Last month we were in India's Kutch desert visiting the Khatris. They were very keen to show us the improvements that they have already made to the new land to get it ready for Ajrakh production. Many of you will recall that last year the Maiwa Foundation held a series of auctions and fundraisers to facilitate the land purchase. The new land became necessary due to the falling water tables and water contamination.Two major structures are now complete. The first is a series of tanks which permit the water to be used four times before it is let out to irrigate the fields. Water use and conservation is of prime importance here.
The second structure is a wood fired dye kiln. The design permits very large copper pots to be raised to the correct temperature for dyeing. It minimizes fuel use and eliminates many of the problems associated with the open kettle method of heating. The dyer will climb the steps and monitor the works from above.
