76 | August 2019 The Ideal Home and Garden
TIHG People
Gift of Life
NehaGandhirunsMatsya,anumbrellaforauthentic,fairIndian crafts. She
says, “Indian crafts hold a significant heritage, culture, traditions, which are
practiced over more than 100 years, a block printing ajrakh is dated 100
years old and found from the Indus valley civilisation and practiced only
by the khatri communities of Kutch. Similarly, we have the Maru Meghwal
community from Kutch who have been practicing the leather crafts and have
a historic significance to this craft and so is the Luhar community who make
the unique copper bells, which is used by pastoral communities to identify
cattle even today.” Crafts signify the identify of communities and have played
an instrumental tool in women empowerment in rural India. Traditional
women artisans from many parts of rural India have been their own designers,
entrepreneurs who run their own craft business thus bringing a powerful
change in their own communities and surroundings. Neha further states,
“At Matsya we connect and curate these authentic crafts directly, which have
significant history, quality in terms of design, fair trade to markets, buyers,
craft stores, designers and researchers, design students or any craft enthusiasts
who are in pursuit of Indian textile and non textile crafts. I have been extremely
fortunate and passionate to discover and identify, connect with a wide range
of Indian crafts. We are striving now to work with like-minded craftsmen,
NGOS, design brand or any one who fits within our umbrella and together we
can make an impact.”NehAGANdhI
(MATSyA)India has been the land of art and craft since time immemorial. Sadly,
however, some of the art forms are on the verge of extinction. TIHG presents
four talentswhoaredoingalltheycanto review the dying art
ImpressIons: BenoyseBastIan