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NASADIYA SUKTA– CURATOR – JDADA 2019

“Life is gray and dull; you might as well have a little fun when you dress.”
—- IRIS APFEL —-

Desinger Prerna Bohra’s collection “Nasadiya Sukta” means hymn of creation and has been influenced by Tikuli art form which is locally described as bindi, a dot worn between the eyebrows as an accessory by women. The designer has drawn her inspiration from the circular pattern of the bindi.

Tikuli art originated in Patna over 800 years ago. The bindis then were made out of glass and decorated with gold leaf and gems. Tikulis were principally enhanced by Queens and Aristocratic ladies. The Mughals too were an active patron of the art form. With the decline of the Mughal Empire, and the coming of the British Raj, Tikuli art faced a severe blow. The British introduced industrialization and native handmade goods were replaced by cheap machine-made goods. In 1954, Tikuli art was revived by Chitracharya Padmashree Upendra Marathi. His tours to places in Japan gave a fresh direction to Tikuli art to start its journey yet again. The hardwood carvings and paintings seen in Japan became the new foundation for this art which went through further series of transformation becoming more ‘Indianised’. Artist, craftsman, and painter Shree Ashok Kumar Biswas along with his wife Shibani Biswas, developed it into a source of livelihood for women. Tikuli art now serves as an economic beneficiary for over 300 women in Bihar.

The designer has created Ready-to-Wear collection which has been hand embroidered with circular shapes to represent the bindis. The fabrics used for the collection are cotton tulle and organza, in colours of black, blue and brown. The revival of bindi making has not only brought a means of livelihood, but is a source of empowerment to the women involved in making it.