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India's Living Heritage: Artisans Take Center Stage
19 Dec
Summary
- Heritage Week honored handmade traditions as living cultural memory.
- Artisans Choti Tekam and Naveen Bhaskar showcased rare art forms.
- Haath Ka Bana empowers artisans with visibility, respect, and dignity.
The recent Handicrafts & Heritage Week celebrated India's rich handmade traditions, focusing on the ethos of 'Haath Ka Bana,' which honors craft as a living expression of cultural memory. This week-long event provided a platform for artisans, emphasizing their dedication and intergenerational knowledge, reinforcing that heritage preservation hinges on centering the makers.
The festival spotlighted nationally recognized artisans, including Gond artist Choti Tekam from Madhya Pradesh and Kerala mural master Naveen Bhaskar. Tekam reinterprets Gond cosmology, while Bhaskar meticulously preserves ancient visual storytelling through classical mural painting, demonstrating patience and a profound connection to heritage.
Prashant Singh, Founder of Haath Ka Bana, highlighted the event's impact, stating that sustained visibility and respect are key to artisan empowerment. The initiative connects artisans with designers and institutions, fostering confidence, cultural pride, and access to digital and global opportunities, aligning them with India's creative economy.
