Orissa artisans need raw material bank

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Known for more than 40 handicraft items, Orissa boasts of a major presence in the sector even in global arena, but to boost artisans’ efforts there is not a single raw material bank in the region. Name the craft and Orissa’s artisans would have excelled in it. From applique and pathchwork, coir, tussar painting, pattachitra, palm-leaf engraving, stone and wood carving, sea shell, terracotta, filigree, lacqer, dhokra, brass and bell metal, golden grass, horn craft, cane and bamboo, paper machie, coconut shell, straw and paddy art to flexible fish (brass and wood) our products stand out among others.

Quality raw material provision through designated raw material banks will not only help artisans in getting their basic input materials at a right price, but also help them insulate from the middlemen and touts, said a top official of a handicrafts marketing organisation. Unlike industrial clusters, the artisan clusters are poor in linking among themselves, he said. "A coordinated effort among all stakeholders and especially between states in western and southern parts with states like Orissa could be extremely helpful and a mechanism like PDS can be developed in handicrafts sector also," he added.

Patwa Haveli Interiors

It's all about keeping cool in Jaisalmer, as seen in the comfortable interiors of the Patwa Haveli, full photo at Travel Webshots. The Patwa Haveli was built between 1800 and 1860, by five Jain brothers who were brocade and jewellery merchants. This is the largest haveli in Jaisalmer, standing in a narrow lane, and is called the Taj Mahal of Jaisalmer.

The first of the five sections is opened as the privately owned Kothari's Patwa Haveli Museum, while the rest are occupied by the government. The office of the archeological survey of India and state art and craft department are situated in these. The five-storeyed Patwa Haveli has exquisite carvings and its design features include separate male and female quarters and a courtyard. The museum section exhibits the lifestyle of the Patwas, and their aesthetic taste, paid for by the rich pickings from the old trade routes of medieval Asia.