"THE BLUE VEIL PROJECT" |
W
Woven Souls
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"THE BLUE VEIL PROJECT" |
The magnificent head dress of Ladakh - the Perak with rows and rows of
turquoise gem stones is among the most exquisite bridal ornaments in the world.
It is also probably the heaviest symbol of marital status.
Heirloom Peraks weighing between 3 and 8 kg are handed down from mother to daughter
and are signature expressions of identity of all the Buddhist ethnic groups of Ladakh.
The Perak is worn in regions extending from the Zanskaar valley, the Nubra valley, the Changthang valley
as well as the lower valleys of Spiti and Kinnaur.
On a recent trip to Ladakh I had the good fortune to be exposed to 50+ not-for-sale heirloom Peraks.
This lengthy expsoure led to a deep appreciation for these objects of art and awakened my interest in the subject.
As very little literature is available on the subject, I have taken it upon myself to reserach this category
and present the results in the public domain.
This study has been named 'The Blue Veil Project'
In 2012 I plan to devote my time, my energy and my financial resources to this project and I am also seeking
support from readers, textile collectors and organisations.
The details of the project are as follows:
OBJECTIVE
To study Ladakhi Peraks and present the results either online or in the form of a coffee table book
RAISON D'ETRE
The current generation of mothers and grandmothers are the last custodians of in-depth cultural knowledge
about Ladakh's costume traditions.
With the influence of globalisation, traditions are slowly fading and with the
passing on of the elders, the collective cultural knowledge held by this aging group will be lost to the world.
My interest lies in collecting data about Ladakhi Peraks and preserving this knowledge in a format that
will outlive its last custodians and make it available to the world for posterity.
SCOPE OF COVERAGE
Peraks will be studied across the valleys of Ladakh - Zanskaar, Ladakh and Changthang- and the bordering areas of Spiti, Kinnaur and Lahaul.
The study will research
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the differences in Peraks across regions
- the significance of each element of the Perak
- the religious and cultural context of the Perak
- the evolutionary influences that led to the differences between Peraks of different regions
The study will also result in an image library of surviving heirloom Peraks.
METHODOLOGY
Relying on the support of my network of
reliable Ladakhis - drivers, guides and individuals who undertsand their culture deeply - I
plan to travel through the 5-6 valleys into the homes of Ladakhis to study and understand their heirloom pieces and their cultural heritage.
The structured interviews will be recorded on video or paper (depending on permissions granted by the families)
and the heirloom pieces will be photographed professionally.
TIME FRAME
Fieldwork will be conducted in 2012 over 45 days.
Desk work (pre and post) will take an additional 75 days to plan the operations of the project, collate the data subsequently and to present the results
If the coffee table book becomes a real option, then the time to put that together will be in addition to this.
FUNDING REQUIREMENT
The estimated project cost is USD 12000.
This is a non-commercial project and I do not expect to recover any of the money I put in to this project.
I am therefore appealing for partial financial support from readers to ease the strain on my personal budget.
Detailed cost estimates, date plans and final cost sheets will be available to donors.
OTHER SUPPORT
- If you own a Perak please contribute images and information for inclusion in the study.
- Help in arranging for the publishing of the coffee table book will be highly appreciated.
- Publicity for this appeal will be highly appreciated in any form. If you have a website/ forum/ blog please link to this page.
IF YOU WISH TO DONATE
Paypal me at jaina@wovensouls.com
In case bank transfers or cheques are preferred, please write to me for details.
QUESTIONS
I can be reached at jaina@ wovensouls.com and will be happy to discuss the details of the project with you at length.
Looking forward to your support!
jaina mishra
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