Strands of red and yellow thread sway in the
wind as they dry on clotheslines along the
roadside. Qur’anic verses blare over speakers.
Muslim artisans are hard at work, knee-deep
in buckets of dyeing chemicals – sans
protective gear.
For generations, the families of
Khanjahanpur and Alhaadganj – two villages
near the town of Lalgopalganj in the Indian
state of Uttar Pradesh – have been making
kalava, an object intimately familiar with
the wrists of thousands of Hindus across
India and Nepal. Also called raksha or mauli,
this nondescript thread bracelet is tied for
devotees during religious ceremonies, andFrom artisans in two rural Indian villages come a
huge share of the Hindu world’s sacred braceletsA Dyeing Art
HANDMADE HOLINESS
below An artisan in
Khanjahanpur village,
Allahabad, dyeing
kalava threadsThis nondescript
thread bracelet is tied
for devotees during
religious ceremonies,
and counted among the
holiest of talismans
Text Sirsendu Gayen
counted among the holiest of talismans. First
mentioned in the Hindu epic Mahabharata,
the bracelet is thought to give its wearer pure
thoughts, long life and protection against
their enemies.PHOTO © SIRSENDU GAYENarts