So here I am, Chetna Mahajan, at the age of 42, beginning the second innings of my career with something that took a back seat in my life 25 years back. It is painting and sketching.

Let me take you to the flashback where a seven-year-old me used to draw and paint pictures all by myself while my fellow kids used to take help from their parents. Soon I was taking part in various painting competitions in school and winning them too. Even the kids from my vicinity used to come to me with charts and big smiles to get their projects made by me. And I was always happy to Help.

At that time, being an artist was not considered a profession and since I was good academically too, I did B.Tech and then MBA and landed a job in the banking sector. I used to write in my CV that my hobby is Painting and Sketching. So once an interviewer asked me to make his sketch. So, forget about the questions, there I was, making his sketch impromptu and guess what!! I cleared the interview.

After my marriage, I was still working until the birth of my daughter. In the absence of any support, I took the most difficult decision of my life i.e., quitting a successful career to take care of her. After four and a half years, I was blessed with my son. I have enjoyed motherhood to the fullest and have been a hands-on mother to them. Both my kids are also interested in painting and often make lovely pictures. It’s been 10 years of career break and with two kids, I am a full-time homemaker. I never regretted my decision to quit my job but yes, the financial independence as well as the urge to do something on my own was something I always missed.

So last year, I started searching for a job preferably WFH so that I can give enough time to kids too. Even after Six months of trying I could not find a suitable job. Then, my sister and cousin motivated me to start a page on Instagram and post my work as they were aware of my talent and insisted that there is so much recognition of artwork in the last 2-3 years.

Like every housewife, being too occupied with our household priorities and routines, it took me another 4 months to actually START. Yes, that’s a big word for us. I made an Instagram page and started posting pictures of hand-painted little things initially like bookmarks and fridge magnets. Even making reels and managing social media accounts was a big challenge for me. I was not confident about where this page will lead but one thing, I was confident about was the quality of my work and my dedication.

Now, after seven months, the amount of love and feedback I get keeps me going. I truly didn’t expect to grow this much that now I am getting good orders, am taking workshops also, and will be launching my own art & craft classes and that too without compromising my responsibilities at home.

My mantra for life is “Whatever you do, make sure it makes you Happy”. Even the tiniest of things that make you happy, should be part of your life. It’s the happiness that painting gives me that motivates me and the thought that one day, my kids will be proud of me.

My message to all my fellow artists or moms is to START. Take that small, tiny step to follow your dreams. One step will lead to many more steps and will take you on the right path. The journey will bring many challenges but keep on moving nonetheless how slow it may be. Believe in your talent. If not successful, this will surely make you happy. And that’s what we all want in life. Right?

You can reach me out on Instagram

@art_vibesbychetna   

The post Second Innings Of My Career- Chetna Mahajan appeared first on The Pink Journey.

On India’s 73rd Republic Day, iTokri – India’s leading platform for handicraft and handloom products – pledges to revive and support the dying crafts of India. Calling it the ‘Save the Craft’ campaign, the brand will be showcasing 12 shortlisted handloom and handicraft art forms on their website that have historical significance and represent stories and traditions of their regions of origin. The campaign starts with showcasing Ajrakh craft form – the traditional hand block printing style from Gujarat.

India’s handloom industry is the second-largest employment provider for the rural population in India after agriculture and, directly and indirectly, impacts over 4.3million people. Even though India is the world’s largest producer of handicraft and handloom items, it is struggling to survive under the pressures of fast fashion. Age-old craft forms like leheriya, kalamkari, kasuti, bagru block printing, and many others have had royal statues in the past, but with time, the demand started dwindling. The artisans were left with little to no work, and many even gave up family traditions of making these products due to the lack of money, recognition, and appreciation.

Under the ‘Save the Craft’ campaign, iTokri has chosen Madur and Sabai Grass from West Bengal, Chikankari from Uttar Pradesh, Ajrakh printing from Gujarat, Kalamkari from Andhra Pradesh, Kasuti Embroidery from Karnataka, Patachitra from Odisha, and six other handloom and craft styles to showcase throughout the year.

iTokri promotes these crafts on their website and social media platforms and try to provide as much visibility as possible so that more people buy and support the cause. Through this campaign, iTokri aims to rank the artisan’s skills in the global market and offer customers an easy access to a wide range of unique handicraft and handloom products from across the country.

Speaking about the ‘Save the Craft’ campaign, Co-Founder of iTokri, Mr. Nitin Pamnani said, “Our goal is to preserve the legacy of all-natural handlooms and handicrafts that are dying and promote it at all possible levels. We aim to sustain the practice and prevent it from becoming extinct amidst fast fashion trends. Through this campaign, we want to support the age-old art forms of India and contribute to the growth graph of the sector.” He further adds, “At iTokri, we have a policy of selling the products in the name of the artisans, giving them their due credit and recognition. With this campaign, we hope that people will take notice of these artisans, support and encourage them to keep their efforts going.”

iTokri works with over 10,000 artisans, impacting more than 5 lakh families directly and indirectly. Being a fair-price organization, the brand works on an inventory-based model where it makes an outright purchase from the artisans before selling.

The campaign begins with showcasing Ajrakh art – the craft of kutch that carries many meanings. The popular story amongst local printers is that Ajrakh means “keep it today.” It is also known as azrakh, the Arabic word for indigo, a blue plant that thrived in the arid ecology of Kachchh. The art is made in a sixteen-step process of washing, dyeing, printing, and drying, which requires a high level of skill and concentration in order to keep colors fast and even. Ajrakh hand-block printing and natural dyeing is more than 4000 years old and is practiced mainly in Kutch and Sindh regions.

About iTokri

A handwritten note on a piece of recycled paper and a handmade trinket is what one receives with every order, neatly wrapped in eco-friendly packaging from Gwalior-based iTokri, making it one of the most loved e-commerce portals to a discerning domestic and global audience who are enthusiastic about Indian handicraft and handloom products.

The online store for handicraft, handlooms, fabrics, jewelry, paintings, and other artworks is India’s only crafts and loom retailer with a hundred percent inventory of handmade artisanal products ranging from Punjab’s phulkari dupattas and Gujarat’s bandhani sarees to Andhra’s ikkat handloom fabrics, and Odisha’s pattachitra paintings. It sources products, including jewelry, dress materials, and household items from nearly 10,000 artisans across India, making it the largest curated portal for art and handicraft products with over 100,000 listings. The portal adds 500 plus new products on a daily basis too.

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