Barabanki: Journey of digitising centuries old craftsmanship

Not much sets the village of Saidanpur, Barabanki, apart from any other village in India. At least that’s one’s first impression. Until he / she dares to take a closer look at the jaw dropping craftsmanship that happens inside each of the villagers homes. With a cultural heritage and family traditions that go back centuries, weavers from Saidanpur are literally the working hands that keep Indian designs as vibrant as ever in the 21st century.

Stemming the wave of knowledge

“Come and sit!” That was the invitation Sharafat Ali made me, when I asked him what he had been learning in the past couple of weeks. The boy, who couldn’t have been older than twelve, kindly showed me a place to sit in his friends circle, while grabbing a couple of batteries and wires in his hands.