Presenting the handmade and handcrafted objects that are a part of daily life in Gujarat.

Traditional crafts have been an essential part of Indian history, culture and life. This handbook looks at craft as both a cultural artefact that reflects people’s worldviews, indigenous practices and traditions, as well as a source of income generation and development that is inclusive. India’s rapid development has meant a breakdown of traditional economies, and including craft production-to-consumption systems. Meanwhile, there is a call to action from different factions to protect, revive and reinvent craft, because the inherent sustainability of the systems that underpin it are essential for the sustainability of India and her people. Against this backdrop, this book examines the current landscape of craft in India—its production and marketing in different parts of India, the incorporation of innovation and technology, the push for sustainability and equitability in the handicraft ecosystem and promising government policies that have proved beneficial for craftspeople. It also discusses various challenges that artisans, micro-entrepreneurs, and marketers face working in the space. With contributions from leading experts in the field of design, activism, policy, education, cultural heritage and entrepreneurship, this volume provides a comprehensive and in-depth picture of the history, economics and future of craft and its relationship with sustainability. An authoritative resource on Indian craft, this handbook will be useful for scholars and researchers of sustainable development, development studies, architecture, design, heritage studies, cultural studies, political economy and public policy.

This book contains seven chapters written by leading experts in the areas and discusses means to revive some of the cultures that are on the verge of closing/shutting down. This second of the three book series highlights the intricate relationship in the handloom industry between its culture and the various areas of sustainability. While there have been major disruptions in this age old industry, this book presents the craftsmanship/artisanship and its value addition to keep the industry moving ahead.

Advancing Heritage Jnnovaıions in lndia" explores !he intersection of heriıage preservation and urban innovation withiıı the Indian coııtext. This insigbtful volume brings together diverse perspectives and case studies, h.igbJightiog lıow traditi.onal practices can coexist with cootemporary urban oeeds. Tbrougb detaile-d aııalyses, the book delves into the dyııaınic relationship between urban development aııd cultural identity, offering innovative approaches to urban resilience and cult:ural conservaıion. It serves as a vital resource for scholars, practitioııers, and policymakers involved in heritage manageınent and urban development. The book is divided into two conıprehensive sections. PART J: Urbaıı lııııovations aud Resilience exaoıines historical and conternporary notions of urbaoization, tlıe role of blue-green infrastructure in clinıate resiJience, and tlıe architectural rehabil.itation of urban voids. PART il: Cultural Heritage and Conservation addresses the complexities of heritage managemenı, the regulatory frameworks surrOltnding protected monuments, ıhe visual aııd spatial significance of teınple cities, and sustainable heritage practices through circular ecoııoıny models. This sectioo also explores techııological advancenıenıs in heritage preservation and the spatial maııifestation of religious pathways. Collectively, tlıese contributioııs aim to inspire further researcb and action towards creatiııg sustainable, resilient, aod culturally eoriched urban environments in lndia and beyond.

This book presents a comprehensive analysis of Geographical Indications (GI) in the Indian context with particular reference to the handloom sector. It discusses themes such as the rationale of GI as IP (intellectual property); the domestic position on GIs; GI protection under various international instruments; handlooms from Gujarat and their GI journey; the efficacy of GIs; and GI structure for handlooms. The volume fills the gap between law and policies and recommends the implementation of an efficient legal system. It highlights the status of Indian handlooms, a sector that represents the country’s cultural heritage and supports a range of livelihoods. We examine India’s GI protection system with its diverse cultures and explore how GI can help recognize, support and promote these products to bring socio-economic benefits. The work documents policy measures undertaken for the revival, restructuring and promotion of Indian handlooms and handicrafts, and will serve as an important intervention in Indian law on GI. An investigative study that evaluates the current law and policy on GI protection through detailed case studies and empirical research on select Indian handlooms, this book will be useful to scholars and researchers of geography, economics, development studies, sociology, law and public policy. It will also interest policymakers, legal practitioners, textile and handloom professionals, design and business administration institutes, media, arts and crafts museums and civil society organizations working on handlooms or in intellectual property.

As India consolidates an aggressive model of economic development, indigenous tribal people known as adivasis continue to be overrepresented among the country’s poor. Adivasis make up more than eight hundred communities in India, with a total population of more than 100 million people who speak more than three hundred different languages. Although their historical presence is acknowledged by the state and they are lauded as a part of India’s ethnic identity today, their poverty has been compounded by the suppression of their cultural heritage and lifestyle. In Adivasi Art and Activism, Alice Tilche draws on anthropological fieldwork conducted in rural western India to chart changes in adivasi aesthetics, home life, attire, food, and ideas of religiosity that have emerged from negotiation with the homogenizing forces of Hinduization, development, and globalization in the twenty-first century. She documents curatorial projects located not only in museums and art institutions, but in the realms of the home, the body, and the landscape. Adivasi Art and Activism raises vital questions about preservation and curation of indigenous material and provides an astute critique of the aesthetics and politics of Hindu nationalism.