Description

About the Craft:

The artists of Natungram worked first in stone carving, with the patronage of the local Rajas of Bardhaman. However, after the fall of the Raj following the abolition of the Zamindari System in 1951, the craftsmen faced difficulties. Many left the stone carving industry and began crafting fine arts and wooden works – though number of carvers are declining again due to the inefficiency of wood carving in comparison to plastic and metal. Dolls are frequently made out of Gamhar wood, Mango wood, or Shimul wood. Around 51 families living in West Bengal are involved in doll making. All members of the family are involved in the doll making process. Separate sets of work are earmarked for the artisan. The males are skilled in wood carving and the women do the colouring.

Previously, the art of making wooden dolls and toys was prevalent in many districts in West Bengal but now the craft has been kept alive in only in a few places. With changing times and the influx of metal, plastic, and machine-made goods, traditional woodcraft as art has largely disappeared but on positive note, few artisans have started curving more modern and contemporary art keeping the actual art form intact.