Swasti Pachauri

Reflections Swasti Pachauri

Ref lections: Handicrafts, Sustainability, and Livelihoods is a collection of the author's previously published essays on arts, crafts, traditions, and anecdotal imagery inspired by nature. The work attempts to amalgamate the author's observations from her field experiences with some of her interpretations, as those have evolved over the years. The contents of this collection have previously appeared in various fora such as Down to Earth, and the online editions of publications such as Hindustan Times, and The Indian Express. Primarily, the work attempts to showcase the potential of artisans and the self-help groups (SHGs), their human and creative capital using the principles of entrepreneurship, sustainability, and natural resource management. It provides an insight into how the rural communities are adept at creating something beautiful with minimum resources despite being constrained with factors of capital and time. From the eco-friendly crafts of the central Indian plains, beads, and jewels of Alirajpur, to the unique Chhind and Khajoor crafts, artisans not only exhibit their finesse and deftness with these beautiful spectacles but also demonstrate their entrepreneurial and ecological acumen. Additionally, the dedicated sections on local tourism, nature, and sustainability capture the ethereal beauty of the fruits of ecology around us. From the f lower clocks and green infrastructure of Geneva; the blooming trees of Delhi; anecdotes associated with the flowers of Palash and 'Shravan Tal' in Kanha; legends associated with festivals, craft-fairs; to finally finding Mogli in the dense forests of Madhya Pradesh - the book is a modest attempt at condensing most of the author's field experiences.