NIMBLE FINGERS WORK FOR HOURS IN PIPILI OF ODISHA TO CRAFT BEAUTIFUL MOTIFS THAT TRANSLATE TRADITION INTO WORKS OF ART AND TELL A CAPTIVATING PICTORAL STORY. *Base cloth is red,black and blue cut in the shape of a rectangle,square or oval. *Motifs are in the shape of gandadamayura,peacock,parrot,swans,elephants,jasmine,sunflower and lotus. *Traditional handicrafts include chandua,chhati,trasa,adoni,mandhant and bana *Nowadays,garden umbrellas,lampshades,letter holders,bags,purses and batuas are in vogue . *A huge chandua combining Pipili craft and soura motifs decorate the airport in Bhubaneswar. *Students of NIFT,Bhubaneswar,gave the applique work a makeover for use in clothes and home furnishings. Colourful garden umbrellas for beaches or hotel lawns, chanduas for weddings and lamp shades are a few of the artworks that master craftsmen have been creating for years in Pipili, near Bhubaneswar. The sheer brilliance and intricacy of the appliqued masterpieces can take anyones breath away. Though most applique-makers are concentrated in Pipili, there are a few in Puri, Khallikote, Paralakhemundi and Boudh. The artistry involves a tedious process of stitching colourful pieces of cloth on a base cloth to form a running motif. The base fabric is usually black or midnight blue and red and the contrasting applique needlework is in hues of yellow, red and blue. The patches are simple and bold motifs of gods, animals, birds, flowers and plants accentuated by embroidery such as bakhia, turpa and chikan. Sometimes small mirrors and shining metal pieces are stitched onto the motifs to accentuate the look. Craftsman and entrepreneur Jabar Khan explained the process of making the artworks. Craftsmen first design the piece and then cut the motifs. The base fabric and motifs are then given to young artisans, who complete the patchwork wonder, said Khan. The mainstay of this applique industry is girls, whose nimble fingers create fascinating displays. There are more than 120 craftsmen and 500 girls in this industry, which also supports a chain of shop-keepers and salesmen. Certain traditional rules are followed while designing an artwork. For example, chanduas will always have a majhi chouka (centrepiece) surrounded by pakha chouka, khadiyali, nali phuti, phulapati and kalash. Theres a restriction even on the kind of motifs a craftsperson can use. Not everyone can cut motifs of Rahu. Those who have a horoscope with a favourable position of the demon, can cut the motifs, said 71-year-old craftsman Saran Mohapatra, who is one of the few with a blessed horoscope. There is no historical evidence on the evolution of the applique work, but it is believed to have started in the 17th and 18th centuries when clothes and decorative pieces were used at the Jagannath and other temples, particularly during Doljatra, said art historian and painter Dinanath Pathy. The chandua and chhati are probably the earliest creations of this craft flourishing under the patronage of kings, who wanted such regalia during special occasions. Alatas, chamaras and haudas (colourful cloth placed on the back of elephants and bullocks) was a symbol of status in the 19th century, added Pathy. Subjects would also gift chanduas to temples when their wishes were fulfilled or put up small ones at homes before temples, thus supporting the art. The advent of Muslims, masters at making tents, led to the creation of the giant chanduas, said Pathy. The art form is an apt example of communal harmony, he added. Khan has recently created a 30 ft by 40 ft chandua for a conference in Australia. Around 10 to 12 people toiled over it for 7 to 8 hours everyday for a month. Families of craftsmen for generations have been engaged in this art, which has found pride of place in many contemporary homes and spaces even outside the state. The only setback for the crafts village has been the construction of the bypass road to Puri. Earlier, most of our works would be lapped up by buyers passing through this area on their way to Puri. They would stop their cars and buy. We earned well. Now a huge billboard is required to indicate the road to Pipili, rued Mohapatra. Pathy felt an ideal way to promote the art form would be to include the products in government functions. The government should also hire trained designers to teach craftsmen the intricacies of the art, he said. About preservation of the art, historian and principal of Kakatpur College Sanjib Mitra said, Designs could be etched on stone for preservation. Courtesy : Arunika Mohapatra The Times of India
Posted on: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 10:00:03 +0000
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