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 India, 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 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 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 Rajasthan, 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 WED 6 13 20 27 THU 7 14 21 28 FRI 1 8 15 22 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.