BENGALURU: On a mission to popularise an ancient form of hand block-printed textiles, Alka Sharma is not only reviving traditional crafts from southern Rajasthan but is also empowering the craftsmen and women behind this in the Mewar region. From collections that flaunt traditional crafts like ‘gold khadi’ and ‘pittan’ embroidery to Ayurvastra clothing that is made from organic cotton fabric treated with herbs and oils to promote health, Alka is well on her way to wow textile lovers, and bring these crafts to the South.
“The exquisite art of pittan is dying slowly, and we are working to restore its former glory by training women from the Mewar region in the techniques of this craft,” says Alka, who promotes this ancient craft works through an outlet called Aavaran, overlooking the scenic Ulsoor Lake in Bengaluru.
Alka, 41, has built a reputation for promoting intricate Dabu printing, and indigo and natural dyeing technique-based collections. She has held numerous workshops for training as also design and development in leather, bamboo, etc. for tribal and other communities in an attempt to revitalise and upgrade skills of selected crafts. “I wanted to ensure the economic empowerment of indigenous craftspersons,” says Alka, an alumna of Indian Institute of Crafts and Design, who also holds a diploma in textile designing and a Master’s degree in Sociology.
After her graduation, she was keen to work towards carrying forward the tradition of indigo dyeing as practised in Akola near Udaipur, and reviving and sustaining the traditional craft of Dabu printing, an ancient mud-resist hand block-printing technique that almost died in the last century. But today it has been revived and is a flourishing art in many villages of Rajasthan. The labour-intensive exercise involves several stages of printing and dyeing, resulting in a product that is unique.
Although specialising in indigo dyeing, Alka also uses other natural dyes to get more colour options. “We hope to carry forward the tradition of indigo dyeing as practised earlier. We have retained the quality of indigo as well as improved it by focusing on the rubbing fastness of the indigo dye and experimenting to achieve multiple tonal indigo qualities. Only natural dyes obtained from plants, roots, berries, bark, leaves, wood are used,” she says.
Today, Alka employs over 100 people in her design and production departments and supports more than 200 women across four independently run training centres in four villages. Her organisation also supports designers and craftspeople through in-house production.
The Journey
In 2009, Alka Sharma formed a self-help group to support the artisans and train women, and took up a five-year project under Baba Ambedkar Hasth Shilpa Yojna of Ministry of Textiles. She conceptualised Aavaran in 2011, and it was set up in Udaipur by Centre of the Study of Values, an NGO, for development of rural communities and focussing on women and children.“We took part in several exhibitions across the country with a limited collection of apparel and home furnishings. The response was good,” she says.
By design
Aavaran has a range of contemporised Dabu mud-resist, hand-dyed and hand block-printed garments and accessories, all made from natural fabrics. You have a series of printed and embroidered apparel inspired from neem and explored as Persian expressions.