A gorgeous display of metal crafts by Dhamrai Metal Crafts ended on Wednesday at the EMK Centre. The exhibition showcased some great creations by the Banik family who are in this business for 200 years and own the largest workshop in Dhamrai area known as the Dhamrai Metal Crafts.
23 pieces of bold metal crafts was displayed at the exhibit, of which, the statue of Nataraja (Hindu God Shiva, the Lord of Dance) caught the attention of people visiting the exhibition. Another eye catching statue was a miniature of the old Rath of Dhamrai, the detailed work of the piece was truly awe striking. There was Lord Krishna, Durga, Tara, Radha and Krishna, Mahaveera, Sarospati, Parboti, Vishnu and Buddha. Design of the metal crafts, were very gallant, attractive and polished. All of them represented mythological characters.
This 5000 year old tradition survives in 30 villages around Dhamrai and can be traced back to the Pala Dynasty (800-1100 AD), during which time both early Buddhist and Hindu settlements once flourished. This aspect of history is explicitly reflected in each of the metal crafts produced in Dhamrai.
The artisans of the Dhamrai area practice four traditional handmade processes, lost wax method, clay casting, sand casting and hammering. Between all these, the old wax method is very demanding and is practiced only by a handful of artists.
Sukanta Banik shares the story behind this craft with Dhaka Tribune: “It is one of the oldest traditions of Bangladesh. Previously there were more than 200 workshops, but now there may be 10 workshops still remaining in Dhamrai. We are the fifth generation of my family working on this craft. I use to help my uncle Shakhi Gopal Banik until he passed away and then I took over the business. I have about 22 young craftsmen working with me.”
Sukanta Banik mentioned that most entrepreneurs have given up the business because it seems to have no future. If the government doesn’t come forward, in the next five to 10 years, there will be no metal crafts industry left in Bangladesh. This exhibition is an initiative to save this rich art that is part of the heritage of Bangladesh.
A grant from US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation in 2003 helped Banik and other artisans build an apprenticeship programme and a skills exchange programme. The grant also helped them exhibit their crafts.