Design and Sustainability in Indian Handicrafts : In the light of The ‘New EducaNon policy’ (NEP 2020)

A lecture for School Teachers, delivered on 14th December 2023 by Prof. (Dr) Toolika Gupta

Design and Sustainability in Indian Handicrafts : In the light of The ‘New Education policy’(NEP 2020).

It was on a nice warm and sunny morning of the 14th December 2023, when around 40 teachers, who teach art, craft and design in various schools in and around Jaipur came to the premises of the Indian Institute of Crafts and Design. The idea was to sensitise them on the importance of design education and introduce them to an institute that works in accordance with our New Education policy and lays emphasis on the vernacular. Normally more often than not, I have come across parents and teachers who think of design as frivolous due to lack of exposure in the subject. Taking an opportunity to change this thought, by nurturing the minds who shape the youngsters, I took on this task to talk to them about design from the Indian perspective. So here are some excerpts from my talk the other day.

Introduction:

Every society has a tangible (Material) Culture and an intangible (knowledge) culture. Studies around Material culture are growing as people realise the importance of artefacts. India has a rich material culture, while the tacit knowledge and skill have existed for centuries in India, show the intangible cultural heritage of the country. Indian Craftspeople were known by the material they worked with, like wood, metal, leather etc. Their knowledge of design (and of material science, proportions etc.) comes from shastras (vastu shastra, shilp shastra) and the objects that they see around them.
It is interesting to note that in India people do not differentiate between design, art and craft, it is all togetherand there is the element of sustainability present in it, already.
Design + Art + Craft = Shilp. So when we translate the name of our institute – Indian Institute of Crafts and Design – we say ‘bhartiyashilpsansthan’.

And when we look at our crafts, what do we observe? We see that our crafts are Functional (It serves a purpose – we did not have the drawing room culture), Sustainable (Environmentally, economically, long lasting), Aesthetically pleasing (Good to look at, decorated with art that has a meaning), thus I would say something which is hand done, which has expression, inspiration, which fosters creativity and is designed to satisfy a particular need.

The setting up of a Design Institute in India – The National Institute of Design (NID).

When NID was set up, the Indian Government invited Charles and Ray Eames from America, they did their research in India and finally in the report they wrote – “Of all the objects we have seen and admired during our visit to India, the Lota,that simple vessel of everyday use, stands out as perhaps the greatest, the most beautiful.” This is such a powerful statement, that we never seem to understand. We take our own objects for granted.

Look at its features:
• The way it is to be transported – head, hip, hand, basket or cart.
• The balance, the center of gravity, when empty, when full, its balance when rotated for pouring.
• The fluid dynamics of the problem not only when pouring but when filling and cleaning, and under the complicated motions of head carrying – slow and fast.
• Its sculpture as it fits the palm of the hand, the curve of the hip.
• Its sculpture as compliment to the rhythmic motion of walking or a static post at the well.
• The relation of opening to volume in terms of storage uses – and objects other than liquid. The size of the opening and inner contour in terms of cleaning.
• Heat transfer – can it be grasped if the liquid is hot ?

The Indian Zero Waste Patterns:

Looking at the lota, one can see all of the above and then when you look at clothes, the clothes that we wear, what do we realise – most of them are straight off the loom – saree, dhoti, lungi, pagri and many other uses of these fabrics, and each of them are functional, sustainable, aesthetically pleasing. So much so that they can be recycled once their use is over. Not only rectangular fabrics, but those that are cut and stitched too, utilise all parts of a fabric. The stitched – lehnga, choli, jama, kurta are all Indian zero waste patterns, additionally – you do not have to throw once your size increases….. sustainable

Functional, Sustainable and Aesthetically pleasing, Khadi, the fabric of freedom:

• Khadi is the freedom to spin and weaveyour own fabric.
• It is the freedom of spirit and freedom from consumerism. Consume less, but consumewith pride, what you have created.
• It shows respect for handcrafting and for humanity. Links various industries together and is sustainable.
• It is a means to satisfy needs, probably not the greed of every human being.
• It is the epitome of simple living, highthinking, and a sustainable future.

The New Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020)

I have been working in this field for a long time but now I am happy to see how it aligns with our New Education Policy. The policy envisions an education system rooted in Indian ethos, that contributes directly into transforming India into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society. Indian Crafts are a very valuable part of indigenous knowledge systems. Page 16
Learning should be holistic, integrated, enjoyable and engaging. It should be meaningful and should lead to critical thinking, experiential learning. Pg 12
There should be no hard separations between arts and sciences, between curricular and extra-curricular activities, between vocational and academic streams, etc. in order to eliminate harmful hierarchies among, and silos between different areas of learning; Pg 5-6

I have full faith in our design systems, it is just that our process and quality need improvement. If we focus on these areas, give design its due. I am sure we have a bright design future ahead for our crafts and handiwork.

Toolika Gupta
Director IICD