By C K Nayak
There are many stores in the upmarket Connaught Place in Delhi, some of them even of international brands since it is the national capital. In such a bustling market place in the heart of the metropolis close to the Parliament, Rashtrapati Bhawan and Central Secretariat, an ethnic store named Meghalayan Age was agog with something other than selling.
The event was the release of a debut poetry book “Brittle” by poetess Riniki Chakravarty Marwein. The launch was made in the presence of lege Bah Lou Majaw, a celebrated musician for his tribute to maestro Bob Dylan. Majaw in his indomitable style did not release the book by just cutting a ribbon or opening a packet. The nicely wrapped book was kept in a traditional handicraft closed basket. While he unveiled the book, he also went many steps ahead by singing some of the poems of Riniki playing with his guitar, all impromptu. The Singapore based poetess herself recited some poems and in intervals joined Majaw in singing and grooving.
The musical book launch was celebrated by the HER Art series, an initiative championed by Meghalayan Age as part of its ongoing first anniversary celebrations. Tanya Roseline, the spokesperson from the Meghalayan Age, the store, anchored the colourful evening. “We launched the Her Art series dedicated to the women of Meghalaya, and their contribution to a diversity of practices including art, craft, literature, performance and entrepreneurship,” she said.
Interestingly, Brittle is a product of the anxiety and emotions that the lockdown and travel freeze that accompanied the two-year long COVID-19 pandemic. It is a product of mental-visiting loved ones and places back home. Brittle is therefore a coping mechanism, a fragment of personal history – the pleasant and the scarred. The author was stuck in Singapore and apprehensions about near and dear ones back home in the hill state were haunting her mind.
Riniki said, “I got pretty nostalgia-struck during the lockdown. My childhood and the time spent in India kept roaming in my head in flashback forms over and over again. I was home-belted like everyone else and I was very worried about my loved ones. It got kind of scary, so I had to find a way to let my anxiety out. This is when I started writing the book and I can’t believe it is finally published.”.
In other words, Brittle is a gathering of family and childhood, love, loss and memory. It is the fuel the poetess wrote with during the pandemic, which guides the pieces to come together as a theme. They are simplistic in form and style, while bolstering vivid unrest to reveal her path to find herself.
Meghalayan Age store presents a distinctive blend of culture, tradition, and artisanal excellence in traditional offerings of the hill state. The venture was established not as a commercial undertaking but a dedicated solution to combat the challenges faced by small artisans and emerging entrepreneurs in the remote state. This launch of a physical store in New Delhi and the accessibility of products on online platforms has also created a one-stop marketplace for buyers, curators, and art connoisseurs who are interested in the artisanal heritage of Meghalaya. The uniqueness of the store is that its entire product line is wholly homegrown, handpicked, and handcrafted by local artisans and entrepreneurs.
The store besides off the self-selling provides an opportunity for literatures, artists and performers to showcase their craft to an audience, enabling them to gain recognition and creating a center of Meghalayan culture in the capital. The emphasis on the revival of local crafts and products and the showcasing of local artists and performers at the store has led to the revitalization of Meghalayan culture in the capital, creating an atmosphere of community and celebration.
The Store also aimed to put Meghalaya on the map for artwork, handicrafts, handlooms, food, literature, and even music that are entirely indigenous, handcrafted, and locally produced. This objective is reflected in the meticulously curated product selection. Bringing the finest culinary products grown in the hills of the state such as Lakadong turmeric, wild forest honey and Sichuan pepper, in addition to the more widely available ginger, black sesame, and cinnamon. Additionally, the handloom and handicraft collection offer artistic vision and extraordinary pieces inspired by the culture of Meghalaya. The collections range from apparel pieces from award winning weavers on textiles such as cotton, Eri, and mulberry silk to innovative and eco-friendly products from bamboo and rattan cane. These unique products are carefully selected for their quality and sustainability.