CRAFT PROMOTION CENTER (polo forest sabarkantha, Gujarat)

Introduction

Craft

An activity involving skill in making by hand. Arts and crafts comprise a whole of
activities and hobbies that are related to making things with one's one hands and
skill.

These can be sub divided into handicrafts or "traditional crafts” (doing things the
old way) and the rest. Some crafts have been practiced for centuries, while others
are modern inventions, or popularizations of crafts which were originally practiced
in a very small geographic area.

These products are produced within a specific community of practice and while
they differ from the products produced within the communities of art and design,
the boundaries of such often overlap resulting in hybrid objects additionally, as the
interpretation and validation of art is frequently a matter of context, an audience
may perceive crafted objects as art objects when these objects are viewed within
an art context, such as in a museum or in a position of prominence in one's home.

CRAFT IN GUJARAT

Gujarat is blessed with rich and vibrant art and craft. It is widely differing in its
proportions of its patterns to the element of wonderful exquisite artifacts in various
forms. It stands unique with diverse arts and crafts- a mixed combination with
aesthetic appeal.

Poshina: Terracotta Horses, Embroidery in North Gujarat,

Wooden Toys: Idar These are the famous Tribe art and craft in Gujarat.
Embroidery work in ABHAPUR GAM

DWCRA mahila SEWA association (BDMSA), an organization of SEWA, is active in

Abhapur gam and supports the artisans, an NGO also works on knowledge in local
village woman who are interested in work are taught by them with embroidery
craft and its skills, which helped them in improving their lifestyle.

Wooden Toys in IDAR

Idar is known for its wooden toy making. There are many household industries
where mainly women carve out the toys and make them in their free time from
local wood and men sell those in the market. There is one room for storage and
other one on the street side for a Toy Making Machine' that is attached to each of
the house.

Terracotta Horses In POSHINA

Sabarkantha district, including villages like Poshina, are known for their votive
terracotta figures that are very much part of the rituals of tribal communities like
the garasia adivasis. The terracotta horse called 'Ghoda Dev' has special place
for rituals, considered a messenger for the gods in many cultures. Symbolic
sacrifice of terracotta horses for fulfilment of wishes is common, and at some sites
you can see scores of terracotta horses that have stood here for decades. The
potters called Kumhars, make the various hollow parts of the terracotta horse on
their wheels and then join them together, with some parts moulded by hand and
added in grooves. These terracotta horses, elephants and other figures are
becoming popular adornments for houses and gardens.

AIM

Understanding skills of crafts with an aim of acquiring it's knowledge. To uplift and
promote their lifestyle through their inbuilt skills.

OBJECTIVE

- The program is for strengthening local art forms and crafts of nearby region.
- Developing a platform, which will promote the understanding and
knowledge among people.
- A place where knowledge(student) meets skill(artisans) for unique
outcomes or product.
- Providing opportunities for craftsmanship and artisans with an aim of giving
exposure freely of their skills.
 - A place for awareness and creativity among the local people as well as the
artisans.
- To create a space for creation and interaction for artisan.

REASON FOR SELECTION OF SITE

The site is adjoining the polo forest boundary, which results in tourist place.

The site is surrounded by historical monuments which lead to crowded place.

The area is also preferred for students for their study visit.

The craft of Polo Forest is organized which results in attracting more people for it
visit.

Sharneshwar temple is the most important landmark in polo forest. The visit to this
temple will be archaeological people as well as religious people.

The site is distance of theirs crafts Abhapur: 0.9km, Idar: 38km, Poshina: 72km

SCOPES AND LIMITATION

Study will be limited with to specific local crafts

(1) Embroidery North Gujarat (2) Wooden (Idar) (3) Terracotta (Poshina)