Banjara Kasuti, a one-of-a-kind community intiative not only aims to preserve the vanishing culture of the ‘Lambani’ ladies but also to uplift them, financially and socially. This week, The Pioneer connects with the founder to discuss more in detail about their mission and welfare for the community.
SHIKHA DUGGAL
A one-of-a-kind community effort known throughout the country that showcases the beauty of the Lambani community to metropolitan audiences, Banjara Kasuti is winning over fashionistas and others’ hearts. People in the country refer to them as a mix of trending fashion and tradition with ecological ethics! Most importantly, during an exclusive chat with the founder, we learn that their objective is not just to preserve the dying tradition of the Lambani ladies but also to uplift them financially and socially.
“I’ve always been captivated by the Lambani community (Banjaras). As a child, the extensive use of mirrorwork, along with brilliant hues in harmony with nature, as well as the distinctive artwork on the outfits worn by the Lambani women, was oftentimes the highlight of my day. However, when I returned to my hometown after decades, the colours that marked the ‘Banjaras’ were missing; the community was progressively slipping away from its own art form. Furthermore, huge seasonal migratory patterns in recent years have brought a gradual end to the Lambani artform, with them fleeing to cities for better prospects,” Asha Patil thinks back on. In light of this, Seema and Asha decided to start Banjara Kasuti, an effort aimed at reviving the art form while also strengthening the community, particularly Lambani women!
Our interview allowed us to shed light on how, for the past seven years, they have supported the entire ecosystem while also empowering Lambani ladies and khadi weavers through their fashion industry initiative. The founder continued, “We advance the trend by combining current fashion with local culture through the use of Lambani embroidery on organic textiles. We place a strong emphasis on combining traditional artistry and contemporary designs to not only promote the use of handwoven materials but also to ensure financial security for local artisans without sacrificing their identity. In fact, we have proudly empowered over 120 women since its beginning, and we hope to empower another women too.”
You may call it an initiative that not only seeks to provide dignity, social security, and financial independence to Lambani women but also to maintain their clothing customs by instilling their legacy! Moreover, “While empowering the these women to rediscover their love and admiration for their art form, the initiative also promotes financial stability for both the them and local cotton and khadi weavers by providing a consistent monthly income, as well as access to banking services, education, and healthcare for all community members. Several ladies from the community have come out to share their experiences with us. One example of perseverance and empowerment is Leela (name changed), a young woman who would do odd jobs as needed—even if it meant working at 40°C—to help her family’s finances. However, as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, Leela’s husband lost his job as well, forcing her to bear the full burden alone. Leela gained a second chance at life after being introduced to our community initiative by her community members. With a set monthly income, Leela was finally able to leave her odd occupations and establish a stable foundation for her family, ensuring that her children’s education continued. Such incidents continue to motivate us to work tirelessly for the benefit of the ‘Banjaras’ and to alter their lives.”
Asha Patil, who lives with the large Lambani population, saw that the women in this community were abandoning their traditional garb in favour of synthetic saris. She then established the goal of reviving the magnificent Lambani handwork while also uplifting the women’s community. At the same time, the founder had been doing the following: “In the organisation, there is a practice of incorporating Lambani community members in the design decision-making process. We connect with them in an open and mutually respectful manner, valuing their diverse culture and knowledge. We collaborate with participants to create one-of-a-kind designs that honour their cultural history while also reflecting artistic traditions. This means that by working together, we want to accurately depict this community.”
They currently provide regular monthly wages to more than 60–80 women from the Lambani community. It only utilises handwoven fabrics, which benefits the weaver community. As a result, the communities are gradually becoming self-sufficient, and the members are proud of their newly acquired weaving and embroidery skills. With this effort, they hope to reach 120 women by mid-2023 and ensure that all families in the Lambani neighbourhood have access to banking, education, and healthcare.
What more? “Beyond financial support, our initiatives aim to empower individuals to become responsible, self-sufficient members of the community. Women artisans are prepared to progress and become leaders in their communities after receiving assistance from mentorship and leadership education programs, as well as gaining skills and knowledge through skill-building seminars and training programs. Furthermore, we have provided them with a platform from which to speak out and expose people to the culture they represent, all while campaigning for social change and the enrichment of Lambani traditions.” Fundamentally, they seek to support the Lambani ladies, whose handicrafts have been playing the game in all their textures and brilliant colors even before the term ‘sustainable’ became popular. They hope to provide Lambani craftspeople with an excellent opportunity to earn a living by producing comfortable silhouettes while also preserving and revitalising the tradition by seamlessly blending hand-weaved fabrics!
On the call, the founder sounded overjoyed and expressed it to us, saying, “Recognising our role in empowering the ‘Banjaras’, we are only trying to foster a powerful sense of community for these women, providing them with a safe space to not only work together but also share their joys and burdens. Furthermore, from a history preservation standpoint, we continue to strive to promote the Lambani art form.”
