INTACHTHE HERITAGE CLUB NEWSLETTER

VOL. 9 No. 3JULY - SEPTEMBER 2012

Introduction Story Of SilkStory Of Silk

Story of Silk 1Let's Make Silk 2The Marvel that is Silk!! 3The Silk Story 4

Unravel the Silk Story 5Silk Spread of India 6,7India's Silk Legacy 8Activities 4 U 9, 10

Heritage News, Subscription Form 11Prize Winners, What’s Next? 12

CONTENTS

Its sheen is exemplary, its softness unparalleled, it is the most prized possession, loved by one and all. Its existence was the best guarded secret of all times – Silk and its making has a huge history behind it. The Chinese have been credited with the invention of silk. However, this was a hugely guarded secret for nearly two thousand years.

Resham, as it is known in India has its own history too. Research suggests that sericulture exist-ed even in Harappa during the Indus Valley Civilization.

With its texture and colours, silk has always been the royal wear, it has adorned the kings and the royalty and even today this fabric continues to receive the patronage of those who value its beauty.

Production of silk in India is next only to China. Not only do we produce silk in huge quantities, we also consume it the most. Most of the silk is produced in Karnataka. The Mysore silk sarees are known for their soft texture. Kanchipuram and Mysore in South India and Banaras in North India are some of the other well known silk producing cities. Towards the eastern side of India, Murshidabad and Malda districts of West Bengal are well known for their silk. Bhagalpur is another place famous for its silk. Pochampalli sarees from Pochampalli in Andhra Pradesh are known for their classic designs and quality. In the north eastern side of India, in the state of Assam, three diff erent types of silk are produced –Muga, Eri and Pat, collectively called the Assam silk. Muga and Eri are produced by silkworms that are found exclusively in Assam. Weaving and rearing of silk here is an old tradition.

Silk is an inseparable part of Indian culture and tradition – religious functions, weddings, birth, no ritual is complete without silk being used in some or the other form.

Hi Young INTACH Pals,As we travel on the silk journey

we will explore this beautiful fabric, we will discover its

history, its stories…..

DISCOVERY OF SILK IN A CUP OF TEA!!

According to a Chinese legend, the credit for discovering silk is given to Empress Huang Di also called Xi Ling Shi, wife of the mythical

Yellow Emperor in about 3000 BC. The legend goes that while drinking tea beneath the mulberry tree, a silkworm cocoon dropped

into her hot cup of tea which then unravelled to form a long delicate thread. She is also credited for discovering the silk reel, fi rst silk loom and also for employing silk to make garments. She was worshipped in the Qing

dynasty as the ‘goddess of silk‛.

Amisha Negi,DAV Public School, Ambala Cantt

Silk’s history is a mysterySilk is the smoothest of allAnd has never lost its charmFewer silkworms today on the farmHas put all of us on alarm

Manya Narwal, Std. 6, Delhi Public School, Sec 45,Gurgaon

DID YOU KNOW

Silk comes from the thread spun over the

cocoon or a kosha. Thus silk is also known

as ‘kausheya‛.

Some Indian scholars believe

that silkworms or Bombyx mori

were first domesticated in the

foothills of the Himalayas.

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LET’S MAKE SILK

SILKWORM EGGS

The eggs are kept at 65 degrees F and gradually increased to 77 degrees.

SILKWORMS

When the eggs hatch, the baby worms are fed mulberry leaves every half an hour. The weight of a

newly hatched silkworm increases 10,000 times within a span of one month. Thousands of worms feeding on mulberry leaves sounds like falling rain. The worms also change colour while fattening and shed their

whitish–grey skin.

COCOON STAGE

During this stage, the silkworms are protected from strong winds,

loud noises and strong smells. When the worm is ready to build cocoons, a jelly-like

substance is formed in their glands which hardens when it comes in contact with air. The worm then

spends 3-4 days spinning a cocoon.

BOILING OF COCOONS

It takes 8-9 days for a cocoon to dry after which the worms are killed by being boiled or steamed.

The cocoons are dipped into hot water to loosen the fi laments and unwound into a spool.

FILAMENT REELING

Each cocoon fi lament is 600-900 metres long. 5-8 of these fi laments are twisted together to make a

strong thread.

SPOOLING

Threads are put together on a spooling frame to make them stronger.

WEAVING

These are then woven into a silk cloth.

Ahimsa silk The silk cocoons are immersed in boiling water to kill the worm amounting to cruelty. Some people initiated what is known as ‘ahimsa silk’. With ahimsa silk the cocoons are left alone for 7-10 days. Once the worms grow inside the cocoon, they are allowed to pierce the cocoon and fl y away as moths. It might not be as bright as regular silk, but for people more concerned about being compassionate to all living forms, ahimsa silk is indeed a boon!

The cocoons are sorted according to colour, size, shape and texture as these aff ect the fi nal quality of the silk. The cocoons may range from white and yellow to greyish.

Vaishnavi, Std. 8, Cecil Convent School, Ambala Cantt

The silkworms need to be watched carefully as the birds would eat them. The mice and even the ants too are enemies. The ants sting the silkworms to death and then eat them gradually.

Mukul Walia, Std. 10, Raksha Anusannndhan Vidyalaya, Raipur, Dehradun

Though just a fabric, silk represents royalty, it evokes grandeur and represents beauty. However, while we do appreciate

the colour and the beauty of a silk saree, do we realize how lengthy and demanding the process of producing silk is? It

is a process that is meticulous and demands close monitoring.

DID YOU KNOW

Based on 1 kilometer per cocoon, ten unravelled cocoons could theoretically

extend up to the height of Mount Everest !!

Ma, making your saree is hard work indeed!

The raw silk fi laments are reeled into skeins. Silk thread, also called yarn, is formed by throwing or twisting the reeled silk.

Bhoomika Gopiyani, Bhavan's Shri A. K. Doshi Vidyalaya. Jamnagar, Gujarat.

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THE MARVEL THAT IS SILK!!We were overwhelmed with the enthusiasm that all our heritage clubs showed. We received a huge number of entries.

A big thank you to all of you for putting in so much of eff ort. Thanks and keep going!

Silk is the most handsome of all textile fi bres with unique fi neness, strength, sheen, and feel with great affi nity for dyeing and resistant to acid treatment.

Goutami S Salunke, KLE School, Dharwad

Silk, silk you’re pure as milk.We’re never wrong when we say you are strong.You’re obtained from a silkworm, a wriggly worm.Though you are costly, you make our appearance glossy.Therefore Miss Silk you are classy.Rachel Shrishti Jacob, Std. 8, Grace Academy, Dehradun

Silk is a continuous thread which maybe as much as 800 m long, making up the cocoon. The silkworm has a pair of glands which produce both a liquid form of the protein, fi broin and a sticky substance called sericin. The two glands together therefore form two fi bres which are then spun together by a specialized organ, the spinneret!! ISN’T THAT UNIQUE

Ishita Garg, Std. 4 , V.V.D.A.V. Public School, Delhi

Interesting Facts about Silk Moths• I am the silk moth female• I do not eat or drink.• I lay between 200-500 eggs.Shivani, Std. 5, Little Ones Public School

It’s not just the silkworm Silks are produced by several other insects. Many silks are produced by the larvae of insects undergoing complete metamorphosis, but some adult insects such as raspy crickets produce silk throughout their lives. Other types of arthropod produce silk, most notably various arachnids such as spiders.

Shailja Kapoor, Std. 8, Bhavan’s S.L. Public School, Amritsar

Silk is good for our health !!Did you know that silk and our skin both have the same types of amino acids? These acids are capable of soothing our nervous system and help us to have a pleasant and sound sleep. This energizes the body and therefore slows the aging process.

Himaja K, Std. 10, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Public School, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad

Sleeping on a silk pillowcase is said to delay the wrinkles on our face because of the essential amino acids in silk bedding.

P. Satwik, Std. 9, Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan’s Public School, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad

IT IS WARM IN WINTER AND IT IS COOL IN SUMMER!!

FIND THE SILK IDIOM

FIND THE SILK IDIOM

REFBI5

SORMIKWL2 10 11 4

DSRES8 3

CINA9 7

TAP1 6

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1. Silk is classifi ed as _______2. I create the cocoon3. The silk saree is a ____ worn

in India4. Silk originated here5. This kind of silk is produced

by Bombyx mori

Illustration by: Hershita Tully,Tarini Vohra, Std. 9, Hansraj Model School, Delhi

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VOL. 9 No. 3

THE SILK STORYJust like its extraordinary sheen, history of silk is exemplary. Clouded in mystery for a very very long time, its discovery

too was nothing short of miraculous. Finding its way out of China to the world, the trade, the magic and the mystique all

together make the history of silk truly unique.

The Trans Asia trade routes were also known as ‘The Silk Route’ as it was along this route that the silk from China was brought to Turkey and then sold to Europe.

The silk route was not a single road but a number of caravan routes that were interconnected and trade was conducted through these routes. It is also believed that the silk route is much older, while sericulture dates back a few thousand years. Nearly 6,500 km long, the Silk route got its name due to the Chinese silk trade that was

conducted along this route. The trade of silk was very lucrative and began during the rule of the Han dynasty.

Silk Route played a very crucial role in the development of the great civilizations of India, China and others. Though silk was the main trade item from China.

The Silk Route attained its signifi cance as along with trade the route also helped in the exchange of religion and philosophy too.

THE UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY!

ON THE SILK ROUTE The silk trade was started before the Silk Road was offi cially opened in the second century BC.

Vanshica Sahni, Std. 8, Amity International School,Sec-43,Gurgaon

Even though the Silk Route dates back at least 5500 years, silk only dates back about three thousand years. The early trade on the route started with not silk but rock salt.

Shiladitya Ckakraborty, Std. 9, Delhi Public School, Megacity Kolkata

The silk route had three main routes but all were incredibly dangerous with desolate white-hot sand dunes, forbidden mountains, brutal winds and poisonous snakes. Northern Route-westward to Black sea, Central Route-westward to Persia, Mediterranean sea and Rome, Southern Route-westward to Iran, India.

Daksh Khillan, Std. 4, Delhi Public School, Rohini, Delhi

FABLES OF THE SILK ROUTEFABLES OF THE SILK ROUTEA Fable is a short animal tale, most often told or written with a moral tagged on in the form of a proverb. All fables convey morals that are useful in our day-to-day life. They may also feature mythical creatures, plants, etc. with human qualities.

The Silk Route was famous for its fables told by the merchants and missionaries as they made their way across the cities of Asia like ‘The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs‛. Create your own fable in around 150 words with original sets of characters and a moral. You can only use any three of the words given below. These words should be an integral part of your fable – silk route silkworm wish magic silk

My three words- __________,__________,__________

The Fable of __________________________________

____________________________________________

Do send in your stories to us, the best three entries will win a prize.

According to the legend of the Silk Princess many thousands of years ago there was once a beautiful princess who lived in the Land of Silk, China. She grew up beautiful and intelligent. The emperor, her father wanted her to marry the King of the Land of Jade, Khotan. She was happy with the match but was sad as she knew the King of the Land of Jade could not make silk. The secret only belonged to China. So she hid the cocoons and the mulberry seeds in her beautiful headgear. The guards dared not touch her. And so she took the secret of silk to Khotan and lived happily ever after.

Then from Khotan it travelled along the Silk Route with travellers monks and traders to India and beyond.

LEGEND OF THE SILK PRINCESS

Painting of the Silk Princess, 600-800 AD, British Museum

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UNRAVEL THE SILK STORY Our heritage club members have been very generous with their contributions. The entries have refl ected beauty and

creativity. So together, let's unravel the magical mystery that was, is and will be –silk!

Interesting archaeological fi nds from China includes a small icon cup carved with a silkworm in the lower Yangtze River. This reveals the origins of sericulture to be even earlier than 3000 BC.

Sahi, Std. 7, Bhavan’s S.L. Public School, Amritsar

In China the silk trade reached its peak under the Han Dynasty during the 1st and 2nd century AD.

Mahika Agarwal, Std. 7, DPS, Sector 45, Gurgaon

The best Chinese bark (a particular kind of silk) cost as much as 300 denariis (which was a Roman soldier’s salary for an entire year) !!

Aayisha Asma, Std. 8, Alpha English Higher Secondary School, Puducherry

During the second century BC, the Chinese emperor, Han Wu Di’s ambassador went as far as to the West, Persia and Mesopotamia, with gifts that included silk. They also reached Baghdad in AD 97. Important fi nds of such Han silk have been made along the Silk Road.

Deepti Mathur, Std. 9, All Saints Sr. Secondary School, Ajmer

Some Western historians feel that mulberry-tree cultivation

spread to India through Tibet during 140 BC. Cultivation of

mulberry trees and the rearing of silkworms began in areas

along the Brahmaputra (Assam) and Ganges (Banaras).

The fi rst Indian silk, spun as early as 1725 BC, was produced by cocoons of Tussar, Eri and Moga moths.

Hemakshi Malik, Std. 9e, Manavsthali School, Delhi

The use of silk in Indus Valley Civilization was seen during 2450 – 2000 B.C. It is interesting to note that the fi bres excavated from Harappa and Chanhudaro were processed using the same degumming and reeling process as those of the Chinese!

Arodipa Chowdhury, Std. 8, Salt Lake School, Kolkata

One of the most important parts of the Silk Route that is either ignored or misunderstood is the route to India. Today there is a border but the mountains created an eff ective Northern borders for India that blocked trade. The main trade route for India was by sea or present day Afghanistan.

Pratyush Singhal, class VII-A, Gwalior Glory High School, Gwalior, Madhya

Pradesh

It is said that the Zoroastrians from Persia had migrated to Gujarat and also bought with them the unique motifs and techniques that were popular in their own country. Since they came from the area around Persian Gulf, known for its high quality pearls, they used real pearls for their beautiful embroidered borders!

Shreyasi Raje, Std. 8,The Banyan Tree, New Delhi

The Smritis of Yajnavalkya and Manu speak of Kausheya and Kosha, as does the Mahabharata. When Yudhishthira established his kingdom, a passage states, ‘the Cheenas and the Hunas from the mountains brought tribute to Yudhishthira in the form of silk and silk worms.’

P Raghu Priya, Std. 8, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s School, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad

Akbar took an active role in development of silk by bringing Gujarati weavers to the royal workshop. Rich merchants in and around Varanasi started trading fi nished silk products and buying zari and silk materials.

Asmita Sanyal, Std. 8, Salt Lake School, Salt Lake City, Kolkata

For thousands of years the west knew very little about silk and the people who made it. Pliny the Roman historian wrote about silk in his Natural History in 70 BC.

Simarpal Singh & Harmandeep Singh, Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School, Amritsar

The Roman Empire traded in silk. But in spite of its popularity, the secret of silk making was only to reach Europe around C.E. 550, from the Byzantine Empire.

Manpreet Kaur, Std. 9, Model Academy, Jammu

It was the crusades which brought silk production to Europe. Also it was the changes in manufacturing techniques that began to take place during the middle ages, with devices such as the spinning wheel.

Animesh Trivedi, Std. 9, Maharshi Patanjali Vidya Mandir, Teliarganj, Allahabad

The fi rst important step in linking the Silk Route between the West and East happened with the expansion of Alexander the Great’s empire into Central Asia.

Gargi Heda, Std. 10, Alok Sr. Secondary School, Udaipur

By the fourth century B.C, Alexander the Great is credited with the introduction of silk to Europe.

Sanchit, Std. 7, Delhi Public School, Ambala

SILK REACHES INDIA

SILK TRAVELS TO EUROPE

SILK DISCOVERED IN CHINA

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VOL. 9 No. 3

Silk is so much a part of our cultural heritage and tradition that you just cannot miss it. Each region has its own style

and bountiful at that. A large chunk of silk goes into the making of silk sarees. Let’s have a look at some of them.

In India what we refer to as silk is probably only the mulberry silk which is obtained from the silkworm that feeds

exclusively on the mulberry leaves. Historically it might have also been produced in India especially in the eastern

states like Manipur and Assam. However there are other kinds too, each produced by a diff erent silkworm. The

amazing thing about these worms is that each one also feeds on specifi c leaves and thereby produces a specifi c kind

of silk.

PAT SILKMulberry silk (pat) is the most popular

of all categories of silk and produced by ‘Bombyx mori’ that completely feeds on the leaves of the plant. Most of the commercial

silk is made by this type of silk.Kunal, Std. 9, Hansraj Model

School, Delhi

MUGA SILKMuga silk is produced by ‘Antheraca

assamensis’ silkworms which feed on the leaves of Som and Soalu plants. This silk is

golden yellow.Anuj, Std. 9, Hansraj Model

School, Delhi

ERI SILKTo get Eri silk, ‘Philosamiaricini’ silkworm are reared on castor leaves. It is also called Endi

or Erandi.

Divyanshu, Std. 9, Hansraj Model

School, Delhi

egion has its own style

k at some of them.

ilkworm that feeds

ecially in the eastern

nt silkworm. The

roduces a specifi c kind

Madhya CHAND

MAHES

Maharashtra PAITHANI AND NARAYANPET

Gujarat BANDHANI

AND PATOLA

Rajasthan KOTA DORIA AND

BANDHANI

Kashmir KASHMIRI SILKS

Karnataka MYSORE

SILK

Tamil NadKANJEEVARAKUMBAKON

DHARMAVA

AndhraPOCHANARA

Kerala KASAVU

SILK

JAMMU AND KASHMIRThe cocoons that are preserved with care in the state of J&K turn

into the fi nest variety of silk yarn that is not just used for the Indian silk industry but because it is of such great quality that it

is exported to other nations as well.Masifa Manzoor, Std. 5, Govt. Middle School,

Kashipora, Srinagar

TASAR SILK Tasar silk is made from the silkworm of

mulberry plant. It is reared on Arjun and Asan plant. The silk is of copper colour and

less lustrous than the mulberry silk.Aayush, Std. 9, Hansraj Model

School, Delhi MADHYA PRADESHChanderi sarees are made in a town with the same name –Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh. The Chanderi is hand woven and made of

cotton and silk mix.

Silk Spread of India

KINDS OF SILK

GUJARATPatola forms the traditional grail of a Gujarati bride. The term Patola is derived from Sanskrit word Pattal. Patan in Gujarat is famous for

the manufacture of Patola. Ravneet Kaur, Std. 8, Delhi Public School, Mathura Road, Delhi.

The patolas are known for their subtlety and beauty. Here, both warp and weft are dyed by dye resist method in a range of fi ve or

six traditional colours like red, indigo, blue, emerald green, black or yellow.

Mayank Verma, Std. 10, Delhi Public School, Sonepat

In my state Gujarat, Patola silk is very famous. It is known as the queen of all silks.

GalaniHarrd, Std. 9, St Francis School, Jamnagar, Gujarat.

MAHARASHTRAJust like the Chanderi, Paithani sarees

are named after a town in Aurangabad, Maharashtra – Paithan. Perhaps the best

known saree from Maharashtra, it is made from really fi ne silk. KARNATAKA

A majority of the silk in India is produced in Karnataka, particularly in Mysore and

some regions of North Bangalore.

Chandrika, Std. 9, Govt. Girls Hr. Secondary

School, Mubarak Mandi, Jammu

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Pradesh DERI & HWARI

Chhattisgarh KOSA SILK

Uttar PradeshBANARASI

Orissa BOMKAI, IKAT &

SAMBALPURI

Bihar TUSSAR

SILK

Assam MUGA SILK

West BengalMURSHIDABAD, BALUCHARI SILK

du AM & NAM

ARAM

a Pradesh AMPALLI,

AYANPET

UTTAR PRADESHBanaras is one of the leading silk weaving centres

in India. Amru silk, Jamvar, Jamdani, etc. are various types of  beautiful Banarasi sarees.

Suchi Sharma, Std. 8, Navy Children School,

Visakhapatnam

ASSAMAssam is the home of several types of silks, the

most prestigious being Muga, which is the golden silk exclusive to this state. Weaving in Assam is so

artistic and so intimately linked to folk life that Gandhiji, remarked: "Assamese women weave fairy

tales in their clothes!”Kongmong B.C Aily, Bethesda Hr. Secondary School,

Nagaland

TAMIL NADUKanchipuram is a town 101 kms away from

Puducherry famous for its temples and sarees. The pallu of the Kanjeevaram sarees are added to the body separately so that sometimes one can see the diff erence in the texture between

the body of the saree and the pallu.

M.Thulasi, Std. 7, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya,

Puducherry

WEST BENGALIn West Bengal, in the districts of Bankura, Birbhum, Purulia, Murshidabad and Malda, the weavers make silk fabrics in rich and varied textures using both Tusar and Mulberry silk. Baluchari silk and Murshidabad silk belong to West Bengal. Adrija Ghosh, Std. 9, Delhi Public School, Megacity, Kolkata

Embroidered silk sarees especially Kantha stitch and Batik of Shantiniketan with traditional motifs are trendy now-a-days.Maitree Sengupta Std. 8, Salt Lake School, Kolkata

SOME SILK SAREES

ANDHRA PRADESHThe designs on the Pochampalli silk sarees are

uncomplicated geometrical patterns based on the Ikat process of weaving.

K.Sai Srinivas Reddy, Std. 9, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s,

Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad.

Himru or amru is a type of Indian brocade, a specialty of Hyderabad.

Ishitta Gupta, Std. 5, Army Public School,

Alexandra Road, Ambala Cantt

Banarasi Paithani

Patola

Kanjeevaram

Maheshwari

Assamese Muga

Ikat

Baluchari

JHARKHANDJharkhand is the leading Indian state in

production of silk, mainly Tusar silk.

Homi Singh, Std. 8, D.A.V. International School,

Ranchi

DID YOU KNOWPatola or the double ikat silk

fabric was exported from India to Indonesia in the 13th century.

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VOL. 9 No. 3

According to folk lore a fi nely woven silk saree could be passed through a fi nger ring. All sarees were handwoven. The simple hand-woven

villagers' sarees were often decorated with checks or stripes that were woven into the cloth. For the inexpensive sarees, block printing

using wooden blocks and vegetable dyes were also used.

A GLORIOUS PASTSome of the earliest surviving silk materials have surfaced from very unexpected quarters – Buddhist monasteries in Central Tibet. These loosely woven silks are comparatively rougher in both texture and design and are from the late Sultanate and early Mughal periods.

Surprisingly silk that was used during the Mughal period by the royalty both for apparel as well as furnishing has somehow survived. Outstanding amongst these are large–scale silk tent panels and silk fl oor spreads.

By the mid–eighteenth century production of patterned silk seems to have moved away from the imperial centres thereby signalling the downfall of the Mughal dynasty. Towns such as Surat, Aurangabad, Hyderabad, Burhanpur, Murshidabad and Tanjore emerged as important sources of silk fabric catering to the needs of the aristocracy.

By the beginning of the nineteenth century Banaras or Varanasi emerged as the important centre for silk weaving. Weavers from the Deccan regions like Paithan, near Aurangabad made amazing silk shalus or shawls and saris for the Marathas too.

Bengal too acquired fame for its Baluchari sarees from the Murshidabad region. The complex Baluchar art would have been lost after the death of Dubraj, the last master weaver in 1903.We need to credit the All India Handicrafts Board for reviving this technique in the 1960s!

MAGNIFICENT MUGAAfter crossing the Pat Koi range in the 15th century, Sukha Pha became the fi rst Assamese king to enter Assam, after defeating the Nagas and other local chieftains. He is credited with introducing silk and silk-rearing in the state. Used primarily by the royalty, silk rearing began in upper Assam during his reign. Muga paat or the golden silk is unique to Assam.

Silk might be a rich man’s cloth but people who have traditionally been involved in its making are desperate to make two ends meet. Let’s fi nd out why ......

With more and more people opting for the cheaper machine-made sarees, both the art of hand weaving as well as the artisans who had mastered this art are at crossroads. Lack of raw materials, invasion of low-cost Chinese products, and an overall decline of the industry have led to depression and suicide amongst the weaver community.

The silk industry in India engages around 60 Lakh workers and it involves small and marginal farmers.

Siddanth Toshniwal, Std. 9, Bhavan’s S L Public School, Amritsar

Presently there are nearly 300 silk mills functioning in various parts of the country employing over 63 lakh people directly and indirectly. A large number are in a poor shape today.

Akash Viswakarma, Std. 12, PCB Sir Tashi Namgayal

Senior Secondary School, Gangtok

There are a few man-made fabrics that have given silk some competition. The latest one is

a polyester blend called ‘microfi ber’. It has a very close look to silk, but is more stain-resistant and much lower in price.

Pulkit Sethi, Std. 8, D.A. V. Public School, Riverside, Ambala Cantt

INDIA’S SILK LEGACY

DO WE CARE FOR OUR LEGACY?

DID YOU KNOWAll in one-sericulture

Sericulture has come up as a cottage industry that combines agriculture and industry, providing a means of livelihood

to many people - mulberry cultivator, co-operative rearer, silkworm seed producer, farmer-rearer, weaver,

hand spinners of silk waste and traders.

Silk for Ritual Panels and Temple Hangings In our country, places of worship are always decorated and the objects carry religious and mythical motifs.

In Jainism, there is a tradition of displaying pigment- painted cloth panels with the depictions of their prominent places of pilgrimage. If a Jain devotee is unable to visit the places of pilgrimage, he or she can go to a nearby temple where painted panels are displayed. The ritual panels are made of silk which is then referred to as a sacred textile.

Mughal Tent Panels, Calico Museum

Padukas of Jaina monks/nuns on a silk panel,

Sanskriti Museum of Indian Textiles.

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ACTIVITIES 4 UDraw and colour your own design on the graph

MAKE A WALL HANGING

Most modern designs in silk are repetitive and restricted to fl owers and paisley. However, awareness for revival of traditional craft is increasing and innovation is taking place.

Kritikia Chopra, Std. 9, Summer Fields School,

Gurgaon

FROM OLD TO NEW! Use the border of a torn or old silk saree to decorate your pen stand.

Cushion covers can also be made from old silk sarees.Shaista Shireen, Std. 8, Maharana Pratap

Education Centre, Kanpur

Illustration by: Ginni Dangi, Hansraj Model School, Punjabi Bagh, Delhi

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VOL. 9 No. 3

ACTIVITIES 4 U

ACROSS

2. I am also the name of a place, And I belong to Andhra Pradesh

3. I am from Madhya Pradesh. I am a beauty in cotton and silk mix

7. This tie and dye beauty of Orissa is for all to see, like Ikat, it is an intricate weave

8. A three-piece classic from the east, To the eyes I am a feast

9. Silver and gold zari adorn me, From UP, magnifi cent for everyone to see

10. From Maharashtra, made of silk and gold, I show a kaleidoscopic eff ect by using two colours so bold

DOWN

1. The queen of silks an Indian woman’s dream. This saree from Tamil Nadu reigns supreme

4. Like the special muslin from Bengal, I am from Baluchar and I stand tall

5. Patan is my land, my place, To own me there is always a race

6. I also mean a knot; From Gujarat & Rajasthan I can be got

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I became the most precious family heirloom!Write your dialogue with a silk saree which was lovingly handed down from mother to daughter in 150 words. The saree talks to you on how she sees different generations take her as a gift.

How about visiting a few places this time around. Here are some suggestions:• Visit a Textile Restoration centre in your city or town. If you are in Ahmedabad you could visit the Calico Museum of

Textiles which is the premier textile museum of the country. In case you are in Delhi you could pay a visit to the Sanskriti Museum of Textiles in Anandagram.

• Pay a visit to the local weavers and see how the sarees or silk fabric from your particular region are woven.

LET'S FIND OUT IF YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT THE SILK SAREES !

Ma, I love the collection of your silk sarees, each

different, and each splendid

P Arnav Raju, 6th Std. Betharing School, Visakhapatnam

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INTACH

HERITAGE NEWSTHANK YOU HERITAGE CLUBS FOR BEING A PART OF TAGORE

AT 150 POWER OF THE PEN

As India  celebrated the 150th  birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, INTACH with its network of heritage clubs and chapters all across the country did an enriching programme named “Tagore at 150 – Power of the Pen” for schools to enhance their understanding of Tagore’s contribution to Indian culture.  

INTACH received around 6000 entries from students of middle and senior school.

Entries were also received in regional languages including Bangla, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu and Kannada. 70 regional winners were selected from all over the country. The national winners travelled to Santiniketan and were felicitated at Visva Bharati by the Vice Chancellor of Visva Bharati, Prof Sushanata Dattagupta. For the national winners this was a journey of discovery of Tagore.

Details of Tagore

events, entries and

winners in our next

issue-Power of the Pen

WELCOME TO THE HECS FAMILY, SCHOOLS OF AMBALA, LEH,

MUMBAI, DELHI, FARIDABAD, PALWAL ETC.

INTACH LADAKH CHAPTER has established Heritage clubs with students from diff erent government and private schools in Leh who meet monthly for heritage activities.

LOG ON TO www.youngintach.org, register and download our free worksheets.

We have many new exciting activities, worksheets and information for schools.

Read our articles on Unknown monuments, weekly Heritage alerts, Young INTACH Newsletters and reports on the activities conducted by various Heritage clubs.

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VOL. 9 No. 3

WHAT'S NEXT?PRIZE WINNERS

Do you have any ideas, comments or suggestions to make Young INTACH more interesting? We welcome any thoughts on what themes you would like us to select for the upcoming issues of Young INTACH.

Please write to:

Purnima Datt

Heritage Education and Communication Service (HECS)Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH)71, Lodi Estate, New Delhi 110003Tel: (011) 24641304, 24645482, Fax: (011) 24611290Email: intachhecs@gmail.com, Website: www.youngintach.org

FEEDBACK

October-December 2012Power of the Pen

India has a fascinating history of manuscripts, sacred books and historical texts which are a vast treasure trove for our country. Write to us about your favourite book, manuscript of

the past from your state, or region OR your

favourite writer /historian of the past from your state or region.

You could also write to us about diff erent styles of writing in India, kinds of writing material and tools used for writing.

Your write up should not be more than 100 words. You could accompany this with illustrations and photographs.

Last date for entries: August 15, 2012

January- March 2013Palaces–Glimpses of Glory

Our country India has witnessed mighty kingdoms and dynasties down the ages. The palaces speak to us about our glorious past. They are built in diff erent styles, shapes and sizes.

• In about 100 words write about the most interesting palace, mahal, royal residence, haveli, or palatial home in your region or state. You could include its history, interesting facts , stories, myths and architectural features.

• You could also send us a sketch, painting or an illustration of the palace , royal residence or haveli that amazes you with its beauty.

Last date for entries: November 15, 2012

INTACH was established in 1984 and has dedicated all its eff orts to the conservation and preservation of India’s vast natural and cultural heritage. The primary objectives of INTACH, as stated in its Memorandum of Association are:i) To create and stimulate awareness among the public for the preservation of

the cultural and natural heritage of India and respect and knowledge of past experience and skills”

vi) To act as a pressure group by arousing public opinion when any part of the cultural or natural heritage is threatened with imminent danger of damage or destruction, arising out of private or public policy or in any other manner

xiv) to undertake and provide for the publication of a journal, books etc., in furtherance of the objectives of the society.

To know more about INTACH, visit: www.intach.orgRecognizing the importance of heritage education, INTACH set up the Heritage Education and Communication Service (HECS) in 1998. Since then HECS has initiated several diff erent types of training programmes for diff erent target groups: the public, professional groups, city and local authorities, our INTACH chapters, school and college teachers and students. The aim of these programmes is to make citizens aware of their role in the conservation and preservation of our natural, cultural and living heritage.

To know more about HECS projects and publications, visit: www.youngintach.org

We are grateful to the Ministry of Culture for sponsoring Young INTACH,

a quarterly heritage newsletter for and by children that has about 40,000

readers and the number keeps on going higher with each issue.

CreditsPurnima Datt

Research, Compilation and Editorial

Kirti Kaul

IllustrationYatindra Kumar

Circulation and SubscriptionMoby Sara Zachariah

EditingBashobi Banerjee

Printing and DesignColorcom Advertising

Hindi TranslationSanjay BharadwajINTACH

Acknowledgement

Material Heritage Division, INTACHTara Sen

References

1. Textiles and Crafts of India -NIFT publication2. Handcrafted Indian Textiles-Rta Kapur Chisti3. Indian Textiles-An Introduction to the collection

of Sanskriti Museum of Indian Textiles4. Hands on Heritage, HECS, INTACH5. A History of the World in 100 Objects -

Neil Mac Gregor

Manya Narwal, Std. 6, Mahika Agarwal, Std. 7, Delhi Public School, Sec 45,GurgaonAmisha Negi, DAV Public School, Ambala CanttMukul Walia, Std. 10, Raksha Anusannndhan Vidyalaya, Raipur, DehradunVaishnavi, Std. 8, Cecil Convent School, Ambala CanttBhoomika Gopiyani, Bhavan’s Shri A. K. Doshi Vidyalaya. Jamnagar, Gujarat.Goutami S Salunke, KLE School, DharwadIshita Garg, Std. 4 , V.V.D.A.V. Public School, DelhiRachel Shrishti Jacob, Std. 8, Grace Academy, DehradunShivani, Std. 5, Little Ones Public SchoolShailja Kapoor, Std. 8, Sahi, Std. 7, Siddanth Toshniwal, Std. 9, B.S.L. Public School, AmritsarP. Satwik, Std. 9, P Raghu Priya, Std. 8, K. Sai Srinivas Reddy, Std. 9, Himaja K, Std. 10 Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan’s Public School, Jubilee Hills, HyderabadHershita Tully, Tarini Vohra, Std. 9, Hansraj Model SchoolVanshica Sahni, Std. 8, Amity International School, Sec-43, GurgaonShiladitya Ckakraborty, Std. 9, Delhi Public School, Megacity KolkataDaksh Khillan, Std. 4, Delhi Public School, Rohini, DelhiAayisha Asma, Std. 8, Alpha English Higher Secondary School, PuducherryDeepti Mathur, Std. 9, All Saints Sr. Secondary School, AjmerSimarpal Singh & Harmandeep Singh, Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School, Amritsar Manpreet Kaur, Std. 9, Model Academy, JammuAnimesh Trivedi, Std. 9, Maharshi Patanjali Vidya Mandir, Teliarganj, AllahabadGargi Heda, Std. 10, Alok Sr. Secondary School, UdaipurSanchit, Std. 7, Delhi Public School, AmbalaHemakshi Malik, Std. 9, Manavsthali School, DelhiArodipa Chowdhury, Std. 8, Asmita Sanyal, Std. 8, Maitree Sengupta Std. 8, SLS, KolkataPratyush Singhal, Std. 7, Gwalior Glory High School, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.Shreyasi Raje, Std. 8,The Banyan Tree, New DelhiKunal, Std. 9, Aayush, Std. 9, Anuj, Std. 9, Divyanshu, Std. 9, Hansraj Model School, DelhiMasifa Manzoor, Std. 5, Govt. Middle School, Kashipora, SrinagarRavneet Kaur, Std. 8, Delhi Public School, Mathura Road, Delhi.Mayank Verma, Std. 10, Delhi Public School, SonepatGalani Harrd, Std. 9, St Francis School, Jamnagar, Gujarat.Chandrika, Std. 9, Govt. Girls Hr. Secondary School, Mubarak Mandi, Jammu.Suchi Sharma, Std. 8, Navy Children School, VisakhapatnamKongmong B.C Aily, Bethesda Hr. Secondary School, NagalandIshitta Gupta, Std. 5, Army Public School, Alexandra Road, Ambala CanttM.Thulasi, Std. 7, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, PuducherryAdrija Ghosh, Std. 9, Delhi Public School, Megacity, Kolkata Homi Singh, Std. 8, D.A.V. International School, RanchiAkash Viswakarma, Std. 12, PCB Sir Tashi Namgayal Senior Secondary School, GangtokPulkit Sethi, Std. 8, D.A. V. Public School, Riverside, Ambala CanttGinni Dangi, Hansraj Model School, Punjabi BaghShaista Shireen, Std. 8, Maharana Pratap Education Centre, KanpurP Arnav Raju, 6th Std. Betharing School, VisakhapatnamKritikia Chopra, Std. 9, Summer Fields School, Gurgaon

CROSSWORD ANSWERS1. KANJEEVARAM 2. POCHAMPALLI 3. CHANDERI 4. BALUCHARI 5. PATOLA 6. BANDHANI 7. SAMBALPURI 8. MEKHLA 9. BANARASI 10. PAITHANI

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