The result is a project of solidarity among traditional artists that had never happened before.
Since the 1970s, there have been 21 other artist colonies like this one in Delhi.
But this is the largest and most famous, the notorious and charismatic ‘Kathputli Colony’,
The word kathputli is derived from the Rajasthani words katha (wood) and putli (doll); so this is literally the ‘Colony of Wooden Dolls’, or ‘Puppet Colony’.
1,000 years of artistic traditions, crammed into 11 handmade acres, built and sustained by around 700 artist families. (The exact total is in debate).
Even hardened NGO case workers agree there is an unmistakable charisma here.
As Raji Sethi says of the kalakars:
“There’s a light in the eye.
A fire in the belly.”