Hindi in reading, writing and bit of Kannada and English. She is most experience craft woman in the organization. She currently earns Rs. 6000 per/Month

Name: Reshma

Age: 34 yrs Reshma is working in the cluster from last 4 years and she also belongs from Muslim community. She has done her schooling till the 10th standard in her native village Anegundi itself. She knows Urdu fluently as a mother tongue and bit of Kannada, Hindi and English. She has good skills and understanding of craft with the expertise of new design intervention. She currently earns Rs. 4000 per/Month. She is finishing 10-12 products per month.

Name: Shajida

Age: 25yrs Shajida is craftswoman in the cluster who finished her Undergraduate in Bachelor of art (BA). She knows Urdu and Hindi fluently and bit of Kannada and English. She has a father, mother and a sister in her family. She is working with the organization from last three years and making 10-12 products in a month with earnings of Rs. 3000 Per/Month

Name: Tabassum

Age: 24yrs Tabassum is working in the Banana fibre craft cluster from last 3 years and she also belongs from Muslim community. She has done her schooling till the 10th standard in the native village Anegundi itself. She knows Urdu fluently as a mother tongue and bit of Kannada, Hindi and English. She has a father, mother and a brother in the family. She has good skills and experience in the cluster with earning Rs. 3000 per/Month. She is finishing 9-10 bags per month

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Tools of trade & Raw materials

Primary Tools & Materials:

Tools and raw materials make half of the artisan, they possess an important value to the artisan, in his/her day-today activities, in a country like India, tools are worshipped on a regular basis and are given equal respect as a human being or god itself, artisans believe that they help them complete their daily task and help them earn bread.

The women’s in TKT relies on very basic tool sets for completing their tasks, tools such as Crochet hook, scissors, cutter and measuring tape. The major material required here is dried banana sheath, which is then processed to make ropes of varying fineness.

Dried Banana Sheath: it is the outer layers of banana stem, which is dried in sun, naturally.

Scissors: To cut the sheath and rope Weaving Frame: Sometimes, weaving frame is used to weave mats Clippers: used in finishing of product, to trim the excess fibre and to cut the thread and ropes Measuring tape: to accurately measure the dimensions of a product Rubber mat: Used in twining two strands of banana fibre together.

Rubber Mat

Dried Banana Sheath

Scissors

Weaving Frame

Measuring tape & Clippers

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Secondary Tools & Materials:

Banana Fibre ropes: From Left to Right, Various thickness - 1, 2, 3, 4.

Made from strands of sheath, rubbed together on rubber mat.

Water to hydrate the fibre while working, for easy Handling Crochet hook: Used in knitting majority of products.

Various hooks handles different sizes of ropes.

The Workspace The workspace for artisan is as pure and divine as a temple. Along with the tools, craftsman worships and respects the place they work.

The TKT currently has three units, one of the unit is the home itself of the artisans. Some of the artisans in the village works on getting the banana sheath from the farm and dries it on rooftop to make ropes out of these fibres, which goes to TKT’s workshop, the second unit, where craftswomen who specializes in knitting, gather at 10 in the morning, to convert these banana fibre ropes of various diameter into useful and beautiful products, working there until 6 in the evening, the workshop is assisted by the

Development Commissioner of Handicrafts (DC-H). Ministry of Textiles, Govt. Of India for training enrolling future generations of women’s from the village.

TKT aims to build capacity of women at the grassroots level, to run the production unit themselves, all proceedings from sales, which supports the livelihood and aids them to take initiatives and help the women of the village to earn an independent income, while also creating a space, where they can work together, share their experiences, and learn from one another as a family and this reflects the core value of creativity, friendship and a community that underpins all of TKT’s initiatives.

Image showing women working outside their house to make banana fibre ropes, which will then be transported to the TKT workshop.

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Image of a signage inside the workshop facility, showing the assistance from DC-H, Govt. Of India

A unit inside the Workshop facility where products are displayed , showcasing wide gamut of home and personal Accessories

(I) Image showing banana fibre products being used in Workshop.

(I) An information board, where artisans have pinned samples of fibres, which are dyed in various methods, for the reference of future generations and visitors.

Image showing a typical workplace, tools and raw materials around the Craftswomen

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Group of young Artisans learning from one another, sharing the knowledge and new findings

Womens sharing their stories of home and workplace, the Workplace consist rather a community of friends than an Individual worker.

Showing signs of healthy environment for creativity and Overall development

Entrance of the Banana Fibre Cottage Industry (Workshop)

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The Making Process Making of Rope Making process of banana fibre varies from product to product, and the geography generally knitting is used (similar to that of woollen knitting) to weave uniformly and form a shape to complete the product. Making process involves various steps like extraction of stem, drying, extraction of individual strands, making ropes of varying sizes & thickness finally weaving according to required patterns. The thrown away stem of banana plant, after extracting the fruit and leafs are dried in the sun, naturally, after which it becomes golden yellow or brown, after the drying is completed, it is peeled in two separate pieces, the one with less thickness is thrown away, as it does not have required strength to make rope strands.

The thicker piece goes into further processing of peeling away thin strands, as this is done it is soaked in water to soften it, so that it can be handled with hands and would not leave any scratches on it.

It is then taken 2 to 3 or more (depending on the thickness of rope) at a time and is rubbed with bare hands on a textured rubber mat, such that it forms a single durable fibre which can be used for weaving, Knitting etc. While rubbing the fibres to a rubber mat, it twists to each other and forms a tighter bond ropes of different sizes are made from finest for small products to thicker for a much larger product.

The banana bark is the most essential raw material is obtained from nearby villages where banana is produced, since it’s an agricultural waste it’s obtained at very low prices besides the bark for the production and finishing of the products made using banana fibres.

There are some other raw materials required as well Like Wool, Cotton thread, Silk thread, Nylon thread and Zari etc. Mostly these fibres add to the beauty and strength of the product so they become a necessity.

2

4

1

Banana sheath which is extracted from banana plant’s stem and is dried in sun naturally

3

The sheath sheet is then ripped in strips of nearly one centimeter wide.

The strips are then collected in a bundle

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1

2

Strips are taken two at a time and are rolled together on a rubber mat, which causes it to form a strong swirls around each other, Creating a strong fibre of various required dimensions

3

4

Fibre ropes are made in various required Dimensions and are packed and sent to the Workshop facility.

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Making of Product The making of banana fibre products requires various techniques and methods, which the craftswomen are equipped with, rather one can find these skills being passed on from one generation to another in Indian household, skills such as Knitting and Crocheting is used to create sturdy structure out of banana fibre ropes.

Majority of products made in TKT uses crochet techniques to weave banana fibre threads/ropes together to create a structure.

Crochet is a process of creating fabric

by interlocking loops of yarn, thread, or strands of other materials using a crochet hook. The name is derived from the French term crochet, meaning ‘small hook’. These are made of materials such as metal, wood, or plastic and are manufactured commercially and produced in artisan workshops. The salient difference between crochet and knitting, beyond the implements used for their production, is that each stitch in crochet is completed before proceeding with the next one, while knitting keeps a large number of stitches open at a time.

Crocheting: Crocheted fabric is begun by placing a slip-knot loop on the hook (though other methods, such as a magic ring or simple folding over of the yarn may be used), pulling another loop through the first loop, and repeating this process to create a chain of a suitable length. The chain is either turned and worked in rows, or joined to the beginning of the row with a slip stitch and worked in rounds. Rounds can also be created by working many stitches into a single loop. Stitches are made by pulling one or more loops through each loop of the chain. At any one time at the end of a stitch, there is only one loop left on the hook.

Tunisian crochet, however, draws all of the loops for an entire row onto a long hook before working them off one at a time. Like knitting, crochet can be worked either flat or in the round.

Similar techniques are used in TKT by women artisans to create a rigid surface made of banana fibre, which is bent and shaped in the desired form to create the range of products.

Crafts Women working on a banana fibre mat

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Basic Crochet stitch Diagram: Holding your Yarn: Properly wrapping & holding your yarn is the best way to keep your Yarn steady & your crochet tension even.

Side View

Front View

Beginning Slip Knot:

Step 1

Step 2

Make a loop, pull another loop through it.

Gently, tighten the knot towards the loop

Chain Stitch:

Step 1

Step 2

Front View

Back View

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Double Stitch (DC): A commonly used pattern for crochet stitch.

Step 1: Wrap yarn - insert work in hook. wrap yarn again and draw through the work.

Step 2: Wrap yarn again and only pull through two loops on hook.

Step 3: Wrap yarn once again and pull through last two loops on hook.

Half Double Stitch (HDC): A commonly used pattern for crochet stitch.

Step 1: Wrap yarn - insert work in hook. wrap yarn again and draw through the work.

Step 2: Wrap yarn again and only pull through all three loops on hook.

Reference: https://www.anniescatalog.com/crochet/content.html?content_id=55 101 Craft Documentation | Lifestyle Accessory Design | NID - 2015-17

The products produced in TKT are made from 100% banana fibre using crocheting technique. The product segment majorly focuses on Lifestyle Accessories such as Home/interior Accessories and personal accessories.

Product Range & Specification Bowl Set of 4 (Tabletop)

₹ 650 20 cm

17.5 cm

15 cm

13 cm 22 cm 103 Craft Documentation | Lifestyle Accessory Design | NID - 2015-17

12 cm

6 cm

2 cm

Tabletop Containers

₹ 350 - 550

Tea Coasters (Table top)

₹ 470

8.5 cm

10 cm

13 cm

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Flower vase, large (Home Decor)

48 cm

22 cm

56 cm

â‚š 2135

Tote Bag (Personal Accessory)

26 cm

24 cm

19 cm

9 cm

32 cm

₹ 700

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Laptop Sleeve (Personal Accessory)

₹ 750-1000

26 cm

36 cm

11 cm

Mobile Pouch (Personal Accessory)

10 cm

₹ 350 -500

20 cm

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23 cm

3.8 cm

Laundry Basket (Home Decor)

₹ 750

₹ 940

21 cm

Hand Bag (Personal Accessory)

₹ 300 - 750

18 cm

25.4 cm

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61 cm

Laundry Basket (Home Decor)

p á ÇÉ

q çé

30 cm

₹ 2200

30 cm

30 cm

Flat top Hat (Personal Accessory)

Top View

38 cm

₹ 350 - 550

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Water bottle Bag (Personal Accessory)

28 cm

5 cm

6 cm

9 cm

₹ 350

Pencil Stand (Stationary)

₹ 300-500

Pencil Pouch (Stationary)

₹ 352 115 Craft Documentation | Lifestyle Accessory Design | NID - 2015-17

Table Mats & Runners (Home Decor)

₹ 563

₹ 700

₹ 200/piece

Sling Bags (Personal Accessory)

₹ 680

₹ 763

₹ 798 117 Craft Documentation | Lifestyle Accessory Design | NID - 2015-17

Utility bags (Personal Accessory)

₹ 587

₹ 790

₹ 850

₹ 700

₹ 587 119 Craft Documentation | Lifestyle Accessory Design | NID - 2015-17

Product and Environment The products made out of the natural fibres of the banana trunk are Ecofriendly and have no adverse effect of any kind on mankind, nor do they disturb the ecological balance.

Therefore, the use of such natural products should be encouraged to have a safe and happy earth. Banana fibre and fibre-based products like handy craft items are quickly picking up during the last decade in India.

Use of banana fibre alternating to any man-made material is not only fruitful to the environment but to the entire community and the village itself, TKT apart from helping a community to sustain economically is also helping villagers to sustain the old architecture of the village and have a sustainable green future.

With increasing concern for environmental protection and pollution control, the demand for natural and biodegradable fibres and fibre products is increasing.

A Banana fibre vase in use.

The Market The kishkinda trust currently manages three banana fibre production unit, which includes a rope making unit a domestic outlet cum workshop facility in Anegundi village, where tourists can visit the facility and see the craft in making and as well buy the products from the same facility and the third one named “TIKAU� which works with a market linkage partner from finland which helps the unit export some of its best creations to the international market.

The kishkinda trust also has its presence in the e-commerce industry selling and listing its products in online shopping markets such as Taazataaza, Heart for Art collection and Trade India where people from across the country can buy their products.

www.taazataaza.com

www.heartforartonline.com

www.tradeindia.com

www.tikau.com

Apart from this TKT also participates in fair trades and exhibitions across the country, which brings them a fair amount of exposure both locally and globally.

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Research & Development TKT also carries research on its designs, archaeology, and conservation of their history and development of the community and has a well dedicated unit to carry out R&D to explore new materials and possibilities and to sharpen their skills to meet the standards.

TKT also intakes interns from fields such as Design, Archaeology, Agriculture, Fashion, Architecture to gain a fresh perspective on their process and providing a strong platform to them.

TKT also welcomes volunteering work from people of various background, be it in the area of craft and conservation of village, conducting a workshop for the community, or be it hosting any kind of cultural event.

TKT recently has started researching on water hyacinth as a potential natural fibre and its positive aspects.

Water hyacinth grows in abundance in Tungabadhra river region.

The unit where research and development takes place is called the UNESCO Building. It is well preserved because of its historic and authentic architecture style of vijayanagara period. The image is of the entrance door of the building.

Image showing few of the crafts-women working and discussing among a fellow intern, inside the UNESCO Building unit

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Freshly harvested water hyacinth kept for drying on rooftop of the UNESCO Building unit.

A product developed by fusion of banana fibre and water hyacinth, further research are going on how to fuse two of the fibre together for a craft

A lot of effort and dedication is put along side studying new materials, on how to improvise the quality of existing products and techniques to meet the standards.

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6. Concluding note

Vaibhav Dilip Sathawane

A picture of us, interacting with the crafts women

Rohit Ramesh Chandak

The craft documentation process has been a great learning experience that introduced us to the cultural activities, lifestyle, skills and techniques which is acquired by the people of Anegundi village. We will forever be thankful to The Kishkinda trust (TKT) for sharing their indigenous support and knowledge. India is famous for its rich culture, art and craft. We came to realize the traditional values of each & every activity as well as historical significance of Anegundi village known as heritage village. Banana fibre craft was started as a measure to prevent or rather reduces the effect of global warming, reducing the use of synthetic fibres by bringing natural fibre into use. This idea gave us a lot than just preventing the global warming in a way; it gave employment to the local women of Anegundi and it helped in reducing the agricultural waste, and has created a platform where people of the community can have a good socioeconomic conditions, and can create their own livelihood If people become aware of the benefits of using natural fibres and the designs are kept updated more people will get attracted to it, given the right support, this craft can do wonders which will actually be very helpful.

Though it is not a traditional craft of this village yet it requires a lot of patience.

It may seem simple but it requires a lot of hard work throughout the process Thus, the work of the artisans are appreciated. The overall experience of learning about this craft was inspiring and we hope it inspires the future of craft and design on being truly sustainable.

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7. Bibliography

Image Index Fig. 1 - Vidhan Sabha, Bengluru - Page No.26 Fig. 2 - Karnataka state flag - Page No.27 Fig. 3 - Mysore Palace- Mysore - Page No.27 Fig. 4 - Dollu Kunitha (Karnataka’s traditional dance form) - Page No.28 Fig. 5 - Ugadi Festival (Festival to celebrate harvesting season) - Page No.28 Fig. 6 - Leather puppetry show - Page No.29 Fig. 7 - Mysore Dusshera Procession Page No.29 Fig. 8 - Yakshagana - Page No.29 Fig. 9 - Bharatnatyam - Page No.29 Fig. 10 - Jog Falls - Page No.30 Fig. 11 - Bison (Gaur) - Page No.30

Fig. 16 - Bengalore palace - Page No.32 Fig. 17 - Gol gumbaj, Bijapur - Page No.32 Fig. 18 – Badami - Page No.33 Fig. 19 - Gomateshwara, Shravanabelaola - Page No.33 Fig. 20 - Stone Chariot, Hampi - Page No.33 Fig. 21 - Karwar Beach,Karwar - Page No.33 Fig. 22 - The royal emblem of the Vijayanagara Empire - Page No.36 Fig. 23 - Pillars from Narshimha temple complex, Hampi - Page No.37 Fig. 24 - Virupeksha Temple - Page No.39 Fig. 25 - Tungabhadra River, Dividing Hampi and Anegundi - Page No.41

Fig. 12 - Tiger (Benarghatta National Park) - Page No.31

Fig. 26 - Map of Hampi Heritage Site and its distance from nearby places Page No.42

Fig. 13 - Kudremukh Mountain Ranges, Western Ghats - Page No.31

Fig. 27 - Hemkuta hills and Temple complex - Page No.43

Fig. 14 - Om Beach Gokarna - Page No.31

Fig. 28 - Sasivekalu Ganesha Temple, Hemkuta Hills, Hampi - Page No.43

Fig. 15 - Murdeshwara Temple - Page No.32

Fig. 29 - Pushkarni Tank, Hampi - Page No.43

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Fig. 30 - Kadlekalu Ganesha temple Idol, the ruins after Mughal Invaded - Page No.44

Fig. 44 - Playground and common place for Villagers to gather, Anegundi - Page No.54

Fig. 31 - Vitthala Temple Complex - Page No.45

Fig. 45 - Shri Krishnadevraya 64 pillars tomb, Anegundi - Page No.54

Fig. 32 - Stone chariot, Hampi - Page No.45

Fig. 46 - South gate entrance to Anegundi - Page No.56

Fig. 33 - Lotus Temple - Page No.46

Fig. 47 - Ferry connecting to south gate, Anegundi (Tungabhadra River) - Page No.56

Fig. 34 - Musical pillars Temple - Page No.46 Fig. 35 - Hanuman Temple, Hemkuta Hills - Page No.47 Fig. 36 - Boulders in Hampi Site - Page No.47 Fig. 37 - North Gate Entrance to Anegundi Village - Page No.48 Fig. 38 - Anjanadri Hills, Birthplace of lord Hanuman - Page No.50 Fig. 39 - Gagan Mahal, Anegundi - Page No.52 Fig. 40 - Pampa Sarovar (Lotus Lake), Anegundi - Page No.52 Fig. 41 - Raja Achutya Deva Raya’s Statue, Anegundi Village Entrance Page No.53 Fig. 42 - Wooden Chariot, Anegundi Page No.53 Fig. 43 - Fields near Anegundi Village Page No.53

Fig. 48 - Exterior of Uramma Resorts Page No.63 Fig. 49 - Interior of guest house (1) Page No.63 Fig. 50 - Interior of guest house (2) Page No.63 Fig. 51 - Dining area for guests - Page No.64 Fig. 52 - Bamboo ferry to cross the river - Page No.64 Fig. 53 - Waiting lounge - Page No.64 Fig. 54 - An old house converted into community library - Page No.66 Fig. 55 - Traditional method of making slurry for construction - Page No.66 Fig. 56 - A Banana Flower - Page No.72 Fig. 57 - Banana Plantation in Anegundi Village - Page No.73

Fig. 58 - Banana leaf used in Marriage Decoration - Page No.73 Fig. 59 - A south Indian meal served on Banana Plantain - Page No.74 Fig. 60 - Dried and peeled Banana fibres from Sheath - Page No.75 Fig. 61 - Biological Diagram, explaining the structure of banana plant - Page No.76 Fig. 62 - Extracted sheath - Page No.76 Fig. 63 - Cross section showing coil like arrangement of sheath in banana stem Page No.77 Fig. 64 - A banana fibre basket in use Page No.78 Fig. 65 - Natural Fibre crafts in India Page No.79 Fig. 66 - A Craftswomen knitting, Workshop facility, Anegundi - Page No.83 Fig. 67 - Artisans sharing their techniques and skills, Workshop Facility, Anegundi - Page No.84 Fig. 68 - Dried Banana Sheath - Page No.88 Fig. 69 - Rubber Mat Scissors - Page No.88 Fig. 70 - Measuring tape and ClippersPage No.89

Fig. 71 - Scissors- Page No.89 Fig. 72 - Waving Frame- Page No.89 Fig. 73 - Banana fibre ropes- Page No.90 Fig. 74 - Water to hydrate the fibre while working, for easy handling- Page No.90 Fig. 75 - Crochet hook- Page No.90 Fig. 76 - Women working outside their house to make Banana fibre ropes- Page No.91 Fig. 77 - Signage inside the workshop facility, showing the assistance from DCH, Govt. Of India- Page No.92 Fig. 78 - A unit inside the Workshop facility where products are displayed, showcasing wide gamut of home and personal Accessories- Page No.92 Fig. 79 - Banana fibre products being used in Workshop- Page No.93 Fig. 80 - An information board, where artisans have pinned samples of fibres, which are dyed in various methods, for the reference of future generations and visitors- Page No.93 Fig. 81 - Workplace, tools and raw materials around the CraftswomenPage No.93 Fig. 82 - Group of young Artisans from one another, sharing the knowledge and new findings- Page No. 94 135 Craft Documentation | Lifestyle Accessory Design | NID - 2015-17

Fig. 83 - Women sharing their stories of home and workplace, the workplace consist rather a community of friends than an individual - Page No.94

Fig. 94 - Flower vase, large - Page No.110

Fig. 84 - Entrance of Banana Fibre Cottage Industry - Page No.95

Fig. 96 - Laptop Sleeve - Page No.112

Fig. 85 - Banana sheath which is extracted from Banana plant’s stem and is dried in sun naturally - Page No.96

Fig. 98 - Laundry Basket - Page No.114

Fig. 86 - The sheath is then ripped in strips of nearly one centimetre wide Page No.97

Fig. 100 - Laundry Basket - Page No.116

Fig. 87 - The strips are then collected in a bundle - Page No.97 Fig. 88 - Strips are taken two at a time and are rolled together on a rubber mat, which causes it to form strong swirls around each other, creating a strong fiber of various required dimensions - Page No.98

Fig. 95 - Tote Bag - Page No.111

Fig. 97 - Mobile pouch - Page No.113

Fig. 99 - Hand Purse - Page No.115

Fig. 101 - Flat top Hat - Page No.117 Fig. 102 - Water bottle Bag - Page No.118 Fig. 103 - Pencil stand - Page No.119 Fig. 104 - Pencil pouch - Page No.119 Fig. 105 - Table Mats & Runners - Page No.120 Fig. 106 - Sling Bags - Page No.121

Fig. 89 - Fibre ropes are made various required Dimensions and are packed and sent to the Workshop facility - Page No.99

Fig. 107 - Handbags - Page No.122, 123

Fig. 90 - Crafts women working on a banana fibre mat - Page No.101

Fig. 109 - The unit where research and development takes place is called the UNESCO Building - Page No.126

Fig. 91 - Bowl Set of 4 - Page No.107 Fig. 92 - Table top Containers - Page No.108 Fig. 93 - Tea Coasters - Page No.109

Fig. 108 - A banana fibre flower vase in use - Page No.124

Fig. 110 - Crafts women working and discussing among a fellow intern, inside the UNESCO Building unit - Page No.127

Fig. 111 - Freshly harvested water hyacinth kept for drying on rooftop of the UNESCO Building unit - Page No.128 Fig. 112 - A product developed by fusion of banana fibre and water hyacinth, further research are going on how to fuse two of the fibre together for a craft - Page No.128 Fig. 113, 114, 115 - A lot of effort and dedication is put alongside studying new materials, on how to improvise the quality of existing products and techniques to meet the standards - Page No.129 Fig. 116 - Vaibhav Dilip Sathawane Page No.132 Fig. 117 - Rohit Ramesh Chandak - Page No.132 Fig. 118 - Interacting with the crafts women - Page No.132

137 Craft Documentation | Lifestyle Accessory Design | NID - 2015-17

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