In fact, in malleability, in texture, in its lustre and sponginess, in its ability to turn into "light as air" beautiful ornamentation - thermocole just does not come close to "Sholapith". Compare "Sholapith"' the core of a plant (AeschyromeneAspere) that grows and Assam, Orissa and Deccan and the artificial "thermocole" produced in a laboratory. Nature has always been one better on man. Those decorations are much admired for their distinctive design and craftsmanship on a shining white material. Sholapith is a traditional craft peculiar to West Bengal.Shola decorations for the deities and for religious, festive or ceremonial occasions are traditional requirements in Bengalee household. Other products like Topor (ornamental bridal headgear), ornament boxes, decorated hangings, wall panels, ‘Mayur-Pankhi’, decorated mounted elephants, images of different gods and goddesses, flowers etc., are worth mentioning. Modern touches with the distinctive design and craftsmanship have made interior decoration with shola crafts attractive. The craftsmen have equipped themselves to produce varieties of diversified products to attract the common handicrafts lovers as well as the handicrafts collectors.Concentrated districts of manufacturing of Solapith/Festival Craft are Burdwan, Murshidabad, Birbhum, Nadia, Hooghly etc. With the change of social system, the demand pattern of Sola-Crafts items has also changed. Nomadic tribes who roam the earth restlessly - what a performance do they leave us with, as a mark of their passage?Ĭrafts of Bengal SOLAPITH / FESTIVAL CRAFTīengal is famous for its Solapith items which is a traditional crafts, peculiar to West Bengal having its origin in the rituals and religious requirement of old days, The Malakars, the traditional solapith-artisans enjoyed a respectable position in the village society who used to supply wreaths (Daker-Saaj) and flowers for the village deities and for religions and social functions. Products like dokra horses, elephants, peacock, owl, religious images, and measuring bowls, lamp caskets etc., are highly appreciated. Brass scrap in generally used as raw material. The technique of casting revolves round replacement of wax with molten metal by the traditional hollow casting method. A few coats of finely prepared clay paste is applied over the model and dried in the shade. A replica of the desired product is made with wax on a clay core with all its finer details of designs and decorations. Bankuraand districts of West Bengal leaving their nomadic character, Most of such craftsmen had left the craft leaving only a few families in the trade. The craftsmen have latter on settled down in some areas of Burdwan. The name Dokra or Dhokra was used to indicate a group of craftsmen of nomadic type, scattered over Bengal, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh and were identified by their beautifully shaped and decorated metal products. Their products are very popular for their primitive simplicity, enchanting folk-motifs and forceful form. The craft is still surviving amongst a people of tribal extraction and nomadic temperament who have settled down in scattered areas of the state. Bankura Horses, elephants are also famous.ĭokra work, better known as Cire per due or lost wax process of casting is one of the oldest forms of metal casting. Krishnanagar Clay Dolls of worldwidereputation with life like modelling of men and women from different walks of lifein various poses and postures with minute anatomical details are admirable art objects. In recent years, the products of Dokra artisans are in great demand in domestic and foreign market because of its primitive simplicity enchanting folk motifs and forceful form.
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