Chungi Story
Since 2014, Chungi Store has been a platform for rural women from the district of Gaya, in Bihar, to showcase their art. The organisation works with artisans at the grass-root level. A display that was limited to these artisans’ households now gets them income and admiration from around the world. It has become a social movement in rural areas, one that is sustainable and inclusive from the beginning. In today’s world of assembly lines and mass production, Chungi Store has been keeping alive traditional art forms. 40 women artists show their flair in Crochet, Kantha stitch, Madhubani painting and Pattachitra through various Chungi Store products. Mostly neck-pieces, earrings, home decor items, scarves, saris, show pieces and tea mugs. While these eclectic products make space in modern households, economically deprived rural women are becoming financially independent.
Besides the team in Gaya, Chungi Store has a Mumbai team as well. With its registered corporate office being in Oshiwara, Mumbai.
Chungi derives its name from a popular game indigenous to North-East India and Nepal. Made with a bunch of rubber-bands strung together, it is an apt example of collective effort. Many rubber-bands coming together to make a game is akin to people coming together to form a productive community. A community that brings everyone up and gives meaning to the group. Chungi Store is about upliftment, dignity, empowerment, and pride in our traditional crafts.
Mission
Our mission has been to create a network of self reliant rural women, who take pride in the skill they possess and use it to earn a living. We have strived to revive art and artists, build a sustainable model, bring our rich craftsmanship back in the spotlight and in the process generate livelihood for rural women artisans.
Vision
Chungi Store was born to give it back to the roots. To give a fair market space through chungistore.com to the rural artisans of our country. To give livelihood and financial independence to our skilled rural women. To preserve and promote our traditional handicraft techniques dying due rapid industrialisation. To take Indian craftsmanship through eclectic products to new and young customers in India and abroad.