Published Paper Details:

Over the ages, the jali craft work on the soft stone in the Varanasi city of Uttar Pradesh has come to be recognised as one of the rich traditions in the domain of stone craft with this wisdom being transferred from one generation to another. The soft stone jali work of Varanasi has created its own unique identity not just in the domestic circuit but in the global markets too. While, earlier, this craft was used mostly on temples, sculptures of gods and goddesses, and some other architectural structures; today, it has also evolved to cater to the utility and decor needs of the market. Consequently, the artisans have started creating utility products using the jali craft like - pen-stands, paperweights, coasters, tiles, lampstands, trays, bowls, boxes, tabletops, etc. This paper attempts to study the ideation processes going into the determination of the designs of the products created using the craft. It aims to capture the strategies applied in understanding the design needs of the market in creating the products and the factors that artisans consider before finalising the designs of their crafts. Methodologically, the paper builds on a qualitative approach deploying in-depth focus group discussions (FGDs) and a semi-structured questionnaire, focusing on design inspirations, historical influences, market demands, and product evolution for data collection with the soft stone jaali work artisans of Varanasi. The data collected through these methods would be transcribed and analysed using qualitative data analysis techniques. In terms of contribution, the findings of the paper would underline the recent trends and innovations in the craft from a design perspective which may be seen as a humble addition to the existing knowledge.