Entrepreneurs of region reviving traditional art

Vijay C Roy

Advertisement

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 9

Entrepreneurs of North India are trying to keep the traditional art alive that has endured over centuries. They are working closely with rural artisans to create unique products as per the current demand. The initiative is a win-win situation for both. While the artisans get livelihood, the entrepreneurs get business proposition.

As the industries have been hit and many have lost jobs due to the Covid, the entrepreneurs have shifted focus to handicrafts.

Chandigarh-based Pulkit Gogna — a professional website developer — launched Bharatsthali — a range of sarees having Silk Mark India label that stands for natural and genuine silk.

He sources sarees from Banaras, Bihar, Rajasthan, Kolkata, and the entire southern region by enabling them with a cutting-edge technology.

“While travelling, I discovered that people like traditional products. We found that there is a huge potential in the region. We started working with weavers at major weaving centres to offer genuine products,” said Gogna.

Similarly, Delhi-based designer Vanshika Gupta is retailing hand-knitted cotton masks with the help of craftsmen from “Run of Kutch” through her fashion startup Label_Vanshika. They are making designer masks with SUF craft of Kutch in different colors and patterns.

On being asked about response in the North, Vanishka said, “Well, the response of the SUF and Rogan Art has been phenomenal. People are accepting the dying craft. Also, since the new normal is masks, I am experimenting with them.”

Similarly, Aastha Ritu Garg founded Padmashali in Jagadhri (Haryana) — a saree startup that works with weavers across the country to revive the weaving and handloom crafts clusters such as Banaras, Kanchipuram, Bhuj, Ajrakhpur, Patan, Chanderi, Pranpur, Kota, Bhagalpur and Sanganer.