COVID-19 and Cyclone Relief Update
Greetings from Studio Ruyee!
I hope you are enjoying cooking Indian food and are now fearlessly throwing the spices in your curry!
I am writing to give you an update on the situation of the weavers of West Bengal’s Karustuti Collective. When I first reached out to you in April the Indian government had just announced a nationwide shutdown and the situation was dire. The entire textile economy closed down and the weavers were without money for food, housing, or medicine.
With your support, accompanied by delicious Indian cooking, we raised over $10,000 to start a Karustuti Relief Fund. Thanks to you, we fed 82 families (over 200 people), provided them mosquito nets to safeguard against malaria and dengue fever and sent antibiotics and other medicines to keep the children healthy.
The way you stepped forward to bridge this gap for them moved me so! I am overwhelmed by your generosity!
Sadly, there was another tragedy on its way. On May 20th 2020, Cyclone Amphan - with 125 mph winds - made landfall in West Bengal and settled over Ranaghat District, home to the Karustuti weavers. Amphan was the strongest storm ever recorded in the Bay of Bengal. It destroyed half of the weaver’s homes and damaged most of the looms. Miraculously, all the weavers and their families survived.
My fear was that we would lose these incredible artists to day labor in the urban areas and with them would go thousands of years of regional history and weaving traditions. In addition to sending money for food, Hari and I supplemented the remaining Karustuti Relief Funds to focus on repairing and rebuilding both the looms and the homes.
The single joy in all of this trouble was the birth of Tumpa Rani, the newest member of the Collective! Gorgeous and healthy she was born in the emergency shelter and is now safe and sound at her family home! This could not have happened without all of us. Thank you!
In April I invited you to take a cooking class and help put these amazing artisans back to work. We did it! They are so grateful to be seated at their looms and weaving once again. The first shipment of table linens, bedding, and textile art has arrived and joins Ruyee’s collection of wearable art, hangings and home goods.
Our one-of-a-kind textiles can be viewed in our Gallery and are now available for sale.
Additionally, you are invited to explore the beautiful imagery showing the lives of the weavers.
Please reach out to me to make a private and socially distanced appointment at Studio Ruyee. Alternatively, I’m happy to do a FaceTime or Zoom call to show you the fabrics.
In gratitude,
Anita Gopalaswamy
Studio Ruyee
612-814-5211