Cluster Report

NIFT BANGALORE

Cluster Development Project

Lambani Embroidery

Latika Mundhra Sania Dewan

Karthik. M Vikrant Sharma

Nitin Dobre Jitesh Nenwani

MFM 2007-2009

To study the entire supply chain and self sustainability of the Lambani Embroidery artisans under the Cluster Project and to suggest ways to make them self sustainable.

1 | P a g e

Sl. No. Topic1. Acknowledgements

2. Declaration

3. Executive Summary

4. Introduction

About hampi

Lambani art

5. Project

Objective

Methodology

Places visited

6. SWOT Analysis

7. Competition Faced form other Tribes

Kashmiri embroidery

Gujrati embroidery

8. Lambani Embroidery

About

Raw materials

Products

Process

Supply Chain Process

9.. Observations and analysis

10. Making artisans Self Sustainable

11. Key Problem Areas

12. Recommendations

13. Bibliography

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A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T

With due respect and gratitude we would like to thank the administration and

entire NIFT Faculty at Bangalore for their effort on assisting us. Also, an

expression of gratitude towards the artisans for their relevant information which

helped us compiles the document.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Ms. Sanjeev Malage (project

consultant, cluster).

To Mr. Srikanth(Field Manager, Hampi Cluster Development) for his help and

hospitality and to the institution for assisting us in various ways. And also not to

forget Mr. Bala Gangadharan, who was our mentor during Hampi trip and this

project would have been impossible without his help and guidance throughout

the project

We also sincerely thank Ms. Gulnaz Banu, Course Coordinator, FMS,NIFT

Bangalore for giving us this opportunity and for being a supportive and insightful

Project guide to us.

FMS III(07-09)

NIFT BANGALORE

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D E C L A R A T I O N

We hereby declare that the project is an original and bonafide piece of work

done by us. All information and data of secondary source have been duly

referred and acknowledge. If this project is found in any other form it should be

considered null and void.

FMS III(07-09)

NIFT BANGALORE

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E x e c u t i v e S u m m a r y

Cluster development project was conducted as a part of third semester for the

students of fashion management studies department. The cluster identified for

this purpose was Hampi and the crafts chosen for the study were Lambani

embroidey and Banana Fibre Art. A study on Lambani embroidery was conducted

by the group.

The purpose of the project was to study the supply chain and the sustainability of

the Lambani artisans. An extensive secondary survey was conducted to gain the

basic knowledge. Primary research was conducted by visiting the cluster.

Place visited include Hampi, Mariyananahalli thanda and Sandur Kushela Kala

Kendra (SKKK), an NGO operating in this area was also visited.

The co-operation provided by various Lambani’s gave the insight into their

practical difficulties and ground realities. Product exploration was an area where

artisans worked enthusiastically.

Since the art is hand crafted, it is highly dependent on the artisans’ knowledge of

the skill, and more importantly, their will to practice it. In places such as

Mariyananahalli we found that there were a lot of people willing to work, yet they

did not have enough orders. They also lack the marketing skill and more

importantly, knowledge regarding their market, as a result of which they are

unable to exploit the art. Moreover, fewer people wish to continue the practice.

In order for the art to progress as a whole, education among the artisans is

extremely important, of not only the market scenario but also the returns of their

skill/art.

Lambani embroidery has a lot of scope and through the study it is sure that

organising the craft will bring prosperity to the art and artisans.

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INTRODUCTION

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HAMPI

(Kannada: Hampe in Kannada) is a village in northern Karnataka state, India. The name is a corruption of Pampa, which is the puranic name of the Tungabhadra River on whose banks the city is built.

Hampi is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara empire. Possibly predating the city of Vijayanagara, this village continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple. The village of Hampi contains several other monuments belonging to the old city. It extends into some of the old ceremonial streets of Vijayanagara. As the village

is at the original centre of Vijayanagara, it is sometimes confused with this ruined city. Hampi is also called "The City of Ruins". The Vijayanagara ruins are listed as the Group of Monuments at Hampi as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Over the years, it has also been referred to as Vijayanagara and Virupakshapura (from Virupaksha, the patron deity of the Vijayanagara rulers).

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GEOGRAPHY

Hampi is situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra river. It is 353 km from Bangalore, 254 km from Bijapur and 74 km away from Bellary. Hospet, 13 km away, is the nearest taluka headquarters. The chief language spoken is Kannada.

The principal industries of the village are agriculture, the support of the Virupaksha temple and some other local holy places in the vicinity, and tourism. The annual Vijayanagar Festival is organized by the Government of Karnataka in November. Due to the presence of several mineral deposits in this region (iron-ore, manganese), mining of these minerals has been going on for many years

now. But a recent boom for the supply of iron-ore in the international market has led to excessive mining in this district. The World Heritage Site at Hampi as well as the Tungabhadra Dam are now under threat.

The City has been given Limited connectivity to preserve the character with scarce electricity, no GSM network coverage and amenities, still it is becoming a popular tourist destination as on Oct 2007.

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HISTORY

Hampi is identified with the mythological Kishkindha, the Vanara (monkey) kingdom which finds mention in the Ramayana. The first historical settlements in Hampi date back to 1 CE.

Hampi formed one of the cores of the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. It was destroyed by Moslem sultans. Hampi was chosen because of its strategic location, bounded by the torrential Tungabhadra River on one side and surrounded by defensible hills on the other three sides.

The site is of great importance in terms of architecture and historical significance. The demography is abundant with large stones which have been utilized to make larger than life statues of god. One can see a structure of historic importance every quarter of a mile.

Sadly the city is in ruins as it was not able to defend itself against Islamic aggressions who treat Idol worship as blasphemy, 'All' the statues have been

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destroyed or damaged, the successive governments have not been able to keep the place free from treasure seekers who claim further damage.

Recently the Archaeological Survey of India is conducting continuous excavations in the area to discover more artifacts and temples.

PROJECT

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TITLE

To study the entire supply chain and self sustainability of the Lambani Embroidery

artisans under the Cluster Project and to suggest ways to make them self sustainable.

Objectives:

Study about the basics of Lambani embroidery

Finding the problems in the Lambani embroidery and related marketing

mix concerns.

Understanding the supply chain and suggesting ways to make it efficient

Suggesting measures to make the artisans self sustainable.

METHODOLOGY

Secondary data collection:

Before visiting the field, necessary data was collected through

various books, craft documentations, interacting with the people who have

visited those places, and an extensive search of the internet.

Primary data collection:

In order to collect primary data and to know how the art practically

happens, various thandas were the art is extensively carried on is visited.

Artisans were observed while they practiced the art.

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Personal interaction and depth interviews with the artisans helped understand

the processes and collect the required information for the project.

Interviews were also conducted with the government officials and NGOs based in

the region to understand the initiatives being taken up for the development of

the art and the artisans.

The Places visited:

SANDUR KUSHAL KALA KENDRA

MARIYAMANAHALLI

About the artisans

Embroideries are preformed only

by women artisans

The basic occupation of the

artisans still remains agriculture

They mostly belong to lower or

lower middle economical class

The artisans are not only from

the Lambani Community, they

are as well from the other

communities.

There are two types of artisans:

1) Artisans having consistent income, by working for small organizations (NGO’s,

e.g. Sandur Kushala Kala Kendra (SK3) at Sandur Talluk, and Sabala at Bijapur.

NGO’s also provide ration (oil, rice, sugar, grains etc.), and Provident

Fund schemes to the artisans)

2) Artisans having inconsistent income, by making products and selling them to

the people by themselves. The people work mostly as part time and work full

time during the tourist season (November to March)

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The skill level of the artisans working with NGO’s are excellent since they

work under supervision and are trained. While others artisans aren’t that

strict with the quality of work.

The artisans do the embroidery on the fabric panels, which are later

incorporated for making different products like bags, purses, belts, wrist

bands etc.

The artisans follow their traditional design patterns, nowadays; NGO’s guide them by providing design patterns.

Swot analysis of Lambani embroidery

Based on the market research, interviews, and fields trips an analysis of the development potential of lambani embroidery is presentable. Swot analysis of the handicrafts sector shows that there exists numerous structural flaws- the effect of these flaws needs to be mitigated in order to achieve full potential in the sector.

Strengths

Availability of skilled artisansThere are many people of the Lambani tribe who have both the willingness as well as the required skill, yet they are at a loss of orders. As a result, their skill goes to waste.

Easy and cheap availability of labour and raw materialThe labour and the raw materials necessary for the Lambani craft are easily available. It is also inexpensive.

Demand in both domestic as well as foreign markets for the handicrafts.There is high demand for the Lambani handicraft products not only in the domestic market but also in the International market, which can be further exploited leading to higher margins and higher profits,

Rich craft heritageThe Lambani Craft is a rich heritage being passed on from generations. However, the Lambani’s are not being able to exploit it for their benefit.

Willingness among women to workThere is willingness among the Lambani artisans to work and devote time towards this craft. However, lack of orders and the lack of knowledge regarding the latest updates in the fields of embroidery, etc fails to allow them to do so.

Uniqueness of the embroidery

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The Lambani embroidery is unique, a fact that can be exploited to the beneft of the Lambani artisans.

Recycling of products/apparel is possible Many innovative designs and varieties are possible within the craft

However, due to lack of infrastructure, education and funds impedes their knowledge of the innovative designs and varieties.

Can be used for high end market as well as the lower strata of the society based on their changing needs.A large market can be targeted as it can satisfy the needs and requirements of both the upper and lover strata of the market.

Weaknesses

In order to achieve maximum potential within the strengths in the Lambani handicrafts sector, the following weakness need to be overcome. As far as the flaws in the development of these craft are concerned we have here mentioned only the major concerns that require immediate action.

Technical facilities for the development of new products.The artisans are short of, or completely lack the technical facilities.

Illiteracy among the artisans This prevents the artisans from having accurate market knowledge and the possible strategies that they could use to tackle the respective market situations.

Lack of marketing opportunitiesDue to the illiteracy factor, few opportunities are present and as a result only a very few can be exploited.

Inefficiency in sourcing wherein each artisan procures his own raw materials there increasing the costs of procurementAs was seen in the village MMHalli, each artisan was left to procure his/her own raw materials, which led to a high input cost for each of the artisans. This inefficiency is a major weakness as it ultimately affects the price at which the product is sold.

Lack of the knowledge of the market hence applying push strategy which thus leads to high inventory and lower profits.Due to poor market knowledge, the artisans produce their products and then go to the markets in Hampi and Hospet, where try and sell their ware to the various export agents and retailers, where they get a raw deal. Had they adequate market knowledge, they would be able to produce as per demand.

Lack of knowledge regarding similar products being produced by other forms of handicrafts at a much lower rate

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When similar products as the Lambani products are sold at a lower rate, the latter will obviously suffer as the prices are not competitive.

Lack of government initiative and guidance to understand the needs of the artisansThe government needs to take further and more detailed interest in the craft to ensure its sustenance.

Lack of designing and product development facility. Emphasis is still based on the old techniques without aligning the product design and colours to the latest trends.As the artisans are unaware of the latest designs, trends and colors, their products appear as old-fashioned leading to loss of market share.

Untapped export markets, however the Lambani artisans are not exposed to the procedures and the markets to export their productsThere are many potential markets for the Lambani handicrafts that have not yet been tapped.

Lack of affiliation with overseas handicrafts organisations and trade related associations.

Structural weaknesses, such as, lack of conformity to product specification and delivery schedules and no mass production as the artisans are scattered.

Lambani embroidery is often taken up as a part time job which accounts further lack of proper concentration thus hindering idea generation.

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Opportunities

At present, the craft is not being properly managed. However there exists vast number of opportunities that can enable the promotion of this craft and create employment for women in the Hampi cluster.

Potential domestic and export market Potential for product diversification Linkages with large industry to enhance the efficiencies of the sector Training to upgrade skills and pass on traits to the coming generation. Potential for women entrepreneurship development. Economies of scale can be achieved due to the existence of the large no.

of artisans. Potential for the artisans to work together as an enterprise rather than on

an individual basis so as to reduce expenditure and increase profits.

Threats

The following factors demand attention for the growth of the lambani artisans.

Competition is on the rise from the global markets especially in the fields of price and product design.

High production costs affect the competitiveness of the products in the domestic as well as the foreign markets.

Traditional use of the art is disappearing due to the lack of creativity and innovation that is unmatched with the customer demand and satisfaction.

Lower monetary returns discourage the current generation to pass the art to the next generations while the younger generations is also uninterested in taking up this craft their profession.

Machine embroidery poses a threat to the lambani embroidery especially in terms of costs.

New employment opportunities luring the artisans for finding alternative means of earning.

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COMPETITION FACED FROM OTHER

TRIBES

GUJARATI EMBROIDERY

Gujarat is the most important centre for fine

commercial embroidery in the world. The belt

comprising of Kutch and Saurashtra up to Northern

Gujarat to western Rajasthan and the Thar Parkar

Disrtrict of Sind is the richest source of folk

embroidery in the world.

The various types of embroidery form Gujarat can be

classified into:

Mochi embroidery

Chainai embroidery

Domestic embroidery

The centre for mocha embroidery is Bhuj where ari work for

ghagras, borders, caps, chaklas, torans are produced. The motifs

usually embroidered were butti often with parakeets perched on

them. These are interspersed with figures of peacocks or Putali

women.

Gujarati embroidery is all embellished with mirrors, embroidery

beads and cowries and so Lambani is mistaken as Gujarati . The

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difference in stitches and coins are one of the major attractions of Lambani

products.

The difference between the artisans of these areas are that these people are

more enterprising than the lambanis.

KASHMIRI EMBROIDERY

The Kashmir economy survives on its

tourism and craft industry. It is known for

its carpets, jewellery, papier mache, craved

walnut, crewel and kani embroidery which

are all known for their intricate designs

inspired from the mughal art and also from

nature. They also produce embroidered

silver and beaten copper with intricate

designs.

Embroidery has been developed into a fine art in Kashmir. One of it is dorukha,

double sided shawl. The right side of it cannot be differentiated from the wrong

side. Due to the decrease in the tourism industry the art has now moved to

various parts of the country and is thus sold commercially on a large scale giving

tough completion to lambani art in places like Delhi art and other handicraft

exhibitions.

Kashmiri embroidery is known for the skilled

execution of a single stitch. Chain stitch, satin stitch,

the slanted darn stitch, stem, herringbone and

sometimes the doori or knot stitches are used but

not more than one or two at a time.

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Sozni embroidery or dorukha is often done so skilfully that the motif appears on

both sides of the shawl each side having a different colour. There is no wrong

side. The same design is produced in different colours on both sides.

Another type of needle embroidery is popularly known as 'papier mache'

embroidery because Flowers and leaves are worked in satin stitch in bright

colours such as those of papier mache and each motif is then outlined in black.

This is done either in broad panels on either side of the breadth of a shawl, or

covering the entire surface of a stole.

A third type of embroidery is ari or hook embroidery; motifs here are the well-

known flower design finely worked in concentric rings of chain stitch. This is

same as colour Zari or ari embroidery.

Lambani Embroidery

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ABOUT THE CRAFT

The Lambani embroidery is an amalgam of pattern darning, mirror work, cross

stitch, and overlaid and quilting stitches with borders of “Kangura” patchwork

appliqué, done on loosely woven dark blue or red handloom base fabric. A

distinctive design range is its revival and use of local mud-resist handloom fabric,

and the mirrors, shells and white ornamental trims that are a traditional part of

Lambani as well as the Irikil sarees of Dharwad-Hubli and other local fabrics.

There are bright colours that are mostly used in Lambani embroidery, out of

which; red and blue are most common.

The Lambanis or Banjaras of South India are a colourful people claiming descent

from nomads who migrated from Central Asia. Their main occupation revolves

around agriculture. The women are adept at needlecraft and, with amazing

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ingenuity, sew together bits and pieces of cloth embellishing them with

embroidery and mirrors, designing objects of everyday use, and storing them as

part of a bridal trousseau. These products are closely linked to rituals associated

with the rites of passage and the embroidery traditions are paramparic. The

women use yarn pulled out from old saris for their embroideries. The rangaras

supplied the hand-block printed handlooms to the Lambanis in their cluster

vicinities. A thread of connectivity exists between the Banjaras, Vanjaras,

Gaudolia Lohars Lambadas and Vagaries.

The women are Lambanis or Banjaras, said to have descended from wandering

tribal gypsies. They have had their origins in North Western India i.e. Rajasthan

and Gujarat. Before the advent of trains, the Lambanis travelled with their own

oxen and cattle form village to village carrying salt and selling their traditional

sewing and embroidery.

The Lambani are known for their brightly coloured dress, heavily decorated and

trimmed with embroidery, mirrors and shells.

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Hampi cluster products draw their inspiration from Lambani embroidery stitches

however designs inspiration is mix of modern graphics, flowers with elements of

traditional Lambani motifs, it is a combination of computer embroidery and

Lambani embroidery. Only Lambani women are employed as embroiderers.

Some of this fine needlework on cushions can take one women up to two weeks

(90 hours) to complete. In the case of throws and bedcovers, two women

working on the one item will take a minimum of three weeks or more. These

articles are all handmade with the exception of the outler case (two sides sewn

together) done by treadle sewing machine and computer embroidery on the

textile fabrics which Hampi cluster wants to promote giving buyer the maximum

benefit of product development.

Lambani Women

The Lambani women embroider bright rainbow-coloured fabrics covered with a

mosaic of patchwork mirrors. Their work is sought after by collectors for its

vibrancy of pattern and colour, and for the unusual technique of sewing

hundreds of small mirrors into the compositions. Each piece depicts an aspect of

the Lambani creation myths.

The Lambani women are great

travellers, they can be found

in groups throughout the

central and southern parts of

India selling their cloth at

markets and on beaches.

Their work contributes

considerably to the income of

their families.

The Lambani women

commonly wear large, silver

earrings laden with bells

called lolia and a large silver

torque around the neck to which two large silver pyramid forms are attached.

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There are said to represent bee hives, as the Lambani were once known as a

bee-keeping caste when they lived in the southern jungles.

Raw MaterialsRaw Materials

The basic raw materials used by the Lambanis are:

Fabric

Cotton poplin is used for making embroidered panels for different

products like purse, spectacle bags, mobile bags, coin pouches, shoulder bags

etc.

Narrow woven cotton belts of lower counts (10’s) are used to make bags and

other patches to impart strength to required portion of the product such as

shoulder stripes, handles

etc.

Narrow woven fabrics are

stitched together for

required width to make the

product. This gives the

product the traditional

patch-work look of the

Lambanis

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Cotton fabrics in the range of 24’s – 30’sare used for making home furnishing

items such as pillow covers etc. On these fabrics it is directly embroidered or

embroidered panels are attached as per the design requirements. Khadi was also

being used for making garments (mainly kurtas).

The fabrics are sourced from Hospet market since they don’t have much of

volume to source directly from manufacturing centers.

Embroidery threads:

2/40’s cotton yarns are used for finer embroidery

1/10’s cotton yarns are used for thicker designs such as

cushion covers.

Acrylic threads are also used by artisans to make products for local market. The

artisans determine the number of plies of thread to be used to get a particular

look of the design.

Accessories:

The accessories are used to add beauty to the

Lambani embroidery and are used as per the

design requirements.

Mirrors: are extensively used as decorative

accessories in Lambani Embroidery. They are

purchased in form of sheets and are cut into

required shapes and sizes (mostly squares

and circles).

Mirrors are sourced from Bangalore and

Hyderabad are sold to artisans (or NGO’s) by

shops in Hospet.

Cowry shells: are shells which have a hole in their back side facilitating to

stitch them on surfaces. They are sourced from Cuddalore near Chennai and are

available to the artisans in the Hospet market.

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Paari: are beads basically used for the border decoration

Lavi: are circular discs used for the decorative purposes.

Taroti: are coins soldered with ghugra’s and rings which can be stitched for

decorative purposes.

The other materials used for decorative stitches are Ghugara, Patadi, Mendal,

Gotta, and uod- dhara

The types of stitches used in Lambani embroidery are:

Alle

Katta and Nakara

Katta and Nakki

Joulya

Kalyani

Kaache

Vittidora

Relo

Thalodora

Potte

Vele

Sonytang

Gadri

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Products with Lambani Embroidery

Pouches

Cushions

Accessories

Garments

Bags

Purses

Bed Covers

Caps

Cases for spectacles,

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Supply chain

Characteristics of Indian hand crafted items for exports:

They are quota free and

neutral to fibre content or

composition, barring 100%

silk.

They include Garments,

Made-up and clothing

accessories.

Are produced in cottage

industries.

Must be ornamented using any one or more of the following Indian folk

styles.

Hand painting, Hand printing, Batik, Tie and Dye, Kalamkari.

Hand embroidery, Crocheting.

Appliqué work of sequins, wooden or glass beads, shells, mirror,

ornamental motifs of textiles materials.

Extra wrap of welt ornamentation of silk, art silk or zari threads.

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Product Process Flow

Order booking

Sourcing of raw material

Cutting for required panels

Supplying it to the artisans for embroidery

Collecting and incorporating embroidered panels in the product

Packing and despatching.

Most of the promotion and sale of the Lambani products takes place

through 30-35 exhibitions all over the country every year. These

exhibitions include exhibitions organized collectively by NGOs as well

as those organized by Development Commissioner of Handicrafts.

Fairs have also been organized in Spain, Australia, US and UK and 30

– 35 regular orders a year are obtained from these countries.

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Almost 80% of the sales come from domestic business, whereas 20% is

from exports. Delhi accounts for the highest share of domestic sales,

followed by Chennai.

Some of the places where Lambani products are sold are Bombay

Stores, Cauveri Emporium, Bangalore ; Shilpi Sharanya, Chennai,

Fabindia, Next Shop, CCI, Dilli Haat, Kalpadram, Chennai, C P Philips,

Chennai.

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Supply Chain of the Lambani Craft

Kadirampur tanda

Cotton Fabric from Ranagara, Hospet

Steels coins and shells from Gaddak

Yarns (Cotton, Wool) from Kopal

Original mirror are bought from Kolapur and duplicate mirror from local market.

Sundur Kushala Kala Kendra (SKKK)

Sourcing of most of the material is from Erode, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Delhi.

Cotton handloom / power loom / Khadi cloth duly handbloc printed and dyed in Naphthol / Direct / Vat Chemical colors to get different shades and dyed in Red, Navy, Blue, Olive Green, Beige, Maroon, Khera , Bleached colors.

Dupian Silk and Tussar Silk clothes procured from Bangalore and Bihar.

Various handloom cloths procured from Northern Karnataka. Ikat fabric is sourced from Hyderabad, Mangalagiri fabric from Bangalore and Hyderabad, Cotton and super shine cloth are sourced from erode.

Print Blocks for block printing of fabrics are sourced from Andhra Pradesh.

Embroidery yarn: Yarn are procured from delhi market in bulk and dyed to required color combination at work

Mirrors are procured from market of Bangalore, Hubli , Shells are procured from Bangalore, Chennai and Delhi.

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Buyer Places an order to the mediator, Buyer may Export it or sell it in domestic market. Generally the goods are sent to countries like France, Australia, Germany and many other countries.

The Mediator gives works to Artisan which generally works in Tandas or various Self Help Groups.

The Raw material is generally procured from the vendors situated in Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai.

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Suggestions

People in SHG should unite together when they go for purchasing the raw material for the crafts in order to take advantage of bulk buying.

A Supplier of raw material should come up in hampi supplying all the needed raw materials for the artisian, that supplier can purchase the raw materials from various parts of the country.

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Observations and Analysis

Lambani, as a craft, has survived since centuries. Lambani artisans concocted

their own world, where the craft was done for personal use rather than for

commercial purposes. With the spread of an awareness of the rich Indian culture

and heritage and its importance in the international scene, the local handicraft

started becoming commercialized. Foreign tourists as well as the urban Indian

population showed an increasing interest in the Lambani craft. Despite all this,

the living conditions of the Lambanis haven’t undergone a major change.

We had an extensive discussion with the people in Sandur, Hampi Bazar and

Mariammanhalli thanda and made the following obsevations

At Sandur Kushala Kala Kendra

Fabrics were sourced from Erode and Karur and the other materials like glass,

threads etc are sourced from Bangalore.

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The Lambanis were paid on piece rate basis, and the amount depended on the

complexity of the design.

SKKK provided all the raw materials like fabric, threads, glass pieces etc required

for the work.

The Lambanis were earning on an average 25-30 Re a day.

The Lambani family also gets jowar at a subsidized price i.e. 1 Re for 1 Kg of

jowar.

The newer generation is not interested in the embroidery work anymore, they

want be educated.

Sandur recently has become a place well known for iron mining.

On an average 5000 trucks carrying iron ore pass on that road every day and

this has led to a rise in the economy of that place and flourishing of alternate

employment opportunities.

The males can earn close to 1000 Re a day as a truck driver and as a result the

household income has increased drastically over the past few years in the region

and embroidery is not an attractive occupation anymore.

The SKKK has enough orders and can get more but they do not have enough

manpower to execute large orders.

The art has a severe competition from Rajasthani and Gujurati embroidery and

these are cheaper compared to Lambani embroidery. Although Lambani

embroidery has a better quality in terms of the types of stitches, design etc only

a few customers are able to differentiate the Lambani embroidery from others

and willing to pay higher price.

People working at SKKK felt they were not getting enough money for their work.

Orders are mainly obtained by means exhibitions and trade fairs.

At Hampi bazaar

Some of the shops mentioned they hardly had any business even during the

season because of too many shops in the surrounding and too much of

competition.

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Some shop owners were not interested in associating with SKKK and were doing

local sales and also exports on their own as it was more profitable.

The shop owners also mentioned they have good orders from some clients but

they do not have enough manpower to fulfil the orders on time.

Continuing low traditional and social status of the artisans- inspite of creating

exquisite pieces of art acts as a big de-motivating factor and contributes

towards he artisans taking up alternative occupations.

At Mariammanahalli:

The Lambani people in Mariammanahalli thanda did not want to be associated

with the SKKK as they felt it is more profitable to operate independently and also

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the SKKK pays very less.

They were enough people to do the embroidery but not enough orders.

Some orders are obtained from some customers or they take the manufactured

goods to the Hampi Bazaar and sell there directly.

People do not work in a group and also source materials individually ant this

makes the raw materials very expensive.

Raw materials are sourced from local Marwaris and the cost of raw material is

very high when purchased from them.

The thanda does not have any market information and they manufacture the

goods randomly and then take it to the market and hope to sell it.

They also felt there was a need for training in tailoring.

The younger generation was not interested in embroidery and looked to be

educated.

The lure of lucrative jobs in the cities and the Middle East have drawn the

younger generations as well as the skilled individuals away from their bhungas,

nessados, tandas and villages and their former ways of life. Poverty – a majority

of the Lambani population in the thandas is steeped in poverty. There is a lack of

basic amenities like gas connection, water supply. Per capita income is very low

inspite of the various initiatives taken by the NGOs as well as the government.

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Because of poor marketing facilities, most of the lambani garment produce

and handicrafts are purchased by middlemen in the export businesses, who

net a big profit abroad, thus eating into the profits of the artisans.

Lack of education – most of the artisans are illiterate. This leads to various

complications in selling the products to the customers / agents at the right

price, buying the raw materials at the right price etc.

Making Artisans Self Sustainable

Many initiatives have been taken by various NGOs as well as the government for

the promotion of Lambani craft and up-liftment of the Lambani artisans.

Organization of various exhibitions like the Pachchai exhibition - at Safina

Plaza, Bangalore. This exhibition specially showcased the Lambani products.

It was organized first in 2003 in association with Small Industries

Development Bank of India (SIDBI), Bangalore. 12 NGOs including Indus Tree

participated in this first exhibition.

Dastkar, started in 1981, is a Delhi-based society that aims to improve the

economic status of craftspeople and thereby promote the survival of

traditional crafts. It has rendered major contributions towards the

development of Lambani craft by organizing various design workshops for the

artisans and helping them with making their products more commercially

viable. It has also helped the Lambani artisans come into direct contact with

the urban consumers by organizing fairs and festivals in Bangalore.

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Sabala Craft Development Center, was established in 1986 in the arid district

of Bijapur in South India. It has been working towards reviving traditional

Lambani (a tribal community) and Kasuthi crafts. It promotes the artisans'

work by participating in exhibitions. It encourages the designers to make

commercially viable products including cushion covers, bolsters, bed covers,

bags, scarves, purses.

The designs and techniques traditional, however, there is a professional designer

for assistance. The color combinations are designed to match international

trends and standards. A total of 500 artisans are affiliated with the organization.

It has helped the artisans become more confident, strong and forthright.

The Asian Heritage Foundation, in 2005, took the initiative of preserving the

dying traditions of Lambani craft and redeem it to its pristine glory and

magnificence. It researched and documented a collection of old embroidered

pieces. Through a defined, design oriented use of this core collection

workshops were held in collaboration with Sandur Kushala Kala Kendra to

instill an awareness amongst the women artisans, of the quality of the old

stitches, the fineness of the embroidery and the construction and layout of

the motifs. These women applied themselves to relearning stitches that had

been forgotten to create samples which reflected their cosmic interpretation

of the universe.

Rich dividends were paid to the women artisans.

The intention of these workshops was to create an awareness of the richness of

identity and the pride of skill that can find new avenues of expression.

Latha Tummuru, a textile designer from NID, has helped the Lambanis in

bridging the gap between the market and the craft by helping them bring

out various product lines on which their skills can be adapted. She

conducted workshops in the various Thandas and deals with fabric cutting,

stitching, the concept of sizing and the aesthetic use of embroidery on

various commercially viable products like clothing, accessories and

furnishing.

The Lambani artisans are an important group of beneficiaries of the ATA's

Artisan Enterprise Development Alliance Program

(AEDAP). Under the umbrella of this program, various

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programs like the Indian Market Readiness Program have been held in the

year 2007. It was six-day craft business training, held in conjunction with

South Asia's largest trade show of gifts and handcrafts, the Indian Handicraft

and Gifts Fair. Its aim was to train the artisans in making products relevant

to the Indian metropolitan market as well as the export market where the

Indian handicrafts are in great demand.

This program has roped in various

Indian and international designers to

achieve its objective. Jane Griffiths,

versatile home and fashion

accessory expert, worked at Sandur

in Karnataka with Indian designer

Roohi Sheik and 300 artisans known

for Lambani (tribal) embroidery and

mirror work. They developed

collections for home decor as well as bags, belts intended originally for local

markets but also right for export.

There have been times when initiatives have been taken by the Lambanis

themselves for their upliftment. A young Lambani-Banjara woman “Laxmi

Naik” from Hampi rose to fight against the decline of her community and

founded Surya’s Garden, the working unit of a trust called “SURYA

LAMBHANI-BANJARA WOMEN WELFARE TRUST”, along with eight members of

the same community. There, the Lambani embroideresses mean to revive

ancient skills and to produce meticulous work. Each piece is unique. The

quality of embroidery demonstrates the vitality of the rediscovered motifs.

At this time, the Trust gives work to around twenty ladies of Kaddirampura and a

surrounding Tanda. The Trust is providing them with materials, and patterns and

most of the ladies work at home for

the moment. The trust has

collaborated with Jan Duclos, a

French NGO activist to ensure the

promotion and commercialization of

the products locally or in Europe. A

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part of the proceeds is meant to be used to build a community workshop, a

medical center for the embroideresses and a kindergarten. This will provide

Lambani women with financial freedom, a sense of solidarity as well as an

assertion of their ancestral identity. The Trust is now acquiring a piece of land of

around two acres, on the outskirt of the village, where foundations will be started

for a community building. Apart from this employment oriented scheme, a small

library of Lambani documents related with Lambani-Banjara culture and a

systematic recording of traditional patterns has been initiated.

Plans are underway by a collaboration of various NGOs in Karnataka called

SANGH to build a community centre for the Lambani artisans and putting up

a platform where artisans from all thandas can come together and interact.

The detailed objectives are as follows :

To enroll 50 to 70 ladies

To develop a commercial network based on the tourist inflow and access to high

quality product retailers.

To develop a library on this quickly vanishing culture and its intricate

embroidered traditional patterns.

To set up a small dispensary for the embroideresses and their children.

To set up a Bal-wadi for the children.

The products embroidered by the women and the community would target

different types of clients:

- Tourists visiting Hampi looking for sophisticated, ethnic handicrafts, with high

value of art. It would be sold in the Handicraft centre itself, as it is located at a

distance of 1 km from Hampi. Visiting the centre would be felt by the tourist as

an excursion in the local culture. Besides the Handicraft centre would promote

ostensibly values of fair trade, and durable development, in its very exclusive

outlets, not in basic emporiums.

- High quality outlets in Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi etc.

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- Textile exports or garment designers.

Steps are being taken by the state government also for the cause of the

Lambanis. On 3rd April 2007, Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa

conceded to the decade-old demand of the Lambanis for establishing a

Banjara Development Corporation with an initial allocation of Rs. 10 crore. It

had been decided to appoint a non-official, preferably an elected

representative of the Banjara Community, as the first chairman of the

corporation and a senior official of the Government as the executive head.

3 crore have been provided for the construction of a "Banjara Bhavan" in

Bangalore (the Government has given a big site in the Miller Tank bed adjacent

to the Ambedkar Bhavan) and Rs. 1 crore for upgrading the guru (Seva Bhaya)

peeta of the Lambanis at Suryagondana Koppa in Shimoga district.

Apart from promoting the art, culture and handicrafts produced by the lambanis,

the Banjara Development Corporation would provide basic training to lambani

women engaged in the manufacture of a variety of artefacts and garments.

1,500 lambani hamlets would be converted into revenue villages.

Better educational facilities would be provided for the lambani children. Also, the

Government would take steps to prevent atrocities being perpetrated against

lambani women by the upper caste people.

In Karnataka, the lambanis are a group in the Scheduled caste list although in

some other States they had been listed under Scheduled Tribes and Backward

Classes. Additional benefits in terms of employment, ration scheme etc would be

accorded to the Lambanis.

One important initiative taken by the Central government has been the linkage

of handicrafts with tourism. Thus any promotional campaign talking about

Karnataka as a tourist destination would also talk about the Lambani craft. This

specially serves to entice the foreign tourists who make it a point to se the craft

and buy souvenirs.

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The greatest contribution towards the upliftment of the Lambani artisans has

been made by the Sandur Kushala Kala Kendra, an NGO set up in 1984 in

the Sandur Taluk of Bellary District of Karnataka. The objective of the

Kendra to promote this skill of the Lambani women not only to preserve this

art but also to be a

means of

supplementing their

family income.

Designs and facility

are provided at the

Kendra where the

Lambani women

from the near by

villages come to the

Kendra to practice

their traditional

crafts for production of various articles. They are paid on piece rate wages.

They are also given Provident Fund, Bonus and subsidized ration benefit.

The Kendra is working with eight Lambani villages.

Self Help Groups: All the 300 artisans in eight thandas and about 45-50 tailoring

women working in the mother center at Sandur have been formed into SHGs and

are engaged in thrift activities. All the SHGs have been linked with the Banks,

have obtained loans, and are regularly engaged in income generation activities

to support their family members.

A market access training programme was organized by the Kendra in early 2007.

The thandas were organized into sanghas.

1. Jagadamba Mahila Swasahaya Sangha

2. Tulaja Bhavni Mahila Swasahaya Sangha

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Awards like National Master Craftsperson Award recently given to a 25 year

old Lambani tribal Shanta serves to boost the spirits of the craftsmen. These

awards have thus motivated the lambanis.

Suggestions

Although a lot of steps have been taken so far for the development of the art

which have helped it gain worldwide recognition, a lot still has to be done to

efficiently utilise and capitalise by tapping unexplored markets.

Understanding various markets and creating awareness and is the next step that

has to be taken so as to efficiently utilise the capacity of the artisans profitably.

The following areas should be focused on to make the artisans self sustainable

so as to effectively contribute to their development.

Key Problem Areas

From our observations we were able to identify some of the key problems for the

development of the art and the self sustainability of the people:

The people of different thandas did not work together and even within a thanda

also the people had not formed groups.

SKKK and some entrepreneurs who were selling on their own had some orders or

demand for their products but did not have enough have enough manpower to

execute huge orders whereas there were enough people in Mariammanahalli but

not enough orders.

People in Mariammanahalli were not ready to work with SKKK because of the low

pay.

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The people in Mariammanahalli were also not working together and they were

sourcing the material individually from local Marwaris which made the cost of

material very high.

And they also lacked market information regarding what has to be manufactured

in what quantities.

People especially the younger generation were not interested in this work of art

and looked for alternate occupations because of better earning opportunities and

better standards of living were possible with other jobs.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Lambani offers good potential for growth in rural areas. But the pressure

on this industry is increasing as a result of the opening up of the

economy. It is necessary to improve the quality of the lambani

embroidered products and produce varieties that can compete in the

international market. Also introduction of certification in private lambani

clusters.

Reducing the role of middlemen

As a measure to introduce transparency and ensure remunerative

prices, to computerized trading in the markets. This will bring craftsmen

and suppliers of raw material closer by eliminating middlemen.

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The lambani industry is passing through troubled times. Nift has taken

several measures to mitigate the woes of the industry. These include

continuation of the incentive price for the craftsmen. Development Fund

should be set up to assist craftsmen in distress with matching contribution

from the state government and NIFT.

Development in information system

To spread the benefits of Information Technology across a wider

spectrum an e-governance strategy that will improve quality of service

delivery and information availability for citizens.

To intensify rural initiatives using information and communication

technologies through information kiosks, cyber cafes, low cost access

devices, etc.

Promote the art

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To promote organised manufacturing in the State, necessary to establish

a unit in a city like Bangalore to facilitate manufacturing, design and

export activities.

NIFT should set up a unit in Bangalore with Common Facilities Centre and

design facilities to aid all crafts in Karnataka.

Improvement of Infrastructure

The development of industry and commerce is dependent on basic

infrastructure. In an increasingly globalized and competitive world, we

have to move away from the debilitating culture of concessions and

exemptions and move towards direct provision of critical infrastructure

along with reforms within this sector.

Rail infrastructure projects would be implemented through Special

Purpose Vehicles, with private sector participation, wherever feasible. A

pilot project for improvement of the quality and quantity of all categories

in one of the centers and should be replicated in other districts in

subsequent years.

Capacity building

There lies an untapped potential in the region and its artisans.

Increasing income

Counselling for the artisans

The artisans most of who are illiterate and are not connected to the world

outside their villages should be made to realise the worth of their art and skill.

Giving them this knowledge would motivate them to work efficiently.

Counselling would help the artisans understand the value of their skill and also

help them understand the market.

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Formation of cluster

To encourage people to work in group and form a cluster so that the

raw materials could be sourced at cheaper price and also the market

information could be shared.

Bibliography

www.Hampionline.com

www.Cluster development initiative-project report

www.Craftsofindia.com

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Decorative Designs and Craftsmanship of India

Author: Ekanshi Bhavani

Publisher: D.P Taraporewala and Co.

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