Indian Artisans

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India’s magic lies in its arts and crafts. The multitude of variations we see in the art form north to south and east to west is unique in itself. The art forms are a reflection of our society and the thus the artisans form an important link between the society and culture. Recent studies have estimated that around 7 million artisan are a part of non-farm rural economy in India which translates into a major stakeholder (Jena, P.K in Orissan Handicrafts in the Age of Globalization ). “They translate the existing customs and traditions into their arts forms. The artisans belong to an occupational community where they are engaged in same sort of art form, and share a set of values, norms and perspectives that extend beyond work related matters…show more content…
The current state of India’s artisans is a matter of serious concern. Government has been designing policies for taking up traditional arts and craft for sustainable livelihood. But this sector is severely ignored. Though some have managed to adapt to changing times, and a few even thrive but most of them live in dismal poverty with no prospects for a better tomorrow. In the face of constant struggle, most artisans have given up and moved away from their traditional occupations. The skills, evolved over thousands of years, are being dissipated and blunted. Research indicates that neither the crafts persons, nor their progeny want to join the crafts sector, only a lack of available alternatives forces them to do so. They would not mind the tradition coming to an…show more content…
Though the folk-painting of Orissa has a rich heritage, the painters are almost unknown outside India. Like Orissa art and architecture, Orissa folk painting has its special characteristics also. To distinguish it from others, it is called as ‘Odisi Painting’ (Mohanty B. 1984, pp-1). The paintings of Orissa can be divided into three categories from the point of view of mediums i.e. paintings on cloth or patachitra, paintings on walls or bhitti chitra and palmleaf engravings or talapatra chitra. The style of all these remain more or less the same at a specific time because, to all likelihood the then artists were commissioned to work in all these media. It is quite possible that paintings might have started simultaneously with sculptural art in Orissa, because professional wise there was no separation between master painters and master sculptors. Even today in Orissa these two crafts are combined in one and these artists are known as Chitrakaras, their title being mostly Mahapatra or Maharana” (Pathy, 1981,

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