Odisha government's apathy, Covid rob sheen out of Ratakhandipada crafts

UMERKOTE: Already reeling under poor market linkage and supply of raw materials, the Covid-19 pandemic has dealt a body blow to skilled carpenters in Nabarangpur district. The impact is perceptible in Ratakhandipada, a village in Patkholia panchayat under Chandahandi block where carpentry was once a flourishing profession and gave it a unique identity. 

Home to 50 tribal families, the village was known for exquisite stone and wood carvings. Sources said of total 311 population, 62 happen to be skilled carpenters but now over 37 of them are daily labourers with the pandemic leaving them idle. 

Over the years, the art form has been dying from Ratakhandipada due to poor market linkage and lack of timber supply from corporations.  While teak and sal wood are used to make statues, its shortage has hampered the craft as neither the Forest department nor the Industry authorities are reportedly showing interest in providing them whole logs. 

Outbreak of Covid-19, sources said, has only compounded the crisis. Most skilled carpenters are now sustaining by resorting to farm work or wage labour. Chief artist of the village Dev Ram Thurua, said the condition of village artisans is miserable and official apathy will ultimately wipe out the art form. Thurua, in 1970s, had learnt  the art of carving from his guru Bidya Bhusan  at  Khairpadar village in Kalahandi district.

He then taught it to young groups of  Ratakhandipada. Many young artisans in the village still show keen interest in pursuing carpentry but are sceptical due to lack of encouragement from the government, he said. “Assistance here means only a two-room tin roofed house as a wooden art training centre which was set up 30 years back,” he said. 

Contacted, manager of district industries centre (DIC) Nabarangpur A Baneswar Rai Subudhi said provisions are being made to give financial assistance to  artisans. Their products will be marketed by the DIC as instructed by the Collector, he informed.