There is a timeless quality in the craft objects as they evolve over centuries . Every piece of craft and its artisan has a story to tell. Long before decors became fashionable these simple artisans have been quietly sustaining natural processes of crafting .
Immerse yourself in this journey to work hand in hand with the master craftsmen of
~ Odisha & Chhattisgarh ~
PATTACHITRA
The name Pattachitra has evolved from the Sanskrit words patta, meaning canvas, and chitra, meaning picture. PattaChitra is a miniature painting which is executed on a small strip of cotton cloth which follows a traditional process of preparation of the canvas.The gum of the kaitha tree is the chief ingredient, and is used as a base for making different pigments, on which diverse raw materials are mixed for diverse colours. Powdered conch shells, for instance, are used for making a white pigment, while lamp soot is used for a black pigment. The subject matter of Patta paintings is limited to religious themes.They are painted with bright colours and possess a charm peculiarity of their own. "Chitrakar"--traditional painters in and around Puri,Odisha practice this living art form. The Heritag village of Raghurajpur is where many Chitrakars live in an area dedicated to them called Chitrakar Sahi distinct from any other school of painting .
APPLIQUE WORK
“Applique” , a French term, is a technique by which various cut pieces of coloured fabrics are applied to the surface of another foundation fabric.This thread of creativity runs in the village of Pipili ,Odisha where a vibrant community of craftsmen specialises in applique craft . In fact, the village owes its existence to this craft. Applique works of Pipili is also known as patching cloth design and in local language this handicraft is known as ‘Chandua’. The villagers are involved in the process of cutting coloured cloth into shapes of animals, birds, flowers, leaves, gods, goddesses and other decorative motifs and stitching them over a piece of cloth. Applique work in Odisha also originated as a Temple art. The appliqué items are mainly used during processions of the deities in their various ritual outings. Items like Chhati (umbrella), Tarasa – a heart-shaped wooden piece covered by appliqué cloth and supported by a long wooden pole and Chandua – an umbrella shaped canopy are usually seen during the processions.
SILVER FILIGREE
Silver filigree ware of Orissa is locally known as 'Tarakasi'. Here filigree works particularly are unique examples of artistic excellence rarely to be seen in any other part of India. Silver wires, extremely delicate, are shaped into intricate designs. Forms of animals and birds, articles of daily use like vermilion receptacles are also made out of silver wires. Filigree ornaments, especially brooches and earrings are very popular among Indian women. Cuttack also known as “Silver City” is the haven for filigree work. Scenes from the Mahabharat are sometimes depicted in silver ,in particular interest is the chariot of Arjuna driven by Lord Krishna .The jewellery worn in Odissi, one of the classical dances of Odisha originating from Odisha, is also made from Tarakasi work.
STONE CARVING
Stone carving is an age-old craft of Orissa. The descendants of the artisans who once scaled dizzying heights of excellence in temple building have kept the sculptural tradition alive through their hereditary craft of stone carving. The carved products include replicas of temples, images of gods and goddesses, the Konark wheel and horse, and decorative figurines.Only a few simple tools like hammers and chisels of various shapes and sizes better known as 'Muna', 'Patili', 'Martual', 'Thuk-Thuki' and 'Nihana' in local parlance are enough to carve the ultra soft white soapstone, or Khadipathara, harder greenish chlorite or Kochilapathara and pinkish Khandolite or Sahanapathara or Baulapathara and the hardest of all black granite or Mugunipathara.
SAND ART
Although not historically proved , there is an interesting story in the Orissan myths regarding the origin of sand sculpture. A poet named Balaram Das was denied by the priests to climb the chariot of Lord Jagannath during Rath Yatra.With a great frustration and humiliation he came to the beach and carved the statues of Lord Jagannath , Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra on the Golden sand . Then there he started praying and worshipping these statues . His devotion was so strong and deep that the original statues vanished from the chariot and appeared at that place where Balaram das was worshiped.This phenomenon might have marked the beginning of sand art.To carve a sand sculpture , the raw material is the only clean and fine grained sand mixed with water . There are very few people who leave their foot prints on sands. One of them is Sudarsan Pattnaik - a native of Puri and now world's most famous sand artist .
POTTERY
Potters of Orissa still make earthen pots to be used in various religious and social functions. They are made in various shapes and sizes and are adorned with fish and flower motifs and geometrical designs. "Mud" is so much more than just dirt or dust to the Indian people. It is a symbol of the circle of life. Mud has always been associated with creativity and expression, for utility, art and entertainment.Get those hands dirty with clay and experience something new. Know why working with clay is “therapeutic”. The only way to find out about its benefits is when you finally try it!
DHOKRA - BELL METAL CRAFTS
Metal holds an important position in both religious and everyday life for the Indian people. The Silpastrastras (art text about metal working) goes into great detail about the composition of alloys used to cast both sacred icons and mundane utensils.Dhokra metal casting is one of the oldest traditional techniques of metal casting in India that uses the lost wax casting method expecially practised around Odisha and Chhattisgarh. One of the earliest known Indian lost wax artifacts is the Dancing Girl of Mohenjor Daro, which dates to 2500 B.C. Today, Dokra art is admired all over the world for its primeval simplicity and enchanting folk motifs. The traditional themes of these cast metal sculptures include images of Hindu or 'tribal' gods and goddesses, bowls, figures of people or deities riding elephants, musicians, horse and rider figures, elephants, cattle, and other figures of people, animals, and birds.
WROUGHT IRON CRAFT
The wrought iron craft of Chhattisgarh is centuries old and was practiced by the Muria tribes. Wrought iron was traditionally used by the tribal people to make tools such as ploughs, knives, axes and also candleholders. While their ancestors themselves extracted the iron from the ores, todays artisans use recycled scrap iron.Making of Wrought Iron craft is not so easy & the skills of the craftsman decide the finish of the product. The raw metal is heated in furnace & when hot it is given required shape by beating with hammer on anvil. Generally it is very difficult to find the joints in these crafts, which clearly shows the skills of the craftsman. The products depict typical village scenes and lifestyle.
GOLDEN GRASS CRAFT
Golden grass , known locally as “Kaincha” is a wild grass which grows to a height of about 5-6 feet and the inflorescent stick, which appears after the monsoon, is used for weaving. A lot of household and decorative items are made using dried grass which becomes yellow and golden in colour.Now-a-days the golden grass is making waves and more and more city dwellers are discovering the beauty of golden grass product as the products are eco-friendly , biodegradable and reduce the use of plastic. The origin of this craft as it is in the case of other art and crafts , is centuries old. Since generations golden grass items like bowls, fans, mats etc have been used as utility items in many parts of the state. Women during their leisure time prepare these high quality craft items at a common place.This craft is a good source of livelihood for the rural women artisans of Orissa.
HANDLOOM SAREES
Perhaps the most popular item in Orissan handicrafts is the handloom saree. Orissa sarees have a close relation with the Jagannath culture. Originally, the four basic colors which are found on Lord Jagannath—black, white, red and yellow—are extensively used in Oriya saris. Even the motifs such as the temple border, lotus, conch and wheel, signify the affinity with the reigning deity. The weaving community in Sambalpur district are quite famous for their rich and intricate works . Sambalpuri cotton saris have a smooth finish and have a distinctly original border and pallu. Fish, conch shell and flower motifs are woven into the fabric. Sometimes animal motifs are also used to decorate the borders and pallu. Silk sarees are also produced by village craftsmen from local raw materials. The saris are named after the places where they are produced, the quality of skins used and the nature of the designs woven into them. Odisha produces some of the finest Handwovens like Ikat, the delicately feathered yarn Tie & Dye woven in wide array of colors and textures suitable for both apparels as well as home furnishings; Natural dyed Kotpad fabrics, native to the tribal of Kotpad famous for its rustic charm; Hand spun wild silk, Tassar Silk in a wide range of counts and textures suitable for upholstery, curtains and home accessories; and Hand-woven brocades, Bomkai in Silk and Cotton, woven by ancient Jala technique, famous for intricate patterns .