India is home to diverse arts and crafts that have been passed on from one generation to another. Each one of them has a distinct identity and is testimony to the country’s rich cultural history. However, today, several of these art forms are fast disappearing.
In 2019, Seagram’s 100 Pipers started The Legacy Project to support India’s endangered arts and help artist communities thrive. This project stems from the brand’s philosophy of ‘Be Remembered For Good’.
This festive season, The Legacy Project continues with its endeavour. In 2020, the spotlight is on India’s handmade textile arts which have been adorned on a series of Limited Edition packs that showcase weaves from across the country.
There are five distinct designs, each of which represents one unique art form – Phulkari from North, Gara from West, Bengal Weave from East, Kalamkari from South and Maheshwari from Central India. In order to further amplify the message, Seagram’s 100 Pipers has collaborated with ‘India’s Textile Warriors’ – people who have dedicated their lives towards preserving these arts.
Phulkari: This handmade embroidery technique, that literally means flower work, dates back to 19th century Punjab. Kirandeep Kaur and Harinder Singh have been working towards reviving this art and mobilizing the rural women of Punjab towards progress and self-reliance for nearly two decades now.
Gara: This nature-inspired art form involves creating intricate and colourful designs on fabric using a needle. Zenobia Davar has been practising Gara embroidery for years now along with teaching this skill in workshops with the aim of keeping it alive.
Bengal Weave: This weave finds its origins in a West Bengal village named Dhaniakhali and goes back as far as 1935. UNESCO Seal of Excellence winner Bappaditya Biswas has been striving for years to improve the condition of the local weaving community. He’s currently working with weavers at Phulia who have suffered a double blow owing to the pandemic and Cyclone Amphan.
Kalamkari: This hand-painted or block-printed cotton textile art belongs to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Mamta Reddy is an award-winning artist who’s famous for creating Kalamkari art on woven fabric. Her Kalam Creations Artisans society supports several artists and their families.
Maheshwari: This handloom art from the temple town of Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh can be traced back to the 5th century. Sally Holkar is the driving force behind WomenWeave, that has been instrumental in reviving the Maheshwari art form. Her endeavours spurred the growth of the local textile industry and turned the Maheshwari sari into a popular form of handloom.
As part of 100 Pipers Legacy Project, there will be over a million Limited Edition packs that will showcase these textile arts to the world. That’s not all. The project will also provide financial aid to artists so as to empower them to continue practicing their art with dignity.
There couldn’t have been a better way to usher in the festive spirit. An initiative like this will go a long way in reviving art forms that are facing the threat of extinction.
It will also make the artist community feel recognized, that will in turn motivate them to work harder. All in all, 100 Pipers Legacy Project will play a key role in ensuring that India’s diverse arts continue to flourish for generations to come. To know more about this initiative, click here.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)