A creative endeavour

The seven sister states of the North East — Assam, Arunachal, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura — have a long tradition of textiles, wood, cane and other crafts of fine quality. However, this rich variety doesn’t seem to have been fully explored and it is rare for one to come across artistic products from these lands, at least in Bengaluru.

This is one of the reasons Sophia Rajkumari started ‘Chumthang Crafts’. But an even bigger motivation behind this was to support craftspersons who depend on their skills for their livelihood. “The startup is an attempt to introduce the colourful and intricate hand arts and crafts of North East India, particularly Manipur, to Bengaluru and other parts of the world. Our aim is to ensure the preservation and sustainability of these traditional arts, some of which are slowly being lost, by connecting artisans to people who appreciate such work,” says Sophia who started it in 2012.

“When one purchases an item from us, they support craftspeople, especially women, who put in much hard work and utilise their skills to earn a living. We work with self-help groups, NGOs and artisan associations to source our products,” she adds.

The venture specialises in home decor items, wooden crafts, basket, bags, mats and purses made from water reed. The products look different and can add a distinct touch to one’s home and accessories. The purses, in particular, look elegant and charming.

They also have a wide range of unique crafts such as handwoven cotton, silk and linen saris, table cloths, table runners, table mats, cushion covers and garments. There is a selection of handwoven and hand embroidered bedspreads and shawls as well as patchwork saris.

“Such merchandise usually goes unnoticed amidst the gloss and glamour of more quirky and catchy items. The work we have is simple yet sophisticated in its own right. Through it, we are helping in creating an organised employment setup for the women folks who constitute the major labour work force in Manipur and other North Eastern areas,” explains Sophia.

‘Chumthang Crafts’ has displayed their products at various exhibitions in the city and they also have a Facebook page of the same name. “We constantly try to showcase something new. While many people do buy our stuff, there are many who take a brief look and move ahead. As long as the effort of these women gets noticed, that’s what matters,” she says with a smile.