From the innocuous marigold to the conch shell, from the deep sea to the bees, the birds and their complex abodes, to the intricacies of the human body, to the incredible geometry of the solar system, all things big and small in this universe reveal superlative design. Bhubaneswar Office D-60, 1st Floor Injecting the rhythm, the balance and harmony displayed Phase-I, Maitri Vihar in nature into the human environment remains the quest Bhubaneswar - 751023 as well as the challenge of this millennium. Tel: 0674 - 2301299 email: [email protected] With 25 years of collective experience in transformational research and communication, we at New Concept are Chennai Office CALENDAR geared to meet this challenge head on! Old No-65/2, New No-149 LUZ Church Road New Concept specialises in: Mylapore, Chennai – 600004 2013 l Rigorous quantitative, qualitative and evidence-based Tel: 044 - 24984402 research; email: [email protected] l Analytical documentation of processes and outcomes; Delhi Office l Supportive monitoring & evaluation, impact 206, 2nd Floor, LSC assessments; Pocket D & E Market l Web-based monitoring systems, content Sarita Vihar, New Delhi – 110076 management, resource centres, repositories; Tel: 011 - 64784300 Fax: 011 - 26972743 email: [email protected] l Researching into knowledge, attitude and behaviours of communities; Hyderabad Office l Developing effective communication strategies for “Vani Nilayam” H.No. 6-3-903/A/4/1 behaviour change; 2nd Floor, Surya Nagar Colony Somajiguda, Hyderabad – 500082 l Capacity building for grassroot, frontline, managerial Tel: 040 - 23414986 functionaries and stakeholders; and email: [email protected] l Producing artistic communication materials that mobilise communities. Patna Office 2/158, G.D. Mishra Path Concept, design & production Near C.I.S.F. Building/Sulabh International New Concept Information Systems Pvt. Ltd. New Patliputra Colony, Patna – 800013 Log on to http://www.newconceptinfo.com Mob: 7739312066 for our earlier calendars on different themes. email: [email protected] 2014

January February March April SUN 5 12 19 26 SUN 2 9 16 23 SUN 30 2 9 16 23 SUN 6 13 20 27 MON 6 13 20 27 MON 3 10 17 24 MON 31 3 10 17 24 MON 7 14 21 28 TUE 7 14 21 28 TUE 4 11 18 25 TUE 4 11 18 25 TUE 1 8 15 22 29 WED 1 8 15 22 29 WED 5 12 19 26 WED 5 12 19 26 WED 2 9 16 23 30 THU 2 9 16 23 30 THU 6 13 20 27 THU 6 13 20 27 THU 3 10 17 24 FRI 3 10 17 24 31 FRI 7 14 21 28 FRI 7 14 21 28 FRI 4 11 18 25 SAT 4 11 18 25 SAT 1 8 15 22 SAT 1 8 15 22 29 SAT 5 12 19 26

May June July August SUN 4 11 18 25 SUN 1 8 15 22 29 SUN 6 13 20 27 SUN 31 3 10 17 24 MON 5 12 19 26 MON 2 9 16 23 30 MON 7 14 21 28 MON 4 11 18 25 TUE 6 13 20 27 TUE 3 10 17 24 TUE 1 8 15 22 29 TUE 5 12 19 26 WED 7 14 21 28 WED 4 11 18 25 WED 2 9 16 23 30 WED 6 13 20 27 THU 1 8 15 22 29 THU 5 12 19 26 THU 3 10 17 24 31 THU 7 14 21 28 FRI 2 9 16 23 30 FRI 6 13 20 27 FRI 4 11 18 25 FRI 1 8 15 22 29 SAT 3 10 17 24 31 SAT 7 14 21 28 SAT 5 12 19 26 SAT 2 9 16 23 30

September October November December SUN 7 14 21 28 SUN 5 12 19 26 SUN 30 2 9 16 23 SUN 7 14 21 28 MON 1 8 15 22 29 MON 6 13 20 27 MON 3 10 17 24 MON 1 8 15 22 29 TUE 2 9 16 23 30 TUE 7 14 21 28 TUE 4 11 18 25 TUE 2 9 16 23 30 WED 3 10 17 24 WED 1 8 15 22 29 WED 5 12 19 26 WED 3 10 17 24 31 THU 4 11 18 25 THU 2 9 16 23 30 THU 6 13 20 27 THU 4 11 18 25 FRI 5 12 19 26 FRI 3 10 17 24 31 FRI 7 14 21 28 FRI 5 12 19 26 SAT 6 13 20 27 SAT 4 11 18 25 SAT 1 8 15 22 29 SAT 6 13 20 27 Influence of nature on commonplace Indian objects For the people of , art is intimately associated with their way of life, their spirituality and philosophy. This is evident from the architecture, sculptures, paintings, dance and music that express an appreciation of a deeper, ineffable, esoteric truth, while celebrating the different shades of life amid the on-going cycle of life and death, which is inextricably linked with it. While these art forms have been extensively studied by experts and laymen alike, there is relatively little focus on the aesthetic aspects of everyday objects or “decorative art”, as described1 by the pioneering art historian and philosopher Ananda K. Coomaraswamy. This year’s calendar from New Concept celebrates the profound influence of nature on commonplace objects. It covers a wide range of articles from different parts of India; some still in use, others out of favour — from fired bricks, lamps, kitchen equipment and street toys to story-telling puppets and musical instruments. As Coomaraswamy observes2, “And so we find in the decorative art of India the same idealism that is inseparable from Indian thought; for art, like religion, is really a way of looking at things, more than anything else. The love of nature in its infinite beauty and variety has impelled the crafts-man to decorate his handiwork with the forms of the well-known birds and flowers and beasts with which he is most intimate, or which have most appealed to his imagination.” What emerges is the essential Indian character of the artist or crafts person and their relationship with their art or craft, which has been honed by years of rigorous practice. And so, when JL Maffey, I.C.S., remarks in his 1903 monograph3 on woodcarving: “No European workshops can show a phenomenon more striking than the cunning of the Indian wood- carver. It is a gift he has acquired by careful training and daily practice, enhanced perhaps 1.The Aims of Indian Art; Ananda by the power of heredity,” one is instantly reminded of the Indian musical teaching tradition K. Coomaraswamy; Studies in Comparative Religion; Vol. 9; No. 1. where students continually practise and refine their skills by remembering and reproducing (Winter, 1975); © World Wisdom, Inc. structures of great complexity and sophistication without the benefit of a system of notation. 2.ibid The other aspect that stands out is the utter anonymity of the original creator or crafts person, which baffles the western world, but is so much in line with Indian traditions. 3.A Monograph on Woodcarving In the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh; JL Maffey, I.C.S.;1903; This calendar is a modest tribute to the indigenous arts and crafts of our country that are Government Press, U.P. of Agra faithfully rooted to their environment. and Oudh

January 2013

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A wave of colours and stripes 1 2 3 4 5 Resist dyed in the leheriya technique, the unique Leheriya turbans from Jodhpur, Jaipur, Udaipur and Nathdwara in , are prized by the region’s nobility and business community. They 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 bear the characteristic ‘leher’ or wave in two or more colours. When worn, the diaphanous, overlapping layers create a stunning, rippling interplay of colour and stripe. Some complex 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 designs use eight or nine tints to create an extremely intricate visual undulant. These fine muslin turbans are aptly named, reflecting the desert state’s reverence for water. 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30 31 An indulgent shear Chewing supari or processed arecanut may be an uncommon indulgence in urban India now. However, it is still consumed with the popular paan or tambool (betel-leaf, from ‘vettrilai’ in Tamil), with which it is so closely associated that the wrong name given by the British stuck. february 2013 This hard nut, used raw and whole in many rituals, was a common household item, as was the betelnut cracker. Sun 3 10 17 24 Innovatively designed betelnut crackers were adorned with motifs, human forms, birds, beasts and flora on Mon 4 11 18 25 their handles and blade-holders. These shears are sold in many parts of India even today, with Anjar in Gujarat being a leading centre. Tue 5 12 19 26

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Sat 2 9 16 23 March 2013 Weaving harmony Sun Mon TUe Wed Thu Fri Sat The unique and exquisite attire of the tribes from India’s North-east with its distinctive colours, weaves and patterns reflect their social, cultural identity and their role 31 1 2 as guardians of traditional knowledge and a rich heritage. The Karbis from Assam’s Karbi Anglong district adorn their clothes with traditional motifs called amang. The amang woven by Karbi women include the bidumkek or 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 coiled leaf of the edible fern, phongrong angsu or fruit of the Indian chestnut, voram or peacock, ingnar or elephant, thero or monkey, chetung or turtle and the keching arveng or wings of the Gundhi bug, 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 among others. These motifs woven using the Ketur loom, reveal the close connection of the Karbis with nature.

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24 25 26 27 28 29 30 No ordinary plaything India has a long, living tradition of folk toys — the conventional figurines and a host of obscure and underrated, animated ‘street april 2013 toys’ that make playtime a wondrous experience. These simple toys, created by nameless inventive artisans using recycled Sun 7 14 21 28 materials, are inspired by nature and teach an observant child a thing or two about the world around them. Mon 1 8 15 22 29 The humming drum bhavra, mimics the hum of the bumblebee, the saap a fluted paper snake, imitates its sinuous, gliding movement, while Tue 2 9 16 23 30 a naag made of reed links strikes out like a cobra. The swimming mach or fish Wed 3 10 17 24 made of paper, unbaked clay and reed and the jumping bandar or Thu 4 11 18 25 monkey made of (Indian cork), string and broomsticks pique the Fri 5 12 19 26 child’s curiosity.

Sat 6 13 20 27 The brilliant cast of shadows may 2013 In days gone by, glowing leather puppets came alive in southern India to enact the Ramayana or Sun 5 12 19 26 the Mahabharata using music, song, dance, calls of birds and animals and dramatics. Mon 6 13 20 27 These vividly coloured, life-sized puppets with articulated limbs and perforations to simulate Tue 7 14 21 28 the sparkle of jewellery, had the main characters coloured differently: green for Hanuman the Wed 1 8 15 22 29 monkey god and Jatayu the eagle, blue for Rama or Krishna, while the sages and women were always coloured yellow. The performance Thu 2 9 16 23 30 of the Ramayana in Andhra Pradesh’s Thollu Bommalata (Dance of the Leather Puppets), Fri 3 10 17 24 31 based on the 16th century Ramayana Ranganathana written specifically for shadow Sat 4 11 18 25 theatre, continues to enthral viewers to this day. June 2013 Celebrating a gastronomic tradition Sun 30 2 9 16 23 Since ancient times, Indians used a diverse range of utensils and equipment. The Taittiriya Mon 3 10 17 24 Samhita (3000 to 1500 BCE) describes implements, vessels and utensils called yajnayudhas. Examples include kapalas or Tue 4 11 18 25 earthen platters and sphya, a knife made of khair wood for cutting durva grass. Storage vessels Wed 5 12 19 26 include the sannayapatras for milk and curd, pranita for consecrated water or soma juice and Thu 6 13 20 27 proksani for holy water. When use of metals became widespread, Fri 7 14 21 28 artisans adept in forging and casting brass, bronze, iron and pewter created splendidly designed vessels and equipment using motifs of Sat 1 8 15 22 29 nature, as the bird-shaped vegetable cutter from eastern India, the sorya to make vermicelli and the rolling board from Gujarat and the coconut scraper from Maharashtra, illustrate. Nature’s vibrant tapestry These beautiful, multihued woollen mats and rugs from Kashmir enchant the eye, bringing warmth to the heart and hearth. Namdas are felted rugs made by enmeshing local wool called waaliyeer, with fine wool and july 2013 cotton fibres. Geometric motifs adorn them, as do motifs such Sun Mon TUe Wed Thu Fri Sat as gaadi dar (flowers in a leaf), janwar dar (animals), chinar (Oriental Plane tree) leaves, 1 2 3 4 5 6 chaar bagh (four types of flower gardens) and others.

Gabbas are chain-stitched mats 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 embroidered originally on old blankets and woollens and now on woollen cloth over a hessian (jute burlap) base. Coloured 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 woollen threads are chain- stitched in a technique called ‘Zalakdosi’ using a hook ari rather than a needle, to form 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 stylised chinar leaves, grapes, irises, almonds, cherry blossoms, birds and animals. 28 29 30 31 A tradition on the wane In the old Indian tradition, some people used ‘padukas’ or august 2013 wooden sandals since leather was considered impure. Changing mores and modern footwear have ensured its near oblivion. Sun 4 11 18 25 While affluent individuals used ornate silver padukas, wooden sandals from Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh called khadau, made of ebony, sandalwood or sheesham Mon 5 12 19 26 (Indian Rosewood) with fine metal inlay, were equally prized. The craftsmen embellished sandals Tue 6 13 20 27 with knobs shaped like the lotus and added subtle inlaid motifs of creepers, leaves, flowers and Wed 7 14 21 28 buds interspersed with geometrical patterns that enhanced their beauty. They also decorated chests, boxes, handles of weapons and other Thu 1 8 15 22 29 wooden objects with similar exquisite designs. Fri 2 9 16 23 30

Sat 3 10 17 24 31 Looking gloss The Aranmula kannadi or the ‘Mirror from Aranmula’ is among the eight auspicious items used at the Aranmula Pardhasaradhi temple in southern . The investment die-cast alloy of copper, tin, silver and other metals is laboriously rubbed using a hessian cloth and fine, burnt clay mixed with oil September 2013 over several days, to obtain a distortion-free, mirror-like finish. Sun 1 8 15 22 29 This valkannadi or hand-mirror has a handle in a brass frame, which gives it the shape of a Mon 2 9 16 23 30 feather in a peacock’s train. A conch-shaped frame with small Tue 3 10 17 24 motifs is not uncommon. Legends say the technique Wed 4 11 18 25 developed when ancestors of the present-day artisans were Thu 5 12 19 26 commissioned centuries ago to make a crown for the deity, known since as the ‘Idol of Fri 6 13 20 27 the mirror’.

Sat 7 14 21 28 Fired by imagination The bronzed grandeur of the temples and mosques of Bengal and reflects the artistic and architectural genius of a people who poured life into drab, brown bricks and clay. The temples are known for their striking curved roofs and porches inspired by the thatched bamboo roof, terracotta panels depicting motifs from nature, Sun 6 13 20 27 scenes from the epics, geometric patterns and for their gorgeous wooden doors with intricate Mon 7 14 21 28 terracotta panels. The mosques and tombs, in keeping with the Tue 1 8 15 22 29 tenets of Islam, are decorated with a profusion of geometric o ct ober 2013 Wed 2 9 16 23 30 and floral motifs – exquisite lotuses, creepers and vines.

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Sat 5 12 19 26 Wizardry of an uncommon mould The lamp or diya is more than a dispeller of darkness. Its light symbolises Isana, the origin of everlasting knowledge. Amid the rich array of Indian lamps, the brass or bronze Morchimnis (Peacock lamps) made by the Bharewas from Betul in Madhya Pradesh using the lost-wax casting technique, stand out. These intricate lamps and votive offerings based on animal forms such as elephants and horses are ornamented by spinning wax wires (murra) in spirals, zig-zag or wave forms, or by creatively using flat wax strips around the core in the Dhokra Damar style. The Kapdonda, whose cotton is lit using flint stones, helps light these lamps.

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Sat 2 9 16 23 30 Strains of the infnite december 2013 India’s ancient musical systems have been steadfast to their traditions even as Sun 1 8 15 22 29 they evolved or were enriched by diverse regional influences. The confluence of Mon 2 9 16 23 30 Indian and Persian cultures in the north introduced instruments such as the sitar, Tue 3 10 17 24 31 santoor and the sarod, while the British introduced the harmonium, which replaced the sarangi in vocal concerts. Wed 4 11 18 25 In the south, the violin accompanies classical vocalists and is also played solo. Thu 5 12 19 26 These instruments, built with great devotion, are often decked with motifs Fri 6 13 20 27 of flowers, animals or birds. We still find rare specimens of a sitar or a Sat 7 14 21 28 veena in the form of a peacock, a veena shaped like a tortoise or a crocodile (makaraveena) and a tanpura in the likeness of a hooded cobra: designed in an era when the arts, in all forms, were better appreciated.