The specimens of Orissa Art that were shown to us in silver and gold, ivory and horn are in every way excellent, graceful and original design – The Statesman, March 2, 1901
Artifacts for home decoration made from animal horns and bones – peacocks perching on tree branches, flying birds or a couple on a country boat, cranes, lobsters and many others – had once given a unique identity to Odisha and showcased the dexterity of craftsmen across the globe. It was an industry of sorts and had created livelihood opportunities for hundreds of families. However, the craze for horn works, an exquisite art form, has witnessed a decline in recent years. So much so, that there are only 13 horn craft artisans – three in Cuttack and 10 in Paralakhemundi of Gajapati district – are left in Odisha. With a steady fall in demand for items made from horns, and the surviving artisans searching for greener pastures, Sunday POST takes a close look at the emergence, growth and imminent death of the industry.
History
It is for nothing that Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Deo of Paralakhemundi is considered one of the creators of Modern Odisha.
Horn craft, among several of the welfare activities he had undertaken, is believed to have been introduced during his reign in 1892. Though the craft was there earlier, it was the Maharaja who encouraged many artisans to take up horn works as their family profession and helped them grow in every possible way. He had set up a workshop and employed many artisans to make combs and other decorative pieces. After Maharaj’s initiation, Utkal Gaurav Madusudan Das, another great son of Odisha, maintained the momentum. He set up Orissa Art Wares in 1898 to promote the sales of horn crafts across the country. Skilled hands that used to work with gold, brass, wood and silver filigree were asked to hone their skills on horn, bone and ivory. Madhu Babu introduced a new work culture and taught the workers to produce articles keeping the modern taste of the people in mind. Articles made from horn were exported to Calcutta, Bombay and many other cities and were highly appreciated. So much so, that national English dailies like The Statesman in one of its articles March 2, 1901 wrote – The specimens of Orissa Art that were shown to us in silver and gold, ivory and horn are in every way excellent, graceful and original design. The demand for horn works was so high that as many as 200 families in Cuttack took it up as their profession.
Soon, the city became a hub of horn and bone products. Madhusudan Singha Shilpa, a manufacturing unit named after Madhu Babu, exported its products to other states. The factory is still in operation. One of the distinguished features of this unit is that only the bones and horns of animals, who suffer natural deaths, are used here. Earlier hundreds of families of Thoriasahi, Ranihaat and Manglabag were engaged in this industry. Despite being appreciated by people around the globe, today the industry and the artisans are leading a life of penury.
The Legacy
Purna Chandra Behera, after his father’s death, has been overseeing the business of Madhusudan Singha Shilpa, the only workshop in Odisha that supplies horn works throughout the state. It was his father who set up the industry after being influenced by Madhu Babu. “My father used to work in Utkal Tannery which was set up by Madhu Babu. After the closure of Utkal Tannery, he launched the Madhusudan Singha Shilpa. Though my grandfather was into the making of horn crafts, it was my father who brought the craft to limelight. Over the years, due to scarcity of raw materials, many artisans have changed their profession. There was a time when about 200 families of Thoriasahi, Ranihaat and Manglabag were in the business. Now, the number has been reduced to only three,” says Behera.
Detailing about raw materials, he informs, “Earlier about two quintals of horns were brought to the factory every day which has come down to two quintals a month which I procure from Nandankanan Zoological Park. My father used to get horns from Vizianagaram, Dhenkanal and Nayagarh. Getting raw materials has become difficult these days as buffalo horns are mostly being exported out of India. The cost too has increased. Earlier we paid Rs 60 per kilogram which has now shot up to Rs 280. Also, not everyone can take up horn carving without having a license as possessing horns is a punishable offence. There are several instances when artisans were arrested for keeping horns. As a result, it becomes difficult to get raw materials easily which affects the volume of production.”
Behera learnt the skill from his grandfather and father Kalandi Behera. But he knew that it would be difficult for him to survive in future if he solely relied on it for his sustenance. So, he preferred to do a government job instead of taking the family business forward. Behera retired as a sales tax officer in 2010. However, he kept assisting his father in his free hours. “My father kept himself away from the profession after my retirement. So, I took forward the legacy whole-heartedly. Though the demand for the horn crafts has not decreased completely, many artisans, on being assured of government jobs, have shifted to West Bengal. As many as 32 artisans from Parlakhemundi and Cuttack have settled in Kolkata. Now Cuttack has only three horn craft artisans whereas Parlakhemundi has 10,” he says.
Behera adds: “Utkalika is the only government agency which promotes horn crafts by purchasing products from local artisans and sells them in its outlet. When my father was alive, we used to get orders from agencies in Vizag, Delhi and Bombay. Now, it is limited to Assam only. My father, who was honoured by the President of India, had launched a co-operative society for the wellbeing of artisans. Due to lack of patronage from the government, the society faced closure. Artisans working under me like Ashok Behera, Braja Kishore Maharana and Balaram Behera have carved a niche in the field but they need government support to carry on.”
The Death Knell
Purna’s son Abhisek Behera, who works in the corporate sector, says, “We (my siblings) are not interested in carrying forward the legacy of our forefathers because we have seen their struggle for survival. My grandfather who was into horn craft making couldn’t educate all his children. So we decided not to venture into this profession. That apart, in those days people had a craze for horn crafts which is missing now due to availability of other substitutes. People now love buying cheaper plastic variants than horn crafts. Besides, the government’s attitude towards the artisans is also not very favourable. Last but not the least, we failed to reach the target consumers due lack of marketing. It’s not a profitable business at all. No one can survive by depending on it.”
Preserving the traditional crafts is a big challenge. At a time when reaching out to the consumers through e-Commerce is a trend, it is high time the government came forward to revive a dying form of craft.
Rashmi Rekha Das,OP
