क्राफ्ट्स:Thought process on and will go on

2nd Semester 11:56pm
CRAFTS

Thought process on and will go on…

Right now near to completion of 2nd semester and in this semester and after coming to Indian Institute of Crafts and Design, I found a purpose of living and I am happy to be a young Crafts Designing student.

After so may courses and field trips I learned so many things, facts, issues and n number of things but still when it comes to defining “CRAFT” I find myself too inexperienced and lost in the depth of crafts. Still today will try to define it in my own perception and knowledge which I was able to accumulate so far and understand it. Which might be right or wrong but after all individual perception always varies and there is no such definition for it. And we cannot limit its vastness in a “definition”. It will destroy its beauty and depth.

Crafts or hand made goods were a big source of livelihood in early days next to agriculture and these were there source of income, there life and living. So every place got associated with some or other kind of local handmade goods or say crafts. I mean, I think, I should not use this word until I do not get its meaning straight from my heart, mind and of course soul.

So finally if we see today every state or village is associated with beautiful and unique way of practicing and producing objects of beauty, aesthetic blended with utility or have some or other reasons, history, facts behind it, depending upon the availability of raw materials. Which provided it vastness and made it more rich and vivid…..(J hippi I am getting it…)

Every Crafts unfolds the vastness of its territory saying histories and stories of mankind and the ignition of Idea, the initiator to create things needed at that time.

We did so many field trips and came across so many issues covering social to many sectors. By interacting with craftsperson we learned that we know so little and the experience cannot be expressed in words. Learning and understanding comes from there- Oh my God! Its like fuel to ignite the thought process and to keep it on and on is to again going in field and reaching out to people. Do user testing and to work thoroughly to reach the vision.

Vision- To uplift craftsperson and crafts. To promote as well preserve the old unique way of practicing the crafts. Retaining the uniqueness and aesthetic value of the crafts along with its value additions and innovations. Creating a sustainable Design.

There is a need of doing so many things and as a Crafts Designer student we have this opportunity to make our tag worth of it. To bring changes that is remarkable and sustainable both in craftsman living and crafts.

In the present scenario many Designers have lost the real vision which they should have because it is the responsibility to sustain the old age crafts that are the true Indian beauty and provide livelihood to them who have skills but no platform. Everybody has there own vision and it is my personal thought and only for me to make my living worth, to reach out to people and improves present scenario which is prevailing in crafts sector as well social life of human beings.

I will add up few beautiful and mind blowing and refreshing quotes which ignited my thoughts straight through my heart and made me too impatient to resist thinking about Crafts and me as a Crafts Designer.

Finally it is like a new beginning in understanding. Why I am here and what I am going to be……

It (Design methodology class) completely influenced my perception towards my life.

Path illuminated with thoughts and dreams and reasons and heart + mind + soul as a strength to walk on that path of struggle to make, create a life which is beautiful, peaceful, finally satisfying to soul.

What Maduri ( faculty Design methodology ) pointed out will be there in me forever.

Design: Long chain of interrelated predictions and specifications-John Christopher Jones

Fire- As a metaphor of Design- Ranjan and his students

Design- “Way of living in itself”

“Reason can Dream what Dreams cannot Reason”- Nicholas Snowder

Eventually, everything connects”- Charles Eames

Thought process on and will go on – Subrata Pandey

What is the invisible thread that keeps the Indian together, Invisible thread that binds varied culture and together called Indian?

22/10/07
What is the invisible thread that keeps the Indian together, Invisible thread that binds varied culture and together called Indian?

What is essential is invisible to eyes and the question here is to find out that invisible thread that keeps us together. Before talking about Indian Culture, Culture is needed to be understood and Culture what I think is formed. It is born by living beings. We human formed it for the growth, for the scientific purpose or breeding and keeping of particular living things in order to get the substances they produce and it will not be wrong to say that it is composed and we Indian composed it well with many elements which are bonded together and is connected to one another that is the reason we cannot see it as one thing but as a composition of elements. Like tolerance, patience, humanity, sacrifice, sharing, giving, living, loving, learning, together , acceptance, faith and all this we could only feel and understand. As we all know man is a social animal because an individual cannot survive by his own and thus communities were formed. They lived together and the way they lived formed the culture and the culture is always evolved and even with times variations and change comes in it.

All together elements binded together and lead to a common goal through different paths and for achieving this goal people came together because of the need, because of the necessity.

Let see from the day when India was not republic. Since then Human beings from different area came together for a purpose and purpose underlying motive was to bring civilization, discipline, control, organization, peace, Harmony or say making life more sustainable and once purpose was achieved. They started living together and to control and bind the elements together the so formed communities or society or say way of living was destined with specific occupation depending upon the availability of resources and raw materials and the geographic conditions. Which lead to caste and vernacular system, later it took shape of political India because there was need to keep India as one united nation otherwise long back it would have segregated.

India is an Institution where feelings, faith, love, tolerance, acceptance and all elements are practiced. Which are invisible yet essential and is keeping all of us together by bringing hierarchy and discipline and to some extent setting a way of life which is liberal and free yet sacred and beautiful in many ways.

Culture and tradition came in the form of beliefs, practice, performing activities like arts and all which infused harmony, rhythm in the community/society. Across the area or border culture and tradition spread because of the common interest and interactions. So through living, loving and learning - giving and sharing came into practice.

At last I’ll say that Culture is ever-changing and always evolving and what is essential is invisible to eyes and it will not be wrong to say that It is the Indian Culture and values which is a nexus, which is a invisible thread keeping us together and bringing UNITY IN DIVERSITY.

GET BACK TO NATURE!

GET BACK TO NATURE!

When I see Nature I find it complete in all sense. Nature is the most beautiful and perfect gift to human kind. It has everything. It is rich in every aspect. One can find complete solace in the lap of the Nature.

It gives the angelic scenes of life. Cloudy mystic weather unfolds romance in all ages of life. Dew drops infused freshness in the onlookers inside. Nature sometime touches one’s life miraculously and speak to it the unspoken words, which are invisible but yet very easily understandable. Everyone could feel it if only they can spend some time with nature.

It is the inspiration for every existence on earth. For crafts designer nature plays a vital role in design process but even a layman is deeply rooted to nature.

Today when I look back to my childhood days, I find it the most memorable phase and beautiful. Time spent in villages during summer vacations were close to nature and its beauty and from there when I try to imagine our past India. I found it greener, natural and peaceful. That past India was known as village India. I crave for that village India. Still we are lucky to have some villages saved from human curse.

Today everyone can feel that we are loosing our real India. Today Nature’s beauty has its own pathetic story. Nature which was speaking a language of love and kindness is now speaking disasters.

It is only because of too many human invasions in the heart of the Nature. We had destroyed and harmed it to our best.

Modernization, Industrialization, Nuclear Power, all this are running with a speed of light for packing nature into ready made products. They are ever ready to kill Nature in seconds. But Human biggest ignorance is that one day he has to get back to Nature. Nature is the only savior of life. We have to wake up and awaken India to spread and promote Green peace and fight against Global Warming.

Human can win over each other with there miraculous and impossible discoveries and inventions but he could never win over Nature and its disaster which is eating away many lives every second. Cyclones, Tornados, Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Land slides, melting of glaciers, Heavy rainfall, unexpected weather fluctuations; it is the results of Human deeds.

Before it is too late it is an appeal to everyone to get back to nature and cultivate the culture of Green peace. Let it be the soul responsibility for every Human to save Mother Earth, not only for his mankind but as a token of love and respect to nature and to let Nature also feel that we care for them. It has already given us so much and it is never ending, but now it is the time to return and do something for saving our only existence.

I’ll request all the readers to read the articles and news related to Dr. Pachodee’s effort in working for Global peace and fight against Global warming.

Thanking you!

Subrata

(from my diary-11:37pm,29/1/08)