When the roots are strong, the tree grows well. A craft tradition, like a tree, must be cared for, so that it bears fruit. At e'thaan, we seek to strengthen the craft roots ; to nurture the tree. e'thaan' is a Lotha Naga word for something `new'. The Lothas are one of the 16 tribes of the Nagas in Nagaland. e'thaan' stands for contemporary Indian design. It is not typical or even singular, but diverse in style and content as the many peoples and cultures it represents. We work with the exciting and varied Indian craft traditions from Nagaland to Rajasthan and look to create an Indian design identity that we can call our own. A path that leads away from the typical abstract style of the steel and glass of the western contemporary....... a path that belongs to today, yet retains the quality of warmth that comes from the embers of an old fire.

In most states of India, craft was a part of daily life; especially in tribal communities where every person was an artisan of some kind, making household items for personal use. In other communities, it was a family profession that was passed on through generations. Here quality and finish were revered and the artisan patronized by royalty or the wealthy and influential of the particular group. All this disintegrated due to changes in context and various other socio-economic factors. Our effort, with design development as its focus, hopes to be a small attempt to change this scenario.

A few of the major craft traditions that e'thaan has been working with, have a very strong lineage or history. Briefly, we would like to share their stories and journey, so that they may be understood in their past context and assured of a future.

`SANJHI' : Uttar Pradesh

A sanjhi handcut when first seen commonly inspires strong emotions of awe and wonder at its beauty and delicacy. `Sanjhi' was an ancient craft of hand cutting paper stencils, practised by some communities in Uttar Pradesh. It is an extremely fine skill using only a pair of small scissors. The stencils were used to make rangoli (color flour) patterns on walls and floors and were traditionally based on the Ras Leela (Group dance of Krishna with Gopis)tradition of Radha Krishna themes and motifs. They later broadened to include a number of Mughal motifs -jaali (trellis) patterns, animals and flowers. The intricacy and beauty of this ancient skill comes alive when it is used in its original form, which was otherwise invisible as a stencil. Our design journey first began and still continues with sanjhi at its helm. The play of light falling on a sanjhi cut has been the inspiration for many of our designs.

Hindu mythology says that Radha,the milk maid companion of Krishna used to decorate the walls and floor of her house with patterns made of natural materials like powdered coloured stones and dried flowers. The other young girls of Vrindavan followed suit making intricate patterns to capture Krishna's attention.Radha and Krishna are characters in the Hindu Epic, Bhagavatham These sanjhi patterns were made in the evening, to attract Lord Krishna on his way back home. Hence the art was given the name 'sanjhi', derived from the Hindi word 'sanjh' meaning 'evening '. Later on, people started making stencils of these designs based on the life of Radha-Krishna to express their love, respect and devotion. Sanjhi patterns were also made on leaves and left to float on water.

However with the development in laser cut technology and the amount of time and effort involved in making these intricate patterns the craft almost died out. Today, Ajay Kumar, along with his brothers- Vijay and Mohan, based in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, continue to practice and keep this craft tradition alive. After losing his father at an early age, Ajay stopped going to school at the age of 16, to work and supplement the family's scanty income. "Except for our art, we knew no other work, and took on any manual work that came our way”, he says. Later with the help and support of people and craft organizations like the Delhi Craft Council, the brothers grew aware of the cultural and traditional significance of their craft skill and took it up as a full time profession. In its present form as a craft, sanjhi traces its origins to more than a 100 years ago, when their great grandfather and then grandfather made sanjhi patterns in the local temples as a ritual offering. Even today, Ajay and his family still decorate the temples of Mathura with their sanjhi rangolis on festive occasions. They are the fourth generation to practise the craft.

Window and wall cabinet with sanjhi cutwork : e'thaan design
WOOD BLOCK CARVING : Uttar Pradesh

Wood blocks which were traditionally used for printing textiles were carved in intricate patterns by master craftsmen from Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan. Ambi or the mango form and flowery motifs dominated the traditional design palette, though geometric patterns were also commonly found. Blocks were originally carved in vertical grain wood to enable the intricacy of the cut which underlies this craft form. An offshoot of this art was the brass inlay work referred to as Tarkashi, in which brass was inlaid into the woodcarving for a more decorative finish and different purpose. The demand for textile wood blocks reduced drastically with the development of screen printing in 1985 and the artisans were forced to turn their skills into making boxes and trinkets. Unfortunately in this shift, the craft aesthetics took a beating and consequently skill levels deteriorated.

In the last 10 years working with Abshar Hussain, a 1987 National awardee, and one of India's finest wood block carvers, we have enjoyed exploring and taking his craft skill to a different realm by experimenting with new materials and techniques like dye inserting and white wash. In a more visible product as in furniture and lights, we feel this age old skill finds its true expression and continuity.

Tarkashi work in a traditional tree form

Masala dibba with ceramic bowls : e'thaan design

WOOD CARVING AND BAMBOO CRAFT: NAGALAND

Wood carving and bamboo work are ancient and widely practiced craft traditions in many tribal communities of Nagaland. Traditionally, every man worked in wood and bamboo and was an artisan by right. In this cultural context, the refining of finish and the creation of a design that retains a distinctly Naga flavour has been our endeavour. It is important in the continuity of a craft skill, for it to retain its identity and context. To keep the skill special.

Nungshi Renba and Alem Longkumer are young craftsmen from the Ao community of Nagaland who have, in the past 10 years of our association with them, developed and refined their craft skills. Their best introduction is their tremendous effort to bring wood and bamboo craft out of its traditional mould and make it into a livelihood. Alem was given the National Award in 2003, in recognition of his skills and Nungshi, the Governor's award in 2009.

In Nagaland , in the hills of Manipur and in parts of Arunachal Pradesh, the mithun or Indian bison head, symbolic of wealth, power and fertility, is the single most important craft motif. In Naga architecture it was carved into posts and facades by men of the community. The products that we have developed with them, use such symbols and combine both wood carving and bamboo-cane work in the same product. They explore new combinations of different textures and finishes while retaining a distinctly Naga identity.

Cheese platter : e'thaan design		Mithun napkin holder e'thaan design

Craft is part of a lifestyle, a value system, that we seem to be forgetting. When hands no longer work or actually forget how to work, a skill acquired and refined through centuries is lost. The importance of this skill is realized only when it is too late .Too late to even re-learn because those who could teach have also gone.

There is no need for craft to compete with industry. We believe that craft has its own space and place. The potter's wheel may be mechanized but the pot can only be shaped by the hands. India has a fabulously rich craft heritage and even now, has millions of skilled artisans and there is a need for them to be truly recognized by more effort than mere words. Our Crafts persons need a better today!!