Every year, in december or jan, the Kalakshetra foundation hosts a Dastkar Bazaar where over hundred different traditional craftsmen from all corners of India set up stalls to sell hand-made products. The bazaar is a platform to interact directly with craftsmen who man their stalls and also to marvel at the few people of each of these far flung communities who passionately hang on to their traditional skills that could otherwise so easily die in our fast paced industrial and digital world today.
Many craftsmen have innovated with traditional wisdom to bring new products that are relevant to the city-shopper. Paper, jute, bamboo, clay, wood-work, textiles, jewellery, leather. The place looked festive with colourful penants strung from the trees and hundreds of eager shoppers strolling around.
I did this sketch on 21st January for the 34th worldwide sketchcrawl day! It is now well into february and about time I shared it.
