Our Story – Dhonk Craft

Dhonk

Dhonk derives its name from the Dhonk tree. This tree compromises 70 % of Ranthambhore’s Tiger Reserve. The way the tree provides fodder and shelter to the tigers and the forest beings, similarly Dhonk aspires to give sustainable job opportunities and shelter to the tigers’ neighbours. The Mogya tribe present in this region was responsible for the 2005 Ranthambhore tiger poaching crisis. In an effort to reform them we have been persistently working with them by providing an alternate means of livelihood and job opportunities. Likewise we work with the villages that are at zero distance from the forest.

Saving the Tigers

Saving the Community

Saving the Traditional Arts & Crafts

Dhonk is weaving a social fabric of change that helps to conserve nature while at the same time create a small efficient army of micro-entrepreneurs. The local villagers are trained in skills for making handcrafted products - which ensures a better and more secure source of livelihood all year round.

This has helped enrich the social, economic and cultural outlook of the villagers and empowered them towards a better life. At Dhonk, every thought is from the heart - hence whatever is earned, gets ploughed back into the society. Dhonk believes in fair trade practices for all its stakeholders. Some of the benefits offered to the community micro-entrepreneurs and their families:-

Free Vocational Skills Training In Arts & Crafts

Girl Child Education

Healthcare Loans

Micro-Finance Provision For Buying Livestock / Machinery, etc.

Life Insurance For All Staff

Counselling On Subjects Like Education, Domestic Violence, Awareness About Conservation etc.

All this while enriching the biodiversity that the neighbourhood offers.

Akin to the colours of Rajasthan, Dhonk is a fresh and vibrant approach towards solving the man-animal conflict via community participation.

The Dhonk Mission

Creation of crafts for conservation

Sustainable

Create sustainable livelihood opportunities

Empower

Empowering village women to become micro - entrepreneurs

Create

Traditional Indian ethnic art brought to life

Conserve

An ecosystem designed for co-existence with nature

The Dhonk Mascot

The neighbourhood tiger is an active stakeholder in Dhonk and is very much a part of the Dhonk DNA. It all started with the residents - the semi nomadic members of the Mogya tribe in Ranthambore whose primary source of livelihood was poaching of tigers. Dhonk was born out of the need to conserve the natural habitat and the tigers while at the same time provide an alternate means of livelihood to the tribal villagers. Dhonk has a “Don't kill. Upskill” program with the aim to train the tribal villagers in traditional Indian arts and associated activities.

On the day of launch of the new Dhonk workshop, a tiger gave its blessings with a friendly visit at night.

The Dhonk Product Portfolio

The leaves of the Dhonk trees change their colours from shades of green to a palette of pink in sync with the changing seasons. The entire Dhonk product portfolio brings alive this mélange of vibrant colours.

The biggest strength of Dhonk is the artisans and the workforce. Made by hand; Crafted by heart - describes the whole approach to the entire portfolio of products that Dhonk offers. The Dhonk portfolio of beautiful, natural and hand-crafted product assortments include a colorful mélange of eye-catching gifts and souvenirs, unique wildlife inspired home furnishings, exclusive apparels and accessories that appeal to all five senses.

All the products have a strong Indian ethnicity in their genes. Dying art forms like Kashida embroidery are being kept alive and nurtured at Dhonk. There is a lot of emphasis on recycling. up cycling of raw materials across the Dhonk product line. Welcome to a new way of hand made products - the ethical way !!

The Dhonk Team

The Dhonk team is one ever growing family of the community folk, the craftsmen, the local authorities, the flora and of course the neighbourhood tigers.