Quarter of a century ago, a young American woman traveled through Kutch fell in love with its people and traditional crafts. She stayed on and today Judy Frater out of the wild sands of Kutch has developed a NGO, put together a textile and craft museum, set up the first only design institute for artisans and in the process has been adopted an Honorary Rabari. The first time I met Judy was years ago while documenting a Rabari ritual while she was with the group of Rabari women unrecognizable as a foreigner. As our noisy jeep disturbed the calm of the village it was she who was most affronted and explained to us the customs and traditions of the rituals we were going to shoot. Thus began an acquaintance with this remarkable woman and we kept meeting of and on.
Judy Frater is a woman with multi faceted talents; she is an anthropologist, textile researcher, author and social entrepreneur. She believes that the traditional artisan is the best designer, in India design almost flows in the veins of the artisan. Through practical field work, research, training and interaction since the last two decades she has been building up an artisan base to contribute in the sustainability of craft traditions.
After living with the Rabaris and coming to understand the importance of their traditional beliefs and textile craft forms, Judy realized that astute marketing and preservation for continuity was necessary. Somewhere along the way she was seeking to strike a balance between the Rabari tradition and their exposure to a modern market. Kala Raksha began with a group of 20-25 women and is now a family comprising women villages spread all over Kutch.
Sumrasar Sheikh a tiny Rabari hamlet, North of Bhuj is where Judy began to shape her visions into reality. In the year 1993, a group of artisans were brought together to form Kala Raksha Trust. Kala Raksha as the name evokes is for preservation of talent, skill and sustainability of the craft traditions. It is a social enterprise ‘for the artisan, by the artisan and of the artisan’. Jat, Mochi, Mutava, Sodha Rajput, Ahir Meghwals and Rabari women intrinsically embroider their traditional motifs in contemporary products for a modern market orchestrated by the Ngo.
My relationship with Judy was rekindled when my wife and I were working with the Chitara community and she happened to visit. A diminutive American in a bandhni sari, with the tinkle of glass bangles, and beaded tassels; and enigmatically mischievous sparkle in her eyes, and the welcoming warmth of her personality had my wife whooping with respect mingled with awe. Author Judy, it seems is highly respected in design colleges. That was when I realized how important was Judys contribution in the world of Indian textiles. This has let to a working relationship with the Kala Raksha Vidyalaya.
Kala Raksha Vidyalaya is the first ever Institute of its kind in India and may be world. The Vidyalaya is located in pristine surroundings, neighboring the village of Tunda Vandh in Kutch district of Gujarat. The buildings are a marvel of architectural form blending with the local topography in harmony with the colors of the land, designed by architect Heman Sanghvi. The center has facilities for weaving, dyeing and printing and an excellent library with computers and adequate residential space for the students and faculties.
The vision of the Vidyalaya is to develop a new approach to design education based on existing traditions. One important activity is to discover, articulate and utilize the existing systems of knowledge, skills, design and innovation to working traditional artisans. The focus of the institute is on acquiring knowledge and skills that will enable artisans to use design effectively in order to successfully reach appropriate new markets, while at the same time strengthening traditional identity. The design school is a unique one of its kind set up with at most care and patience.
Judy Frater is a woman with multi faceted talents; she is an anthropologist, textile researcher, author and social entrepreneur. She believes that the traditional artisan is the best designer, in India design almost flows in the veins of the artisan. Through practical field work, research, training and interaction since the last two decades she has been building up an artisan base to contribute in the sustainability of craft traditions.
After living with the Rabaris and coming to understand the importance of their traditional beliefs and textile craft forms, Judy realized that astute marketing and preservation for continuity was necessary. Somewhere along the way she was seeking to strike a balance between the Rabari tradition and their exposure to a modern market. Kala Raksha began with a group of 20-25 women and is now a family comprising women villages spread all over Kutch.
Sumrasar Sheikh a tiny Rabari hamlet, North of Bhuj is where Judy began to shape her visions into reality. In the year 1993, a group of artisans were brought together to form Kala Raksha Trust. Kala Raksha as the name evokes is for preservation of talent, skill and sustainability of the craft traditions. It is a social enterprise ‘for the artisan, by the artisan and of the artisan’. Jat, Mochi, Mutava, Sodha Rajput, Ahir Meghwals and Rabari women intrinsically embroider their traditional motifs in contemporary products for a modern market orchestrated by the Ngo.
My relationship with Judy was rekindled when my wife and I were working with the Chitara community and she happened to visit. A diminutive American in a bandhni sari, with the tinkle of glass bangles, and beaded tassels; and enigmatically mischievous sparkle in her eyes, and the welcoming warmth of her personality had my wife whooping with respect mingled with awe. Author Judy, it seems is highly respected in design colleges. That was when I realized how important was Judys contribution in the world of Indian textiles. This has let to a working relationship with the Kala Raksha Vidyalaya.
Kala Raksha Vidyalaya is the first ever Institute of its kind in India and may be world. The Vidyalaya is located in pristine surroundings, neighboring the village of Tunda Vandh in Kutch district of Gujarat. The buildings are a marvel of architectural form blending with the local topography in harmony with the colors of the land, designed by architect Heman Sanghvi. The center has facilities for weaving, dyeing and printing and an excellent library with computers and adequate residential space for the students and faculties.
The vision of the Vidyalaya is to develop a new approach to design education based on existing traditions. One important activity is to discover, articulate and utilize the existing systems of knowledge, skills, design and innovation to working traditional artisans. The focus of the institute is on acquiring knowledge and skills that will enable artisans to use design effectively in order to successfully reach appropriate new markets, while at the same time strengthening traditional identity. The design school is a unique one of its kind set up with at most care and patience.
Sadly all of it may come to naught with the coming of two coal based power plants heralding industry and change in the region. Thus while celebrating its second year of success the looming darkness of the power plant casts a shadow over this unique educational experiment. It was under these morbid circumstances that I met Judy again, in spite of the probability of relocating the institute and beginning again from scratch Judy was more optimistic and energized than I have seen her before. She was mobilizing opinion, corresponding with donors and generally spreading the word while she kept distributing hugs and smiles to a variety of village women.
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