Little Pitara — A chest of happiness
Dream Catchers by Little Pitara
In a world full of stress where everyone is in a race with others or with his or her own selves for a better lifestyle, we need something that brings good vibes and peace in our lives and yet so subtle that it requires no effort. Here comes the role of a dream catcher!! A concept 5000 thousand years old yet easily suited to our modern lifestyle!
Natives believed that the night air was filled with good and bad dreams. The legend of the Dream Catcher is that it captures the bad Spirits and filters them, protecting us from evil and letting through only the good dreams. It is believed that each carefully woven web will catch bad spirit dreams in the web and disappear by perishing with the first light of the morning sun. The shape of the traditional dreamcatcher is a circle because it represents the circle of life and how forces like the sun and moon travel each day and night across the sky.
With a combination of this traditional belief and science of color therapy, people are accepting dream-catchers to be part of their home interiors. It not only makes the walls of your house, the window or your ceiling look beautiful, giving you an opportunity of a 100 likes to your Instagram post, the colorful ambiance of your surrounding provides good vibes making your life more positive and lively.
The City of Lakes, Bhopal is also catching up with this trend.It is now open to new ideas, products, and a vibrant lifestyle.
Karishma Ajwani, The founder of Little Pitara is all set to provide just the right product at the right time. She says “I had just completed my Degree in Product Design from Symbiosis Institute of Design (Pune) when I found out about the budding ‘flea market’ culture in the city. The flea market culture is very popular in cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and the likes. Such platforms provide an opportunity to Indian designers, artist, and people with small businesses to showcase their products and boost their creative potential. As a visitor, I was always fascinated by the people standing on the other side of the table, selling their artsy handmade stuff, even when I was in school’’
She says her fascination towards handmade things and the flea market culture guided her towards her next step that was to establish her own brand. Her brand Little Pitara offers styles of dreamcatchers for home décor, and dream-catcher themed accessories like keychains, bracelets, necklace earrings.
When discussing how did she decide to move to Bhopal and choose dreamcatchers as the torch-bearer for her brand. She proudly adds, ‘’I belong to Bhopal. My parents, my alma mater, my home is here.” She further adds “ I had made my first dreamcatcher in the year 2011 and gifted it to my sister. She loved it and so did I. That’s how my passion became part of my business when I started Little Pitara in 2016.
Karishma says she owes her success to her parents, “Today’s generation has immense opportunities and the youth is choosing to take up non-conventional careers. Thankfully, my parents have not just been supportive of higher education for girls but have given us a freedom to choose our career.”
My father, Mr.Santosh Ajwani, believed that a person should be qualified and financially independent to be able to face any challenge that life offers. My mother, Mrs. Ashu Ajwani has been a pillar of strength for me since the inception of Little Pitara. She not only suggests new ideas to me, she also helps through the process of making the dreamcatchers. Every parent shapes the society by providing this equality to their boy and girl child. I sincerely hope that every parent provides the opportunity of education to their daughters.”
“The feeling of touching so many lives through my work which provides immense positivity to them is what keeps me going. “She adds that every product is customized to the client’s preferences and budget.
‘Once I receive the order I start working on the ring which is the base of the dreamcatcher then comes the feathers and embellishments according to the client’s need”.
Her collection mainly revolves around the ‘dream-catcher themed products which include handmade dreamcatcher keychains, hair accessories, car hanging, head chains (mangtika), earrings, bracelets neckpieces, and anklets. Besides these, the collection also includes German silver and tassel jewelry. You can also contact her through the social media accounts to buy readymade or to place customized orders
Talking about how long is the life of the dreamcatcher, she adds that the concept has been alive even after 5000 years and so it should continue for many more. Specifically to the trend, she says “some of the latest orders includes providing dreamcatchers for pre-wedding shoots, concept decor for an indoor exhibition, full wall decor. This reflects the acceptance of Dreamcatchers as part of home décor. Art directors are making complete use of it too and you can notice dream catchers in many movies these days.
Seems like all of us need to own one dreamcatcher soon. More power to women entrepreneurs!