Creativity | Connectivity | Opportunity

It was a crisp fall day in 2023, with winter just around the corner, when my extended family from Lakhimpur Kheri visited us on the eve of Bhaiyadooj. They brought with them Taal Gur—a handcrafted sweet made from the sap of palm trees. Its rich, earthy sweetness left me captivated, a lingering warmth that I couldn’t shake off. That single taste sparked a craving—an insatiable desire not just for more Taal Gur but for the stories and heritage it carried.

Driven by curiosity, I began searching for this delicacy across malls, supermarkets, and retail outlets in Lucknow. To my dismay, I found none. In a world dominated by mass-produced foods, protein supplements, and chemical sweeteners, these age-old handcrafted delicacies had been pushed to the margins, along with the cultural symbolism they carried.

Finally, at a Khadi outlet in Hazratganj, a hub for local artisans, I reunited with my “knacky pal”—Taal Gur. There, I met Mulayam, a local vendor who shared his struggles as a craftsman. Through his words, I glimpsed the harsh realities faced by artisans, vendors, and craftsmen: dwindling demand, lack of fair pay, and a disappearing legacy of traditional skills.

That moment was a revelation. It was clear to me that these artisans—bearers of our culture, history, and heritage—were fighting a losing battle in the modern economy. This realization sparked the idea for Gulliyans of Lucknow, a project dedicated to uplifting these forgotten voices, empowering artisans through financial literacy, legal awareness, and modern tools.

What began with a taste of Taal Gur transformed into a mission: to ensure that the timeless crafts and the hands behind them are celebrated, valued, and sustained for generations to come.