Kantha Kismet: Sewing Empowerment Dreams

Ajitha Menon As a girl of nine, Shamlu Dudeja remembers embroidering paisleys on tea pot covers under the tutelage of a Bengali crafts teacher in Delhi.

Little did she realise then that this running-stitch needlework, or kantha as it is popularly known in West Bengal, would become her weapon for empowering women.

Women in Bengal have been running stitches along layers of old clothes to churn out 'leps' or quilts and duvets for use during winters for almost six decades now.

This traditional household chore has always adhered to what has now become the modern mantra of "recycle and reuse".

Unfortunately, kantha remained confined within rural households until Dudeja brought about its revival in the 1980s, providing gainful employment to over 800 women in four districts of West Bengal.

"I moved to Kolkata as a young bride in 1962, but it was only in the 1980s that I got interested in kantha.

My career as a Mathematics teacher came to an end when I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

While recovering from my operation, I developed an interest in kantha, having seen some old work at the Crafts Council showroom on Theatre Road in Kolkata," explains Dudeja.

The traditional kantha was always done on two to four layers of mostly old cotton cloth and the designs were rural and folksy, usually depicting the lives of the villagers, village women at work, ducks and ponds, palm trees and fields, cattle, harvesting, and so on.

Scenes from epics such as the 'Mahabharata' and 'Ramayana' also figured prominently in the work.

However, Dudeja, along with artist Sreelata Sarkar, decided to introduce the stitch on saris, salwar suits and even western wear.

Dudeja's first team of workers comprised four women from Shantiniketan in Birbhum district.

These women were already doing kantha on small pieces of layered cloth as decorative items and selling them to tourists and visitors.

"They had been doing kantha at home for almost 25 years.

They had the experience, stable hands and excellent colour sense," remarks Dudeja.

The women were given two white silk saris and told to do kantha designs on them.

Initially, they balked at doing the needlework on a single layer of new silk cloth, an idea contrary to the tradition of working on layers of old cotton cloth only.

They were also unsure of the design.

But after being convinced by Dudeja, who suggested they do the paisley motif as the base design, they got to work.

It took them three months, but the ensuing pieces were works of art.

When Dudeja found instant buyers amongst her friends, she knew she was on a winning track.

The women were extremely happy to be paid fair prices for their efforts when normally they would get just a few rupees for their hard work.

It was then that Dudeja realised the power of kantha.

She hired the first four women as her team leaders to recruit more rural women to do this exquisite needlework on a regular basis.

The idea was to convince village housewives to work for Mallika's Kantha Collection or MKC (Dudeja's daughter Mallika, founded the private limited company) during the same hours in the afternoon after lunch when all the housework had been done and the women were relatively free.

Most women were quick to take up the offer of earning money for doing something they did anyway every day.

Gradually, the group expanded from Birbhum to North and South 24 Parganas, Burdwan and Nadia districts.

"I had a dream to become self-dependent.

I wanted a job desperately.

When I realised that there was need for women who could do kantha work, I immediately signed up as it was something I was doing from childhood.

My husband earns Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 (US$1=Rs 50) as a driver.

Now, with my earnings of about Rs 2,000 per month as a team leader, I can send my children to school and give them nutritious food without any monetary worries," says Putul Das, 35, of Sahapara in South 24 Parganas district.

As a mathematician, Dudeja introduced designs such as squares, triangles, and concentric circles.

She also introduced a variety of fabrics - silk, crepe, chiffon and georgette.

"Initially, it was odd to work on a single layer of cloth.

And most of the fabric was new - not just cotton but also expensive silk, crepe and chiffon.

But we learnt to handle the delicate fabrics and new designs like doing patchwork kantha on borders, and sleeves.

It has been a good way to make money without neglecting household duties," says Shibani Maiti, 38, of Sahapara in South 24 Parganas district.

In South 24 Parganas alone, about 250 women work diligently in the afternoons, in their courtyards, near the pond, under the shade of a mango tree, often in groups to fulfill MKC's orders.

"This livelihood has brought dignity into our lives.

My husband eyes me with respect now.

I have a say in all the decisions within my family.

I have personal pocket money now to buy things for myself.

I can buy things for my son.

I contributed for my daughter's marriage.

This is the best I can hope for in life - the knowledge that I do have a skill that sells," remarks Bharati Singh, 45, of Naskarpara in South 24 Parganas district.

However, for Dudeja this was not enough.

She formed 'SHE' (Self-Help Enterprise) - a non-profit body to provide medical help, nutrition assistance and education to rural women.

'SHE' is largely funded by MKC and also run as a cooperative where women bring in their kantha pieces for sale.

The proceeds are used to give interest free loans to women.

Talks are currently on to provide medical insurance to rural women through the organisation.

Currently, the MKC has over 700-800 women working for it..

Most of them work for two to three hours every day in the afternoons.

The kantha goods - varying from saris to 'salwar kameez', 'lehengas' to the scarves and blouses and utility items such as bedcovers, floor rugs and lamp shades are sold from several outlets in Kolkata.

Merchandise is also retailed through stores belonging to designers like Tarun Tahiliani; through the boutiques run by the Oberoi Group of hotels; and also through outlets in London, Paris, Santa Fe and Washington.

The MKC holds regular exhibitions in India and abroad and also offers kantha panel displays to museums across the country.

"The interesting thing is that after travelling abroad with Dudeja 'di', many of our team leaders have started incorporating their different experiences into the kantha work.

One of our members is currently working on a panel wall hanging depicting her experiences in Washington with its tall buildings, cleaner roads, and different kind of people," says Putul Das, 35, a team leader of Sahapur.

Over 4,000 rural women, through Self-Help Groups (SHGs), are earning money from kantha today across other districts like Bankura and Purulia, too.

These SHGs have healthy deposits varying from Rs 25,000-Rs 30,000, which are used to give loans to the members.

"More than the money, we have earned power through kantha.

Now we can demand road repairs, we can ask men to stop wife abuse, we can prevent child marriages and ensure children's education.

We earn, so we are heard now," says Saiba Sarkar, 54, of 'Nivedita SHG', in Nitayanandpur Colony, Bankura.

This is the dream that Shamlu Dudeja, 70, has worked for.

Says she, "What khadi became for Swadeshi, I want kantha to become for Women's Empowerment." -(Women's Feature Service) It Is Sad That Stars Are Extremely Insecure About Their Market: Anurag Kashyap V.

Ananth Anurag Kashyap is a happy man today.

His film Gulaal which he had started making in 2005, has at last seen the light of the day now.

What made him make a political film like Gulaal? Anurag does not mince words.

"I was angry when my film Paanch was banned by the Censor Board and decided to make Gulaal.

I wrote the subject of Gulaal in 2001 but started making it in 2005, because I was angry when I was told that I should not make a film without stars.

I turned my assistant Raj Singh Chaudhary into a hero with Gulaal".

Anurag continues.

"I wanted to make a film like this, to vent out my frustration as a law abiding citizen, because I was appalled by things going around me.

Gulaal is a deep felt cry for restoration of democracy.

If Narendra Modi is allowed to say what he wants to express, why cannot I express what I want to say as a filmmaker through my medium? What is the meaning of true democracy? Why should we listen to what people who come in our lives and tell us whom we should marry? It is not their job at all.

Gulaal is my way of telling all the politicians to stop meddling with our lives".

Why was Gulaal delayed? Pat comes the reply, "When I approached producers, they did not even bother to read the script, because my film did not have known stars and hence I started the project on my own with whatever little money I had with me.

When I decided to abandon the project, Jaamu Sugandh came on board, but fell ill and the project was delayed.

Not many are aware of the fact that Mahie Gill, who played the role of Paro in Anurag's Dev D opposite Abhay Deol was not the first choice for Gulaal.

"I had actually signed on Seema Rahmani to play the role which Mahie Gill has played in Gulaal, but when the project was delayed, Seema could not allot her dates for the project, since she was busy with some other project and hence I got Mahie Gill at the eleventh hour! I called her up and she reported for the shoot the very next day." Anurag confesses that he does have this penchant to cast unknown new faces in his films.

"I like to work with unknown faces, because they are hungry to prove themselves unlike the stars, who have nothing to prove since they are already busy.

I also feel that there is no guarantee, that the stars would be able to justify their roles, because they have then a baggage of their own, unlike the new comers who are ready to get into the skin of the characters that essay with ease." Anurag admits that he hates the idea of working with stars, though he has already worked with John Abraham in No Smoking.

"Frankly speaking, I have had a terrible experience of working with stars, because I feel that they are extremely insecure of their own market and are not ready to experiment as actors, especially because they are scared to put their market value at risk.

Of course there are exceptions to the rule like Aamir Khan, John Abraham and Abhay Deol, with whom I have worked in Dev D.

My question is whether the stars will be willing to work with me in a film,where every character is equally important? When I go to then stars with a script, they are very confused".

Anurag cites an example when he was disillusioned with stars.

"I had launched a film called Allwyn Kalicharan with Anil Kapoor a few years ago.

I was known as an avant garde filmmaker and my film Paanch had been banned by the Censor Board and I was not taken seriously by the film industry, though I had managed to convince Anil Kapoor to be a part of my project, because I needed stars to sell my project.

I had just announced the project after Anil had agreed to work with me, but six days before the film went on the floors, Anil Kapoor was not too sure of me and my capacity to pull off the project and decided to walk out of the film.

Sadly the film was never made".

ÿAfter Gulaal, Anurag says that he wants a break.

"I want to spend some time, some where away from the hectic schedule in Bollywood with my kid, because I want to detoxify!".

-(Maharaja Features)ÿ REFLECTIONS Lasting Time She is waiting for her verdict hanging in the time's hands time insidious for her, and her verdict behind the clouds.

Storms injured her feet blood welled from the briuises steps touched the rocks, and her smile behind the clouds.

She is waiting for the crown breathing in the time's palm time venomous for her, and her crown behind the skies.

Downpour rained her feelings sigh erupted from the wounds wait bowed the shoulders, and her throb behind the skies.

She is waiting for the throb riding in the time's wheel time vexatious for her, and her throb behind the clouds.

Dark gloomed the soul fear aroused from the solitude corners hid the hope, and her cure behind the clouds.

She is waiting for the destiny oscillating in the time's needle time stranger for her, and her destiny behind the skies.

Boat denied the shore waves ruptured from the sea birds chose the nest, and her nesting behind the skies.