Transformation in tools in Techniques-Mysore rosewood Inlay-NIFT Bengaluru AD Batch 2015-19

National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru

Document mentored by Mrs. Shipra Roy, Dr. Yathindra L and Girinath G NIFT Bengaluru Copyright Š2017 National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher.

Published in 2017 Printo HSR Phone:

Cataloging in Publication data Utsav Teji Rahul Verma Vikas Kumar Singh Aishwarya Singh Abhila Ekka Aisharrya Laxmi (Fashion and Lifestyle Accessories Department 2015-19, NIFT, HSR Layout Bengaluru, Karnataka 560102, India) Printed and bound in Bengaluru, India

ABOUT THE INSTITUTION National institute of Fashion Technology was set up in 1986 under the aegis of the Ministry of textiles, government of India. It has emerged as the premier Institute of Design, Management and Technology, developing professionals for taking up leadership positions in Fashion business in the emerging global scenario. NIFT has been granted statutory status under the act of Parliament of India in 2006, empowering the institute to award degrees and other academic distinctions.

The Institute is a pioneer in envisioning and evolving fashion business education in the country through a network of fifteen professionally managed domestic centres at Bangalore, Bhopal, Bhuvaneshwar, Chennai , Gandhinagar , Hyderabad, Jodhpur, Kangra , Kannur, Kolkata , Mumbai , New Delhi , Patna, Raebarelli and Shillong.

Nift has set academic standards and excelled in thought Leadership by providing a pool of creative genius and technically competent professionals. The Institute provides a common platform for fashion education, research and training.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT Accessory Department under National Institute of Fashion Technology tells us that a fashion is more than just clothes. It educates and trains to visualize and create lifestyle accessories and systems using different materials, processes and technologies.

Focusing on personal and space accessories and products, it offers a strong multi-disciplinary edge wherein the students get an opportunity to work in wide spectrum of domains such as jewellery; watches; bags; luggage; footwear; lighting; furniture, space accessories and interior objects; trend research; and colors, materials and trims for white goods and automobile interiors.

A strong industry is provided to the student with the most successful industry education interface in student learning. The program considers that in contemporary lifestyle every product needs to address the core of fashion in terms of aesthetics and usability to remain consumer centric and meaningful to society.

Accessory Design has a well-defined curriculum for developing integrated expertise in design methodology, materials & production process, consumer behavior, market dynamics trends, forecast interpretations, business practices and project management in the field of fashion and lifestyle accessories.

Certificate This is to certify that the craft cluster project titled “ HASTH KALA PARIVARTAN” is a record work done by Abhila Ekka, Aishwarya Singh, Aisharrya Laxmi, Rahul Verma, Utsav Teji, Vikas Singh; as regular students for the degree of B.Des Fashion And Lifestyle Accessories during their course Craft Study And Documentation in September, 2017 which respresents an independent work and does not form the base for any previous work.

Place: Bangalore Date:

Under the guidance Dr. Yathinda . L Mrs. Shipra Roy Girinath Gopinath Department of Fashion And Lifestyle Accessories National Intsitute of Fashion Technology Bengaluru-560102

(External Jury Member)

(External Jury Member)

(External Jury Member)

(External Jury Member)

Acknowledgement This craft cluster document encapsulates the efforts and the research work done by the students of AD-V Bangalore (Batch 2015-19) in order to capture the very essence of the craft of Mysore Rosewood Inlay. It is said that to achieve a set target one needs to aim well with all his or her learning and concentration. Without the hands of constant guidance , we are likely to miss the aim , even though it may be just by an inch. Undoubtedly, that incomparable and selfless guidance had been given to us by our mentor for this cluster programme- Mrs. Shipra Roy and Dr. Yathindra L. We are indebted to them for guiding us at every step with their constant support and valuable feedback.

This research would have been impossible without the kind support of the various artisans whom we interviewed at various intervals of our research work. In spite of being busy with their work, they patiently answered all our queries and also helped us to understand the craft nuances in much better way by giving us demonstrations for the same.

Out of all the artisans we would like to thank Mr. Mohan and his son Mr. Murli for giving us an in depth insights of the craft in our initial days of research which further streamlined our research. Last but not the least we would also like to thank our faculties from Fashion and lifestyle Accessories Department and our institution for giving us this golden opportunity to visit this cluster and document this amazing craft cluster of Karnataka.

We would also like to thank our sponsor Development Commissioner (Handicraft) Ministry of Textile, Government of India has helped in all financial needs. The initiative is also supported by Ms. Sarada M Muraleedharan, (IAS) Director General, NIFT. and Professor V. Sivalingam , Director, NIFT Bengaluru Abhila Ekka Aishwarya Singh Aisharrya Laxmi Rahul Verma Utsav Teji Vikas Kumar Singh B.Des AD- V NIFT,Bengaluru

CONTENT About the Place-Mysore Introduction to Mysore Rosewood Inlay and Cluster Where is it done Its Origin & History Influences Types of Products Issues and Problems Transfiguration of Mysore Rosewood Inlay Craft Transformation Based on Raw material ( Availablity and Costing) Transformation Based on Tools, Techniques and Processes Transformation Based on Craft Refinement and Design Impacts of Japanese Wooden Inlay Technique Transformation Based on Institutional Involvement Academics Government Non- government Insights form Insiders From the team Bibliography

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ABOUT THE PLACE – MYSORE Armed with a history back thousands of years and often referred to as the cultural capital of Karnataka, the illustrious city of Mysore is the third largest city in the state. It is also known as the “City of Palaces” until 1947 it served as the capital of the Kingdom of Mysore, Playing a very important role in shaping the history of India. A small city with quaint charm, mysore is a very popular tourist destination.

Area : 128.42 km square Population : 887,446 Government type : Mayor-Council Languages : Kannada, Hindi, English

Mysore Palace

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HISTORY The earliest historical evidence relating to Mysore comes from an inscription done on Chamundi hills during the rule of the Western Ganagas. Their kingdom was established in the 2 nd century and lasted till around 1004 AD. They were soon followed by the Chola’s , the Chaunakya’s and the Hoysala’s. After the Hosala’s came the Vijaynagara Kings. Initially , Mysore served as a vassal state to the Vijaynagara Empire , ruled over by Chamaraja Wodeyar. But after their decline in the 1560’s , the kingdom of mysore slowly achieved independence and became a soverign state . During this time, Srirangapatnam was the capital of Mysore . Under the illustrious Wodeyar Kings, the kingdom conquered large parts of Karnataka and Tamil nadu , and was a force to be reckoned with in southern India.

According to historians, around the early 1700’s, Mysore had officially become a tributary of the mughal empire, paying regular tributes to delhi. But soon, the Mughal Kingdom too was declining , leading to delicate games in alliance and negotiation.

Soon this was taken over by by Haider Ali (a captain in Mughal army ) replacing the Wodeyar Kings to become the ruler of Mysore. This period of reign by Haider ali and subsequently his son, Tipu Sultan was considered as a golden period for Mysore in terms of Millitary power and Dominance. During this time there was extensive conflicts with the British, the Marathas and the Nizams of Golconda, leading to succession of wars which eventually lead to Tipu sultan deafeat and Death in 1799 during the 4th Anglo-Mysore war .

Subsequently the capital was moved back to Mysore and the kingdom was fragmented by the Britishers . The Wodeyars were reinstated as Maharajas of Mysore , but was under the all to join with the country, remaining in the state of Mysore, which soon became a part of Karnataka.

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CLIMATE The weather of mysore has a direct effect on its role as a popular tourist destination. Mysore has a moderate climate and the salubrious weather makes it a lovely place to live in There are three main seasons in Mysore : summer, winter and monsoon. The highest temperature recorded in Mysore was 38.5 degree Celsius and the lowest 7.7 degree Celsius.

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CUISINE The cuisine of Mysore is generally simple and resembles the matrix of spices and flavours used in most of the South Indian cuisines. Mysore is famous for its Mysore Pak, which is an exotic and mouth savoring combination of gram flour, sugar and ghee.

Some other popular local dishes are Bisibelle Bhaath ( a dish made of rice, lentils and dashed with exotic indian spices ), raagi mudde ( a dish made by cooking raagi in water and later rolling it into balls ), shavige bhaath ( vermicelli dish), etc.Mostly Mysoreans have simple breakfast which includes dishes mainly made of rice, including Idli, Dosa etc.

This is followed by lunch and dinner, in which both has rice along with sambhar or rasam or similar dishes.

Non- vegetarian items like biryani and kebabs are a favourite among the Muslims and Gowdas community, also there is hotel named as RRR which is very famous for its non-vegetarian biryani. Apart from this Mossaranna (curd rice) also account for an important part of meals of many Mysoreans especially during feasts and marriages.

In today’s scenario there are many other cuisines also coming up like Chinese, North Indian, Western etc. such cuisines are gaining great popularity among the younger generations in Mysore.

Mysore Masala Dosa

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MYSORE MAP

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the nearest airport to Mysore is in Bangalore (136 kms).

Mysore is connected with a number of trains to Bangalore. Shatabdi connectes Mysore to Madaras. The quickest and the most easy way is from Bangalore

Mysore is 139kms from South West Bangalore. The state highway that connects these two cities is well maintained and it takes about 3hrs to reach from Bangalore. There is a well maintained bus system too

TRANSPORT Mysore is well connected city, with several major highways including National Highway 212 passing through it. Its also has a popular rail system with three lines connecting it to Bengaluru, Hassan and Chamrajnagar. There are plans on expanding this system , which are still in progress.

The city can also be accessed by buses, with buses leaving from Bengaluru every half an hour. The city even has an Airport at Mandakalli, which became operational in 2010, and has regular domestic flights to Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru.

There is a very well connected transport system within the city, with buses and autos being the most popular services. The public bus system in Mysore is very well set up , with buses covering all corners of the town at regular frequencies. The centre point for this is the central KSRTC bus stand , located very near to the Mysore Palace, from where buses go in all directions.

Another popular mode is by auto rickshaws, the Ola and UBER cabs and autos etc.

Ola and Uber cabs and autos are very convenient modes of transport if one does not know the routes and if we want to escape the unnecessary overpricing by the rickshaw and cab drivers.

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TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

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Mysore Palace

Brindavan Gardens:

The home of Maharajas of Mysore, this splendid palace with its intricately worked upon rosewood inlayed doors, mesmerizing mysore style paintings and magnificient Durbar halls, is a must see for anyone visiting Mysore. The most eye captivating sight is when the lights of the palace are on and are illuminating every single corner of the palace.

Visited by close to 2 million tourists every year, this is one ofe the most sought after tourist attractions in Mysore city. The garden is spread across 60 acres of land and the famous light and water show and musical fountain are major crowd-pullers here.

Chamundehswari Temple:

St. Philomena’s Church :

This temple has a lot of significance since the Puranic times and holds a lot of importance in the lives of the people. The deity of mysore , the goddess Chamundeshwari’s temple is set atop the Chamundi Hills marking the victory of Good over Evil. The temple has got mesmerizing architecture and massive grandeur which talks about the Puranic tales and has many historical references. An added bonus is to watch the sunset from the hill top .

Constructed in 1936 in the NeoGothic style, the St. Philomena’s church is a beautiful and haunting church designed by the French architect Daly. Built by the Wodeyar kings, the church is built to resemble the Cologne Cathedral in Germany.

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INTRODUCTION TO

MYSORE ROSEWOOD INLAY AND CLUSTER

Rosewood Inlay Work, is one of the most age old craft which has been practiced for more than 400 years by now in and around Mysore.

During its nascent stage it has enjoyed a lot of patronage from the Maharajas of Mysore and gained a lot of popularity and recognition since then. It is a beautiful art of crafting wood and etching stories of puranic period and tales of past and present on seasoned wooden panels by virtue of excellent craftsmanship and expertise of the diligent craftsmen and artisans.

The intricate rosewood inlay work and its finesse shows a remarkable refinement and workmanship.

Rosewood inlay work is not just an art anymore, but has become a part of Our rich Indian Heritage over the time. Having glorifying the eternal beauty of Mysore Palace, rosewood inlay is not just a part of decoration but a

reverend possession. It is beautiful amalgamation of immense skill and labor with passion and sensitivity towards art and aesthetics. Mysore is the key destination to get a piece of it, this is where it is traditionally practices. Every rosewood artisan puts his heart and soul while working with this craft and his each creation is not just a mere expression but a witnessed truth.

Almost all the artisans who have carried rosewood inlay art as a part of their legacy consider it not just as their livelihood but a part of their life now. The artisans and the craft have become inseparable now.

They are trying to maintain the legacy by saving this dying art form and commercialization is making it happen to some extent also. But how successful have they been in maintaining its authenticity and root feels is hard to map.

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History and Origin of the Art form: Inlay work has been going on since the era of Kings and Queens.

As the name suggests, the key element of this craft is Rosewood and the other other materials include other woods and acrylic sheets (as per today’s scenario ).

Authentically ivory and deer horns were used but since 1970’s it has been banned , and subsequently acrylic sheets and brass have taken its position. According to the artisans, it was much more convenient to work with Ivory but because of it getting banned they had to adapt to this new material.

During the reign of Haider ali and Tipu Sultan in 18th century , Maharajas used to patronize art and artisans a lot. Various British accounts prove the settlement and activities of rosewood inlay work.

patterns and motifs inspired by the flora and fauna. Popularity of wood inlay work excelled with the introduction of rural scene description by Aritist Mir Shaukat Ali. He brought a totally new evolution in the craft by using locally available wood of different colors to create wonderful art pieces. These art pieces were well appreciated by the king and it was easy to learn and practice for the other people too. The unique material culture and simple technique brought the revolution in the world of art and craft and also in the life of people. The artisans flourished with unique style in their products in Ivory & Rose wood Inlay craft.study reports say that from two units producing wood inlay work in early 1940’s it reached to three hundred in 1990’s.

Jayachamaraja Wodeyar Bahadur was the 25th and the last Maharaja of the princely state of Mysore. During his reign artisan practiced several crafts including ivory inlay in rosewood, as rosewood was available in abundance locally. In 1900’s , Chamarajendra Technical Institute ( established by the king himself for the patronization of the craft in 1977 )introduced new patterns for inlay that included mythology alongside geometric

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Mother Of Pearl inlay at Jagmohan Palace

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The Cluster To give rise to the crafts of Karnataka, the government has set up a Multicraft complex in KARAKUSHAL NAGAR ( near B M Shree Nagar , Mysore ), a cluster which includes 480 houses built with the help from both central and state governments. Set on the outskirts of Mysore, Karakushalanagara is an initiative taken up by the central government to promote rosewood inlay.in accordance with this , almost about 400 artisans and their families are housed in this Multicraft complex in onebedroom houses constructed by the government.

According to the artisans the first 100 houses were donated by the government of Switzerland and the later ones constructed

by Cauvery (emporiums run by Karnataka state, with a loan from the KFSC bank ).this initiative was brought about so that the artists could have a sense of security with which to continue practicing their art. Several of these houses , double up as as workshops, where artisans use one or more of the rooms for their work. The government supported set-up provides living and working spaces for about 2000 crafts person and their families. The procurement center set up by the govt. of Karnataka is a unit of ‘Cauvery’ Karnataka State Arts & Crafts Emporium that provides the artisans raw materials like Sandalwood and purchase craft objects from the artisans and market them through their own outlets at different parts of the

state.

The organization conducts training programs sponsored

by Development Commissioner of Handicrafts with the help of in-house design center and ‘Chamraja Technical Institute’, Mysore. It organizes Health camps for the artisan families, provides insurance to enrolled artisans. But presently artisans are just getting orders from Cauvery Emporium to work on but no such material subsidy or materials in general are provided.

The lifestyle of these artisans is very simple and they all mostly stay in Multicraft complex only, generally in small houses with just their immediate family. The fiels is heavily male dominated, there being very few female workers.

The workers usually earn about Rs. 300 for a full day’s work at an average and these low wages are the reason that several of them are teetering on the poverty line.

But even they are content, citing themselves to be happy wih their lot. They are driven by passion and love for their craft , and ready to put in extra hours of hardwork and percission without complain.

One refreshing aspect of this complex is the sense of community among the artisans.

Workers from different castes and religions work together in harmony, with no compunction about themes or stories depicted.

You find artisans frome very religion working together on depictions from the Dashavatara, to traditional inscriptions from Quran, to the portrait of Baby Jesus.

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INFLUENCES OF JAPANESE WOOD INLAY After visiting to the Jagmohan palace we found few Japanese wooden inlayed reliefs and artifacts displayed in the museum which resembled rosewood inlay craft a lot ,the only difference were the motifs and the material inlayed in the wood .

There has been a lot of influence from other wood inlay craft from Japan and China, influence of which came in here in India during the British Raj. Traces of Raden- a Japanese style and technique in Japanese lacquer ware and woodwork using inlay of shell and ivory to decorate piece which usually have wooden base, have been found in the museum. The shells used includes mother of pearl , abalone and other types.

It is said that the artisans of rosewood inlay have taken inspiration from

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these Japanese inlay work as after ivory being banned many of the Mysore rosewood inlay artisans have started inlaying Mother of Pearl at various instances . One can also find traces of Moku-Zogan which is a decorative technique to cut out wood into pieces of varied shapes and place them on a wooden surface. The technique was known as Mokuga in the Nara period.

Even after having influence from various wood inlay craft from the ancient period Mysore Rosewood Inlay retains its originality in it themes, Color schemes and motifs. Artisans have just taken material inspiration from these foreign craft but the very essence of Rosewood inlay is purely Indian in its origin and feel.

Japanese Inlay Umbrella Stand

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TYPES OF

PRODUCTS 19

A wide array of products are done in this craft . recently as the market scope for this craft has widened up the artisans are trying to come up with new and innovative products.

Rosewood inlay has been exhibited on doors and door frames since the rule of Maharajas at the mysore palace. These, probably were also found in the homes of nobles, or wealthy merchants. Nowadays due to export demands,. The product range has grown a lot and entails products like dining sets, idols, mirror frames, sofa sets, elephant artifacts etc. this also includes also decorative panels and wall hangings.

The range of products available with inlay work is very wide. From wall hangings to jhula (swing), to intricately worked upon jewellery boxes, the product range of rosewood inlay has grown manifolds. Earlier, rosewood inlay was mainly used to make either small articles like wall hangings or jewellery boxes with intricate motifs.

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DERIVATIVES OF INLAY When dealing with art forms like rosewood inlay that has both, a lot of history and techniques to its credit, there are often several art forms similar to it that may emerge from the same. Not all of these last, but a few might become popular and remain.

In this case, mainly two derivatives of inlay those have found their own niche in the world of art and aesthetic are Wooden Patchwork and 3D work. Both of these forms require the same raw materials and tools as that of rosewood inlay, the only difference is in the process and techniques used. Both the forms are presently enjoying great popularity both in international and domestic market.

WOODEN PATCHWORK The demand for wooden patchwork is increasing rapidly.

It is a very popular and widely accepted derivative of rosewood inlay where instead of having the pieces of different colored wood /plastic inlayed on the rosewood, the pieces are joined lika a puzzle and after sticking all the puzzle like pieces together are stuck on to a wooden base.

One of the major reasons that why artisans are turning to this derivative is that this cost less than inlay work does, as there is no requirement for rosewood, which is increasingly expensive and hard to procure.

It is also very popular due to the degree of realism that artisans are managing to achieve and capture in their work. Using the patchwork technique elaborate designs can be done using less time than that required while working on rosewood inlay. A new fad that is catching on quickly these days are the realistic family and selfportraits being done using this patchwork technique.

They also use this technique to make portraits of famous celebrities and personalities.

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Patchwork Painting in Jaganmohan Palace

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3D WORK AND WOODEN PANELS It is another beautiful derivative of the inlay craft where the wooden pieces are attached on top top of the base layer in varying thickness , giving it illusion of being three dimensional. The edges of these raised pieces are smoothened down using sandpapers of varying grains , giving it a more realistic effect. Often, in 3D work, done for temples, pure gold is used to do ornaments at few instances. This derivative is one of the newest derivatives of rosewood inlay and has also got a lot of potential.

Recently in many of the wooden panel work artisans are combining both the derivatives of the inlay craft together in order to make the work look more realistic.

Various artisans are experimenting with this craft at their own levels and are bringing out remarkable products which has a lot of market potential.

3D Inlay Painting at Mohan Workshop, Mysore

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ISSUES AND PROBLEMS HEALTH PROBLEMS:

MEDIATORS/EMPORIUMS

There are a number health issues that affect the artisans who practice this craft, arising from long hours spent in the job working without safety gears . one of the most common ailment is lung infection due to inavoluntary ingestion of of wooden dust particles. Another common problem is hardening of skin, causing calluses due to continuous use of tools; which can be avoided if they take proper care of their skin.

Usage of the tools can also lead to cuts, wounds, blisters and bruises.

The artisans who sell through mediators and emporiums are cheated as the products are sold for up to 200 % profit, with the artists getting back a very small amount. They also delay their payments, making it tough for small artisans to continue with their work as they depend upon the money from every sale. Emporiums also usually deal with selected group of artisans who are generally sound rather than depending on the individual artisans. Because of all these economic issues most of them have already given up this craft and have started going to different places outside Mysore in search of better paying works.

Some of them have started running Auto rickshaws for earning better.

LOW WAGES :

GENDER DIVIDE:

The artisans who do rosewood inlay are mostly underpaid, usually getting only between Rs. 200-Rs.500 per day depending on their expertise and work done after working for 6-8 hours per day. This is the same even for the master craftsman who may have been with the same manufacturing unit from past 40 years.

After visiting the cluster we noticed that Rosewood inlay is a heavily male dominated field. Earlier, women were not allowed to work as they were expected to tend to home and hearth. But , although about 20-25 years back, women did start learning the craft, there is still an extraordinary small of female artisans in and around the craft cluster. Adding to the problem, on interviewing few of them we get to know that their male counterparts earn more than them for the same amount of work and efforts that they put in.

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TRANSFIGURATION TRANSFORMATION BASED ON RAW MATERIAL As per the information received from the various artisans working in this craft, it has been very evident that all the raw material and tools used to do this craft is procured and mostly produced locally.

As per Mr. Mohan(National Awardees )almost all types of wood available in and around Mysore are used in Mysore Rosewood Inlay craft. Name of few of them are as following : • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Padak Orange wood (patanga ) Aula (known as Naali locally) Kare wood Jackfruit wood Champa wood Doodhi Lubber Onneya Yellow Teak wood Ligh shade rosewood Maddi Podak (foreign wood)

• • • • • • • • • • •

Rosewood Dark rosewood Silk wood Light silk wood Imli tree wood Gulganji Wood (gulchi) Slate Matti Wood ( famous for natural blue wash) Dark Silver Wood Ebony Wood Maddi Aalemarah Wood

Apart from this many other woods are used which are either procured from in and around mysore or are obtained from Kereal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Sri lanka etc ( as per told by Mr.Murli , Son of National Awardee Mr. Mohan). Other Raw materials used includes adhesives like Fevicol and araldite , Rosewood Powder for filling up the gaps between wooden pieces, Hammer(hathodi), Blades (for piercing saw, 12 dozen /30 rs), cutting frame or piercing saw ( 150 rupees ),Single and Multi point Shading tools (used for shading purpose and adding elements with realism like details of horse hair ). Charcoal is also obtained locally and is used to highlight the engraving details done before final polishing.

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Different Colour Wood

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TRANSFORMATION

There has been a lot of change over the time in terms of the ,materials used in Rosewood inlay as initially , Ivory was a Key raw material used for inlaying in Rosewood . But after it being banned Artisans started using Acrylic sheets of different color to inlay in rosewood just to maintain that pseudo look of Ivory specially by using off white colored Acrylic sheets.

Also with the further innovation in Acrylic sheets, they have started using textured acrylic sheets to bring out the shading effect in clothes specially sarees while doing Village scenes etc. As per the artisans they say it helps them in bringing out the shading elment in clothes without putting in much efforts.

Also as per Mr. Mer Rehmat Ali ( nephew of National Awardee in 1966, Mer Shaukat Ali), earlier CHARAS was used for sticking the wooden pieces together after melting it . he also added that when invory was used they used to inlay ivory in the very same manner

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as they are doin with the wood the only difference was that the Elephant horn use to be hollow at its broad base and narrow at its tapering edge. So due to that they use to divide it in teo parts and treat it while slicing in different manners and used to slice the solid part of the horn into sheets of 3 mm thickness for further inlaying process.

Because of scarcity in the availability of naturally colored wood and increasing demands many artisans have started using dyed and colored wood, which is usually dyed in different clothe dyes.

Also initially artisans use to bring out details in the wooden panels after engraving by applying black powder mixed with bee was and they scraping the excess off, but nowadays charcoal is used instead to make it less cumbersome process. They also use the grains of different woods to bring out different shades of colors in the final work. This looks really mesmerizing.

TRANSFORMATION BASED ON CRAFT REFINEMENT AND DESIGN As per the artisans working with this craft there has not been much change in terms of designs and aesthetics related to this craft but after talking to different artisans and referring to the primitive works done in this craft we were able to map a lot of transformation.

MOTIFSThe main motifs or patterns used in the inlay works comprise mainly of the Palace motifs. The main elements of the motifs are majorly formed with lines, with the occasional use of a dot at the focal point of the main motif. The floral motifs are intricately linked with each other in smaller units. The overall pattern or design of the rosewood inlay has seven sections.

Overall pattern or design of Rosewood Inlay comprises of seven sections.

The very first section comprises of either floral motifs or of animal

motifs. These animals are mostly elephants or horses and may or may not be accompanied by men from the Dussera scenes. The second section only has floral motifs and third, again comprises of either animal or floral motifs.

The subsequent two sections comprise of a double lined thin border Known as ‘Dhassi’ ( thin strip of white acrylic sheets cut out and placed along the edges of the base of the top of table or any product alongside the border line).

The last part, being the central floral section, has the larger ratio in terms of space and usually has scenes from Dussera or Mysore palace.

Nowadays, other than the main traditional motifs, a lot of contemporary

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have surfaced in the current scenario due to customer preferences and demands. The treatment of figures has also shifted to a more global perspective. Subjects like that of Catholic beliefs, or of country landscapes are also being depicted.

Apart from this a new fad of Portrait making has taken over the market these days.

Also after talking to Mr. Mayank Saini (contemporary inlay artisan and designer ) we got a whole new perspective of the design and aesthetics related to this craft. He has been working on natural patterns and themes currently. His inspiration

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is the old architect of the houses and buildings in Mysore city and he has been driving motifs out from the details of those buildings. Also he took a different take in representing them in Wooden inlay by bringing out the concept of, Why to have inlay on the face? ; hence for most of his products that he has been developing for his ,National Centre for Design and Product Development, project he had been working on the edges more than the face. Hence, the placement of motifs and patterns has also undergone a great change, though it is still not widely perceived notion but still change is getting ignited.

Mayank Saini

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THEMESThe themes of the rosewood inlay mostly revolve around the city Mysore, the puranic tales of Ramayana and Mahabharata and life of people out there. Also a major part of the work done has Dussera festival as its theme, the main festival of the city. Also many of the motifs and patterns are inspired from the local flora and fauna. The main motifs are mainly taken from the architecture of Mysore palace . over the time the themes have also not underwent any major change but as per the upcoming occasions and festivals the artisans try altering the theme a lot and also experiment with various themes like, near Ganesh Chathurthi they do more of Ganesha oriented work , and during Christmas they do work Depicting life of Jesus etc. Likewise they have become very flexible in terms of taking different themes but earlier they used to focus mainly on dussera only.

Mysore Dusshera inlayed on Rosewood

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TRANSFORMATION BASED ON INSTITUTIONAL INVOLVEMENT There has been a considerable amount of transformation in the craft based on the involvement from various institutions whether they were academic, government or non government institutions. A glimpse of it has been explained as follows :ACADEMIC INSTITUTION Chamarajendra Academy of Visual Arts (CAVA) is one such institute which has played a significant role in giving a new direction to the craft of Mysore Rosewood Inlay. CAVA,is a visual art school in Mysore, in the state of Karnataka in India. It was started by the Maharaja of Mysore Krishanaja Wodeyar IV in 1906 as the Chamarajendra Technical Institue. The institute is close to the city ‘s railway station, on Sayyaji Rao road.in 1981 the Karnataka state Government renamed the Chamrajendra Technical Institiute as CAVA. Following the guidelines and suggestions of a committee headed by the prominent Russian painter, Svetoslav Roerich, CAVA was established on the lines of the J.J. School of arts in Mumbai. The academy is affiliated to the University of Mysore and offers courses

in drawing, painting, sculpture, graphics, applied arts, photography and photo-journalism and art history.

CAVA awards degrees in Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA).

The unique art tradition of mysor wood inlay is preserved at CAVA. The craft had slowly started fading away by the tsart of the century, however in 1913 , this art form had a revival when Alderson , the superintendent of the Chamrajendra Technical Institute , experimented with introducing ivory in the wood inlay work. Later a noted sculptor and wood-carver , Parameshwara introduced Mythological and Persian motifs to widen the scope of the craft. Presently, also many artisans are being trained in various seminars at this institute. The are made aware of the present market trends and are taught to alter their craftsman skils accordingly while retaining the very essence of the mysore Rosewood Inlay.

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GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS

Government institutes such as DCH(Development Commissioners of Handicraft) office and NCPDP (National Center for Design and Product Development), has been working a lot for the upliftment of this craft and its artisans.

The Government ministries Like DCH (Development commissioners of Handicrafts ) identifies the present number of artisans practicing a particular craft and registers them. After registering them they are given their identification numbers and cards. They bring out new schemes to uplift artisans practicing such crafts and also organize training sessions for them in collaboration with NCPDP (National Center for Design and Product Development) to bring them at par with leading trends and market. Under schemes like AMBEDKAR HASTSHILP VIKAS YOJANA, they provide a lot of support to the artisans by organizing seminars and trainings and by also paying them to attend those seminars. Artisans are trained and update as per the present tools and techniques which would help them bring out better results in their products.

Also they are sensitized towards art and design in order to make their products sellable even in international market.

DCH has established one such training office in Multi Craft complex, in B M Shree Mysore for training and upgrading the skills of Artisans practicing rosewood inlay.

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NON GOVERNEMENT ORGANISATIONS

There are many non government organizations also which are working for the upliftment of the artisans practicing this craft.

These organizations make sure that the artisans are updated with the schemes that government and ministry of handicraft has launched and also keep them aware of the market scope and also organize training programmes at small scale to educate them about the present scenario. There are few NGO’s working for the betterment of Mysore Rosewood Inlay artisans operating in Multi Craft Complex, BM Shree Nagar.

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TRANSFIGURATION OF BASED ON TOOLS, TECHNIQUES AND PROCESS The craft is old and is improvised from time to time just because of changes in tools and hence the technique also transfigures, so here is summary of transfiguration of tools and techniques used in wood inlay.

ATRI-

This is a tool used for smoothening the surface of the wooden blocks and the inlayed products. Previously the it was coming in a set of twelve different sizes pieces which was also available in two sets one for bigger items carvings and smoothening and another smalls sets for achieving very minute details like jewelry and intricate woks like that.

And now because of technology and machining advancement the work of these dozen tools are replaced by Sander machine and planning. Now the work has becomes fast and easier for an artisan to plane the surface

Modern Atri

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Atri

Modern Atri

HAND DRILL-

‘For drilling we used to have a long stick with thread in it and a big driller’’ Drilling was a tedious job previously where a craftsperson has to put his whole force to drill a thick wood and has to use his full stretched arm to drill anything.

Slowly in late ninety there were new kinds of hand driller came into existence which are having a small handle attached to a small wheel having teeth which rotates the drill bits only by rotating the handle clockwise or anticlockwise. Also the drill bits which was earlier used to made by hand by beating the hot iron nails are now made in factories with high carbon steels to have more strength and drilling capacity.

And now drilling is done by Drilling machines which is operated by electric motors and they are fast an accurate with more power

Modern Hand Drill

Old Hand Drill

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SAW-

The wooded planks cutting was a time consuming an hard working job previously.

Now they have the saw but just for in case if there is no electricity as the cutting of planks and wood pieces is done by handheld cutter.

Locally called Gargasa.

Earlier Used Saw

BOW SAW-

The very important tool in wood inlay craft is bow saw. Artisans cut designs traced on the wood using this tool. It is tool used for straight or curved cuts in wood working. Its thin blade is held in tension by a frame. In Traditional Mysore wood inlay bow saw design was little different in design to tighten the blade. The difference is shown in the pictures.

Now the bow saw are lighter in weight and their design to change the blades are much easier and can be done comparatively faster. Now a lady artisan can also use it very comfortably.. old style bow saw

Lockong system of old saw

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HAMMER (HATHORI)-

Hammer is used to put the nails in the coloured wood patches to hold it with glue after that the nails are taken out, and from history till now there comes no changes in this tool and its function.

Hammer

NAIL PICKER-

As the name suggest it is commonly used to pluck out the nails from the artwork after the glue is dried, because of its design it makes the work fast and easy to pick the nails.

In local language it is known as Erkada.

Nail Picker

L- SCALE-

It is scale that is used to check for the perpendicularity and the right angle corner in the artwork.

In lacal language it is called as MuleMatta.

L-Scale

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KETHKATTA-

For drawing straight lines on the wooden surface they use this tools which has adjustable long nails that is basically used for marking the frames from all the sides of any artwork The Kethkatta is now replaced by hand cutting machine. The hand cutting machine is now having multiple use like previously discussed it is used for planning the wooden surface is now can also be used for marking straight lines .

Kethkatta

C CLAMP-

After gluing the artwork it needs to be hold tight for some time so , C Clamp is used to tighten to hold the two surfaces together, and it comes in two sizes one for smaller. It is typically made of steels or cast iron though smaller clamps may be made pot metal.

It is also known as G Clamp.

C-Clamp

URUSI-

It is a sharp long iron needle kind of tool having wooden handle For tracing the design or motif from one wood to another and urusi from past to now there has no transformation in this tool sometimes and some artisans are found using pen as marker for tracing designs, but it was rare Urusi

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CHISEL-

It has characteristically shaped cutting used for carving or cutting a hard material such as wood stone or metal by hand, struck with a mallet The handle and blade of some types of chisel are made of metal or of wood with a sharp edge in it.

Previously chisels were made of stones and now it has transformed by iron plates.

In Mysore some artisan used to have chisel made from scrap iron of Indian Railways, There is a blacksmith beside Chamundi Hills Named Acharaya. He made Atari, chisel and hammers and all kinds of tools in his shop and sell to local artisans. A chisel can also be used making the 3mm deep for inlaying the motifs.

In local language a chisel is called as Hooley.

Now the chisel work is some time implemented by electric drill machine where they replace the drill bits with millets.

Types of Chisel

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SOME TRANSFORMATION NOTICED IN SOME WORKSHOP NailsThey have reduced the number of nails so that it would reduce the cracks and would much smooth finish.

The use of araldite in some case in the pace of fevicol as it has more temperature resistance.

Sand PaperAfter inlaying of motis with glue the artwork is ready for surface cleaning so in earlier times It was performed by LOOFAH (dried fruit of cucumber family ). It was tedious job to clean the surface as it was much smoother as compared to now a days sand paper of different grades.

Later the loofah is replaces by NAR MANJHA (hard thread made of nylon) And now the surface cleaning is done by sand paper starting from 60 to 400 number.

Polishing For the polishing they used natural honey wax after surface cleansing and now we have varnish and polishing paints to get the shining surface .

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Tools

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TRANSFIGURATION TRANSFORMATION BASED ON TOOLS, TECHNIQUES, PROCESS Present Process

The main material for the rosewood inlay is wood which is either procured directly or is bought from the market in ‘ Chekkae’, where one Cheekae is equal to 3 X 7 inch and the rates vary depending upon the quality of the wood. Also after talking to the artisans we got to know that many a time they procure the wood from the old constructed houses once they are demolished or abandoned . they get many real colors from the woods obtained from such places.

The whole process of the inlay comprises of the following steps:• • • • • • • •

Seasoning Sketching Shape cutting Chiseling Fitting Leveling Engraving Polishing

Seasoning :-

Seasoning of the wood refers to drying up of the moisture content from the freshly cut wood so as to get a crack free wood as a raw material to work on. Generally it is done by keeping the wood in an enclosed room which gets sunlight but not direct sunlight, as direct exposing to sun may result in crack formation in the wood. Nowadays, in big saw mills and factories wood is treated with certain range of temperature in furnaces

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Stack of Wood

Drying Wood in Open Air

Sketching :-

Usually one artisan is appointed specially for the sketching part, who sketches different scenes depending on the customer demands and market preferences. The final sketch which is done once is sketched or traced on oil sheet for the purpose of transferring it on to the wood pieces before cutting the wood pieces. The sketches are then reproduced in larger or smaller scale depending on the intricacies involved in the product. However , one unique feature of the inlay work is that, generally the size of the motifs does not change in proportion to the size of the product . Instead a more intricate and extensive inlay work is done on bigger products.

Designs Being followed for many years

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Shape cutting :-

After the sketching work is done the paper pieces on which tracing is done is cut and is then stuck on to the respective wood from which that particular motif or pattern is to be cut. The wooden pieces are cut with the help of the blade. This step requires a lot of precision to get the exact piece of wood to be cut from the larger wood piece as per the design exactly. Once cutting of the individual pieces is done then these are further inlayed in a large wooden piece

Artisan cutting the wood

Chiseling-

Patch work

It is usually done using hammer and chisels which are locally called as CHIRAN . Here many a times shading tools are also used which include single and multi point shading tools. Initially, sketches are drawn on the surface of rosewood base and then scrapped off to form a void approximately 3 millimeters of depth to set the cut pieces.

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Engraving on wood

Fitting-

After the chiseling part is done, the cut pieces of motifs are fitted into empty spaces with adhesive like fevicol, araldite with the mixture of rosewood powder. The mixture of adhesive and rosewood powder helps to fill the extra gaps which arise due to manual cutting and chiseling. After the fitting is done, the whole surface is then left to try for about half an hour to one hour.

Fitting the motif in groove

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Leveling-

After applying the adhesive and mixture of rose wood powder It is left to dry for about half an hour. After the surface is dried a thick paste of rosewood powder mixed with water is applied again. After that the mixture is scrapped from the surface making the surface leveled and that gives a glossy and lustrous effect.

Levelling

Engraving-

Engraving is the process of adding more details in the motifs and the artwork with the help of shading tools (single point or multi point shading tool) and fine urusi. After engraving is done a semi solid paste which is a mixture of black powder (obtained locally as dyes) and honey bee wax is applied evenly on to the engraved surface to highlight the engraved details.

These days before polishing many artisans use only charcoal to highlight those engraved details in order to make the process less cumbersome

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black paste to highlight the engraving

Polishing-

It is the last step to give the inlayed products a glossy and lustrous effect. Previously it was achieved by application of many layers of bee wax, now there is change in material as they are now using wood varnish for it. Many contemporary artisans have been using bee wax and Polyurethane spray for doing the final polishing. These days many artisans are also doing Matte finish in order to retain the natural wood feel. Others do melamine finish at times.

Polishing

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INSIGHT FROM INSIDERS

RAJA RAM

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“Ab se mushkil hai,pehle bhot sahi se kaam hota tha” = the quality has degraded with time. Earlier the work was very authentic.

Now they come up with cheaper techniques to fulfil the older techniques “pehle sab haath se karte the, drill se kaadhi tak, abhi sab machie me kar rahe hain” “atri haath se maarne ka hai, jo ab machine kar lete hai sanding disc machine” = machines have revolutionalized the craft. The art that took ages to complete can now be done in a few days.

Sandpaper nos used are 36, 60,80 = for rough wood, lower no sandpaper are used =for finishing, higher grade sandpaper are used.

The art has same rate as it was 30 years back. There have been no changes in the pricing as all the money goes to the mediators and not the artists. “kaam karte karte marna hai” “lakdi ke paise govt se milta hai, private wala munafa kar ke bechta hai” The money required to buy the wood can be retrieved fro the government. Yet there are private sellers who make a profit out of their sales.

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NAME- M MURLI AGE -36 YEARS WORK EXPERIENCE- 25 YEARS WORKS WITH MOHAN ART & CRAFTS • • • • •

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the final cost of the product is based on the size and design the portrait rate starts from inr 15000 and the amount is based upon the square feet covered the local artisans need proper training for innovating new ideas as they just go by the book and follow what has been going on for the past hundreds of years they combined patchwork and inlay to create a new 3D technique which is one of a kind in Rosewood inlay since they export their products, they have to take care of the weather condition of the countries they export to. They have to take care of the quality of adhesive they use and the finishing process so that the quality remains intact

ABDUL RAHMAN

• • •

“pehle wala tools, hum haath se ready karta tha. Technology nahi thi kuch usme” = Earlier, the artisans created their tools themselves and the process was entirely handmade. After the involvement of machinery, 60% of the work quantity has been reduced. (rest covered in transformation)

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MR. TAMAYA Age-46 EXPERIENCE- 30 years SPECIALIZATION- carving with inlay Govt has provided us with a working area.

We specialize in inlay on carved statues of elephants and Ganesha idols. Average time to complete any product is 3-4 days and the works are supplied to Lakshmi fine arts, Geeta fine arts and Arundati fine arts fro where it goes to Kaveri emporium and other places for export. Local customers directly contact us for our products

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MRS YASHODHA Age-39 EXPERIENCE- 6 MONTHS “ I came into this industry because I was fascinated by this craft, having seen it from my childhood, but never getting a chance to follow it. Both my kids are old enough and studying now which gives me some free time. I decided to start working in this craft so we get a different source of income. I trained from the office in the Crafts Complex, Mysore.

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MR. RAMESH AGE- 59 years EXPERIENCE- 50 years “ I started working at the age of 9 and have been involved in this craft ever since. My mind is filled with this craft. I don’t know anything else apart from this. I was taught by Mr Nagaraja, who was a national award winner. I am not dependent on any organization for orders. I work alone except for getting the designs sketched.”

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MRS. GEETA AGE- 32 EXPERIENCE- 15 “we work daily from 10 am to 7 pm. We have to complete a product in no more than 3 days.

Our products emphasis is on Gods and animal designs. Very few female artisans are involved in this industry.�

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MRS. AMRITA AGE- 40 EXPERIENCE- 20 years “i trained at the Zila Panchayat in Mysore. I work daily for 9 hours. We have a deadline to complete one product in 3 days which includes cutting the pieces, sticking it on a base, engraving and giving the final finishing �

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MR. MIR RAHMAT ALI AGE 63 years EXPERIENCE- 40 years “i trained under Mr. Mir Shaubat Ali, who was a national award winner in 1966. He taught me the old techniques and the new ones. Like, earlier, instead of fevicol, animal fat was boiled and stiffened and used as an adhesive.

Apart from making art pieces, I also complete minor works like putting frames for other artisans.�

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MR. CHANDRASHEKHAR AGE- 35 years EXPERIENCE-16 years “i started working in this craft when I was around 19 y/o.

I am a self taught artist and I am dependent on direct orders. I am not associated with any emporiums.

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FROM THE TEAM

Utsav Teji

This craft cluster has given me a whole new perspective of looking towards crafts and people. It was a wholesome experience being there with the artisans and getting to know about them and their lifestyle along with the various nuances of the inlay craft in and out.

I always had this fascination for art and craft having historical references and this experience has indeed fed my curiosity and fascination a lot by bringing me not only close to the craft but also giving me an in depth view of the lives of people who does that. On the whole I guess we all need to sensitize ourselves a lot to such crafts and realize its cultural importance in maintain the essence of our heritage also we should be considerate towards the ones who does that as it entails a lot of precision and hardwork.

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Rahul Verma

Through this craft cluster i learned about the impotance of upgradation of skills and technologyfor its sustainnance. It was an awesome experience meeting with various craftman in person and getting to know the craft from their perspective. I learnt about varipus craft nuances in world in this craft. It was a very heart warming experience to learn about this cluster and being a part of this cluster. I learnt about the various factors in making a craft product economically viable and marketable.

Vikas Singh

The craft cluster was a medium for me to explore the city Mysore in another way. I met several artists, sat on the floor with them, talked long and felt the way they are living, it all was another kind of feeling and experience. Exploring city each day with a new area and new passion of knowing something new was exciting. We knew this craft and its techniques earlier but visiting the place itself and deepen in the craft from artisans to museum and palaces gave an immense kind of pleasure and in depth knowledge of that craft .The 9 to 5 work on our topic and then fun in the hostel with my whole AD batch mates is memorable experience, and yes will be definitely will remember all lifelong.

The daily visits to Shivsagar vegetarian restaurant for breakfast with our whole group and then whole night taking with friends is best part.

Aishwarya Singh

Going to Mysore for a week long trip to understand the local craft of Mysore- Rosewood inlay has been quite enlightening. Meeting the local artisans and seeing the place they work made me realize the hardships they have to deal with. The practices that have been going on from the past few hundred years can be seen even today and there seems to be very little evolution In the craft. Yet, each craftsmen that we interacted with was very forthcoming in their knowledge and taught us ot about the craft.

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Aisharrya Lakshmi

Rosewood inlay is a craft that involves patience and skills similarly.

I acknowledge all the artisan for keeping the traditional craft alive. It was a wonderful experience to visit the artisans and to set an atmosphere between us to bring out the insights on craft.

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Abhila Meridula Ekka

I believe that there is too much of a focus on “crafts” that the true meaning of art because they are doing just what it was done in ancient times. Yet I appreciate the art because it has its essence of Mysore. Obviously it was a “wow” moment seeing that amazing inlay work and I had that moment of pleasure created by an encounter with those products

BIBLIOGRAPHY • • • • •

http://www.mysoretourism.org.in/jaganmohan-palace-mysore https://www.bing.com/maps http://majeedfinearts.com/gallery.html www.theindiacrafthouse.com handicrafts.nic.in

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