Diary

The Gen Next

Crafts among the many other things, animals and practices are the endangered lot. With mechanisation, globalisation and a few more serious words, culture has seen a massive change. While it is the natural course of evolution one argues, there is…

Handloom Stories-1

There are 43.31 lakh handloom workers in the country, out of which 36.33 workers stay in rural areas and 6.98 workers stay in urban areas. According to the Handloom Census 2009-10, handloom Industry in India employs over four million people…

Fakhrul and Aisha

Baragaon village, district Barabanki is an assortment of craftsmanship exhibited through its variety of crafts traditionally practiced by its artisans. This small village is loaded with creativity that is exhibited in the work of artisans spread across the region. Apart…

Pride of Masauli

Masauli tehsil, situated adjacent to Baragaon village, district Barabanki is one of prominent home to handloom weavers. Here, most the families rely primarily on handloom weaving as their source of livelihood. Taranum’s family is one rare family headed by five…

The Rain and the Artisan

Splitter splatter fell the rain, We stood over a balcony looking into a street full of dripping homes, trees and wires! Soon wondering what our weavers would be doing at this kind of a time! We know how the showers…

One Challenge at a Time

While everyone thinks of monsoons as a respite from the angry sun, at the studio we sat sombre; planning ahead for the months of no work. Dying wont happen, the threads wont dry and nothing new gets woven! When at…

Shiraz Ahmed, Age 65 Years

Shiraz Ahmed who once ran three handloom units from his home now runs a small shop in Baragaon. He blames the government for the dismal state of weavers in the village. He talks of better times when there were 110…

Abdul Matin, Age 65 Years

“ Sote jaagte iski phikar rahti hai. Kisaani mei bhi ek mahine kaam karke 6 mahine baith sakte hai. Isme ek din bhi baith nahi sakte.” (We are worried all the time. If we were farmers we would have worked six…