Traditional Art: Dhebaria Rabari Embroidery
Location: Kukadsar Ta. Mundra, Kutch, India

Tejuben was born in Dhaneti and as a child migrated in Kutch, spending all but a few months of the rainy season wandering with the flock and a few pack camels, setting up rudimentary camps. Tejuben never attended school, but learned embroidery from her sister at age 11. widowed at an early age, she began to do whatever manual labour was available with several other women of the village. She practiced the highly refined traditional embroidery until it was banned by the community elders in 1995. In 1998, Tejuben began to embroider with Kala Raksha. She feels sad at the loss of their rich tradition, but is happy to have the opportunity to embroidery commercially. Embroidery fulfills her, Tejuben says.

Tejuben works with the Equal Craft partner organization, Kala Raksha. In October 2005, Kala Raksha launched a design school for working traditional artisans of Kutch and Tejuben attended a series of courses on design and marketing.

In Course 1, Colour, Basic Design, Sourcing from Nature and Heritage, Tejuben learned colour interaction. She embroidered a series of Gujarati alphabets using high and low contrast combinations. In part 2, she learned elements of design and illustrated them in embroidery. For homework, she embroidered a bag for a family member using what she had learned.

“We learned Colour, akhro and mathu. We went to the sea and learned drawing.”

In Course 2, Market Orientation, Tejuben visited Ahmedabad stores and homes. On return, she embroidered a fantastical cushion cover about her trip for Ashoke Chatterjee. For homework, Tejuben embroidered a bag for an imaginary client.

In Course 3, Concept, Communication, Projects, Tejuben learned to work with themes. Using the theme of the sea, she designed a hat and an imaginative cushion cover.She finished both products using decorative details in Course 4, Finishing.

“This was the first time I ever embroidered thinking of the sea. I learned to think of size and shape. If we think of all these elements we can grow. I liked the jury. We learn from experience. I learned to speak in front of people.”

In Course 5, Merchandising, Presentation, Tejuben made a document of her year’s work using the computer. She created a hang tag based on her theme, and learned to use colour ways. In the second week, she learned to display and present her work.

Tejuben’s final collection, bed linen with the theme of the sea, is embroidered with imaginative use of traditional style applied to unique motifs.

“In the middle I got it.… When I went to the sea, I got the idea and inspiration. I got the sense of it. We don’t have to ask anyone. I never went out after becoming a widow. Now I know how to come out to get ahead. Now I have confidence. We have to do our own work. If we do our own, we can get orders.”

Tejuben worked hard on her final collection and presented the range of home furnishings to the jury with confidence. She, who confessed after the second class that she could not get the meaning of this education, came up from behind to share the award for Best Collection!

Tejuben’s hat walked the fashion show ramp, and Tejuben received her certificate and award with pride and satisfaction.