temple blessings

temple blessings

2014 - ongoing

Mumbai, India

The temple bell stops—
but the sound keeps coming
out of the flowers.
 
— Matsuo Bashō, 1644-1694 (translated by Robert Bly)
 
In Hindu temples across India, devotees offer gifts of flower garlands to invoke the blessings of deities. Every day, wilted blossoms are replaced with fresh garlands, pleasing the gods with their fragrance and color. The previous day’s blessed offerings, or nirmalya, are carefully gathered and disposed of in water, as is Hindu ritual.
 
The Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai, one of the country’s most visited, sees approximately 4.8 million worshippers a month. Bearing gifts of flowers and coconuts, they call on Ganesha, god of wisdom, knowledge, and new beginnings. Stalls line the temple complex displaying sweets and flowers. Each of the vendors sells 20+ kilograms of flowers a day; over 500 kilograms of flowers are discarded by the temple to make room for the next day’s offerings.
 
Adiv, a natural dye workshop in Mumbai, partners with Siddhivinayak to receive its discarded nirmalya. Marigolds, roses, hibiscus, and coconut husks are collected, sorted, and used to dye cloth. Onion skins and pomegranate husks donated by local food vendors are also used. Only ingredients that are ayurvedic, or pharmaceutical or food grade are used for dyeing, and nothing with any food value. At the end of the process, materials are composted.
 
Dyeing is an elemental process. Just a few items are required: water, petals, fabric, mordant when needed, a steamer. Each piece of cloth is prepared one at a time, often by two people working swiftly and seamlessly in unison. To create various textures, the petals, husks, and skins are used whole or pulverized, wet or dry. For Adiv’s “idli technique,” named after a popular Indian food item, fabric is layered with petals and neatly folded onto itself forming a small packet, like a parcel of food. Each packet is steamed for 30-40 minutes before it is unfolded, shaken free of petals, rinsed, and hung to dry. Occasionally, a petal or two will evade inspection and remain stuck to the fabric – a welcome sign of work done by human hands. The process produces a monoprint, where the petal’s shapes are transferred directly onto fabric leaving an imprint of color. Depending on weather and humidity, the same flower yields surprising dye variations of color and lushness.
 
dosa began collaborating with Adiv in December of 2014. The organization, founded in 2006 by Rupa Trivedi, is a business and social venture in Mumbai dedicated to natural hand dyeing. Adiv empowers its young, self-taught artisans through steady employment and creative freedom. Each came to the center with zero dyeing experience, learning new techniques through trial and error. Two Saturdays a month are dedicated to experimentation. Workers keep a daily journal of processes to ensure that results can be duplicated. What began as two pots in a kitchen has grown to foster a small group of young men and women into skilled, steady income earners. As Adiv expands, new jobs and new opportunities continue to be created.
Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbai
garlands of hibiscus, jasmine, marigold
one of many vendors displays garlands and sweets
red hibiscus, a favorite of Ganesha, the Elephant God
gajra, flower hair ornaments for young girls
worshippers wait to enter with offerings
coconut blessed by Hindu priests are used to make prasad, a food offering given to devotees
image of Ganesha in Adiv’s workshop
temple flowers carpet the floor at Adiv
Vinod sorts offerings at the temple
sorted sacks of hibiscus, marigold, and rose
rose and marigold petals drying
shikakai and soapnut, used together as soap
scouring fabric with soapnut and shikakai
mordanting for 30 minutes
measuring 12”
tying off fabric to be resisted or undyed at both ends
tightly wrapping resist area in plastic
scattering and folding marigold petals into the fabric
working in tandem
fabric is folded into a 5x5” square, bound loosely with string, and steamed
Rupa and artisans wait during steaming
the parcel is untied after 30 minutes
shaking off the petals
petals are collected for compost
rinsing in cold water and hanging to dry
garland of dried red hibiscus; fresh rose petals
dried rose petals; onion skins
coconut husks
a new steamer accommodates larger batches
coconut husk dye bath is stirred 40 minutes in preparation for solid colors
dye swatches from Adiv for Traveler 2015
Traveler 2015 colors
Spring 2016 colors
Summer 2016 colors