CDI is the only Research and Development Institute ofHandicrafts in India. While Kashmir is uniquely placed on the handicraft map ofthe world, famous for its rich and luxurious handicrafts, CDI is the onlyInstitute in India which runs a post-graduation course in craft management andentrepreneurship, to create a pool of handicraft professionals and managerswhich are specialized in craft management, craft innovation, craft research andcraft entrepreneurship.
Being home to many successful handicraft entrepreneurship stories, the students of CDI not only have been actively involved in innovating the handicraft products , the pass outs are working as managers with prestigious institutions like World Bank and reputed NGO’s, bringing laurels to the Institute.
The success stories of the students like Mateen & Manzoor, Arifa Jan, Imtiyaz and Hidayat etc. have even been highlighted and acknowledged in the I &C department year book -2018- (Sanat-o-Hirfat): and another post-graduation degree is also in the pipeline.
In a society, where females constitute an important segment of the Kashmir Handicraft activities, be it pashmina spinning, aari-work, tilla-work, crewel-chain stitch work etc, female students are showing keen interest in the field.
Maria Akhtar Wani is one such female pass-out of CDI and to her credit are numerous handicraft revival works & innovations. She has a story to tell behind her work. “I am basically a science student, with keen interest in environmental sciences.
I believe in the beauty, empathy, balance and peace that exists in our natural environment, which we need to explore. “Al-Musavvir”-Almighty has designed, painted and placed everything so perfectly in place, who better than a Kashmiri artisan celebrates that. My main binding force with artisan community is their love for nature.
The imagination of any Kashmiri artisan is evident in his/her workmanship that is celebrated throughout the world. Kashmiri Artisan community is a very environment sensitive, talented, God-gifted, community.
The post-graduation program served to me as a connecting link to the world of Kashmir arts and crafts .
After all these years of observing their life very closely, I have not only rediscovered a sense of identity, it has helped me understand the entrepreneurial spirit of Kashmiri people.
I have developed empathy as well as sensitization towards the artisan community which is missing in our society e.g., impact of use of the words like kalbaaf, rafugar etc. which has turned today a social stigma for artisans…
She has designed as well as innovated some unique handcrafted/handmade product lines for female segment by blending the craft practices with different materials.
Representing CDI at various platforms and actively involved in the promotion of the GI trademark of Kashmir handicrafts, she also carried a study on ‘The promotion and awareness of GI mark for Kashmir Pashmina among the tourists visiting the State of J&K’. Her products are mainly female oriented luxury products, which are a part of every female’s accessory list.
INSPIRATION
‘I imagined a femalein many situations, be it a bridal look, a causal look etc…withspring-summer, autumn-winter fashion accessories designed with the dyingKashmir handicrafts like papier-mâché, Kashmir willow-work, aari-work,sozani-work, tilla-work etc…
The Papier-mâché doll-
Maria believes that children should be told Kashmir handicraft stories and toys are also an important medium to do that. The use of puppets with aari-work, sozani work, tilla-work etc can be used as tools to transmit the craft knowledge to the future generations.
“Everyone remembers his/her childhood toys; usually girls remember their child-hood dolls and even preserve them. Introduction of papier-mâché toys, jigsaw-puzzles, dolls etc in place of other materials, not only can help boost the dying handicraft; it would also help to tell the story of our rich culture heritage to the children”.
“While designing the Sakhta Gown, around the doll, theintricacies involved are huge. Sometimes Sakhta develops cracks; there are sizealterations when sakhta dries. It can take up to 10-15 days for sakhta to dryup. The doll in a papier-mâché gown and minimalistic naqashi work can be named–Kashmiri version of Barbie”. Inhandicraft sector, the collaboration with artisans is essential.
The accessories segment:
Maria describes theintroduction of the papier-mâché- work over different types of hair pins, clips, wooden coat brushes, nail polish glassbottles, lip-stick cases, perfume bottles, spectacle cases, sunglass templesetc as a part of her accessoriesinnovation to attract a niche luxury market who want to have unique products asa part of their dressing table. “I keep on trying minimalistic sozani work ongloves, stockings etc. It has helped me add value to the products, which is animportant component of innovation and craft management.
The naqashi ear-rings:
“While learning the module ‘Fashion and Seasons’, I learnedhow to make a design brief and theme boards of various kinds. I prepared atleast 30-40 of design briefs. There is a treasure of design books at CDIlibrary. Our librarian Mr saleem had been generous enough to allow me accessthe library even beyond the prescribed time.
There is also a well-equipped lab at CDI. I started bywrapping pashmina threads on my ear-danglers. Then I experimented withaari-work, tilla work and sozani work patches pasted on different ear-ring basematerials.
Finally I started experimenting with papier-mâché ear-rings, which would be light weight and with intricate naqashi designs especially pashmina naqashi work. The difficult task was to develop light weight and thin ‘Sakhta’ of around 1 mm to 1.5 mm thickness, which doesn’t bother the ears.
It took me more than a week to search for a Sakhta artisan who would be willing to produce such thin sakhta as a base-material. Fortunately, Mr Kousar Shah, a renowed sakhta artisan agreed and produced a feather weight sakhta sheet which didn’t break while we cut and gave it the desired shape.
I was happy that to give a final shape to the concept, but it was a time consuming process. I started searching for the substitute natural light-weight base material. I experimented with wood-walnut wood, deadar, kayur, teak wood but the weight was turning to be a major issue.
In the module ‘Material, processes and technology,’ I read about light weight material, MDF. I got a very light weight MDF sheet, which could easily be cut into organic shapes. The next big task was the collaboration with naqashi artisans like Mr Nazir Mir, Mrs Maqbool Jan etc…who could understand the theme based design briefs.
To bring a naqashi artisan to terms as far as design briefs are concerned, has its own complicacies .An artist can’t be restricted to a design brief… The delicate papier-machie-naqashi art work on the substitute material, for ear-rings was an encouraging find.
The workshop technicians at CDI, Mr Akhtar ,Mr Amjad and Ms Yasmeen helped me and also taught me to handle various sophisticated machines. The orders for the ear-rings started pouring in the next day. The craft management education helped negotiate with the artisans and the customers.
Kashmir Willow-Wicker:
Kashmir willow wicker is a dying craft. It is light weight.Maria has been able to design about 15 designs of Kashmir-willow wickerear-rings, some blended with leather material, papier machie and othermaterials at CDI lab.
The concern for environment:
The naqashi work on a dried up deodorant-bottle with flowersdecorated at the nozzle and naqashi work on recycled paper bags showcase thesensitivity towards recycling and reusing materials to save environment. “I amtrying to bring hand-naqashi on wedding cards also; I wish my efforts help thedying craft survive”.
The Golden Hands of Kashmir: Documentation of hand-carvedwalnut wood designs
In her internship, she has worked with a famous Kashmirhand-carving walnut-wood enterprise, Venoos Furniture. “After observing keenlythe way of life of walnut wood hand-carving artisans, craft management and theunique kind of craft entrepreneurship that exists in Kashmir, for about 2months, I found a need to document the designs to save the rich craft designs .It gave an understanding that our artisans are very keen nature observers andamazing artists who need to be celebrated as “The Golden Hands of Kashmir”.
While enquiring about the future plans of the young n enthusiastic female craft revivalist, she said, “I got an offer from many craft related enterprises to work with them as a craft manager.
Besides starting my own craft-entrepreneurial venture, I also want to pursue craft research. I urge the Honourable Governor, and his efficient administration to strengthen the Institute and solve all the long-pending issues of the students. There is a need for incubation facility and collaboration with other higher educational institutions like IITs and IIMs”.