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Shantilal Devjibhai Vankar
Traditional Art: Weaving
Born: 12/9/1992
Education: 9th Std
Address: Bhujodi,
Ta. Bhuj, Kutch 370020
Mobile: 81416 48289
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Shantilal says
“Traditional designs are good designs. I doesn’t like products
with too much patterning, but would rather make simple,
beautiful products. A good artisan must produce quality with
quantity, ”
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Shantilal is from Bhujodi, a village world famous for its weaving. His father Devjibhai is a well known as a weaver and leader of
the Meghwala Maru Samaj spread across 62 villages of Kutch. Devjibhai was also associated with the weavers’ cooperative in
Bhujodi during its prosperous years. The only son in a family of nine sisters, Shanti is celebrated too. On his birthday, his father
offers lunch to the entire weaving section of Bhujodi. Shanti studied to 9th standard at Swaminarayan Gurukul, and then left as he
did not enjoy higher education. He and his sisters had all learned weaving and dyeing from their father, and at the age of 15 Shanti
began to weave on a full time basis. Shanti has been to Delhi several times to attend exhibitions, and has participated in the local
Hiralaxmi Craft Park He also attends buyers and customers at home.
For Shanti, the greatest threats to hand weaving are power looms copying their work, and the decreasing number of artisans.
However, he is confident that weavers can overcome the problem of copying by constant innovation.
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