BHUBANESWAR: The stone carving works of Orissa have attracted many a tourist. So has the Pipli and terracotta craft. Though tedious, these craft forms today are attracting many unemployed youths and college dropouts who are willing to create self-employment opportunities out of it. This comes at a time when sustenance of traditional craft forms is being seen as a huge challenge. A large number of such youths are enrolling themselves with several handicraft stores and institutes, including the State Institute for Development of Art and Crafts (SIDAC) for training in craft forms. A college drop-out, Akhila Sethi today runs an outlet in the Old Town area in Bhubaneswar where he trains a team of five young artisans and sells stone crafts and traditional applique crafts. After undergoing training at the Sudarshan Art and Craft Village here in stone-carving, Sethi availed of a bank loan to set up the outlet last year. “With applique and stone-carving being iconic handicrafts of the State, they attract many tourists and international buyers and hence offer good business prospects,” he said. For Snehalata Hota, in mid- 20s, acquiring the skill of creating applique craft was helpful in setting up a small business. She sells these applique craft and conventional wall-hangings through the craft outlets in Ekamra Haat and Forum Mart besides accepting corporate orders. “I wanted to become self-reliant. So I decided to learn the traditional applique crafts since it is an interesting and profitable occupation,” she said. Expert artisans said training youngsters helps in reviving the craft forms. By combining traditional skills and modern design inputs, these youngsters are coming up with more market and export-oriented products. “Handicraft courses serve as a good opportunity for budding talents to upgrade their skills and prosper as talented artisans and craftsmen,” said an official of SIDAC, which offers short and long-term courses in terracotta, applique, wood-carving, stone-carving and Patachitra. “Traditional art and craft have to evolve to suit the needs and tastes of customers. In these courses, we train them in creating new designs and product mixing,” he added.Swarnamayee Patra, who is undergoing training in applique work at SIDAC, said the course focuses on the transition of art from traditional to modern. “This course would help us develop a sense of innovative, out-of-the-box designs to respond to market needs,” she said. While SIDAC offers full-time courses, the handicraft institutes and stores train interested candidates on an internship basis.
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