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Popbaani: Connecting the World with Beauty & Uniqueness of the Most Intricate yet Simple Art of Madhubani

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Rachita ,  Founder & CEO

Rachita

Founder & CEO

The diverse forms of art created by the country's native inhabitants represent India's cultural diversity, which includes over 2,500 tribes and regional groupings. The rarity of Indian traditional art, crafts manship, and crafted goods for home décor is determined by their aesthetic perfection. It's a matter of great pride that the tribal Arts of India are still practiced in many places and people have kept them alive today even after so many years.

Popbaani was created in February 2022 to make the world recognize the beauty and uniqueness of Madhubani's most intricate yet simple art, and since then the company has become a team of artists and interns working together to achieve this goal and branched out into more Indian art forms and crafts.

"Popbaani is the combination of two words: `Pop' and `Baani'. `Pop' refers to pop culture and `Baani' means honey mouth which means any form of conversation that is filled with hope and positivity", explains Joyeeta Biswas, the co-founder of the company. On its website, Popbaani features collections of different kinds of art. The 'Baani' part of the website includes Indian traditional forms like Madhubani, Kalamkari, Gond, Pattachitra, Warli, and Pichwai. The term 'Pop' refers to a variety of non-traditional art styles, including acrylic paintings, gouache paintings, watercolor paintings of landscapes and Indian architecture, sketches, and modern art paintings.

By rebranding and promoting indigenous Indian musicians and their products under one brand, Popbaani seeks to build a sustainable business. With 111 merchants and more than 300 products, they have a total market of 50,000 users across all platforms and, in the past nine months, without any external backing, have been able to increase their revenue by three times. There is a Popbaani artist in each of India's main cities, and multiple international artists and designers. They have been able to effectively plan numerous charity events and raise funds for NGOs that support the welfare of tribal people.

Empowering Local Artists
Spreading positivity and hope through art was and has always been the goal behind PopBaani."We are trying to spread this
message specifically through art that belongs to our ancestors, Indian traditional and folk arts such as Madhubani, Kalamkari, Gond, Pattachitra, and so on.We work our best to remind people of the majestic charm of tribal and folk art. Everyone doesn't have the opportunity to monetize or promote the art that they are creating and we provide them a platform for the same! The tribal art forms of all other countries are getting the required exposure except that of India which has a rich collection of tribal and traditional art forms", says Rachita, Founder & CEO of the company.

By rebranding and promoting indigenous Indian musicians and their products under one brand, PopBaani seeks to build a sustainable business


The artists at Popbaani come from different cultural backgrounds and all regions of India, but they are all traditional and folk artists. Some of them work as professional artists, while others use Popbaani to help them create their own businesses. Content developers, social media managers, artists, and content managers make up the team that runs Popbaani as a business. They are all young, energetic, and accomplished individuals. The group is dedicated and supportive of popbaani's mission. The team has an experience of more than two years and is effectively directed by a business coach, who has more than 24 years of expertise.

Providing a Digital Platform for Artists
The Internet is a truly magical place where everyone is recognized for their means of support and provides artists the opportunity to create without worrying about the consequences of their work on the market. It has eliminated all limitations and is one of the things causing the market to expand. Customers from any nation can contact artists, and artists can connect with clients from wherever in the world. It has been a great benefit for a business like PopBaani, which is attempting to establish a digital presence for Indian traditional and folk arts.

"The major factor that motivated me to establish a firm for art lovers was actually a trip through the village around my college. I was able to see some gorgeous artwork being made by the village folk. When I asked them about the monetization of the same, they started complaining about their inability to reach the desired clientele, their technical ineptitude, and many such problems which are leading them to completely give up on the already dying artforms due to lack of income. I decided then and there to combine my technical and artistic skills to create a platform that lists and promotes every possible artist, especially the ones located in villages and other remote areas", adds Rachita.

As a business, Popbaani has taken significant strides forward in a short period of time. They are creating the first Japanese Washi Tapes with a Madhubani motif in association with The Washi Tape Shop. Moving forward, they intend to release their own pre-recorded classes in which the instructors will teach the tips and tricks of Indian folk art that have been passed down through the generations.