Post News Network
Cuttack, March 15: Cuttack is called the silver city of Orissa as it is home to artisans doing silver filigree work. However, with the passage of time, the once-thriving art form is gasping for breath.
The artisans have reportedly been going through a hard time owing to lack of proper policies and schemes to develop and nurture the art form. “We have been crafting silver filigree items for generations. It is an integral part of our culture. I will continue working on this till my last breath,” said Mahesh Das, a silver filigree artisan who refuses to get bogged down by the apathy of the
authorities.
In order to revive the art form, the architect of modern Orissa, Madhusudan Das had set up the Utkal Arts work factory and tried to convert the art form into a cottage industry. In 1962, the former chief minister Biju Patnaik set up the Kalinga Filigree Cooperative Society to help the local artisans. Initially, the project yielded results, but due to lack of proper guidance and support, it turned defunct. In 2008, the tourism department announced a project to popularise and preserve the silver filigree art form of the city by setting up a hub, which is still there on the drawing boards. The ambitious project was planned seven years ago, but is yet to take off as the district administration has not yet been able to find a suitable plot for it.
“We have been hearing about the hub for the last six years. But nothing has come up yet. It is becoming tough for most of the artisans to earn a living depending on just the filigree craft,” said Mahendra Sahoo, a filigree artisan.
The Durga Puja committees in the city, however, have of late taken a decision to revive the art form. They have started to decorate the Durga Puja pandals with silver filigree work. That, however, seems too little an effort in comparison of what needs to be done. Even as several artisans have been awarded by the state government for their excellence in the art form, it is felt that some concrete steps should be taken to restore its old glory.
1. The nerve centre: Cuttack has been the centre of silver filigree work for ages. The city is home to nearly 2,000 tarakashi artisans who had inherited the craftsmanship from their forefathers. Tarakashi is the local name of the filigree art form. The products made by these artisans are sold in shops lining Naya Sadak and Balu Bazaar.
2. The acceptance: Tarakashi work has gained recognition in India and abroad. Tourists from far and near regularly visit Cuttack to buy these unique pieces of artistry. Though this art form is found in some other parts of the world, the artisans in and around Cuttack have lent a distinct edge to the products made by them.
3. The history: This unique art form has flourished for years in the 1,000 year old city of Cuttack. Though there is no historical evidence on how and when the artisans in the state started crafting silver filigree items yet
veterans say the art form was patronised the most during the Mughal era.
4. The struggle: Modern times have, however, had its impact on the art form. In other places, the artisans have started using machines to make the silver filigree items. But craftsmen in Cuttack, however, have kept the traditional way of making the product alive. The process of melting the silver, converting it into thin strands and then magically weaving the wires into the most intricate design is done by hand.
5. The crowning glory: Filigree products such as ornaments, showpieces, jewellery, idols of deities, gift items, etc. have a lucrative export market. Some artisans have made replicas of the Taj Mahal and the Konark temple in tarakashi.
