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Dazzling display of metal works

25 May 2006, 18:00 PM
LIFESTYLE
By Kavita Charanji
25 May 2006, 18:00 PM
Owl Pair
A visitor to the Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, Dhanmondi, is greeted with a dazzling array of metal craft works. A sampler: An exquisite brass pot depicting the various stages in the life of Buddha: ranging from his days with his parents, to leaving home, Indira stopping him from leaving home, his hair cutting ceremony, taming a wild elephant, meditation and finally Nirvana. Then there are intricately designed statues of the pantheon of Hindu gods and goddesses such as Uma-Mahesvara (better known as Parvati and Shiva), Krishna, Vishnu, Lakshmi, Saraswati and Hanuman, among others. Also in evidence are metal crafted utensils and decorative items.

Behind this interesting display are the three organisers: The Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, Dhamrai Metal Craft (DMC) and the American Centre of the US Embassy-Dhaka. The 10-day exhibition, titled 'A Splendid Tradition', opened on May 24. The chief guest was Patricia A Butenis, Ambassador of USA, while Ruby Ghuznavi, who runs Aranya and is ex-president of the Bangladesh Crafts Council, was the special guest. The inaugural function went along with the launch of a VCD, titled The Metal Craft of Dhamrai.

A catalyst for change in the metal craft business is Sukanta Banik, proprietor of DMC and chairperson of the NGO called Initiative for the Preservation of Dhamrai Metal Casting (IPDMC). Though his Dhamrai-based venture is well known among expats--and even figures in the Lonely Planet tourist guide series, very few Bangladeshis have an idea of the craft. "Exhibitions such as this can go a long way in popularising and generating awareness about this craft," asserts Banik.

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There are five techniques in metal craft. Banik's firm most commonly uses the Lost Wax Method for statues. What is Banik's USP? In his words, "Our statues are completely different from those of India and Nepal. In our statues there is no similarity between one and another because they are completely free hand made statues (not from a master mould). Also the Pala style is completely different."

The US Embassy Dhaka is the other key player in the revival of this craft. In 2003, the Embassy funded the newly formed IPDM which sought to keep the legacy of traditional metal casting alive in Dhamrai.

"The objective of the programme, supported by the Ambassador's Cultural Fund includes documenting problems faced by the metal craft industries in Dhamrai, preparing a video that showcases the metal industries in Dhamrai and preserves information for future generations, exchanging information among those working on these techniques in other countries (Bangladesh, Nepal and India); and helping develop a market for these items that will ensure that the industry will continue for years to come," says an exhibition brochure.