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Miraben
was
born in Nagar Parkar, Sindh, and migrated to Tharad,
Banaskantha when she was about twelve. Her father was a
wood worker there. The third of six siblings, Mira was
married in Jura Camp at the age of 18, and resettled
with her in-laws in Sumrasar. Her husband does day
labour, and Miraben did suf embroidery for wages. When
the Dastkar Kutch project began in 1991, she was one of
the original artisans, and when Kala Raksha was
established, Miraben became a Trustee and a founder
artisan.
Against community skepticism, Miraben was the first of
her Kala Raksha savings group to take a loan. She
borrowed money to finish building her home, and repaid
the loan before the deadline. Thereafter she took loans
for a relative’s
marriage and for her only son’s
education.
Miraben learned embroidery from her
mother. She was one of the first artisans to attend a
Kala Raksha show outside Kutch, in Chandigadh in 1994.
She also went to Ahmedabad for an exhibition and for
Kala Raksha Trustee meetings. As she reached middle age,
she participated in a patchwork workshop taught by
Raniben Bhika, and now does patchwork and appliqué.
After the earthquake of 2001, Miraben
was hired as Production Assistant in the Kala Raksha
workshop. She had learned to read and write through Kala
Raksha's Basic Education program. But when she joined the staff,
she realized she would need literacy and put in special
efforts to become proficient.
“A good artisan,” Miraben says, “behaves
well and is loyal. She can make designs appropriate to
the user. Good design, she feels, is new-- in any
medium.”
“Our
art is our tradition,” she says. “It
is our identity and our remembrance. If we don’t
exhibit our art, it is of no use. If we continue
embroidery, it can give us income, status, and
recognition.”
Miraben was hesitant about the
course. But her son, who recognizes education as a way
to a better future, encouraged her. Miraben dreams of
going forward. She wants to see her son well settled,
and believes that what she learns at KRV can take the
community and Kala Raksha ahead. |
