Dokra artefacts to be gifted to players, delegates on final day of Under-17 World cup
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been very active in promoting the traditional arts and crafts of Bengal. In the latest effort, dokra artefacts made by artisans from a village in Purba Bardhaman district are going to be showcased to the world.
The plan is to gift a dokra artefact each – depicting a robust Santhal youth playing the instrument of madal – to players and delegates from across the world on the day of the FIFA under-17 World Cup final at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK). Thus, footballers and FIFA officials from across the world would become the brand ambassadors of this ancient craft.
A group of dokra creators from Dariapur village in Ausgram-I block in Purba Bardhaman district – consisting of 130 artisans from 42 families – have made the gifts. The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Department has been directing the efforts in this regard.
Dokra is a non-ferrous metal casting using the primitive was casting using the primitive was casting process, which was invented by Indian artisans about 4,000 years ago.