Kotpad –a creation of Koraput

Saree is India’s one of the most eminent gifts to the fashion world. When draped in a saree a woman has that quintessential appeal which enwraps her in an entirely enigmatic aura! While some of these creations are just apt for an ostentatious profile, sarees like Kotpad are meant to simply amplify one’s grace and elegance. Devoid of ostentatious ornamentations, Kotpad is simply designed, elegant in appearance with a texture assuring ultimate comfort. It is commonly available in pure cotton, tussar or in a blend of cotton and tussar materials.

kotpad saree from Koraput

The saree essentially hails from Koraput- a region located along the tribal belt of Odisha district in India. The tribes are known as “Adivasis”, meaning the original inhabitants. Owing to the rapid urbanization of these areas, a number of tribals have embraced modernization to a large extent. Kotpad, is one of the eminent creations of Koraput, and thus unfolds the story of relentless hard work of tribal weavers and also some of the other weaver families who have been instrumental in making Kotepad what it is today.

Bula and her family

Bula, a face among many: Like many others, Bula is a small member of one of the weavers family. With three elder sister and parents, Bula’s family is her little own world. Her father, Prahlad Mahato is one of the talented weavers who has been contributing relentlessly in creating fine pieces of the drape. Bula is surely one of the contributing members in the family for whom the reward is her family’s happiness. When asked, what she would aspire for in life, all she would reply is “just a smile on my mother’s face…”

Yarn processing

Kotpad – a silver lining: Most weaver families thrive on handmade creations, a legacy inherited from their ancestors. Most are available in hues of white, maroon, red and black. The color is something contributed by the bark at the root of Aal tree. The sarees are hand woven, processed, refined and then made available in the market. The long winded process includes processing the yarn in cowdung, drying, rinsing, and then later decorating them with simple embellishments.

Kotpad is available in most stores of Orissa and thankfully also made available online for sale by some of the patrons of this garment. The simplicity of the wear just speaks of the story behind its creation. In a nutshell, Kotpad is essentially one of the offerings of Koraput …with stories of the weavers well knitted within its folds.

 

Buddha & Ganpati Statues - Enlightening your home

The Buddha is an inspiration. A path walked on renunciation, shedding off worldly desires to discover peace….the Buddha is surely a great inspiration to mankind.
To bring the gracious presence of the Lord, Buddhaandbeyond offers excellent sculpted images from Khudki village. Khudki is only a Kilometer away from Pattharkatti located in Gaya, Bihar – INDIA.  The Pattharkatti village is named after the well known Darshat Majhi the Ghelout 'Mountain Man' who chiseled away and created a long road on a mountainous terrain. It took him 22 years. He began with the mission to save his wife the hardship of travelling miles through rough terrain to collect firewood. This is the story behind the name Pattharkatti, which in literary sense means cutting the rock.

Just a Kilometer away from Patthakatti is the village of Khudki which is resided by numerous artisans. One among them is Kedar. Kedar, with a team of about 60 artisans works on sandstone and sculpts the amazing Budda statues. He is a respectable member in his community for his contribution in creating ‘Bust of the Mountain Man’ sculptors.  Some of his creations grace four places of historical relevance in Gaya district: Jharna Ghat, Ghelout Ghat, Sharen Junction and Punar.
Kedar also contributes by creating Buddha Sculptors which are sculpted in the image of the Lord in an entirely sanctum sanctorum ambiance at Bodh Gaya. It is the very place where Prince Siddharth attained enlightenment and later came to be known as ‘Gautama Buddha’

Blessed Buddha Idols

The idols once ready, are taken to the shrine at the Mahabodhi Temple. Thereafter, the same are blessed by the ‘Bhantes’ or monks at the foot of the main deity at the shrine. Buddhaandbeyond brings an ample collection of the Buddha idols blessed at the Mahabodhi Temple.
   

Aside from the blessed Buddha idols, Buddhaandbeyond also brings in sculpted idols of the Ganpati or the Ganesha. Lord Ganesha is a Hindu God and son of Shiva and Parvati. He is also known by the name Siddhivinayak which happens to be one of his various forms. Interestingly, Siddhivinayak is one of the eight forms of the Ganesha. Other forms include Mayureshwar, Ballaleshwar, Varadavinayak, Chintamani, Girijatmaj, Vighnahar and Mahaganapati. Together the Lord is known as Ashtavinayaka.  Buddhaandbeyond offers sculptors of Ashtavinayaka and Siddhivinayak among which the latter is a replica of the deity at Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai, Maharashtra.  It is believed that Lord Ganesha helps everyone by removing obstacles and this is possibly one of the reasons why he is worshipped before starting off new business ventures.  The deity is worshipped in many homes across India and also corporate houses. If you too wish to have Ganpati statues in your home or workplace, feel free to browse through our website Buddhaandbeyond.com