Category Archives: Uncategorized

Fashion to rescue dying handicrafts

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Education, Uncategorized

A peep into the Indian history and awaiting one is a treasure trove of brilliant art work, paintings and sculptures. The aesthetic value of Indian art and the livelihood of the artisans has been a major inspiration for people around the world. From the smallest of towns come unique, yet equally amazing art forms. Quite a lot of these art forms have lost their market base in recent times and reviving has become essential. Along with the many initiatives of the various state government organisations and NGOs, the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) is also doing its bit in helping revive theseart forms.

NIFT’s way of revival

Andhra Pradesh also plays host to many of these art forms like the Banjara Needle Crafts (Embroidery), Bidri Craft, Budithi Brassware, Durgi Stone Craft and Kalamkari among many others. The three art forms that have been focused by on this year, by the NIFT students this year are the Nirmal Art, from the Nirmal town of Adilabad district, Tolu Bommalata from Nimmalakunta in Ananthapur district and wooden cutlery from Udayagiri.

 

As a part of their curriculum, third year students of department of fashion and lifestyle accessories at NIFT take a trip to one of the villages, which is the birthplace of a traditional art form and learn the craft from the experts of it, the artisans. Not just this, they also develop a study on the art form, come up with contemporary product designs, not altering the authenticity of the art.

Explaining more on this, was Lakshmi Reddy, professor of accessories and design department. “A group of eight or more students were sent to these villages. They start off with design studying, then they work on form development, then the plan product designs, which have a contemporary flavour which is followed by a detailed market research.” She also said that the students have to create new designs and get them executed by the artisans. One of the students, Ramya Choudary says, “Learning the art from the artisans was a great experience.” Another student Upasana Bahuguna adds, “We never knew that there was so much detailing in every small motif.”

After the execution of ideas, creating the much needed market is taken care by Lepakshi. All the products created at NIFT will be taken up for sale at Lepakshi. These products will be multiplied by the artisans and help create a market-base.

From the horse’s mouth

Artisans have been brought from these towns to work with students at NIFT to help them create new designs. One such Tolu Bommalata artisans from Dharmavaram is Gopal Vanarcha. He says that it has been an heredity factor of art in his family and that all his forefathers were great artists. Explaining a little on the process of the creating the art, he says, “We take more than three months in creating one piece. We have to buy goat skin, beat it to sheets and dry them. After that we have to make the ‘kalam’ (pen) with a bamboo stick and the ink with neem gum and charcoal and then start painting the outlines. This itself takes about two weeks. We then manufacture natural colours if possible, or use automobile colours instead. And out handicraft has to be very intricate as we have to display it against light.” Another artist from the same place, Janardhan Shinde says, “With so much effort put in, we at least want a nice market for us to sell our products and it is nice to get that much-needed new dimension to our work from the students here.”

Retaining the authenticity of the art

In the whole process the authenticity of the art is however not lost. Avinash Raipally, asst professor and centre coordinator, department of fashion and lifestyle accessories says, “We always make sure we do not alter or even make modifications to any of the art forms. This will take away its glory. We sure are teaching students to experiment, but only with the products.” He then adds, “For example, the Udayagiri Cutlery. Apart from just the wooden spoons and forks, the students have created wall clocks, table stands and many more products. But, all of these have a strong Mughal influenced design of Udayagiri.” Also the Tolu Bommalata art is being adapted to create lifestyle products.

Apart from puppets and dome-shaped lamp shades, one-side open lamp shades, corner lamps shades and many more lights which have a very contemporary look have been created. Paper stands, jewellery boxes and pen stands with Nirmal prints are elegant and at the same time give a nice feel to the interiors of the house. “That’s the beauty, it’s like old wine in new bottle,” says Avinash.

source: http://www.expressbuzz.com / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Kruthi Gonwar/ December 15th, 2011

Nizam’s Rolls set for a centenary

Business & Economy, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Uncategorized

HYDERABAD:

This Rolls Royce may not be able to give that ‘magic carpet ride’ like the recently launched Ghost but it definitely sweeps you off your feet. Endowed with a rich canary yellow body, gold mountings, lights and roof dome finished in silver, this priceless beauty is all set for a centenary next month. Authorities at the Chowmahalla Palace where the Nizam’s Rolls Royce is on display in the vintage car shed are now planning to celebrate 100 years of the four-wheeler in a big way.

Made-to-order in 1911 on a London-Edinburgh chassis and restored at a princely sum of around Rs 1.5- 2 crore, it was lying in ruins until about three years ago at the Chiran Fort. “It was in a terrible condition, populated with rats and moles. The tyres had gone soft. It took me over a year to convince the family to get it restored and put it on display,” says Dr Ameenuddin Khan, administrator of the Nizam’s private estate. However, he added that Mir Osman Ali Khan was fond of Humber cars and had five to six of them in his mighty collection.

“As per the records available, Nizam VI had ordered the Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Throne Car,” says G Kishan Rao, director, Chowmahalla Palace. Rao says the car with many special features was later re-bodied to reflect a 1930’s style by the Nizams railway workshop sometime in 1934. But it was restored and brought back to its original form and style by Manvendra Singh Barwani of Indore. While there is no record of the car’s cost when the Nizam purchased it, its vintage worth is estimated to be over Rs 20 crore.

Authorities at Chowmahalla Palace say the luxury car was ordered by sixth Nizam, Mehboob Ali Pasha, who died before it was delivered. Later on, the car was sparingly used by Nizam VII only for ceremonial occasions and hence, it had done just 356 miles.The car has bagged “Best of Class Prize” in the Rolls Royce Class and “Best of Show the Concour de Elegance Prize” in the Cartier Travel with Style Concour de Elegance held at Delhi in March this year. It has been on display at Chowmahalla Palace since April this year.

There are several anecdotes and rumours that have become almost legendary about the Rolls Royce and the Nizams. “It is said that the company had questioned his capacity to purchase the car. This, to the richest man in the world,” says a senior staffer at Chowmahalla. After a century, the same company, Rolls Royce Motor Cars, announced opening of a dealership in the city a few days ago. That the seventh Nizam owned 50 Rolls Royce cars is also an unverified piece of history. City historians and experts note there is no evidence that the seventh Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan owned 50 Rolls Royce cars and it is impossible to verify history of this kind. But he owned luxury cars by the dozen, as was reported in journals then.

The last of the city’s Nizams do not move around in the famed Rolls Royce. Mukkarram Jah, the Turkey-based last Nizam of Hyderabad, owns a 40-year-old Nissan which is parked at the Chiran palace along with two jeeps.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Hyderabad> Home> Collections / TNN / by Bushra Baseerat / December 11th, 2011