The 2001 earthquake in Bhuj destroyed lives, homes and livelihoods, leaving men and women living in the Kutch region of Gujarat destitute. However, the resilient population fought to stand on its own feet once again, with a little help from good samaritans and NGOs. One of the major ways in which the state was able to not only regain, but also surpass their previous stature, was through the promotion of their beautiful handicrafts.

The Rabaris are one such tribe, where the women create beautiful embroidery work, using typical motifs of birds and animals, as well as abstract forms and shapes. Once only used for creating beautiful dresses for family functions like weddings, these wholesome, embroidered pieces have now become a fashion statement.

One of the organisations that helped the community evolve, is Spun. It looks to give these women a global platform. Now, two of their members, Megiben Rabari and Bejiben Rabari, are here in the city, displaying their artwork at the Kala Ghoda festival.

“The embroidery that we do is a traditional type of thread-work that my mother taught me and her mother taught her, though we have added a few innovations of our own. My own daughter, who is in college, can’t even stitch a single line though,” Megiben laughs about this being a family art.

Both women, who lost their homes and land in the earthquake, have gained newfound confidence through their work. “We cook for our families, clean the house, take our kids to school and then go to work at the NGO centre,” explains Bejiben, with the blasé attitude of a typical career woman. Though it’s not a typical nine to five job, the women have to go the centre to work on their art, which in turn finds buyers across the globe. “I can understand bits of English, too, since my son is learning the language. I just can’t speak it fluently yet,” she adds, with a twinkling smile.

For CEO of Spun, Dipali Goenka, this is a proud moment. “We’ve helped empower women in Kutch, who were till just a few years ago facing a number of hardships. The awe-inspiring art they produce is now being sold across the globe, and nothing makes me happier than knowing that we helped put the art of Kutch on the global map,” she beams.

This is the first time that the women have attended an exhibition of this scale, and Dipali is ecstatic about how well their interactions have gone so far. “This is the first time the Spun women have stepped out of their village and are attending such an exhibition. We like this place very much and the ambiance here is so lively. The people of Mumbai have been clicking pictures with us, and appreciating our handicrafts so much. It’s been a great experience so far,” she gushes.