“Meticulously” - A word we use without thinking twice when it comes to the extensively laborious skill of carving out wooden blocks which are later used to print the most exquisite motifs and patterns on fabric, paper and what not.
IT’S CONSIDERED “GENERATIONAL WEALTH”
Two generations of block makers sitting side-by-side in their workshops at Sanganer, Jaipur
The beauty of carrying out your family traditions is that you have the expertise needed in your pocket whenever you need it. It starts out early for these young boys when their fathers and uncles take them to their workshops and make them understand he significance of this age-old skill they’ve learnt from their fathers and so on.
It is a generational wealth- that nothing else can compare to. They are taught to pay attention to details, use simple tools and create something that the world is in awe of.
(Read about the tools used here)
PRACTICE MAKES A MAN PERFECT
Source: The Kindcraft
They say practice makes a man perfect and in this case, it’s true. On an average, these artisans spend about 10 hours at their workshops, carving out tiny pieces of wood from the base to create the most intricate patterns you can imagine. Since, the patterns are usually complex -using convoluted details, it takes them about 4-5 days to create one master-block.
The best part about this is that they thoroughly enjoy their work. They have made it into a lifestyle- so much so that it reminded me of Dowager countess of Grantham when I asked them about the weekend and they responded with a chuckle and a nod implying that the concept of ‘weekend’ doesn’t exist for them.
Still from Downton Abbey : One of the wittiest one-liners from The Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith)
THEY CREATE “BY THE BOOK”
First step of block making: Translating the motif from paper onto the block before carving
Often times, we think that to create magic, we need to stop going ‘by the book’ but in this case, the artisans have a different approach. They follow the process and trust it- from accurately measuring and tracing the motifs onto the wooden block to diligently carving out every detail in every inch of the design, a master-artisan never skips a single step.
And lastly,
THEY HAVE A HEALTHY WORKPLACE CULTURE
Designers having a conversation with the block-maker before starting work on a collection
See how we celebrate workplace friendships at Saga
A very interesting observation about this particular section of this craft is that their workplace culture is sacred. They work and bond with their fellow artisans because of the feeling of ‘community’ that has been inculcated in them since their childhood. The best part about being in a group of people that are like you is that you’re understood.
Now, I do not claim to have researched on every small quarrels they might engage in from time to time- I only mean to convey the healthy bonding and mutual respect for the craft with their peers at their respective workplaces that make them so good at what they do.
Several artisans working together in harmony at Sanganer, Jaipur
Want to know how we got to know about all this? It was when we documented our collection: An evening in Jaipur. Know how it all comes to life by clicking here and follow us if you like what you saw.