2023

Partner Since

50+

Products Sold
Eastern Flavour 2

Somnath Karmakar is a member of the Bikna Co-operative, a craft hub in Shiplagram in the Bankura district of Bengal housing nearly eighty-one families. Somnath is a 23-year-old man who is well educated and versed in technology and photography. He represents the community in their marketing efforts by sharing images of products and coordinating with customers. He explains how each figurine takes 5-7 days to craft, graft, cast, bake, dry, and polish. Usually the finest craftsmen make the design first, after which the women sculpt the basic structure with mud. The men generally work with fire and complete the steps of casting and baking the idol. Their sales take place through annual fairs organized by the central and state governments, exhibitions facilitated by NGOs, and orders from Biswa Bangla (the government craft shop). Dokra is a 5,000-year-old craft.

Somnath Karmakar

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