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Sohail's
family has been practicing
craft for the last 150 years.
His great grandfather
initially did block printing in Vizan taluk, Abdasa. His
grandfather too did block printing especially for the
Bhanushali community and others in Vagad, using bajara
flour and wax as resist. In 1969 Sohail’s father went
from Vizan to Mumbai to work as a shop salesman but then
returned in 1980 and shifted the family to Bhuj. There
he and his two elder brothers started bandhani work.
Sohil’s eldest uncle Ishakbhai Adam only did the layout
printing for the bandhani workers. The other uncle
Sidique Adam did the layout and tying of the fabric.
Sohil’s father Haroonbhai Adam does all things related
to bandhani craft, and makes varied products including
abhas, stoles, scarves, etc. The whole family works
together to produce the work. His late mother practiced
tying and was well known in the field. Sohail’s father
has displayed his work in an art gallery- in Mumbai.
Sohail learned the craft from his
father, and from his cousin Aslam. He has been
practicing for the last three years and is aware of the
traditional aspect of the work. He has traveled to
Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
Sohail feels that craft helps them
survive with a good standard of living so it is
essential to keep the craft tradition alive. To get fine
work one has to make an effort and should have good
workers. Good design requires proper planning and
placement, he says. All knots should be checked to
ensure that they are tight before they are dyed. As
people’s
 understanding
and demand for bandhani products grows, he feels the
future looks good.
He knows the whole KRV course will be
very useful in the future. Sohail’s dream is to make
bandhani famous in the international market, and
especially he wants to experiment with asymmetrical
bandhani, as traditionally bandhani is very symmetrical.
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