Weekends Part II

Having begun the sojourn of the many weekend updates I’ve missed over here, I went on to do something I’ve never ever done before; i.e. participate in a crafts bazaar. Dastakar had its Nature Bazaar at the beginning of last month and I mentioned over here, how the aunt was participating in it. It was her first time in the Bangalore market.

So before I knew it, I was out there helping her team and her with their stall Srijani. I mean I was more the flunky who stood by and handed stuff over, wrote bills, decorated the place when stocks sold out, took photographs of everything and so on. I did a lot of that. Click photographs, i.e. You can check a select few here at A Day at a Crafts Bazaar.

However, being part of a crafts mela from the point of a seller was quite eye-opening. It’s a pretty darn hard job to market your stuff, take everything out for people to see, be patient while they ponder over what to buy and whether to buy, conceal your frustration when they tell you the much heard “I’ll have a look around and be back.”, watch how the numbers rise and fall in your balance sheet apart from so much more. It also shows you what it takes to get out there in the world and do what you really want to do. It shows you what it takes to be brave, come with your minds and heart wide open to new experiences and learn. It shows you what it feels like to earn those profits and it certainly shows you how it feels when the figures don’t match; when you don’t get your ROI. It’s interesting how customers have you by their fingers, how your customers are nothing short of royalty and how buying trends vary from person to person. However, at the end of the day, everyone is just the same. You want good stuff that is great value for money. And social class or status don’t deter one from bargaining – loudly or crudely – irrespective of how many no bargain signs there may be. I also learnt this, which I mentioned in another post and how awesome I feel to be that middle-class girl.

So that was a very interesting weekend that taught me stuff I was so blissfully unaware of. Having said that, I can only wish for more such weekends that let me soak into time spent with family + art and craft + pushing and gunning for those women somewhere in Bihar who depend on us to get their stories told. It matters. Big time. Here are some snapshots of the stall and the pretty, pretty aunt. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some of the prettiest bookmarks I have ever seen courtesy Srijani.

Our stall :) :)

And my gorgeous shopping-crazy, uber-talented aunt <3

Saturday

Here’s my Saturday I’m spending making superhero masks. Apart from being an extra-curricular work thing, I’m sticking to them because somewhere deep in the recesses of my child’s mind, I believe that they’re the only ones who never give up on you. I’m going to be that child today. And it’s oddly therapeutic.

PS> I’m more a Batman girl :)

 

Srijani – Rebuilding Lives Through Craft

Not so long ago, my masi (aunt) decided to take a step forward and work with deeply marginalized women of Bihar. Being hugely inclined towards the arts and craft without any training herself, she began working with a small bunch of women – not so much to make this what it has become today, but to make an effort in helping them express their own stories. And that’s how the story of Srijani began. Everyone has stories with many chapters; and here’s a way in which everyone gets to talk about their stories through craft.

Today, Srijani has become a small but budding social enterprise comprising self-help groups that work together on a common platform. Stories aren’t easy to tell, especially when they’re mixed with trauma and episodes one never, ever dreams of. However, they all started small and from scratch – from embroidering flights of fantasy to wishes and desires – on small media such as cloth and paintings. Today you can see their stories on office stationery, home decor and apparel, apart from others.

Srijani now holds exhibitions year round in Bihar, West Bengal and New Delhi primarily. It is now breaking through to a new market here, in Bangalore this August, 2012. The women have now taken to making this their source of not just living but catharsis as well. There are new catalogues for every season, new designs for every exhibition and show. And sometimes, there are new ventures as well.

Stationery, Home Decor, Saris, Stoles, Duppattas, Mats, Rugs, Durees, Spreads, Lamps, Tables and so much more come forth every season. Do check Srijani on Facebook as well to stay updated and get a glimpse of the products they have on offer. Here are a few for you to see.

 

 

 

 

 

It’s not so much a promotion as much as it is the cause that makes me write about it. I don’t even think I can imagine how privileged and lucky I am when I come across stories like these. When you’re faced with so much and with not much in hand, life doles out the biggest tests you can ever put yourself through. When you have no education, no money, no social status, no means, no background, no support, no nothing except social titles of being ‘low caste’, ‘scavengers’ and ‘families with drunk and abusive husbands’, there’s not much you can imagine yourself doing. Especially when you’re right in the heart of Bihar.

So I think it’s pretty darn huge to start and now, go places with an effort such as this. I have no words to express what I feel for these women who’ve broken those boundaries and barriers to take that step ahead and choose expression over nothing much really; and at the cost of massive social threats to their families and their own lives. It takes more than a lot. Which is why I write this post. Not because it’s a family thing but because I choose to contribute in any way possible too. Especially since they’re coming down to Bangalore all the way from Bihar. It’s huge. It’s massive to walk into unknown spaces. It’s huge to take that step forward.

And all I can do is just write. Because this is the only way I can express.

So if you are in Bangalore or know people in Bangalore, I hope to see you there this Dastakar Mela which has shifted it’s venue to E-Zone from Palace Grounds. Come and see what this kind of expression looks and feels like :)