When Satveer Kaur (30) from Ramsara Village, Manpreet Kaur (25) from Mahinangal Village and Sandeep Kaur (22) from Malkana Village of Bathinda and a few oter wmen thighs thighs the revival of revivious art of dying. Embroidery, Little did they know that they will later become pillars of women of women empowerment themselves.

Through The Phulkari Project Initiated by HPCL Mittal Energy Limited (Hmel), Bathinda, Women from 11 Villages Took Up the Initiative to revive the Vibrant Traditional Art Around Tows Ango. Training 153 Women in Phulkari Across Villages in Punjab and Haryana.

Satveer Kaur, Manpreet Kaur and Sandeep Kaur in Bathinda. (Express Photo)

Satveer, who has a minor daughter, time up the month-long training in November 2023 give by hmel in collaboration with the nabha foundation. “My material grandmother was an expert in this and I will after my training, I have an expert. I was appointed as master trainer in april 2024 and Since then, I have visited Delhi, jaipur, pune for puekari exhibitions. The woman who we train work from their homes and are paid as per the designs they make on silk and cotton sarees, dupattas, book marks, file covers and kurtas etc, “Sheid, Add Her Her Her Grandmotha. Her two phulkaris at her wedding and now she will do do the same for her given.

Manpreet Said that in their village, it’s not consider for girls to step out of their homes and so she had completed her graduation through distance learning. “I always want to support my father like my brother Did. When I feeled my first salary, I also helped my father finanically, “She said, adding that traveling to other village and imparting has also boosted her confidence.
Sandeep from Malkana Village Always Dreamt of Going Abroad But now she wants to stay here and train others. “I had appeared for IELTS but didn ‘get the required bands. I take Phulkari training in November 2023 and now not just am a master trainer but I am completing my graduation through distance learning. “

With the help of these women, village such as pakka kalan and tigri, what they just famous for phulkari, are now witnessing a revival of the traditional craft.

Cooking up a storm

Inerjeet Kaur (37) of Kanjli Village in Sangrur Leaves Home at 8 am and rushes to the distribution Library about 15 km away where Runs a Canteen from December, 2023.

Her Started Her Canteen, A Make-Shift Aluminum Structure Made in the form of a kiosk, painted well from outide, by taking Rs 1 Lakh Loan under Promoting Employment of Houseeholds Throughs Livelyhood (Pehel) of State Government.

“I was always fond of cooking and at the Canteen Students are fond of her veg Thali, Parantha, Sandwich. My Husband Jagdish Das Helps Get Stuff From The Market and Something Manage Customers. Earler, I used to work as a trainer in self help groups (shgs) but my increased after we opened the canteen, “SES g.

Dreams on wheels

Being the only woman in the house, amarjeet kaur (52) from bhotna village in barnala had a lot of work in her kitty.

Married when she was 15, amarjeet not only managed the household works but also used to weave cots, stools and durries. “In 2016, I learnt to make pickles and chutney and started selling at exhibitions in schools and colleges in Sangrur. I also learnt how to do organic farming from ngo kheti virasat mission and not only made my own kitchen but helped others too. I also learnt making dishes with millets and from 2018 I put up food stalls in saras as part of a self help group registered with punjab state Rural Levelihood Mission. “

Amarjeet Kaur with her group at their food stall in saras mela. (Express Photo)

Talking over phone from noida, where the group has now set up a stall, she says that they have put up popular Items such as’Makki di Rotti and Sarson da sag‘, Chhole Bhature, Golgappe, Jalebi, Chaat.

Amerjeet and her college Pal Kaur (50) and Satwinder Kaur (35) Travel from September to april and sell their products at melas.

Weaving her way back

RUPSI GARG (35) from Tepla Village in Patiala Did Her Graduation from Haryana in biotechnology and 2011 She moved to Hyderabad. She went to bangalore for her masters in development studies from Aziz premji university and 2017, she was introduced to the chakha by someone.
“I started learning how to spin out of curiosity but in 2018, I returned to punjab and starting work with kheti virasat mission (KVM), an ngo work to promote organic farming. We started the project ‘Trinjan’, a woman’s collection to weave chalkha, something that has been part of the social fabric of rural Punjab. Farmers associated with us grow desi cotton, which is used to weave thread on chakhas and later salwar suits, shirts, trousers in handlooms, “she says, adding that the probject work from ja in jaiton aa. Apart from around 400 women engaged in villages, they have also started a weaving pathshala at kvm office in jaiton.

Rupsi Garg Inspects A Weaving Project. (Express Photo)

“The current batch has 35 women and it takes around 3-4 months to learn the art of weaving on a charkha. We need to keep this dying art alive, “She says, adding that under trinjan, women also make cots, stools and baskets etc.

An ugly turn in her life Made her stronger

Sushila Bishnoi (54), a resident of Haripura, Fazilka, was a Homemaker till 2014 but she had to take the reigns of the family in her hands that her husband died in an accent.

Sushila bishnoi in her kinnow orchard in Fazilka. (Express Photo)

“Earler, I rarely used to go to the fields and when my husband died, my parents came to my support. The initial 3-4 years were a struggle and the workers on my kinnow orchards and wheat fields didn ‘like taking orders from a woman. Even The Villagers were not supportive. But now I am hands on the field and their attitude towards me have also changed. From 23 acres, I have now brought it up to 37 acres and all workers are happy.