Handmade in India

TERRACOTTA
Production Clusters
Siliguri district:
Matigara
Uttar Dinajpur
district:
Kunor
Products
Tiles
Planters
Pots
Jars
Lampshades
Idols
Figurines
Tools
Potter`s wheel
Blades
Moulds
IN NORTHERN BENGAL,immigrants from
Bangladesh practice the craft,however,in the
south of Bengal,the native craftsmen prevail.In
Darjeeling and Siliguri,which are tourist
attractions,the craftsmen mostly cater to the
market demand for pots,and stylized terracotta
objects like statuettes and wall panels.Matigara
is famous for making large terracotta pots.They
are thrown in parts and then joined together with
the help of a clay slip.Objects are adorned with
the help of tools and sometimes figures made
from moulds are attached.The clay used for
making various objects comes from the river
beds of the Uttar Dinajpur area and the clay used
for decoration comes from the tea gardens.The
craftsmen make tiles and tubs for small
plants.Some of them also make telephone
stands,lampshades fancy idols and decorative
tiles.Motifs recur across items;the four
commonly seen motifs are those of the tribal
woman with a child,the palm tree,Ganesha
figures,or typical motifs of Bengal,designs like
lata (blooming creepers)and kalka(mango
motif).Terracotta in Matigara is of very recent
origin,though the craftsmen who migrated to this
region have been involved with the craft through
generations.
1. Matigara is well known for its large
pots.The pots are wheel-thrown and later
decorated with engravedd and cutout
forms before firing.
2. A large wheel -thrown pot which has been
decorated with a palm tree motif in relief.
3. A terracotta hanging lamp decorated with
lattice work from Uttar Dinajpur district.
4. A potter adding details to the clay pot
thrown on the wheel.
CANE FURNITURE
Production Clusters
Siliguri district:
Siliguri
Products
Furniture
Baskets
Lampshades
Wall Hanging
SILIGURI,LOCATED RIGHT next to western Assam,is
an important trading post for raw cane and cane
furniture.Skilled craftsmen who migrated from Bihar had
settled here to produced cane furniture items for local
and upmarket use.Sturdy items of furniture are made
with the use of very simple tools.Canes of different
diameters are used depending on structural or decorative
uses.Split cane is used for binding and weaving the
surfaces of the seat and backrest.Thin cane rods are used
for making bent and decorative motifs that are attached
to the surfaces.
The process includes cutting the cane,bending it with
heat,joining with nails and binding,sandpapering the surface and
varnishing.Cane furniture is mainly made to cater to its
popularity as either garden furniture or indoor furniture that is an
alternative to wooden furniture.Furniture requires sturdy and
thick cane which is obtained from Arunachal Pradesh in the
Northeast.However,a thinner species which is available in north
Bengal is used to make other products like baskets.
Craftsman at work with cane.
Tools
Dao-cutting tool
Hammer
Blue lamp stand
Handsaw
A stool made of typical
construction found in
Colonial cane
furniture:curved heatbent
components,multiple
structural
members,nail-jointed
and converted by split
cane binding.