Celebrating Joy

At first, the artisans had to be persuaded to insert “fun” into their schedules. Used to putting themselves last, behind family, work, and home, the women did not consider play a priority.  To encourage them to enjoy themselves, MarketPlace staff organized picnics, celebrations, and other outings. The artisans’ husbands initially objected to what they considered

Fall Celebrations

The fall ushers in the Hindu holiday season, with one major festival following another.  Many of the artisans are Hindus, and they celebrate with dance, decorations, and special foods. Ganesh Chaturthi Ganesh Chaturthi begins the season with a 10-day celebration of the god Ganesh (appropriate, as Ganesh is the god of beginnings).  The festival involves

Women freedom fighters of India

The Indian Independence movement spanned over 190 years.  The first struggle was against the East India Company’s rule (1757-1858).  The Indian Rebellion of 1857 initiated a period of opposing the British Indian Empire, the Raj, which finally ended with Indian independence on August 15, 1947. The most famous freedom fighters are men: Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal

Artisan Day, 2016

Every year all the artisans gather to celebrate their work, their accomplishments, their lives. It is an opportunity for the artisans to meet others from all the artisan groups. Each group plans a performance – if it is a skit, they decide on a theme, write the sequence, practice and then perform before all the

Ganesh Chaturthi – A festival honoring Lord Ganesh, 2016

  Hindus and non-Hindus alike recently celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi.  This 10-day festival commemorates the birthday of the elephant-headed god Ganesh, the god of wisdom and good fortune.  It is considered an auspicious time to start new activities and pray that Ganesh, the “remover of obstacles,” will ensure success. Central to most activities are statues of