Craft wizards wait for tide to turn

Craft wizards wait for tide to turn
Calcutta Telegraph, India
ARTI SAHULIYAR

Ranchi, Jan. 23: With as many as 40 National Awards and 40 National Certificates on offer in the field of handicrafts, it does come as a disappointment that, except for a lone artist getting the National Merit Certificate for bamboo crafting last year, not a single artist from the state has been lucky with them, unlike those from the neighbouring states.

The award instituted by the Government of India in 1965, was bagged only once, and that too in the 70s, by artisan Malhar from Khunti for Dokra casting.

This year also artisans from the state would compete with artisans from other states at the National Award ceremony scheduled to be held in the month of November in Delhi.

The National Award constitutes a cash prize of Rs 50,000, a copper plaque and an angavastram presented by the President of India, while the National Merit Certificate constitutes a cash prize of Rs 10, 000, an angavastram and a certificate.

The handicraft items approved by a state-level committee are sent to Delhi.

The applicants are required to submit sample handicraft items, photographs and an affidavit from court by April 30.

The affidavits are required as proof that the items submitted are original works by the artisans. The designs should be original and innovative, the age of the designer is no bar.

B. Jena, handicraft promotion officer of Marketing and Service Extension Centre, office of Development Commissioner (Handicraft) said a well planned strategy was needed.

“Although the handicraft items get approved here, they are rejected once artefacts from other states are showcased. The artisans need proper guidance. Artisans of our state are still following old traditional methods, while artisans from other states are promoting their indigenous crafts with innovative designs.”

He further said: “Orissa bags two to three National Awards and four to five national merit certificates every year. The state is rich in crafts but constant training is also imparted to artists.”

This, he says, is what’s not being done.

“No specific action plan has been so far chalked out for the artisans who would take part in the National Award ceremony. Only a letter is circulated to the renowned artisans of the state,” he rued.

At present, only 740 artisans are enrolled with the Marketing and Service Extension Centre, while the remaining 2,000 artisans, comprising of 13 districts under the state capital’s region, are yet to be enrolled at the centre.