In order to give exposure to craft communities post the pandemic, Craft Village for the third chapter of the India Craft Week (ICW) has invited RARE India, a community of some of the best conscious luxury hotels and experiences in India and the subcontinent, as a valuable partner.
ICW 2021 will be held in partnership with the British Council India from 18th to 21st February at the British Council Building and Bikaner House in New Delhi. RARE India’s aim under this partnership is to bring into limelight the craft and textile heritage and traditions of various states of India through curated tours to the small towns and villages where these crafts and textiles are handmade.
“This year is very special as artisans and crafts person have gone through a massive phase of distress. It is heartening to see that after one year of pandemic these cultural ambassadors of crafts would be joining us from all over India. This is the largest delegation of Craft Week so far and these artisans will be for the first time gathering anywhere to showcase the rich and grandeur of India’s vast tradition and culture. The initiative is to help revive their home & hopes and connect with communities that appreciate and patronize them. I am hopeful that people would not only extend their hands, but hearts too. ICW 2021 brings the core theme as ‘Crafting Tomorrow’ by bringing everyone together who can help the craft sector revive and bounce back” says Iti Tyagi, Founder of India Craft Week, as she shares her vision for India Craft Week 2021.
Speaking about the craft heritage of India and the need for its conservation and preservation, RARE India’s Founder Shoba Mohan said, “When we speak of the cultural heritage that India possesses, more often than not, we find ourselves picturing massive forts that have been an inherent part of our visual understanding of heritage for a long time. But as much as these tangible sources of cultural heritage narrate tales of the land and its people, several layers of culture remain hidden in the intangible aspects of life that eventually complete the picture of culture in totality. Art, craft, textile, food, festivals and folklore speak volumes about the ways of life practiced by people of a particular region and over the years, all the hotels in the RARE India Community have contributed significantly towards the conservation and promotion of these intangible elements of our culture.”
