Unseen, unheard, unnamed: The matchless and unsung heroes of the textile art and craft of Rajasthan

Rajasthan is known for its exquisite handicrafts, especially the textiles. In spite of having the most vibrant and glorious traditions, this sector has been grossly unorganized due to the poor socio-economic status of the artisans. The educational background of the artisans also is not satisfactory; hence, they lack public relations skills. They are totally dependent on big traders and middlemen for marketing purposes. Moreover, in this era of labels and designers, the artisans, however skilled or endowed they may be, have to work under some renowned brand or name to have a regular livelihood. However, not all artisans are lucky to be in the right place at the right time. These artisans work according to the design directions given to them including the decision of fabric, the formation/placement of motifs, color palette, the overall design or look of the fabric or the garment in accordance with the latest trends, styling, and forecast. They lack experience with the latest technology, and its advancement, too, due to the lack of economic and financial stability. As a result, in spite of their hard work, they find themselves in a difficult position in the present competitive environment. These artisans, therefore, remain largely unheard and unseen. They work in the background, and most of the time the limelight is on the professional “designers.” The present paper discusses some popular and exquisite traditional handicraft and textile art of Rajasthan such as gotta patti, lehriya, block printing, blue pottery, etc.