INSIDE a dimly-lit hut, Gadadhar Rana vigorously spins his manual potter’s wheel amidst stacks of hay. With his hands soaked in wet clay, he deftly shapes a large lamp that he immediately removes from the wheel using a thread and keeps aside. In about 30 minutes, he creates 15 such…
Odisha’s rich tradition of handicrafts add colour to the landscape that is dotted with beaches on one side and forests on the other. Often centered on Hinduism and Islamic lore, these craft traditions have been an integral part of the State’s heritage offering an insight into its culture and geography.…
In the verandah of a craft centre in the quaint Raghurajpur village of Odisha, 70-year-old Banamali Mohapatra sits hunched on the floor applying thin strips of colour on a small black circular disc. His fingers do not quiver while drawing the red outline of Lord Vishnu with a fine brush…
At the backyard of his house in Jirala village, Pradeepta Nayak carefully selects delicate rice straw strands, separating the dark brown coloured ones from those having a golden hue. In a small room few metres away, a group of women are creating a massive painting of Lord Krishna playing flute…
It may be made of brass, but this fish can still flap a fin and touch its tail. The craft of making the flexible brass fish occupies a significant place in Odisha’s rich handicraft tradition. In the lanes of Belaguntha village in Ganjam district of Odisha, three craftsmen from the…