Whispers of Immortality

V WHISPERS OF IMMORTALITY Journey through Varanasi

Sanskriti Narayanan

Acknowledgement This design proposal book was developed as an individual project within the unit of ‘Study of Social Ecology’ by foundation year students pursuing design in the Bachelor of Design program at Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology.

Design and Concept by: Sanskriti Narayanan Year of Publication: December 2023

Dedication I would like to thank my facilitators Sulochana and Bikram for guiding us through this journey, my gratitude extends to the artisans of Varanasi in helping us gain exposure and knowledge about handicrafts.

Photographs by Sanskriti Narayanan, Amit Prasad & Vishal Ravi Copyright © 2023 all rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission from the author.

For copyright inquiries, contact 9566022080

Whispers of Immortality: A story of life, death and timeless tradition

Varanasi Wooden Toys

Life DEATH CYCLE SIMPLICITY VARANASI Wood

TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface 1. Birth and Childhood 2. Bonding in Father’s Shadows 3. Fading Footsteps, Lasting Culture 4. Timeless Inheritance

PREFACE Varanasi, being an auspicious city, the way of life there is a life of satisfaction.

Rich folklore, fables, handicrafts and a livelihood thrive here on the banks of Ganga. It is a land where life is a joyride and death is a celebration. Just like yin and yang, it’s where little joys are present and tears of sorrow is washed away. So, as life and death continue with time and people, a parallel universe of lives exist where they are immortal, and share crossroads. The innocence of a child and the oldness of the city, bring together wooden toys and traditional handicrafts; building the heart of the toys.

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V Birth and Childhood

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ith the break of dawn, a kid wails in the city of Varanasi to a craftsman who makes a living out of wooden toys. Little did she know she was born in a place where two universes exist, a real one

and a wooden realm. A new life started in Banaras with her naming, a new age and a new timeline to continue tradition. There she was, brought up in the hustling livelihood of the toy emporium.

Photo by Khwaish Sharma

B I RT H A N D C H I L D H O O D

The father starts his day with a fresh cup of chai and continues working on the wooden toys from the previous day. After lacquering them afresh, the artisans moved on to a new set of toys. The shaped wooden toys are painted with primer, sandpapered and painted. The girl watches them work and was inspired by her father who made these toys everyday with passion, and made her happy. The daughter, with a heart full of wonder, lends her hands to the craft.

The folks follow a simple life lled with joy. They are content with the present, and live life to the fullest. They have utmost satisfaction in completing their batch of toys and when it is done, they

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move on to the next; this philosophy applies to their culture as well.

The wooden universe

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V Bonding in his Shadows Each completed batch of toys is a celebration, mirroring the rhythm of their uncomplicated lives. The daughter grows alongside the artisans, her heart interwoven with the wooden crafts.

Their authenticity is preserved by Aunt Bua, an indispensable part of the emporium, ensuring that every creation bears the essence of Varanasi.

BONDING IN HIS SHADOWS

The daughter, inspired to play and create these toys, gets her hands into the lacquer. Her eyes wander across the different toys; rickshaws, elephants, bird pecker, idols of different gods, trinkets and more. Her father’s touch is felt by her in every piece of lacquered wood.

BONDING IN HIS SHADOWS

As time ows like the sacred Ganges, the father gracefully ages, passing on the legacy to his daughter. The emporium expands globally, its wooden wonders now captivating hearts worldwide.

Each wooden creation becomes a gateway to a realm where two parallel worlds coexist.

The father, now a sage of craftsmanship, imparts not just the techniques of carving but the wisdom of accepting life's nature.

The tradition was passed on to the new generation, and his end was

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yet to come.

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V Fading Footsteps, Lasting Culture

The hands that crafted wooden toys with love begin to rest, the father, a guardian of tradition and creator of joy, leaves behind a legacy. As Varanasi’s tradition follows, the bodies are taken to Manikarnika Ghat and the rites are performed. Now being the torchbearer of her father's craft, she breathes life into the tradition.

Legacy carved in wood

FA D I N G F O OT S T E P S, L A S T I N G C U LT U R E

In the shadow of their home, the daughter rekindles the ame of creativity. Using the same calloused hands that once held hers, she sculpts toys that echo with the spirit of tradition. The simple joys crafted by her father nd new life, painted with hues inspired by the vibrant soul of Varanasi. The intricate details and the different colours of the authentic toys, now speak

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volumes worldwide.

FA D I N G F O OT S T E P S, L A S T I N G C U LT U R E

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V Timeless Inheritance As the daughter breathes life into her father's tradition, she discovers that the toys tell stories beyond their tactile forms. They become bridges connecting past and present, tradition and innovation. The parallel between toys and humans deepens as the toys, like individuals, evolve while staying rooted in the essence of their origin.

The daughter continues the business of the emporium, marking the start of a new generation.

The wooden toys carry the essence of the country and the city, making every visitor’s expectation a grain of nothing.

The craft and art has a lot more to offer, thus re ecting on the culture of Varanasi. The cycle of generations continue

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seamlessly, and the toys live on their legacies.

T I M E L E S S I N H E R I TA N C E

The art of crafting toys becomes a parallel narrative to the human journey. Just as the artisan shapes raw materials into playful forms, life shapes individuals through joys, sorrows, and the passage of time. The toys, like us, become vessels of memory, shared laughter, and witnesses to the ebb and ow of existence.

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The toys stay immortal, while the makers of it do not.

Toys, like humans, bear the imprints of time. Carved from wood and cloth, they carry the marks of their creator's touch, the echoes of a craftsman's devotion. In their simplicity, they re ect the complexity of the human experience, embodying emotions, dreams, and stories that de ne us. Through the hands of the daughter, the tradition becomes a living testament to the resilience of heritage, that

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de nes both toys and the human experience.

tradition train

Assi Ghat, Varanasi, India 3rd December, 2023