Visit to Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, Janpath, 28 October

I visited the 18th Dastkar Nature Bazaar showcasing vibrant authentic crafts from across India.

There were cultural performances, varied craft stalls, workshops by master craftsmen, workshop on photography and children’s section with kid’s products, workshop, games, various food items etc. Evening performances featured fusion- music, dance, sufiana singing, etc.

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Nature beckons with an array of products

GAUTAM CHINTAMANI, BUZZ BUREAU
NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 11, 2009

One of the traits of being a true Delhiite is not being able to get enough of shopping. The sheer volume of visitors who thronged the 100 plus stalls at Dastakar Haat Samiti’s annual Nature Bazaar is testimony of the popularity of the yearly fest.

Dastakar Samiti's Nature Bazaar is a big hit in Delhi

If Dilli Haat be the one-stop-shoppe of the very best in Indian handicrafts, then think of your visit to the Nature Bazaar as the annual pilgrimage!

This shopper’s paradise has numerous surprises stored for you at every turn. One of the most innovative stalls would be the Haathi Chaap outlet (stall 105). Can you imagine kitschy stationery and curios made out of elephant dung!

Neither could we but one look at the assortment of products at the Haathi Chaap stall and you’d know that nature operates in strange ways. Started a few years ago by some enterprising people, Haathi Chaap uses treated elephant dung to make some wonderful stationery and this isn’t to be missed at any cost.

The Designer’s Corner is dedicated to products that have blended the traditional Indian crafts into more modern and utilitarian applications. Organic Connect is a joint effort by three enterprising women who have combined tradition with modernity to come up with some really exciting products.

While Aditi Prakash (Pure Ghee Designs) uses traditional Indian textiles for her limited edition hand-crafted bags that are selling like hot cakes, Tanveen Ratti literally craves a very modern future out of the time-honoured printing blocks and Hina Qazi’s stoles and scarves are a throwback on classic Indian designs while sporting a very fashionable look.

Yet another stall that stands out is ‘Then And Now’; Uma Tiwari’s high-concept functional products like candle stands, lamps and bookracks get enhanced by the application of traditional Indian art forms like Gond, Madhubani and Mathura Paper. Besides Neelum Saigal’s Bric-a-brac has very eye-catching products.

The good thing about such a medley of craft forms is that there is some thing for just about everyone. Apart from the absolute numbers the goodies that these stalls showcase range from a few hundreds to some thousands.

A few that should not be missed are leather curios including really good looking piggybanks (stall no. 59), jute carpets and mats (stall no. 62) natural soaps with more than 20 variations including cucumber (stall no. 118).

When the simple wish to pick up just about everything is so palpable, the invitation pricing is a very, very welcome thought.

The vast undulating landscape of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts is dotted with so much of stuff that you’d need at least four solid hours to do justice. Wait, did we mention the bevy of the food stalls feature goodies from the length and breadth of the nation to help you tank up?

In addition to the countless stalls there are workshops, organic products and many ongoing folk performances to enthrall the visitors. There is a special event on each single day of the festival that includes ‘Dastangoi’, the lost art of storytelling in Urdu, classical and contemporary dance compositions as well as Hindustani music.

The Nature Bazaar is on till the 14th of November, 2009 at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, Janpath.

28 October

Formal discussion with my mentor Ms. Sumita Sarkar.

Although this was my second meeting with my mentor, (first one was post the internship report) this, I felt was a more important one. Sumita Ma'am as she went through my proposal, kept on writing remarks, notes or questions like 'why' 'what'. By the end of it my sheet was filled with pen marks!

She also suggested that I take one form of tribal art and not Indian tribal art in general (choosing a type would also say a lot about me as a person, she said). She told me to review myself with thoughts like, 'need for cultural expression', 'content expressed in the style'.

This meeting gave a structure to the idea of doing something in the area of my interest.

21 October

Workshop with Nina Sabnani.

The word 'research' somehow puts me to sleep. Even though I like to read, a conscious fact that I am formally researching on my project just freaks me out. However, the workshop wasn't what I had expected it to be (I mean, it was a Research Workshop after all). It was interactive and fun. I realized that each one of us unintentionally follow steps of research in our heads.

She made it interesting enough by sharing her own journey and projects with us. Her main area of research was 'kavad' (a form of storytelling in Rajasthan through the wooden box).

I was very inspired by it. Since I wanted to do something along the same line then, I told her my vague topic of research. On discussing with her, she told me to analyze the art form that I want to study, existing things done in the same area and identify things which are not there. She also suggested that there is a lot of potential.

From vague, I became a little clear.

Module Specification

1.Name of the Course	:	Communication Design in B.A. (Honours) Degree Programmes
2. Module Code	:	37C RPR
3. Module Title	:	Research Project
4. Aim of the Module: To identify a problem area in communication and propose a solution or direction for the same, supported with research.
5. Contact Hours			:	80 hours
6. Recommended Independent Study Load			:	220 hours
7. Module Content: · Identify a chosen area for research · Collect information by applying research methods and tools, · Critically analyse the results, and compile them into a report · Conceptualize and propose innovative solutions/ directions for further work
8. Indicative Reading: Yin Robert K., 2002, Case Study Research : Design and Methods (Applied Social Research Methods), SAGE Publications Salant Priscilla and Dillman Don A., 1994, How to Conduct Your Own Survey, Wiley Miles Matthew B. and Huberman Matthew B. Michael, 1994, Qualitative Data Analysis : An Expanded Sourcebook, SAGE Publications Creswell John W, 2002, Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, SAGE Publications
9. Learning & Teaching Methods: Lectures, presentations, portfolio, project
10. Learning Outcomes : On completion of this module the students will be able to: · Identify an area of interest · Demonstrate an ability to initiate research and self-study in the chosen area · Demonstrate a synthesis of overall diagnostic, analytical, and creative abilities in research
11. Module Assessment	:	Report 100%
12. Credits	:	30