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Kalabattu

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Through the lanes of dharavi

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”

After having stayed in Mumbai for 2 years I finally get a chance to visit Dharavi, the “Shadow City” of Mumbai. I had heard a lot about the place, the teeming slum of one million souls. I was anxious at first not knowing whether those images I had pictured in my mind would actually come alive. Movies like Slumdog millionaire had given me a few glimpses of how the place might be. But somehow standing there at that very moment I had Goosebumps. As my companion and I started walking into the maze of lanes all I could notice was that the darkness kept engulfing us and the lanes kept growing narrower. As we walked on a sense of the walls narrowing in on us sets in and I start feeling a little uncomfortable. Finally we reach the signature flight of stairs that every zardozi workshop has. We walk up the stairs and once I enter the room a strange sense of relaxation sets in. The artisans were more than welcoming. They not only answered to each and every question of ours but they also made us feel very at home. They even got us a bottle of chilled juice. Their generosity was overwhelming. As we continued talking to them they told us they spend every waking moment of their lives in the workshop. They eat there, work there and even sleep there. They face a lot of challenges and every day is a struggle for them. They cannot waste a second since even a minute they waste costs them. I could feel the sense of desolation in their voices but I could also see the sparkle of the want for a better future in their eyes. It was sad to hear their heartfelt stories but even in the sadness I could sense a felling of companionship. Maybe the narrowing lanes brought them closer or maybe it was just their circumstances. But whatever it was it made them stronger.

Some may call Dharavi an embarrassing eyesore but for its residents its home.

 

-Emica Nongkynrih

“He who works w…

“He who works with his hands is a laborer.
He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.
He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.”

St.Francis of Assisi

ARTISAN

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”

He sits across the room, crouched over his kharchob. He doesn’t look up as we enter the room unlike the others. His gaze is consistent and his hands move in rhythmic motions. We hover around for a while talking to everyone. They have it very difficult for them; they work with the hands of the clock, from dawn to dusk without ever getting a chance to see or feel the rays of the sun. We walked around the room talking to everyone.  As everyone opened up and reached out to us, he too gave us a hint that he had something to share. I moved towards his kharchob and sat down beside him. He seemed hesitant at first to even speak up. He didn’t lift his hands for a minute as I tried starting a conversation. Gradually he started talking and explained to me that even after working for 11 hours a day he still can’t make enough money. So, after he finishes with the work in the workshop he drives an auto just so that he can make ends meet. He tells me that this is not something he would want anyone to have to do because even though it is a beautiful craft the time and man power wasted on it is no comparison to the pennies they get in return. He even added that life for them is so monotonous and drab; they hardly ever get a chance to see the sun. They just exist. I could see the pain in his eyes. I realized that if only people tried understanding how difficult these people have it and how much struggle they have to go through every single day of their lives. Just this realization could make the existence of these workers more worth it.

 

-Emica Nongkynrih

CHILD LABOUR IN ZARDOZI

Lucknow, the city of Nawabs is famous for its exquisite Zardozi embroidery.
Zardozi is the art of embroidery with gold and silver threads.
It was introduced during the Mughal period in India and has stuck with the Indian fashion industry.
Due to its increasing popularity, India has begun to export Zardozi made products to US, UK, France, Germany and Australia. The annual; export is around 300 crore.
But little is known about the fingers which stitch the fine embroidery. Truth is, lucknow, the golden city of the east has tons of Zardozi workers who do these tasks. Many of them are child labourers. They are used because they are cheaper and their fingers are nimble.
They need to earn money for their impoverished families. They work for 8-18 hours for Rs.50-250 per month. They live in overcrowded conditions and are beaten by their owners. They suffer from spinal disorder and eye problems. And they certainly do not go to school.

India, wrapped in the mystique, enhanced with the

India, wrapped in the mystique, enhanced with the romance of fabled crafts, has one of the finest traditions of embroidery in the world. Different styles of Indian embroidery have been handed down from generation to generation such as Zardozi, Chikankari, Sujni, Kantha, Kasuti, Toda, mirror work. The passion for embroidery in India has led to great experimentation in the field, with several styles, creating dazzling effects such as the ‘stained glass’ look, the long cross stitch, rice stitch, textured panels and much more. One can see embroidery on wall hangings, saris, textiles and garments, incorporating unique motifs and patterns.

Zardozi is one of the oldest and most beautiful embroidery styles of India. It has long been known for its embroidery with gold and silver threads called Zari. Zari is gold, and zardozi embroidery is the glitteringly ornate, heavily encrusted gold thread work.