(An initiative of GERG)
Born in April 2012, Uthhan is a joint initiative between different artisan community organizations and GERG (Golden Era Royal Group) for the upliftment of financially weaker segment of skilled artisans across India. It has been observed that value of an artisan product depends on the way of presentation apart from quality, which is an alien territory for a skilled worker. As an effort to overcome this obstacle the products from the skilled workers will be displayed in various retail outlets exclusively allotted under the banner of the project with the help of government bodies.
UTHHAN is currently feeding 10,000+ artisan families through K.A.S.B.A. Know More like Gopalan, Raju and Biju by molding self-sufficient artisan groups. You can’t find us in main stream media, since we work only for uplifting artisan families without any political motive. We buy raw materials and tools for these families from your contributions. We want you to buy their products from UTHHAN store, which will support these families for a better living. The product prices are reasonable, because of zero middle men involvement. Let the Government, Politicians and Artisan leaders sleep, we will wake up to lift up our artisans, who are the ambassadors of Indian Culture... The drizzle of rain on our return may be the tears of pain andhelplessness of many tribal families. But we believe that the downpour will end up in to sunshine. Because many of us have a kind heart too…..
Read MoreNo handicraft products can be created without stabilizing these families. It’s a pity that the purpose of forming an artisan organization is only to cheer personal benefits and photo ops. Most of the organization leaders are not even craft workers. They can mass-produce only verbal jugglery, not a single handicraft product. The Government is busy accumulating tax from the public to feed their administrators. Social media pages don’t have space for artisans, since they are busy sharing unwanted communal jibes and celebrity sex scandals. Media is behind TRP and artisans are unable to build up TRPs, except handicraft products. The artisan families go for forced labour work to sustain, even though the demand of handicraft products are huge in global market. Their children hate this profession because this valuable skill can fetch only poverty and hunger.
& their Stories
The roads were narrow with alluring coffee plantations on either side. The place was Trikkaipetta. It is a paradise with greenery all around with the true smell of soil. The artisans of Trikkaipetta create marvels out of bamboo from generations. These can be used as show case items, key chains, flower vases and so on. Raju PK and Gopalan headed the crafts production
Read MoreBiju’s family at Mundad is in dire straits. Biju is deaf and dumb. The will power of this person is amazing. We can’t even think straight under pressure. But he is not only fighting out his life, but also created these models out of coconut shells. The tools used are very simple. We sat on a bench which can break at any time.
Read MoreThe next stop was Mullankolli. A woman, who heads a self-help unit, which makes artifacts out of grass welcomed us. A group of women suddenly assembled with their products made of grass. The products were flawless. It can only be made after hours of hard work, precision, and concentration. These crafts can be used as fruit baskets, hats, flower vases etc .
Read MoreRaju MC makes show crafts out of bamboo. The problem is same; there is no money to complete the polishing. He is doing daily labor to feed his family. When I have explained about our initiative there was a tint of hope for him. His wife and children were looking at us without any emotions.
Read MoreRam Kumar Pal is an artisan and a member of NAV JYOTI. Ram Kumar runs his NGO but he has to work as an artisan too. He is not able to earn a proper profit from his work. Being an NGO head he has to work as an artisan to get some more profit. He prepares swales, woolen jackets, woolen blankets which he can able to sell only in winters,
Read MoreThe artisans of DARADA WARD NO -7 under BALASORE are struggling to keep the age-old art of crafting decorative items with bamboo alive. Faced with several challenges, including stiff competition from plastic and fiber products, lack of marketing initiatives and soaring prices of bamboo, these artisans are deprived of a decent living.
Read MoreWe met with artisan families in Odisha. Among them, most of the artisan families didn't have a shed to sleep and money to send their wards to the school nor proper health facilities to look after. We met with Mr.Abhimanyu, one of the Terracotta artisans of the Batahari, Chandanpur village of Kendujhar district. His condition is worst. The grief situation of the family made us feel about the extent of the work we at UTHHAN to do. The potholes, muddy surfaces and water scarcity left us dumbstruck.
Read MoreThis is Sharat Kumar Sahoo, a 50-year-old National award winning patachitra artist. which together make for 'Jagannatha: a hand-picked collection of fine Odisha patachitra'. His home walls are crowded with works that are replete with many small elements that catch one’s eye only when observed closely. Patachitra on coconuts bobs along the walls, resembling balls of varied sizes with colourful patterns.
Read MoreA recent interaction with the BANGALORE artisan who produce unique wares with copper, and clay, gave me a better picture of the current situation of the Indian crafts industry. All we heard was a sad story about the craftsmanship dying in their town. “Once upon a time there were fifty of us, and now, only two of us remain in the entire city of Bangalore who can join different colored into an artifact ,” says the clay crafts artist Mrs Jaya.
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