look around....

today ws the day which was all planned and accordingly we three went to a place for some information about kathputlis. The place was no different form what all the gullies or small kasbas look like, and you could feel a complete strangeness in the atmosphere coz u could see people staring at you, passing comments and making you feel odd.
Ignoring we moved and met a family engaged in the craft, had a Little chit chat and they recommended some others. We moved ahead and in front of the temple we met a group of people who showed us all.
The group had some young men, enthusiastic. we entered a small room where there was a small charpai, wid a black bed sheet and the game was about to begin!!! originally the bhat community is involved in the puppet shows, while today many communities (people) do this for earning an income.
The an started wid the puppet show and the songs being part of it. They don't tell stories as their forefathers used to do, bcz they have forgotten them all. The different characters that were part of today's show included Anarkali, Bangak ka jadugar A.K.A Michel Jackson (for the foreigners!!!)
and the camel from the deserts!!!
The people we met today were pretty interesting and unlike other craftsmen, were open about their thoughts, and whatever they shared with us. The people though happy with their skills were unsatisfied with the issues that prevail in the craft sector. A strange appearance to this respect was this man who came barging in and blamed us (the world) for the condition of their craft. He pointed many issues that were worth thinking. He pointed to the issue of money that forced the craftsmen to leave their ancestral work and join somewhere as a mason or so and do what they don't wish for. The other issue is that scares them is that people who come to them and learn the craft from them compete with them in the market.
These people are simple and extremely loyal to the craft. They are sensitive and believe in dignity of labour. They belive that their income is only bcz of few good people who think that the craft has potential. They even exhibit to foreigners, and introduce mainly one character so that they see the show and buy some of their stuffs.
The present condition of this craft is not so good. Though they earn well enough to support family, sometimes it so happens that there is nothing to eat also. they live in a filthy place with no water and electricity. Many of them have been to different other big cities, they still lie where they came from. They dont believe in any government or order, and like to live by themselves. They remain happy in spite of all the shortcomings in their life because they believe in god and believe in working hard. You see them and you really say "hats off"

IS DESIGN INTUTION OR ANALYSIS

design....a word that can have many meanings and still everybody has a diffrent meaning to this term. Whatevr is the answer, or in whatever way you explain design, the question of its being intutive or analytical, remains to be something which has been discussed for years and will be discussed for the coming years, too.

When James Watt saw the lid of the kettle go up and down, he had a intution that something can be made out of this, and it resulted in a locomotive. The people who carried forward his intution and took another step forward, where the development of the concept took place, was analysis.

Its pretty simple to make out that intution is the gut feeling of a person which makes him do what he wants to do, without thinking of the results. While on the other hand analysis is something which is thought about and is not impulsive.

If we give this topic a close look, it is somthing like the chicken and egg. It cannot be said that design is analysis or intutive, because they both go together. If we look at our daily lives nothing goes beyond intution and analysis. Plastic, for example is a very innovative material to work with. But if we apply only our intutions in designing anything out of it,it will never be successful. Analysis is the backup force of any intution and hence it cannot be seprated.

But still after so many arguments that happened this will still remain the topic of discussion

WHY IICD???

From times immomemorial, crafts has been the backbone of every civilization. It developed with the need and kept on evolving with the changing times.

Times changed, and industrial revolution attacked the markets, destroying the very essence of it, forcing it towards the world of mass production. Today when we look back, we see various civilizations but not as many crafts and craftsmen.

But in this respect when we turn to India, we see a blend of cultures and craft residing together. But the danger alarm is still on!!! India is no diffrent from other countries, where mass production rules.

To manage this alarming issue, people who had an inclination towards the magnificient feild of crafts, themselves came forward to help the sector and fight against the mass production to maintain the identity of crafts.

The establishment of IICD was no diffrent. The institute brings us face to face with the crafts sector, and the various issues and perspectives of the sector. The multi- disiplinary aspect of the education helps us give the craftsmen the solutions to his issues, and helps give the craft the aspect of " production by mass"

We at IICD have realised that distinctivness comes from "sui genesis"( unique), possible through the medium of crafts. With rapid growth of economy, crafts seems to have lost its aspect somewhere in the clique. Though the development of the country is running on wheels, we still have to think in terms of revival.

Crafts is the second largest sector in our economy and there are several issues related to the life of a craftsman. We here at IICD have come to bridge the gap between the market and the crafts sector, which is only possible if we go to the root cause of the problem , and try to solve it and put our views in an easily acceptable manner.