Tag: Lucknow
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Stitch by stitch
“I must share the story of Tabassum with you. She was one of the most highly-skilled artisans in Lucknow. She had won state-level awards. When we started training her as part of the first batch of the Sangraha project, she was very overwhelmed. She broke down and started crying. She said she wasn’t capable of […]
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Celebrate Womanhood with Jaypore
International Women’s Day: How Women Artisans are Crafting the Stories of their Own Lives She feeds her family, is nearly always the primary care-giver, works the fields to produce half the world’s food supply and contributes to nearly two-thirds of the world’s cumulative work hours – so says the United Nations. That’s what a woman […]
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In a Qila
How Qilasaaz is effecting change in the lives of women artisans of Mahmudabad. The backbone of the erstwhile world of feudal privilege and opulence was always an invisible army of skilled craftsmen/women and artisans. They ensured a splendor and an aesthetic richness that was often breathtaking. Their efforts affected every aspect of life then and […]
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Embroidered Elegance: The delicate art of Chikankari
There is a subtle understated elegance of intricate white thread embroidery on delicate white muslin. So uniquely exquisite is this fine creation that it has been applauded and desired for centuries. While the true origins of Chikan are shrouded in mystery and legend, it is clear that Chikankari has its roots in the Mughal reign. Although Chikankari […]
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Lucknawi Naqqashi: Decorating the Medicinal Metal
Copper finds a pride of place in kitchens across India as it is held in high regard by Ayurveda for its remedial properties. The metal is believed to have electromagnetic energy, called ‘Prana Shakti’ and many Indian homes store drinking water in a copper vessel overnight to allow copper to make water ionic, thus helping […]
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The Gilded Storytellers of Lucknow
Deep kohl-set eyes follow the graceful movements of decorated fingers, the intricate beats of the tabla and the progressive tempo of rhythmic footwork. Spectators watch transfixed as elegant swirling movements, lightning quick pirouettes, subtle gestures and sudden poses combine to tell a breathtaking story. Kathak, the North Indian dance form famed for its subtlety and grace, traces […]
Storytellers of Wonder 