Pous Mela in Shantiniketan

West Bengal is rich in handicrafts and with so many artisan clusters around , I need to decide the kind of craft and artisans I would like to work with. The pous mela in Shantiniketan  would show me the path I have to traverse in the coming months.

Though I have visited these crafts shows for many years but this time it is with an aim to work with crafts people. The various artisans will be Kantha sarees, Dokra (brass artifacts), terracotta horses, leather bags,

Jute n bamboo products, hand loom silk with baluchari weave, wood carving, stone craft, conch shell and so on.

In search for  artisans who would make nose studs, finger rings, anklets and bracelets for us in Dokra,

work with kantha craft on cushion covers, source tangail fabric (instead of sarees) for cushion covers.

New product ideas , meeting people with similar interest, clicking interesting pics to share. 

Others interested in handicrafts of Bengal could join . Friends wanting to know about poush mela or handicrafts of Bengal may write to us. Will get back with more enthusiasm to tell you stories of BEAUTIFUL BENGAL.

With Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.....Golden Moments

Overwhelmed to receive the award for Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur from our District in southern part of West Bengal from the hands of our Past President Dr Abdul Kalam at ITC Sonar Hotel being selected by FOSMI (Federation of Small & Medium Industries) for my work with the artisans of Bankura District by suggesting new and innovative designs using Baluchari material and Dokra products and marketing them through my outfit MIHARU across the country and also beyond.

Please see my website www.miharu.in and give your suggestions which would encourage me in my mission. Also if you appreciate my attempt to revive dying handicrafts of Bengal pls 'like' it www.facebook.com/miharudgp

Snippets of the Golden Moments with PAST PERSIDENT in today's newspapers Sanmarg, T2 ,Business Standard

Winner of Outstanding Woman Enterpreneur at 12th FOSMI Awards for Excellence.

Discovering Bankura

Bankura , a old  and crowded village in West Bengal is where I stay. Two daughters growing and busy with their own school chores, led me to search for some work that was creative and could be done from home.

Based in this area for last 15 years, I had discovered the rich handicraft and hand-loom sectors in and around Bankura. Beautiful traditional products, artisans with state level awards, poverty and declining value of the craft is a common feature in this District.

The various crafts in this region are Dhokra (brass figurines) made by “ lost wax technique” in Bikna.

The terracotta work from Panchmura is mainly about making of Bankura Horse and other fragile terracotta figures.

Stone Craft from Susunia , were the artisans have themselves turned stoned faced with all hard creative work but no buyers and gradually opting for other form of work. 

The Baluchari weaved pure silk fabric from Bishnupur was used to make sarees on Jacquard looms. This fabric is truly Indian in colour, feel and depicts mythological stories from Ramayan and Mahabharat.

As the journey has just begun , I plan to visit many more handicraft clusters, design new , utility products based on traditional craft  ,explaining the artisans and understanding the possibilities.

So here is “MIHARU” an attempt to work with people in our place , for our handicraft for a new beginning.....

First Products

Months of search for artisans who were ready to listen to me, understanding the possibilities and finally coming to deigns that could materialize we created our first set to products that were beautiful and our best creation still date.

Baluchari cushion and Dokra utility products.

This Baluchari Cushion was based on story of Indian Mythology, painstalkingly weaved on Jacquard loom with 100% pure silk.

This Dokra Clock in with the four tribal figures playing musical instruments as the clock ticks.

This Dhokra frame with deer inspired by nature. As I admired this frame all the animal walked into my design land to  be part of these dhokra frames .......but required the right market.

Dhokra & Baluchari products at Miharu Store

Miharu, one of latest stores launched online, is an attempt to promote rich, traditional but dying crafts of rural Bengal like Dhokra and Baluchari weaving. And they have got the right formula – using traditional craft styles and methods to create home decor products in the contemporary style and design.

Miharu is run by Parul Bajoria, who has been working closely with Dhokra artisans in rural Bengal and the Baluchari Weavers.

These handmade planters are a classic example of how Miharu has made traditional Dhokra craft and motifs relevant for the urban clientele.

The brass motifs on the planters are each a single unique piece, made using a clay mould that is lost in the process. It does not have joints and comes as a whole piece. Dhokra is the oldest form of metal casting and is also known as the ‘lost wax’ procedure.

Square shaped Dhokra motif fixed on wood planter

The Baluchari weave has traditionally been used only in sarees. It is famous for its depictions of mythological scenes in the pallu of the saree. Baluchari got its name from the village where it originated 200 years ago. These sarees were typically worn by women from upper class and Zamindar households in Bengal and was hence a sign of aristocracy.

Miharu has, for the very first time, used it to create a range of vibrant household and personal use products like cushion covers in 100% hand loom silk. The product range is set to bring the feel of festivity and celebration.

Handbag made of handloom silk with baluchari weave.

Here is a warm welcome to all friends from the Miharu team.

Cheers!

Stories behind each Book Ends

At Miharu Design Studio we wanted to come up with some innovative book end designs.

1.ELEPHANT WHO ATE UP THE BOOKS

Very often travelling between Bankura (village in Bengal) and Durgapur (The steel city) one can encounter wild elephants. An avid reader, once when engrossed in reading , we met such a situation , it was like a unwanted break. But it inspired to create this book end.

2) BEHIND THE DOOR

Inspired by women's love to adorn herself , it often makes her hubby wait long time before they can actually start for an outing. Instead of getting irritated why not read books.

3) BULLS R FRIENDS- BOOK ENDS

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The fighting bulls from Spain use their strenght to hold books rather than fight with each other.

Friends, let us know if you like them. You are also welcome to share your interesting ideas as our artisans are all award winners and can convert your idea into an artifact if guided properly. We are always there to become a bridge between u and the artisan. 

Cheers

Weaving mythology

Immerse yourself in history as you wrap yourself up in the Ramayana (Hindu mythology) or rest your weary head on these exquisite Baluchari weave cushion covers and dream of the Mahabharat (Hindu mythology). The ancient Baluchari weave technique from  West Bengal (India) which was traditionally done on saris, has moved to home accessories like cushion covers for the first time. Intricate motifs of mythology and temple carvings, depictions of the epics, courtly life and even traditional texts are woven onto the fabric creating an enchanting story.

The Baluchari technique has had its highs and lows. It first rose to prominence when it was practiced in the Baluchar village in Bengal two hundred years ago, and then disappeared into obscurity during the British rule over India. In the first half of the twentieth century the craft was revived again in the historical village of Bishnupur (Bengal) and has continued to thrive over the years.    

Each piece of Baluchari work is priceless. Each item goes through several stages of work till finally a unique, one-of-a-kind product is ready. The yarn is boiled in a solution of soda and soap and dyed to add sheen and lustre. The motifs are made by drawing the design on graph paper, it is colored and the punching is done using cards. These cards are then put in sequence and attached to the jacquard loom. These cards control the warp on the loom and create beautiful patterns on silk.

Designing Dhokra

Amazing is the craft , where artisan shape the designs in wax and beautiful unbreakable products are made in brass. When I had started designing Dhokra , very fascinated by the tribal figures they used , designed table mats of size 18"x 14" which I thought would look extremely attractive.

Design were given to four different master artisans but never materialized. However I learnt many possibilities of this craft and started designing a range of products that could be created and look beautiful too.

Some wax designs that we use for ornamentation of various products

Table mats in Dokra do not exist but we have got our artisans to design beautiful paisely, floral design , geometric designs that can be used as surface ornamentation on n number of products.

Products that our traditional and  royal..........