NCERT Textbook: Crafts in The Past (Introduction to Indian Art) | Old & New NCERTs for IAS Preparation (Must Read) - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


CRAFTS IN THE PAST 1
LET us begin by understanding the myriad roles a
craftsperson plays in the society as a designer, a problem-
solver, a creator and as an innovator, leave alone the maker
and seller of craft objects. The craftsperson therefore is
not just the maker of an object, and a craft object is not
just a beautiful thing—it has been created to serve a
particular function to meet a specific need of a client.
For instance, the client or the consumer may ask the
craftsperson to make him/her a cup which he/she can
comfortably hold and from which sip a hot drink. The
craftsperson, in this case, a ceramicist, will design a cup
with a handle comfortable to hold, and shape the cup in
such a way that it is neither too heavy nor too big.
In this example you can see that the client has given
the craftsperson a problem to solve—to make a cup for a
hot drink. The craftsperson has found a good solution to
the problem by designing a cup with a handle. The design
elements in this case are the handle, the
shape of the cup, its weight and a suitable
size to make it comfortable to use. If the cup
is pleasing to look at, that would be an
additional benefit and we could say that the
cup designed by the craftsperson is also
aesthetically pleasing. The critical factor,
however, is not the motifs and decoration on
the cup, but rather the craftsperson’s skill in
finding appropriate and innovative solutions
to the client’s problem.
Page 2


CRAFTS IN THE PAST 1
LET us begin by understanding the myriad roles a
craftsperson plays in the society as a designer, a problem-
solver, a creator and as an innovator, leave alone the maker
and seller of craft objects. The craftsperson therefore is
not just the maker of an object, and a craft object is not
just a beautiful thing—it has been created to serve a
particular function to meet a specific need of a client.
For instance, the client or the consumer may ask the
craftsperson to make him/her a cup which he/she can
comfortably hold and from which sip a hot drink. The
craftsperson, in this case, a ceramicist, will design a cup
with a handle comfortable to hold, and shape the cup in
such a way that it is neither too heavy nor too big.
In this example you can see that the client has given
the craftsperson a problem to solve—to make a cup for a
hot drink. The craftsperson has found a good solution to
the problem by designing a cup with a handle. The design
elements in this case are the handle, the
shape of the cup, its weight and a suitable
size to make it comfortable to use. If the cup
is pleasing to look at, that would be an
additional benefit and we could say that the
cup designed by the craftsperson is also
aesthetically pleasing. The critical factor,
however, is not the motifs and decoration on
the cup, but rather the craftsperson’s skill in
finding appropriate and innovative solutions
to the client’s problem.
CRAFT TRADITIONS OF INDIA: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CLIENT AND
CRAFTSPERSON
There are three important factors to be considered in
this case: (i) the client and his/her needs, (ii) the nature
of the problem to be solved, and (iii) the craftsperson
who is skilled and innovative enough to find a solution
to the problem. Close exchange between the client and
the craftsperson is very important for the end product
to be appropriate. The client has to inspire the
craftsperson to produce, innovate and create new and
exciting objects all the time. The craftsperson, in turn,
needs to understand the demand of the client. If the
client orders a hundred diyas for Diwali every year, the
order is quite routine and boring. Should the client ask
for one stand with a hundred diyas instead, the potter
has to work out how to make a stand that will hold a
hundred diyas and still be easy to
transport, to be repeatedly filled with
oil and so on. Therefore the
relationship between the client and
the craftsperson is vital.
A craftsperson therefore has a very
important set of skills by which he/
she can design, invent, solve
problems, create, and sell. Every
country in the world needs such people
who are skilled in creating practical,
efficient solutions to everyday
problems. Craftspersons skilled in
fabricating with different materials,
and communities who can constantly
innovate and design new products to
meet changing needs are necessary
in all societies, ancient or modern. For
instance, the everyday problem of
having to carry large quantities of
water over long distances was
uniquely solved in Kutch—the matkas
(water pots) fit into one another and
can be balanced on the head of a
woman, leaving her hands free!
4
Page 3


CRAFTS IN THE PAST 1
LET us begin by understanding the myriad roles a
craftsperson plays in the society as a designer, a problem-
solver, a creator and as an innovator, leave alone the maker
and seller of craft objects. The craftsperson therefore is
not just the maker of an object, and a craft object is not
just a beautiful thing—it has been created to serve a
particular function to meet a specific need of a client.
For instance, the client or the consumer may ask the
craftsperson to make him/her a cup which he/she can
comfortably hold and from which sip a hot drink. The
craftsperson, in this case, a ceramicist, will design a cup
with a handle comfortable to hold, and shape the cup in
such a way that it is neither too heavy nor too big.
In this example you can see that the client has given
the craftsperson a problem to solve—to make a cup for a
hot drink. The craftsperson has found a good solution to
the problem by designing a cup with a handle. The design
elements in this case are the handle, the
shape of the cup, its weight and a suitable
size to make it comfortable to use. If the cup
is pleasing to look at, that would be an
additional benefit and we could say that the
cup designed by the craftsperson is also
aesthetically pleasing. The critical factor,
however, is not the motifs and decoration on
the cup, but rather the craftsperson’s skill in
finding appropriate and innovative solutions
to the client’s problem.
CRAFT TRADITIONS OF INDIA: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CLIENT AND
CRAFTSPERSON
There are three important factors to be considered in
this case: (i) the client and his/her needs, (ii) the nature
of the problem to be solved, and (iii) the craftsperson
who is skilled and innovative enough to find a solution
to the problem. Close exchange between the client and
the craftsperson is very important for the end product
to be appropriate. The client has to inspire the
craftsperson to produce, innovate and create new and
exciting objects all the time. The craftsperson, in turn,
needs to understand the demand of the client. If the
client orders a hundred diyas for Diwali every year, the
order is quite routine and boring. Should the client ask
for one stand with a hundred diyas instead, the potter
has to work out how to make a stand that will hold a
hundred diyas and still be easy to
transport, to be repeatedly filled with
oil and so on. Therefore the
relationship between the client and
the craftsperson is vital.
A craftsperson therefore has a very
important set of skills by which he/
she can design, invent, solve
problems, create, and sell. Every
country in the world needs such people
who are skilled in creating practical,
efficient solutions to everyday
problems. Craftspersons skilled in
fabricating with different materials,
and communities who can constantly
innovate and design new products to
meet changing needs are necessary
in all societies, ancient or modern. For
instance, the everyday problem of
having to carry large quantities of
water over long distances was
uniquely solved in Kutch—the matkas
(water pots) fit into one another and
can be balanced on the head of a
woman, leaving her hands free!
4
CRAFTS IN THE PAST
Similarly, today we appreciate the talent of a person
who designs a new computer application, or makes a
breakthrough in technology.
In this chapter you will see that India has always
had a large community of innovative craftspeople from
the earliest periods of recorded history. It was the crafts
communities of different regions who designed homes
for the poor and the rich that suited the climate, built
places of worship for any god that the community wished
to worship, who made cooking utensils that simplified
food preparation, created items for the home, and for
people to wear, like textiles for different occasions and
varying climates, and jewellery of all kinds.
CRAFTS FOR PROBLEM-SOLVING
Whenever you look at a craft item try and discover what
problem the craftsperson has solved and, what the client
may have asked for. You will recall that in the textbook,
Exploring Indian Craft Traditions—Field Study and
Application in Heritage Crafts, the first chapter, ‘Crafts
at Home’, was a detailed exposition of the design aspects
of the lota by Charles Eames.
Living Bridges
Here is how a curious problem was solved in Meghalaya, where the
climate is hot and humid most of the year, where Cherrapunji was
once the wettest place on earth. They needed bridges over their little
streams and rivers so that people could cross with their belongings
and animals. As you know, bridges around the world are built of
wood, steel and concrete. However, in Meghalaya they could not use
wood because it would rot, nor could they use metal of any kind or
metal nails as these would rust. The problem was how to make a
strong bridge across fast-moving rivers without wood or metal?
The solution they found is ingenious, brilliant and so useful!
They learnt how to train the aerial roots of the Ficus Elastica tree to
form a living bridge across the river that would not decay or
deteriorate in the humid rainy climate. Over several years they had
to train, bind and care for their bridge as it linked across the stream,
then they placed flat stones on the cradle-like bridge to create an
even footpath. This living bridge of roots lasts years and uses no
dead wood or metal!
Page 4


CRAFTS IN THE PAST 1
LET us begin by understanding the myriad roles a
craftsperson plays in the society as a designer, a problem-
solver, a creator and as an innovator, leave alone the maker
and seller of craft objects. The craftsperson therefore is
not just the maker of an object, and a craft object is not
just a beautiful thing—it has been created to serve a
particular function to meet a specific need of a client.
For instance, the client or the consumer may ask the
craftsperson to make him/her a cup which he/she can
comfortably hold and from which sip a hot drink. The
craftsperson, in this case, a ceramicist, will design a cup
with a handle comfortable to hold, and shape the cup in
such a way that it is neither too heavy nor too big.
In this example you can see that the client has given
the craftsperson a problem to solve—to make a cup for a
hot drink. The craftsperson has found a good solution to
the problem by designing a cup with a handle. The design
elements in this case are the handle, the
shape of the cup, its weight and a suitable
size to make it comfortable to use. If the cup
is pleasing to look at, that would be an
additional benefit and we could say that the
cup designed by the craftsperson is also
aesthetically pleasing. The critical factor,
however, is not the motifs and decoration on
the cup, but rather the craftsperson’s skill in
finding appropriate and innovative solutions
to the client’s problem.
CRAFT TRADITIONS OF INDIA: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CLIENT AND
CRAFTSPERSON
There are three important factors to be considered in
this case: (i) the client and his/her needs, (ii) the nature
of the problem to be solved, and (iii) the craftsperson
who is skilled and innovative enough to find a solution
to the problem. Close exchange between the client and
the craftsperson is very important for the end product
to be appropriate. The client has to inspire the
craftsperson to produce, innovate and create new and
exciting objects all the time. The craftsperson, in turn,
needs to understand the demand of the client. If the
client orders a hundred diyas for Diwali every year, the
order is quite routine and boring. Should the client ask
for one stand with a hundred diyas instead, the potter
has to work out how to make a stand that will hold a
hundred diyas and still be easy to
transport, to be repeatedly filled with
oil and so on. Therefore the
relationship between the client and
the craftsperson is vital.
A craftsperson therefore has a very
important set of skills by which he/
she can design, invent, solve
problems, create, and sell. Every
country in the world needs such people
who are skilled in creating practical,
efficient solutions to everyday
problems. Craftspersons skilled in
fabricating with different materials,
and communities who can constantly
innovate and design new products to
meet changing needs are necessary
in all societies, ancient or modern. For
instance, the everyday problem of
having to carry large quantities of
water over long distances was
uniquely solved in Kutch—the matkas
(water pots) fit into one another and
can be balanced on the head of a
woman, leaving her hands free!
4
CRAFTS IN THE PAST
Similarly, today we appreciate the talent of a person
who designs a new computer application, or makes a
breakthrough in technology.
In this chapter you will see that India has always
had a large community of innovative craftspeople from
the earliest periods of recorded history. It was the crafts
communities of different regions who designed homes
for the poor and the rich that suited the climate, built
places of worship for any god that the community wished
to worship, who made cooking utensils that simplified
food preparation, created items for the home, and for
people to wear, like textiles for different occasions and
varying climates, and jewellery of all kinds.
CRAFTS FOR PROBLEM-SOLVING
Whenever you look at a craft item try and discover what
problem the craftsperson has solved and, what the client
may have asked for. You will recall that in the textbook,
Exploring Indian Craft Traditions—Field Study and
Application in Heritage Crafts, the first chapter, ‘Crafts
at Home’, was a detailed exposition of the design aspects
of the lota by Charles Eames.
Living Bridges
Here is how a curious problem was solved in Meghalaya, where the
climate is hot and humid most of the year, where Cherrapunji was
once the wettest place on earth. They needed bridges over their little
streams and rivers so that people could cross with their belongings
and animals. As you know, bridges around the world are built of
wood, steel and concrete. However, in Meghalaya they could not use
wood because it would rot, nor could they use metal of any kind or
metal nails as these would rust. The problem was how to make a
strong bridge across fast-moving rivers without wood or metal?
The solution they found is ingenious, brilliant and so useful!
They learnt how to train the aerial roots of the Ficus Elastica tree to
form a living bridge across the river that would not decay or
deteriorate in the humid rainy climate. Over several years they had
to train, bind and care for their bridge as it linked across the stream,
then they placed flat stones on the cradle-like bridge to create an
even footpath. This living bridge of roots lasts years and uses no
dead wood or metal!
CRAFT TRADITIONS OF INDIA: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
When we say that India has a long and ancient
tradition of crafts we mean that we always had creative
and innovative people who found interesting ways of
solving problems.
The crafts and craftspeople of India are a deeply integrated part
of folk and classical traditions and historical assimilations
which together span many millennia. As articles made purely
by hand for the daily use of both the common people in an
agrarian economy and the urban elite, crafts reflect the cultural
ethos of India. While the craftspeople have been cradled by the
caste system, their skills were fostered by cultural and religious
needs and the impetus provided by local, national and
international trade.
–JAYA JAITLY
Visvakarma’s Children
CRAFTS SPECIALISATION
In India, as in most other parts of the world, the artisan
as a specific social group emerged only when people
began to settle and cultivate the land. While most people
in these communities would busy themselves with
6
Page 5


CRAFTS IN THE PAST 1
LET us begin by understanding the myriad roles a
craftsperson plays in the society as a designer, a problem-
solver, a creator and as an innovator, leave alone the maker
and seller of craft objects. The craftsperson therefore is
not just the maker of an object, and a craft object is not
just a beautiful thing—it has been created to serve a
particular function to meet a specific need of a client.
For instance, the client or the consumer may ask the
craftsperson to make him/her a cup which he/she can
comfortably hold and from which sip a hot drink. The
craftsperson, in this case, a ceramicist, will design a cup
with a handle comfortable to hold, and shape the cup in
such a way that it is neither too heavy nor too big.
In this example you can see that the client has given
the craftsperson a problem to solve—to make a cup for a
hot drink. The craftsperson has found a good solution to
the problem by designing a cup with a handle. The design
elements in this case are the handle, the
shape of the cup, its weight and a suitable
size to make it comfortable to use. If the cup
is pleasing to look at, that would be an
additional benefit and we could say that the
cup designed by the craftsperson is also
aesthetically pleasing. The critical factor,
however, is not the motifs and decoration on
the cup, but rather the craftsperson’s skill in
finding appropriate and innovative solutions
to the client’s problem.
CRAFT TRADITIONS OF INDIA: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CLIENT AND
CRAFTSPERSON
There are three important factors to be considered in
this case: (i) the client and his/her needs, (ii) the nature
of the problem to be solved, and (iii) the craftsperson
who is skilled and innovative enough to find a solution
to the problem. Close exchange between the client and
the craftsperson is very important for the end product
to be appropriate. The client has to inspire the
craftsperson to produce, innovate and create new and
exciting objects all the time. The craftsperson, in turn,
needs to understand the demand of the client. If the
client orders a hundred diyas for Diwali every year, the
order is quite routine and boring. Should the client ask
for one stand with a hundred diyas instead, the potter
has to work out how to make a stand that will hold a
hundred diyas and still be easy to
transport, to be repeatedly filled with
oil and so on. Therefore the
relationship between the client and
the craftsperson is vital.
A craftsperson therefore has a very
important set of skills by which he/
she can design, invent, solve
problems, create, and sell. Every
country in the world needs such people
who are skilled in creating practical,
efficient solutions to everyday
problems. Craftspersons skilled in
fabricating with different materials,
and communities who can constantly
innovate and design new products to
meet changing needs are necessary
in all societies, ancient or modern. For
instance, the everyday problem of
having to carry large quantities of
water over long distances was
uniquely solved in Kutch—the matkas
(water pots) fit into one another and
can be balanced on the head of a
woman, leaving her hands free!
4
CRAFTS IN THE PAST
Similarly, today we appreciate the talent of a person
who designs a new computer application, or makes a
breakthrough in technology.
In this chapter you will see that India has always
had a large community of innovative craftspeople from
the earliest periods of recorded history. It was the crafts
communities of different regions who designed homes
for the poor and the rich that suited the climate, built
places of worship for any god that the community wished
to worship, who made cooking utensils that simplified
food preparation, created items for the home, and for
people to wear, like textiles for different occasions and
varying climates, and jewellery of all kinds.
CRAFTS FOR PROBLEM-SOLVING
Whenever you look at a craft item try and discover what
problem the craftsperson has solved and, what the client
may have asked for. You will recall that in the textbook,
Exploring Indian Craft Traditions—Field Study and
Application in Heritage Crafts, the first chapter, ‘Crafts
at Home’, was a detailed exposition of the design aspects
of the lota by Charles Eames.
Living Bridges
Here is how a curious problem was solved in Meghalaya, where the
climate is hot and humid most of the year, where Cherrapunji was
once the wettest place on earth. They needed bridges over their little
streams and rivers so that people could cross with their belongings
and animals. As you know, bridges around the world are built of
wood, steel and concrete. However, in Meghalaya they could not use
wood because it would rot, nor could they use metal of any kind or
metal nails as these would rust. The problem was how to make a
strong bridge across fast-moving rivers without wood or metal?
The solution they found is ingenious, brilliant and so useful!
They learnt how to train the aerial roots of the Ficus Elastica tree to
form a living bridge across the river that would not decay or
deteriorate in the humid rainy climate. Over several years they had
to train, bind and care for their bridge as it linked across the stream,
then they placed flat stones on the cradle-like bridge to create an
even footpath. This living bridge of roots lasts years and uses no
dead wood or metal!
CRAFT TRADITIONS OF INDIA: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
When we say that India has a long and ancient
tradition of crafts we mean that we always had creative
and innovative people who found interesting ways of
solving problems.
The crafts and craftspeople of India are a deeply integrated part
of folk and classical traditions and historical assimilations
which together span many millennia. As articles made purely
by hand for the daily use of both the common people in an
agrarian economy and the urban elite, crafts reflect the cultural
ethos of India. While the craftspeople have been cradled by the
caste system, their skills were fostered by cultural and religious
needs and the impetus provided by local, national and
international trade.
–JAYA JAITLY
Visvakarma’s Children
CRAFTS SPECIALISATION
In India, as in most other parts of the world, the artisan
as a specific social group emerged only when people
began to settle and cultivate the land. While most people
in these communities would busy themselves with
6
CRAFTS IN THE PAST
actually carrying out the various activities related to
tilling the soil, a few began to specialise in different
crafts. Some would make containers with straw, reed
or clay to hold agricultural produce, another would make
footwear, yet another would specialise in iron-mongering
to create scythes and sickles, and yet another in the
manufacture of cloth from flax and cotton.
Even today, in India, handicrafts form an alternative
source of earning an income, providing the backbone of
the economy for many communities. The rural
craftsperson can easily plan his/her production
schedule according to the local agricultural calendar
and the seasons of the year. Craft production can be
organised in those months when agricultural activity
is low thus providing additional income to the family.
Many women work at their crafts in their spare time,
after completing their housework. In recent years there
has also been a tremendous increase in the number of
people turning once again to their traditional craft as
their sole means of income. However, others only
supplement their earnings with their handicraft
products. This economic factor greatly contributes to
the continuation and the alteration of the character
and the production of the same craft, i.e., to make it
market-friendly.
By the time of the Indus Valley Civilisation (3000–
1500 BCE), a developed urban culture had emerged that
stretched from Afghanistan to Gujarat. Here
archaeologists have found votive figures of clay as well
as clay seals, beads made of semi-precious stones,
garments of cotton and earthenware of all shapes, sizes
and design, all of which indicate a sophisticated artisan
culture. The crafts community also worked out simple
solutions to take waste water out of the houses by
creating clay pipes. The waste water was carried by the
drainage system under the city streets, and out of the
city. To supply water to everyone in the city, builders
and masons dug wells in the courtyard of every house.
Five thousand years ago specialised crafts communities
answered social needs and requirements with ingenuity
and practical solutions that enhanced the lives of the
people.
 7