Waterfalls in West Bengal

The immortal inheritance of Indian Culture has moulded its artists of the people, joyful exciting, intricate in imagination intuitively creating, but each with its individuality of his own. This is the expression that found incarnation in the traditional masters of Arts and artifacts of West Bengal. Here cheek by jowl are stacked the wonderful worlds of our weavers, potters, metal-wrights, shell-artists, carvers in wood, bone or stone. And this amazing variety of creation, the aesthetic, varied, living pulsating life are expressed in vibrant collections of colour, hue, tone, shape and size. Indian handicrafts Bengal is known all over the world for its expertise in art and craft. Its skill in architectural splendours to its excellent works on woodwork, terracotta, paintings, textile run unparallel. Pottery, brass and copperware, embroidery, tapestry, hand looms, fine muslin and silk artistry, wood carving, cane works etc. are a few examples of handicrafts which originated at the ground level in the heartland of Bengal - the villages. Most of these handicraft produce are cottage industry in West Bengal and has been backbone of the rural economy of the State.

Portrait of An Emerging Art

Bengal seems to be the hub of creative talents. Since ages, Bengal has given to India, some of its most admired and exceptional artists. Even when modernity and industrial production has admitted huge hindrances in the growth of age old arts and crafts, the art itself and the techniques, have survived in the hearts of Bengalis. Today, it looks to revive some lost forms of art that once brought fame and recognition to Bengal. To get a glimpse of authentic handicraft works, one should visit the rural areas of West Bengal which are still not influenced by the western ways. There are places that are famous for one of kind of art form like Bankura and Midnapore are known for Dhokra Metal Castings whereas Kolkata has some of the best known potters in the state. It is the arts and crafts that provide the much needed economic support for rural areas to sustain themselves.

Dhokra Metal Casting

Dhokra Metal Casting is a technique used by a tribe called Dhokra Kamar Tribe. They are known to be the original metalsmithes of Bengal. The people of the tribe are now found in the western part of the state, mainly in four districts Bankura, Midnapore, Purulia and Burdwan. The tribe is not confined to West Bengal only, they are also found in other eastern states like Orissa and Chhatisgarh as well. Thus making this art common in that regions as well. In this type of metal casting, a lost wax technique is used which is also called as hollow casting. The method is employed to produce figures of gods and goddesses, different types of lamps and jewelery. Anklets, necklaces and bangles are the most common jewelery items that are produced through this process.