Sabala Handicrafts - Bijapur
It was started in mind to uplift the Lambani/ Banjara women later on the people of the Alamatti dam who had relocate their belongings to a new place which left them jobless. The Jute Making was a big success as this helped the people of the Alamatti region a source of living by which they could fulfill their basic needs. Only jute making was totally a different handicraft which was taught to them from initial to its final production, as the other crafts were learn from their ancestors who regularly made them for their day to day life.
Jute Yarns are mainly brought from Kolkata, as per requirement processed sometimes along with cotton and taken for weaving. In some cases the artisan’s come to Sabala and work, some of them work directly from their villages as per the designs can be done by them.
The Banjara’s has about 80 stitches which the patterns are generally derived from those. Some of the stitches observed in the Banjara/ Lambani Embroidery are as the following Vele, Doranaaki, Kalchi, Muggu, Champ, Malli kanth, Kodiya Potte, Kaliya, Poso Teko, Khilad, Sassia Danath etc. It is said they know about 30-32 stitches which are researched and got through their old dresses that are available and still under research as these artisans are finding the type of stitches available till date. More of mirrors, shells were stitched along the fabric to safeguard themselves from the wild animals. Lambani/ Banjara’s were generally the wanderers who travelled to various places, like forests, deserts and rivers where they usually used to come in contact with the wild animals, to rescue themselves from them they used to stitch mirrors on their cloths where the wild animals see themselves in the mirror fear and run away from them without attacking them.
As they were regular travelers who travelled through different regions, most of the time didn’t have an option of to buy new clothes to wear therefore they used to stitch the pieces of cloths together which formed the patched cloths and used as a pattern for their dressing.
They used to make the jewellery with the available metal resources with them along with the threads design a pattern as per their choice with the particular requirement given accordingly. With coins, shells, metal pieces cut as per their choice and selection. The traditional women are found to be decked with their differently made ornaments to support their lifestyle and living.
Sabala also improves the health of the Adolescent girls with their nutrition level. Promotes awareness about hygiene, adolescent reproductive, sexual health along with family and child care. This organization provides vocational training for girls generally 16 years and above mostly under the scheme of NSDP.
It is said to be formed at the year 1986 with a non-profitable society in the district of Bijapur in Karnataka. It usually takes care for the activities for the widows, destitute, tribal and economically backward women. Here vocational trainings are given for self-employment opportunities for patch-work, mirror embroidery, block printing, tie and dye and also kasuti embroidery. It also trains them to improve and upgrade their self-home centered vocational skills promoting their overall development along with their personal hygiene, nutrition and family welfare/ management.
