Coastal Crafts of India

All along the vast coastline of India flourish crafts that are as beautiful, as variegated as the changing colours of the sea waves. While some of these handicrafts have been designed fairly recently by creative craftsmen, many of the handicrafts found in unexpected abundance along the coast of India are as ancient as the seas. Again, while some of the handicrafts are created from material provided by the sea (such as conchshells), a many of the handicrafts are not directly related to the sea.

The state of West Bengal—the northernmost of the states that fringe the Bay of Bengal—has a heritage of crafts that is based on the resources of the sea and on land locked traditions. In Calcutta and Midnapore, sankharis or conchshell workers practice their hereditary, age-old craft. With an expertise honed to near perfection by long year of experience, they slice glistening conchshells with simple hand tolls and fashion bangles, bracelets and a range of ornaments. Ritualistically, conchshell bangles, bracelets and a range of ornaments. Ritualistically, conchshell bangles, once worn, are to meant to be discarded by Bengali women during the lifetime or their husbands. Along with shell articles is produced mother-of-pearl cutlery such as spoons, forks, knives, small plates, and jewellery.

Better known than its shell products is the high quality leather work of Calcutta. Originating in relatively recent times at Santiniketan—a name synonymous with poet laureate Rabindranath Tagore—the handmade leather goods display a variety of pleasing floral, geometric and figurative motifs. Sometimes, the designs are filled with colour. The tooled leather patterns and batik work in leather are strikingly different from the general run of leather crafts. In addition to handbags, bags, suitcases, wallets, and similar items, there are cushion and moorah (small handicrafted stool) covers as well.

Brass and bell metal craftsman can also be found working in Calcutta, while around and near Calcutta, a number of crafts have carved a niche for themselves. At Howrah can be seen craftsmen busy making garlands, dolls, images of gods and goddesses, decorative fans and other forms out of sholapith. The raw material is obtained from the porous roots and stems of an aquatic plant. The extracted bark looks very much like ivory in colour and texture, and is ideal for carving into a wide spectrum of products.

Hooghly specializes in folk toys, chikan embroidery, cane and bamboo furniture and bric-a-brac, along with jute articles. Midnapore produces hand-woven mats, and also preserves one of the oldest crafts in the state—Dhokra metal casting through the cire perdue (lost wax) process. Animals and birds, images of a pantheon of gods and goddesses are created with deceptive ease.

Southward from West Bengal, down the eastern coastline, lies the state of Orissa. Known for its golden beaches, Orissa has for centuries been home for craftsmen and artisans skilled in a number of handicrafted folk and art forms.

In the temple town of Puri reside craftsmen who appear to breathe life into inanimate objects and transform them into appealing, vibrant creations. There are the stone carvers at Pathurasahi who, working on sandstone or soapstone with classical techniques handed down from generation to generation, chisel an array of exquisitely carved stoneware—statues of gods and goddesses and utility items to suit the needs of modern patrons of their craft.

Similarly, the brass icons of Puri still retain pride of place on the shopping lists of discerning buyers in Puri.

At Khandapara, and elsewhere in Puri, live woodcarvers long famed for their skill in making wood masks, toys—generally with limbs that are detachable—and other decorative items in a style distinctively their own. Then there are the chitrakars (artists) who specialize in making patachitras—the renowned cloth folk paintings of Orissa which enshrine and reflect the rich socio-religious history of the region.

Applique work in rich hues of traditional red, black, white and yellow mixed with a more recently introduced green embellishes beach umbrellas in Puri, sarees, cholis (short, tight blouses), bed linen, handbags…

The sholapith craft is also practised vigourously at Puri, with the craftsmen turning out decorative hangings, images of the gods, garlands, flowers and a host of other articles. Then there are craftsmen who make papier mache masks which are in great demand both because of their visual appeal and the quality of workmanship.

South of Orissa one enters the state of Andhra Pradesh which has a long, highly refined tradition of coastal crafts. The craft of kalamkari—resist printed, pen style friezes on cloth—was practiced at Masulipatnam, it is recorded, even before the Christian era. Faithfully following time honoured traditions, the kalamkari craftsmen drawn stories from mythology and from the great epics—the Ramayana and the Mahabharata—outline them with gold borders and print them on cloth with local vegetable dyes which yield shades of blue, ochre and a soft rose.

In addition to the rare art of kalamkari, Masulipatnam is the centre for the prized work of gold covering. Like kalamkari, the gold covering process is an intricate one. Copper, silver and brass are formed into an alloy. Gold is then beaten and drawn into fine wires and foils and superimposed on the alloy ornaments such as bangles and necklaces.

From Andhra Pradesh, one moves down the coast to Tamil Nadu—a state that has a rich tapestry of crafts that are hoary with age and yet remain as arresting as they were recorded to be in centuries gone by—and to the tiny Union Territory of Pondicherry.

Amongst other crafts, it is beautifully crafted dolls and toys made from terracotta, papier mache and plaster of paris that make the union territory of Pondicherry almost a byword in the south, for the dolls made in Pondicherry have become famous in surrounding Tamil Nadu, for instance, as Puducheri Bommai (dolls from Pondicherry).

Once ruled by Frenchmen, Pondicherry has a surprising number of striking crafts in so small a geographical area. The oldest craft in Pondicherry—that of bronze casting—dates to the 8^th century AD. Puja lamps made from five metals and known as kamatchi villakku are prized items of prayer with a large number of families in South India. Then there is handloom cloth in traditional designs, hand-woven carpets, hand-woven woollen pile carpets, handprinted textiles (both kalamkari and batik), cane furniture, handmade paper and handrolled incense sticks from the Sri Aurobindo Society.

Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu is a multi-craft city—a centre for cane weaving, hand printed textiles, hand embroidered textiles, horn work, jewellery, toys, musical instruments, sea shell products.

Mahabalipuram is known for its stone carving, executed by master craftsmen who craft idols and statues with the classical techniques laid down in the age-old silpashastras. The craftsmen at Tambaram and Nachiarkol excel in moulding metalware. Bronze and copper icons are made through the cire perdue (lost wax) process. Ash trays, bowls, utensils and other items are made from copper, bell metal, brass and bronze.

At Kanyakumari, women dye palm leaves, weave them into patterns, occasionally adding aluminium foil to enhance the effect, and make shopping bags, folding fans, trays, even suitcases. Some craftsmen at Kanyakumari make dolls and toys.

From Kanyakumari, one rounds the tip of India, through the Indian Ocean and into the Arabian Sea which runs along the west coast of India. Lush, green Kerala is the southernmost state on the western coast. Like other coastal states, the history of Kerala’s handicrafts spans a whole phalanx of eventful centuries. And as in most places, its handicrafts are fashioned from material that is locally available and motifs and designs derived from a combination of religion, history, and natural surroundings.

So it is that in Kerala, once known for its large herds of elephants, ivory carving is an age old craft. Today, there is a justifiable clamp down on ivory production and an appreciable reduction in the quantity of ivory available for carving. Within this setting, Trivandrum is a major centre for ivory carving. There are ivory rosaries, mythological figures in ivory, figures of Buddha, figures of Christ, book marks, cigarette holders, pen stands and much else –a truly amazing collection of ivory carvings. A much sought after speciality of the ivory carvers of Kerala is 100 or more teeny weeny ivory elephants placed in an incredibly small seed shell which has a diameter of only 0.5 centimeters.

Like Cochin, Ernakulam and Trichur, Trivandrum too has a reputation for wood carving. The craftsmen use sweet smelling sandal wood, cedarwood and rosewood to make coffee tables, dishes, birds, animals, figures in local costumes, Kathakali dancers. The sculptural and relief work in wood and the wood inlay work is illustrative of superb craftsmanship.

Up north from Kerala lies the state of Karnataka. Here in the coastal area of Karnataka, wood carving is one of the oldest crafts which employs a variety of motifs to create trays, paper-weights, fans, perforated lampshades. Honawar and Kumta, where the craftsmen focus on carving the images of gods and goddesses, are prominent centres of wood carving.

Mangalore is noted for its jewellery, particularly its bangles set with pearls and its pendants. Together, Mangalore and Udipi produce meticulously crafted items of brass and copper—lamp shades, furniture, door handles. At Coorg, craftsmen and women paint toys in bright colours. The women of Coorg also produce hand embroidered textiles.

Northwards, in the state of Maharashtra, most of the crafts are concentrated in Mumbai.The painted black pottery and the hand painted glazed tiles made at Dharavi acquired popularity within a short time. The cloth dolls, the cushion covers with mirror work, the sisal shopping bags, mats and other items made from sisal and fibre, articles made from cane and bamboo are amongst the crafts practised in Bombay.

The traditional craft of Maharashtra—copperware—has its base at Thana where craftsman produce trays, ashtrays, perforated chandeliers… At Miraj are produced musical string instruments—the sarangi, the sitar, tampura, dilruba…

Dadra and Nagar Haveli are tiny Union territories, as are Daman and Diu. The chief crafts at Dadra and Nagar Haveli are the production of leather slippers, and the weaving of bamboo mats and baskets. Articles made from the greenish gold torpe grass are extraordinarily beautiful. Mat weaving is the dominant craft in Daman, while Diu is known for its tortoise shell and ivory carving.

Gujarat, the northernmost state on the west coast of India has an eloquent, rolific tradition of stylized crafts.Mirror work and embroidery in a variety of stitches and with different textured threads and motifs thrives as a highly evolved craft in Bhavnagar and Jamnagar. Silver ornaments, silver flower vases, plates, silver utensils, enameled articles for those who cannot afford silver, ivory work, and bandhini—the tie and dye process of resist printing—are practiced with fervour in Jamnagar.

Large, decorative chests on wheels made from teak wood and tin plates and known as pataras are made at Bhavnagar and Mahuva. Now regarded as a collectors item, pataras are now used as bangle boxes, trinket boxes, makeup boxes, paper storage boxes and so on. Mahuva, along with Jamnagar, has a tradition of producting toys and bangles as well. Articles carved out of wood and lacquer work on wood are other crafts practiced at Mahuva.

Probander is renowned for its Patola weaves. Red, green, yellow, black and white are the traditional colours used in Patola fabrics. A tie and dye process is used to ensure identical patterns—geometric designs, flowers, birds—on both sides of the woven cloth. Preparing a Patola fabric is a long, painstaking process which is why they are expensive. Patola sarees hand-woven with silk threads and patterned in the weave—generally with birds and animals—can cost several thousand rupees. Besides Porbander, a few craftsmen also live and practice their Patola craft in Patan.

But it is Surat with a tradition of multiple crafts that emerges as the choicest craft centre on the Gujarat coast. Surat is perhaps the most important zari manufacturing centre in India. Fine gold and silver threads used in zari work are made in hundreds of workshops, big and small, in Surat, as are other items used in the lustrous zari work—kinari, salma, stars and spangles.

The ivory inlaid boxes of Surat are in demand throughout the year. Plates of sandalwood are engraved and gummed onto teakwood boxes. Small strips of ivory are also arranged in patterns and affixed to the teak wood boxes. The number of ivory inlay craftsmen has dwindled over the years and today less than a handful still devote themselves to the craft.

Both at Surat and Mahuva, there flourishes a tradition of wood carving, striking for its consummate workmanship. Table lamps, side tables, animals are crafted by communities known as Mewara mistris.

Sadeli or marquetry work is yet another speciality at Surat. Long, thin strips of wood, tin or ivory are cut and pasted in patterns on boxes and caskets to create appliquéd goods. Surat also has a rich tradition of silver work.

The Gulf of Cambay has, since ancient times, earned fame for its exceptionally beautiful hand crafted articles and ornaments of agate, a semi-precious stone. Besides agate necklaces and other ornaments, there are agate bowls, trays, tiny stands and other items.

And so, without a break—geographically or traditionally—the vast coastline of India reveals the remarkable continuity and versatility of dedicated craftsmen in creating an assortment of vivid crafts and folk idioms that appeal to a wide cross section of people. Works of art, the crafts of coastal India reach out to even the most fastidious of buyers and patrons.

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