To increase the reach of the popular native art of Kumaon region Aipan beyond local residents, the Nainital district administration is planning to use online marketing platforms to make the objects displaying Aipan drawings available at other regions too.
Since November 21, the district administration is providing training to 60 women in the Aipan art form under Naina Devi Growth Centre in Haldwani. Vipin Kumar, the General Manager of district industries centre (DIC) of Nainital disclosed that Aipan is an art form which is drawn at every household in Kumaon region but it is mostly done on floors or walls. In order to make this art more popular, the administration has appointed trainers to train women to draw Aipan on various objects like cloth and frames so that people can use it to decorate their homes and the art can become a part of their life. The officials stated that drawing Aipan designs on objects needs more precision, especially when they are meant to provide business to these women and hence, a three months training is being given to the trainees. The women are initially trained to draw designs on paper, then cardboard and then on cloth and this way, their drawing and precision skills are developed over a period of time, added officials.
Moreover, Kumar stated that the administration is currently providing training to only 60 women due to Covid-19 pandemic and even these women are getting training at three different locations with 20 women in each group to maintain proper physical distancing among them in the training centres. The administration is trying to provide employment opportunities to these women who belong to National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) and Self Help Groups (SHGs) and the number of these women will be increased in the next few months too, said Kumar.
Meanwhile, the officials also informed that the administration is planning to make the products displaying Aipan drawings available in online shopping sites too besides promoting them in the local markets and nearby tourist spots so that more people can get to know about the products and help to spread the art form besides growing the business of these women.
Sunday, 20 December 2020 | Purnima Bisht | Dehradun
