Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
Despite all the shine and glitter Jeet Ram’s traditional metal-craft offered, no one showed any interest in his stall at the famous International Lavi Fair in Rampur, about 130 kms from Shimla in Himachal Pradesh.
So the despondent 68-year-old craftsman wound up his stall even before the fair ended on November 14 last month, and went back home to Seraj in Mandi district.
“I have been coming to the Lavi Fair for nearly 35 years, and the Mohra I make would sell well. People bought it, used it in their worship and many temple committees purchased them too. But, people have lost interest in the intervening years,” Jeet Ram told Gaon Connection.
Mohra are metal masks depicting the faces of deities, usually cast in brass. They are worshipped in households and in temples in Himachal Pradesh. The brass masks can cost anything up to Rs 30,000.
The craft is something these artisans have learnt over generations. They work with metals such as gold, silver, metal, bronze, mercury, copper, iron and tin.
Jeet Ram and other craftspeople like him also make the traditional musical instruments (baaja) such as the Dhol, Nagara, Karnaal and Narsingha, and Thal that is a metal plate with engravings of gods and goddesses and figures from the folk history of the region.
“There was a time we sold three or four sets of the baaja, at the mela, but this year we have not even sold one,” he rued.
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“We know no other work. And this is not a regular source of income. It is sporadic with some years being better than the other. There are times we do not sell even one Mohra,” 30-year-old Rajat Kumar, a craftsman from Seraj, who works with his father and elder brother, told Gaon Connection.
There was a time, the craftsperson said, that the artists earned up to four lakh rupees (Rs 400,000) a year, but now their income has almost halved with them barely making about two lakh rupees (Rs 200,000), and the cost of raw materials going up has not helped their cause either.
The craft is something these artisans have learnt over generations. They work with metals such as gold, silver, metal, bronze, mercury, copper, iron and tin.
Roshan Singh who is also from Seraj said, “I learnt it from my father and he was trained by his father. This is an art we have been following for generations,” the 48-year-old told Gaon Connection.
“Earlier, local rulers used to patronise our work. But now things have changed. I won’t say we don’t have customers. We earn enough money to feed our families but there are several other financial needs,” said Roshan Singh.
His father, Rattan Das, who learnt the craft when he was only seven or eight years old said, “I have devoted myself to this craft. I will always remember my father’s words. He told me — Mohra is made for the purpose of worship, it is not made to make money. We do this not for profit but to serve a centuries-old legacy.”
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Metal casting finds its origin in the 10th century when King Sahil Verman shifted his capital from Brahmpur (Bharmour) to Chamba. Most of the artisans are carrying out their family legacy and this art is being kept alive, but barely as the younger generation is fast losing interest in it.
“Even their parents do not want them to follow it since there are few people who are interested in procuring this art form,” said craftsman Kishore Kumar. He was lucky that he got a contract to do the artwork for a temple in Rohru in Shimla district.
Keeping the art going is not easy. It is labour intensive, requires patience, money, a lot of time and effort to make the finished artwork, which then may or may not sell, Kishore Kumar pointed out.
But, he also said that if there was some way their artwork was given recognition and acknowledged by authorities, it would not fade away as it is in danger of doing now.
Santosh Sharma, a researcher on the art and handicrafts of Himachal Pradesh, who is based in Dharamshala, said that the craftsmen must diversify. “Most of the artists are stuck to Mohra making. Seraj artists have not diversified to other products,” he told Gaon Connection.
Vishal Sharma, an artist from Chamba, seconded him. “Artists need to diversify towards making other designs which have some commercial value like the Chamba Thal,” he said.
“We need a platform and all the artists need to be roped in. Marketing of these artefacts is important. Such artwork could be used as a gift or showpiece. But these are not marketed like that,” he added.
Recently, Union Minister Anurag Thakur, who represents Himachal’s Hamirpur Lok Sabha segment, gifted a Chamba Thal to Olympic medal winner PV Sandhu. He also gifted it to other guests.
Earlier, during the investor meet in Dharamshala in 2019, guests from different countries were honoured with metal artefacts from the state.
“My brother was one of the group of artists who made those artefacts. This was a matter of pride for all of us. The government should support us. We do not want any subsidy but a market for our products,” said 38-year-old Kishan Chand.
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Rajesh Anand, son of Prakash Chand who received the President Award in 1974, is also a renowned craftsman. His Mohra work finds place in museums in Germany and the United States. “A concerted effort is required to save this art. Government should support us,” Anand told Gaon Connection.
Meanwhile, Padma Awardee Vijay Sharma said metal-craft is losing its sheen. “There is no promotion or a proper marketing platform for it. Not all artisans are skilled enough to diversify and make things that have commercial value. The government needs to do something about this,” he told Gaon Connection.
In response to the appeal from the artisans for help from the government, Rakesh Prajapati, Director Industries with the state government, said that marketing help was extended to the artisans through the handloom and handicraft wing. “We will definitely look into the needs and the issues this sector is facing,” he promised.
