Art and Culture

Inspired by Tagore: Showcasing the traditional art and craft of Bengal

by IBNS 12 May 2017, 07:44 am

Kolkata, May 11, (IBNS): In keeping with poet Rabindranath Tagore's progressive ideas of supporting local and traditional art, the West Bengal State Akademi of Dance Drama Music and Visual Arts organises a special fair at the Rabindra Bharati University's Jorasanko campus around the poet's birthday.

The Jorasanko campus occupies the house where the Tagore family lived and the great poet was born.

Popularly known as the Lokshilpa O Karukriti Mela, it is being organised since 1986.

The Lokshilpa O Karukriti Mela at the Jorasanko Thakurbari, is held with a view to meaningfully support – and help revive, wherever necessary – the development of traditional arts and crafts. In this initiative, the Akademi has been greatly inspired by the thoughts underlying Rabindranath Tagore’s 'swadeshi mela', said Dr. Haimanti Chattopadhyay, Secretary.

This year too, the recently held fair, showcased  a wide range of traditional art and craft items made by nearly 60 artists, craftspeople and weavers from 17 districts of West Bengal.

 The Mela was inaugurated by film director Dr. Kamaleshwar Mukhopadhyay. Siddhartha Ghosh, Secretary, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi was the Chief Guest. 

The inaugural function was presided over by Prof. Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury, Vice Chancellor, Rabindra Bharati University, and also Chairman of the State Akademi.

The attractive traditional art and craft items included patachitras, mats, and decorative items made with wild grass and buffalo horns from Paschim Medinipur district; lac items from Purba Medinipur district; clay dolls from Dakshin 24-Parganas district; batik products from the Birbhum and Howrah districts; kanthas and wood carvings from Bardhaman district; dokra jewellery, shola crafts, kantha-stitch items and batik products from Birbhum district; traditional clay models from Nadia district; Baluchari sarees, dokra crafts and dashabatar cards from Bankura district; Chhau dance masks from Purulia district; bamboo crafts from Malda district; jute crafts from Murshidabad district; wooden masks and dhokra items from Dakshin Dinajpur district; Polia clay models from Uttar Dinajpur district; wooden handicrafts from Alipurduar district; shitalpatis from Cooch Behar district; and wood carvings from Darjeeling district.