Workshop Archive

Our workshops for 2023 found on our events page here.

29th March - 3rd April 2022
Plasters: 29th - 1st / Flooring 2nd -3rd

Rajasthani Lime Plastering & Flooring Workshop

Proto Village - Hindupur Andhra Pradesh

Lime plasters are cooling and permeable in nature and allow buildings to breathe. Creating healthier living spaces. In this extended workshop you will learn the traditional Rajasthani lime plastering techniques of Thappi, Lohi & Araish plaster as well as lime flooring. For those short on time we are offering the workshop in two independent workshops. The first four days will be dedicated to Rajasthani plasters. The final two days will cover lime flooring. Join us for either or both to experience for yourself how these ancient traditions can add a timeless touch to your home or that of your clients.

Proto Village in Ananthapur district Andhra Pradesh are welcoming us to become a part of their community for the duration of the workshop. Dawood ji will be laying an 800 sq ft lime floor in a newly constructed lime and stone hexagonal building featuring a stunning shallow Rohtak dome for a roof. `

Workshop Content

Practical Sessions

Theoretical Sessions

Thappi Plaster

Made from a combination of slaked lime, surki (fired brick powder), aged gur & metthi seed water, Thappi is an attractive textured plaster that gets its name from the wooden implement that is used to tap the plaster as it cures, firming the plaster & preventing the formation of cracks. The characteristic lines hatched across the plaster are caused during this process giving the plaster its own unique charm. Thappi is also the base upon which the finer Lohi and Araish are applied.

Lohi Plaster

Lohi plaster is made by combining finely sieved slaked lime with finely sieved surki, which is then ground on a stone to a fine paste. This is then applied as a thin flat finishing layer over Thappi.

Araish Plaster

The most painstaking of all Araish is made by combining finely sieved slaked lime with marble powder then grinding it to a fine paste. It is then applied over either Thappi or Lohi plaster and at a certain stage of curing is burnished by hand with a stone.

Araish is a silky smooth waterproof plaster with a finish similar to that of the Moroccon polished plaster – Tadelakt

Lime Flooring

Lime flooring is cool when the weather is warm and warm when the weather is cool. Soft underfoot yet durable and breathable. Made from a unique blend of slaked lime, surki (brick powder), sand, fibre & admixtures, according to the Rajasthani tradition this technique of flooring may be left with a Thappi (hatched) finish, Lohi – a smooth finer finish or with tiles laid in lohi mortar on top.

Benefits of Lime

The Lime Cycle
Introduction to the various types of lime and their uses
Durability of lime & comparison with cement
Thermal properties of lime
Preparing wall surfaces for application of lime plaster

Taught By Highly Skilled Rajasthani Artisans

Master artisan Dawood Muwal, has over 50 years years experience perfecting his craft. He comes from a long lineage of lime artisans. The knowledge he carries with him has been collected over generations and passed on to him by his forefathers. He is an experienced teacher having taught his craft at CEPT in Ahmedabad as well as hosting a couple of workshops in his home town for Thannal.

Theory sessions will be co-taught by Kimberley Moyle, founder of Indi Architecture. The workshop is 90% hands on with Dawood ji sharing his lifetime of experience working with these materials. The theory sessions are designed to explain the science behind his knowledge.

Meet the Artisan - Dawood Muwal

Dawood ji comes from a lineage of lime artisans that goes back centuries. With his older brother Abdul Razak ji now retired Dawood is the most senior in his family still proudly practicing this craft. Dawood ji is happy to share his lifetime of experiential knowledge and is keen to keep this tradition alive.

Much of his career has been spent in Bombay working on restoration and renovation projects at iconic locations across Mumbai. Among which are the likes of Mumbai University, Taylor Memorial Methodist Church, Chartered Accountant Bank as well as countless private residents and Bungalows. He is also an experienced trainer, having taught workshops at CEPT in Ahmedabad as well as an extended workshop in his hometown.

Our Host - ProtoVillage

ProtoVillage was founded in 2014 on 12.5 acres of absolutely barren land, in Tekulodu village within the second driest district in India (Anantapur), to be the *prototype of a Resilient rural community* built by the villagers, for the villagers.

We define a Resilient community as one in which the inhabitants practice harmonious interdependence, employ ecologically sustainable means, and blend native knowledge systems with contemporary appropriate technology to achieve self-reliance in terms of the 9 basic needs: 1. Food & Water security, 2. Shelter, 3. Clothing, 4. Healthcare, 5. Energy, 6. Connectivity, 7. Enterprise, 8. Education and 9. Disaster Management.

ProtoVillage (www.protovillage.org) is a space for systemic solutions for rural resilience to be collaboratively developed, iteratively refined, diligently practiced, comprehensively demonstrated, and openly shared!

A prototype implies an intention to design for replicability. While at the moment we are working on building up a formidable prototype, and learning to be the change we wish to see, we hope to proactively initiate replication in a couple of years.

Inclusions & Cost

Workshop

6 days of hands on teaching & practice in a small group setting

Theoretical classes

All materials

Food & Accommodation

3 Vegetarian meals a day & morning & afternoon tea.

6 nights dormitory accommodation.

*Arrival on the 28th evening & departure on the evening of the 3rd

Full Workshop 6 days – All Inclusive Cost 18000 Rs per person

Plasters 4 days – All inclusive Cost 12000 Rs per person

Lime Flooring 2 Days – All inclusive 6000 Rs

**Hotel accommodation is available 6km from the site at Lepakshi Tourism Guest House – 1000INR per room, per day

**Camping on site is possible. Participants should bring their own tent.

Kutchi Mud Work & Wood Carving Workshop
Hodko Village - Rann of Kutch - Gujarat

7th - 12th Nov 2021

Mud Work or Lippan ka Kaam as it is known locally is a unique tradition of sculptural artwork created by the women of Kutch to decorate their homes. Incorporating three dimensional geometric patterns with inlaid mirrors these artworks are created freehand with a mixture local clays combined with fine, fibrous horse manure for strength. Traditionally created to embellish doorways, windows and interior walls, this craft is slowly disappearing as families opt to plaster their homes in cement.

In this workshop you will be learning directly from master artisan Bharmabehn. She is the proud owner of one of the few remaining earthen Bhunga’s in the region. Her home is a stunning example of this unique cultural tradition.

Wood Carving – Lakadi ki Khodai is another famous vernacular tradition of the Kutch region. In this workshop you will spend two days learning under the guidance of master artisan Namori Bhima. His family have been creating masterpieces to ornament grand Haveli’s for centuries. Their designs, consisting of eight different geometric patterns, have been handed down to them by their forefathers, . True to their tradition, every aspect of their work is done by hand.

The workshop will be hosted at Bharmabehn’s home in Hodko village. We will be hosted by her son in his homestay. This is a special opportunity to experience not only their unique vernacular traditions but also to be a part of the beautifying of Bharmabehn’s Bhunga in the lead up to Diwali. Our final evening will be spent celebrating the festival of light with Bharmabehn and her family.

What You Will Learn

How to identify and harvest natural clays suitable for sculptural work and clay painting
How to prepare clay for sculptural work and painting
Natural admixtures
How to create designs in the Kutchi tradition
How to use your body as a measure for precision
Introduction to the various woods used in the Kutch region
Introduction to hand tools used for wood carving
Demonstration of 8 different wood carving designs
Guidance on how to work with chisels
Instruction on how to measure and draw designs for carving work
You will gain a unique insight into Kutchi traditions pertaining to vernacular architecture, handicrafts & culture.

Meet the Artisans

Workshop Schedule

Practical Sessions

Day 1

Pick up from Bhuj at 9 am

We will travel by private taxi to Khavda where we will meet Bharmabehn for morning tea. She will then guide us to the site where she collects different colours of clay for her mud work. We will harvest some for ourselves so you can learn for yourself how to turn the mud under your feet into a master piece.

Whilst in Khavda we will take a quick detour to visit Hira Bhima and Namori Bhima’s workshop in Ludiya village to get you inspired for their upcoming wood carving sessions.

After lunch we will head to Bharmabehn’s village in Hodko. We’ll meet her family and have a quick tour of Bharmabehn’s Bhunga and the leather workshop where her husband and sons practice their ancestral craft.

The afternoon will be spent learning about the various mud plasters they use in their village for the courtyard floors and walls of the Bhungas. We will also begin preparing the clay and other materials for the next day.

Day 2

Mud work. We will begin with a mud work demonstration by Bharmabehn. You’ll see she is an expert at freehand design. Afterwards you will spend the rest of the day practicing the technique on the exterior of Bharmabehn’s Bhunga. Bharmabehn will be on hand for one on one guidance to help you perfect your technique.

Day 3

We will continue on with our masterpieces from the day before up until lunch. After lunch we will have a session on how to prepare your own clay paints using the material harvested on the first day.

Once ready Bharmabehn will again give a demonstration and we will begin the application.

Day 4

Today is all about clay painting. We will continue with our clay painting from the day before. All the while Bharmabehn will be guiding us and perfecting our technique as we go.

Day 5

Today we begin our introduction to the intricacies of wood carving, Kutchi style. Namori Bhima will introduce us to their tradition explaining the eight different designs that have been handed down to them over generations. We will begin with some of the simpler designs and as we start to develop our skills Namori Bhima will introduce us to more.

Day 6

One day working with chisels is not nearly enough so we will continue with our practice from the day before. Today Namori Bhima will also demonstrate the design drawing process so that you will be able to recreate these designs on your own.

Day 7

Early morning departure after breakfast by private taxi for Bhuj.

***Timetable is subject to change

Inclusions & Cost

Workshop INR 10000

6 days of hands on teaching & practice in a small group setting
All materials
Transport from Bhuj to Hodko & return

Food & Accommodation INR 6000

3 Vegetarian home cooked meals a day & morning & afternoon tea.
6 nights triple or quad share in a homestay setting (non-attached bathroom)
Private Bhunga available at extra cost

Rajasthani Lime Plastering & Flooring Workshop
Kangra - Himachal Pradesh

18th - 23rd September 2021

Lime plasters and flooring are natural, breathable and beautiful to look at and touch. They have withstood the test of time with the oldest examples being traced back to the ancient city of Jericho around 7000BC. Lime plasters are cooling and permeable in nature and allow buildings to breathe. Creating healthier living spaces. In this extended workshop you will learn the traditional Rajasthani lime plastering techniques of Thappi, Lohi & Araish as well as lime flooring. Experience for yourself how these ancient traditions can add a timeless touch to your home or that of your clients.

The historic Nandpur Fort overlooking the Pong Dam will be your canvas. Providing the perfect setting to learn about the importance of restoring heritage properties utilising appropriate materials and techniques.