Tuesday, September 18, 2007
The dynamism in the Indian handicraft industry is unparalleled - be it the traditional Indian arts and crafts or a customised version of an overseas art form. Unlike in the past when the Indian handicraft industry was battling to carve a niche in the market, there is a demand for Indian handicrafts today, which is being nurtured by various government and non-governmental organizations.India's rich history of handicrafts has evolved over the centuries, offering a legacy of Indian culture that promises everything - beauty, dignity, form and style. The variety is wide, ranging from age-old stone carving to modern handicrafts making use of mirrors and glass flints. The most popular crafts are metalware, woodwork, hand-printed textiles and scarves, embroidered and crocheted goods, shawls, zari products, earthenware, pottery, sculpting, stone carving and imitation jewellery.
In India, handicrafts were traditionally considered a cottage industry. According to the first national census of the handicrafts sector, undertaken in 1995-96 by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), the total number of units producing handicrafts was 1.2 million, employing 4.1 million artisans with an average size of a unit being 3.24 persons per unit. Yet in the last few years it has made enormous strides on the world trade space, lending credence to the belief that India's handicrafts sector is no longer a cottage industry.
Indian hand-crafted goods have made in incisive entry into home furnishing, decorative articles, furniture, jewellery, and garments, among other things. "Even though hand-crafted articles cost much more than the synthetic machine-made products, people are willing to pay the deserved value for the art work. Nowadays, hand-crafted articles are considered to be a fashion statement and an item of luxury," says Mr. Rakesh Kaushal of Archana Handicrafts Association.
This segment is witnessing a boom with increasing exports and domestic consumption – which in turn is generating more employment. Exports of handicrafts have been rising consistently at an average of 15 per cent per annum for the past decade. In fact, total exports of handicrafts during 2005-06 were in the range of $3.6 billion against $2 billion during 2000-01.
Most of this growth is driven by 9 items, which account for nearly 63 percent of export turnover. These nine items include art metal ware, wood ware, hand-printed textiles, hand-knotted and embroidered textiles, leather goods, stoneware, carpets and floor coverings. Interestingly, India has the largest share globally in carpet exports at 30 percent – ahead of China.
According to the working group on textiles and jute the production during the period 2002-06 increased from $4.82 billion to $7.91 billion. Exports during the corresponding period increased from $2.7 billion to $4.25 billion, registering a cumulative growth of 58 per cent and an annual average growth rate of 19 per cent.
Adds Indrajeet, a sculptor and wood craft artist: "Woodwork including kitchenware, toys, play boards, idols and statues, furniture and other hand- crafted wood work have been very popular on a global scale. Redwood and Sandalwood has traditionally been a much sought after status symbol. Finely carved sandalwood articles cost anywhere from Rs 500 to Rs 10,000 or more. South India has been primary contributor in this domain."
Carpet weaving, canvas work and rugs are very popular for decorative floorings. "India is one of those countries where people customarily sit on the floor. The carpet industry thus, has flourished to include a strong local tinge, while preserving the highly stylised and idealistic Persian standards," says Bacchiwind Sarpanch Shubeg Singh, a carpet weaver.
Canvas work involves embroidery wherein long fibres are stitched together. Basically canvas works include needlepoint, petit point and Bargello. Some other forms of arts and crafts include cross-stitch, crocheting, curve stitching and embroidery, knitting and lace making.
India has more than a million potters. Earthenware is among the oldest materials to be used in pottery. The evolution of Indian ceramics began with the Harappan age. While pottery and earthenware are distinctly utilitarian and often decorative, porcelain and studio pottery belong to the realm of art. The place of the potter in the craft tradition of India is unique. "Despite the invasive technology, it is doubtful if it will ever destroy the potter's inherent creativity. The current generation perceives the worth of pottery. Red clay is the most commonly available and most commonly used. But white and buff coloured clay earthenware is also becoming popular these days," says Dastoor Irani, a Ceramic potter.
Different materials like wood, cane and bamboo and metal are used to make furniture, with each state having its own distinct style. The magnificent artistic skills of the artisans reflect the wide range of ethnic patterns. Furniture that was once exclusive to the royal palaces today adorns the drawing rooms of the houses belonging to the common man, thanks to the exquisite workmanship of our craftsmen. Interior decoration with these pieces is bound to offer elegance. The choices range from vibrant colours to soft hues, from simple styles to the most intricate artwork.
This trend is prevalent in the fashion industry too. Indian textiles have woven dreams into cottons and silks. Synthetics have been ominously taken over by hand-woven fabrics, traditional and ethnic designs and embroidery. The legendary muslin has not quite become a myth, for such super fine yarn still continues to be produced in the country. Fly shutters are commonly used for weaving. The sari, the most common traditional dress, exists in abundant style and variety, with each state contributing its own ethnic flavour.
"Customers today are more fashion-conscious than ever before and traditional tastes have been dominant of late. Purchasers now demand Batik, Kantha, Phulkari, Chikankari and other styles and their sales have increased manifold in the last few years," says Ritu Kumar, a leading fashion designer, who has worked with artisans to revive traditional Indian crafts.
The intricacy of the tapestry and brocaded cotton material like the 'himroo' and 'mashru' (which originated as courtly dress material for the Muslims) deserve special mention. Indian embroidery has a variety of regional styles like the chikan work, mirror work, phulkari darn work, bead work, jali work and much more to suit all styles and tastes.
This burgeoning demand is also seen in sectors like metal work, Bidri, stone work, jewellery and an array of other sectors. This success should be attributed to the role played by various organisations that promote and provide a customised environment for handicrafts to flourish.
"National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) became the first educational institute to link rural artisans to the urban market by intervening in the mobilisation, design and product development and market linkages," says Pavan Kaushik from the institute. "NIFT also gave the craftsmen the first direct selling platform."
There are various other private organisations that work as an umbrella to organise and promote the handicraft industry in India. Laila Tyabji, Chairperson of Delhi based Dastkar, explains, "Exposure and marketing is very important for success. The Dastkar cooperative shop, the exhibitions and Dastkari bazaars gives artisans direct access to the market. Field trips and solo exhibitions expose these craftspeople to the market and give them a first-hand knowledge of customer tastes and trends. Apart from the support services and craft development consultancies, Dastkar provides evaluation and consultancy services to other government, non-government and international agencies."
"The market is developing because of the purpose or the demand of its produce in terms of cost, utility and aesthetics – a consumer does not buy out of compassion!" states Mr. Asim Dalal, former managing director, The Bombay Store.
"The process of developing a craft – from identifying the skill and creating awareness of its potential in both craftsperson and consumer, developing, designing, costing and then marketing is all interlinked and an essential chain," he adds.
To centralise and better organize the industry, the government has also set up the concept of 'Towns of Excellence', which provides recognition to production clusters where handicrafts have been traditionally produced. There are today 35 urban 'Haats' all over the country, allowing for allotment of built-up stalls to artisans on a fortnightly rotation basis at nominal rentals.
The industrial revolution and the increasing productivity have cast a shadow on the quality of arts and crafts. But for some decades now, the scenario of art and crafts has changed and people are no longer obsessed by machine-made products. Presently handicrafts are being adopted as vocational media and it is also opted for the leisure pursuit and style statement. Crafts and craftspeople have a vital role to play in contemporary India – not just as part of its cultural and aesthetic past, but as part of its economic future.
