OUR STORY
AMOLAKH MEANS PRICELESS
Hailing from a village in the desert near Jaisalmer fort more than a hundred years ago, my great-grandfather, Amolakh, developed a remarkable capacity as a woodworker and furniture maker with the talents he had inherited from his father as a Jangid (suthar). His understanding of the raw materials at his disposal and the dexterity with which he could use them became known throughout the region. In the 1930s the Maharaja of Jaisalmer heard about his work from his courtiers who were already patronizing him and called him to the palace where he was commissioned to produce furniture for the royal family.
His sons followed in the tradition. My father and grandfather are still working with the same passion and intensity. My grandfather was determined that I should not carry on the tradition as he believed I should find another way to live by. I moved to Mumbai for my graduation as an Architect. Mumbai was too far from Jaisalmer and so I planned to settle in Ahmadabad after working with B.V. Doshi.
In spite of his best efforts, I realized that the blood and genes of my ancestors still flow through my veins and our workshop in Ahmedabad is testament to this precious inheritance. We are preserving the skill and craftsmanship of my inherited tradition – now with my Grandfathers’ blessings! Honouring his father, my brothers and I called the company Amolakh, remembering his name at the beginning of all our work.
In Sanskrit, Amolakh means priceless which we believe is exactly the value of what we produce. What matters most is the maintenance of the skills that have been handed down to us and to the team of traditional craftsmen that we work together with. These skills form the basis of the development of new techniques and ways of working, in response to the changing demands and expectations of today’s world.
With the support of Prof. Arthur Duff (my partner), we at Amolakh have gained international recognition in the field of design. Amolakhs' designs stand out as contemporary and artistic, with dramatic and minimal details.
- Maneesh Kumar Jangid
Hailing from a village in the desert near Jaisalmer fort more than a hundred years ago, my great-grandfather, Amolakh, developed a remarkable capacity as a woodworker and furniture maker with the talents he had inherited from his father as a Jangid (suthar). His understanding of the raw materials at his disposal and the dexterity with which he could use them became known throughout the region. In the 1930s the Maharaja of Jaisalmer heard about his work from his courtiers who were already patronizing him and called him to the palace where he was commissioned to produce furniture for the royal family.
His sons followed in the tradition. My father and grandfather are still working with the same passion and intensity. My grandfather was determined that I should not carry on the tradition as he believed I should find another way to live by. I moved to Mumbai for my graduation as an Architect. Mumbai was too far from Jaisalmer and so I planned to settle in Ahmadabad after working with B.V. Doshi.
In spite of his best efforts, I realized that the blood and genes of my ancestors still flow through my veins and our workshop in Ahmedabad is testament to this precious inheritance. We are preserving the skill and craftsmanship of my inherited tradition – now with my Grandfathers’ blessings! Honouring his father, my brothers and I called the company Amolakh, remembering his name at the beginning of all our work.
In Sanskrit, Amolakh means priceless which we believe is exactly the value of what we produce. What matters most is the maintenance of the skills that have been handed down to us and to the team of traditional craftsmen that we work together with. These skills form the basis of the development of new techniques and ways of working, in response to the changing demands and expectations of today’s world.
With the support of Prof. Arthur Duff (my partner), we at Amolakh have gained international recognition in the field of design. Amolakhs' designs stand out as contemporary and artistic, with dramatic and minimal details.
- Maneesh Kumar Jangid
AMOLAKH MEANS PRICELESS
MATERIAL
The detrimental impact of deforestation, quarrying and the irresponsible use of materials has on our shared environment compels us, at Amolakh, to be more mindful and sustainable in the use of natural materials.
Passion for every material and each process is at the heart of our work. For years we have been collecting suitable wood for our furniture, roaming around villages in Southern Rajasthan in order to find ancient trees that have been cut down. These are hundreds of years old and have remarkable properties of colour, grain and form. We also source the finest Burma teak that was formerly used in the construction of Havelis and palaces in the cities of Western India. Every scrap of these enormous tree trunks and wooden beams is used, and there is no waste.
The unique nature of these wonderful raw materials informs the possibility of what can be made from them. We work with the grain, getting the best out of every piece of timber. Our understanding of the wood is that it is a living material that continues to have a life of its own. Most of the work is carried out with hand tools which enable the maker to have an intimate connection with the wood being worked on.
Our use of wood is complimented by other natural materials such as stone, metals, bamboo and glass. These are often re-used or re-cycled as well as being sourced locally. In designing our furniture and products we keep the efficient use of all materials as a guiding principal. We are also designing for a future when these pieces can be re-cycled appropriately
OUR VALUES
Our own teams of craft workers are all trained in the traditional manner. Through our collaboration with other teams of skilled workers we are helping to sustain skills and techniques that are at risk of being forgotten. New technologies and processes are also embraced, where appropriate and beneficial to the workers, the environment and the end product. We hope you will enjoy and value our work as much as we do.
PRODUCTION
OUR VALUES
The detrimental impact of deforestation, quarrying and the irresponsible use of materials has on our shared environment compels us, at Amolakh, to be more mindful and sustainable in the use of natural materials.
Passion for every material and each process is at the heart of our work. For years we have been collecting suitable wood for our furniture, roaming around villages in Southern Rajasthan in order to find ancient trees that have been cut down. These are hundreds of years old and have remarkable properties of colour, grain and form. We also source the finest Burma teak that was formerly used in the construction of Havelis and palaces in the cities of Western India. Every scrap of these enormous tree trunks and wooden beams is used, and there is no waste.
The unique nature of these wonderful raw materials informs the possibility of what can be made from them. We work with the grain, getting the best out of every piece of timber. Our understanding of the wood is that it is a living material that continues to have a life of its own. Most of the work is carried out with hand tools which enable the maker to have an intimate connection with the wood being worked on.
Our use of wood is complimented by other natural materials such as stone, metals, bamboo and glass. These are often re-used or re-cycled as well as being sourced locally. In designing our furniture and products we keep the efficient use of all materials as a guiding principal. We are also designing for a future when these pieces can be re-cycled appropriately
PRODUCTION
Our own teams of craft workers are all trained in the traditional manner. Through our collaboration with other teams of skilled workers we are helping to sustain skills and techniques that are at risk of being forgotten. New technologies and processes are also embraced, where appropriate and beneficial to the workers, the environment and the end product. We hope you will enjoy and value our work as much as we do.
MATERIAL