The coronavirus crisis has forced a handful of artisans’ families of M. Venkatayapalem village in Khammam rural mandal, well known for intricate brass metal craft, into a hand-to-mouth existence.
The veteran artisan couple Dasaroju Nagabrahma Chary and his wife Upendramma besides their three sons, who distinguished themselves in the traditional metal craft, are reeling under the ripple effects of the pandemic crisis.
The pandemic has virtually brought the sales of brass handicrafts to a halt with almost no takers for the wide range of brass artefacts in these hard times. Adding to the miseries of artisans, the brass items made by them prior to the lockdown in mid-March based on orders from customers remained unsold.
The expertise of the veteran artisan couple in brass metal craft and above all their passion to keep the handicraft tradition alive helped them win several awards in the past. The couple trained their three sons — Venkata Chary, Bhaskara Chary, both post-graduates, and Ravi in the traditional metal craft. The trio turned full-time artisans and supported their parents who own Sri Veera Brahmendra Handicrafts unit based in their village. Hard hit by the pandemic crisis, the artisans’ families are desperately looking at the persons at the helm to help them tide over the present crisis.
An array of exotic brass items such as brass statues of deities, makarathoranalu and decorative artefacts are languishing in our home with the customers, who placed orders for them failing to turn up even after the relaxation of lockdown, deplored Mr. Bhaskara Chary. “We are hardly getting any new orders with the shutdown of educational institutions and decreased religious activity in the temples post-lockdown,” he lamented.
The alternative option of working as a part-time lecturer to eke out a living is also missing due to the closure of colleges, according to Mr Bhaskara Chary, who holds M.Sc (Mathematics) and B.Ed degrees. “My mother has been suffering from a gynaecological problem and she urgently needs to undergo a surgery for that,” he said expressing the agony of their family.
“My father has won an award from the then Governor of Andhra Pradesh Kumudben Joshi for excelling in a handicrafts competition in the 1980s and my mother was bestowed with Stree Shakti award for her rich artistry in the past,” recalled Venkata Chary. The pandemic has left our artisans families in the lurch with the sole means of livelihood being threatened by the unabated crisis, he bemoaned, seeking financial support from the government to their handicrafts unit to make both ends meet and continue with their mission to keep the glorious brass craft tradition alive.