Ranjan Ravaliya is an Environmental Scientist and a consultant in Sustainable Development and have been in this field for over thirty years. She has  a PhD in Chemistry from M. S. University in Vadodara, Gujarat, and an ALM in Sustainable Development from Harvard University.

 Give us some background about yourself?

I was born in a small village named Gomta, near Gondal in the state of Gujarat. Gondal is a well-known town for its famous temple, Akshar Deri of the Swaminarayan sect. My early education was done at a Gurukul (a boarding school for girls) in Porbandar Gujarat, the birth place of Mahatma Gandhi.  I also have roots in Africa as my parents lived there for 20 years before the Idi Amin crisis in the early 1970’s. 

 When did you start getting interest in beads?

 My mother is the person I can credit for my interest in beads. As a young girl, she encouraged me to learn the art of traditional Gujarati beadwork. In the villages of Gujarat, mothers, aunts and female elders teach their daughters how to create intricate and traditional stringed beadwork pieces that show off their skills and creativity, while honoring past generations. This artwork is displayed in the family home initially, but when the daughter is married she may take it with her to display in her new home. This is one way young women are able to share and ‘show off’ their talents to their community and extended family.

Where would you use these beadwork?

 Typical beadwork pieces include coverings for ceremonial pots, coconuts, vases, decanters, wall hangings and frames which can be used for decoration as well. Thanks to my mother’s guidance and patience, I have personally made these items and have them throughout my home. When each of my daughters got married, I wanted to continue the tradition and made a few pieces to give to them as wedding gifts. I decided to impart my own creativity and flair onto these very special pieces and used the same traditional stringing beads and instead created artwork on a board that could be glued rather than threaded. Every piece I create is influenced by the personality of the recipient and my mother’s traditional Indian designs.

You also have other hobbies?

My love for sharing Indian culture, arts and traditions with my family and community is evident through my artwork, but it does not stop there. As a registered Hindu Priest (trained at Haridwar Ashram) I have had the honor of making traditional ceremonies and rituals relatable and relevant to young couples getting married or for families and individuals who may not fully understand the reasoning and meaning behind certain actions. I also teach Indian cooking classes at Minuteman Tech Vocational School in Lexington, MA with the goal in mind of making Indian Cuisine more approachable for at-home cooking.

 http://www.libraryinsight.com/eventdetails.asp?jx=hvp&lmx=%CFcd%2C%AB%AAs&v=3

|