The number of artisans, known for several arts and crafts including artifacts made of sandalwood, inlay works and fine carvings in wood which were once given away as gifts and tokens of affection to the State guests, has come down considerably in Mysore.
Mysore had more than 8,000 such artisans once. But their number is now reduced to less than 2,000, including 150 who work on sandalwood items.
Once upon a time, hundreds of such artisans’ families were patronised by Tipu Sultan and later the erstwhile Mysore royal family. However, their descendents, now still into making of artifacts and wooden carving works catering to both domestic and international markets, are passing days without any work due to many reasons including short supply of raw materials and lack of encouragement from the government. Some, who have given up their profession, are into driving, painting and construction activities.
Meanwhile, the scarcity of sandalwood and the skyrocketing prices of rosewood have come in their way of livelihood as the government, which is supposed to supply 9 kg sandalwood per month to artisans, is suppliying less. It supplied just 3 kg sandalwood on March 30. As many as 42 tonnes of rosewood were distributed among the registered artisans. However, this is not sufficient to meet the demand. Though, Cauvery, the Karnataka State Art and Crafts Emporium, is supplying sandalwood at Rs 3,500 a kg to artisans, its scarcity has forced them to switch to artifacts’ making in Shivaniwood which is abundantly available. A few of them, with bulk orders, have managed to purchase sandalwood from Salem in Tamil Nadu paying Rs 7,500 for a kg in auction.
Many customers, keen to place orders for sandalwood artifacts, are reluctant as they need to pay more than 90 per cent of the bill to enable artisans to place orders for sandalwood. “How will our children like to be artisans when there is no raw material to work for at least a couple of years?” asked Eshwar, an artisan.
Revanna, an artisan at Handicrafts Colony, said that the increasing prices of rosewood has further added to their problems. “Many of us are poor and we are not in a position to invest on bulk purchase. Also, we don’t accept bulk orders as we cannot cater to the customers’ needs. But a few of us work on the orders placed by Cauvery Emporium and other leading suppliers,” he observed.
Meanwhile, the artisans want the government to provide them sufficient quantity of sandalwood and rosewood to make artifacts so that they can good business during Dasara and other occasions.
Meanwhile, General Manager (Marketing) of the Karnataka State Arts and Crafts Emporium Muniswamy said that there is a greater demand for both sandalwood and rosewood artifacts in both domestic and international markets, other than sandalwood oil, soap and handicrafts.
Admitting that there is no supply of sandalwood, he said that the scarcity would be addressed in years to come as the government has permitted to grow sandalwood.
He told that the prices of rosewood have gone up and are available to artisans. The State Emporium that has recorded a turnover of Rs 46 crore. It has a greater demand in domestic market than the demand from NRIs.
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