Dhenkanal, Sep 23: The 29th edition of Dhenkanal Heritage Walk (DHW) in Indipur village last Sunday to gather information about the glory of Dhenkanal’s unique heritage of bronze-brass utensils (kansha pitala) making, got a shocking revelation that the craft is heading towards near extinction, if there would be no patronage from the heritage connoisseurs.
Once upon a time, bronze-brass utensils (kansha pitala) were integrally linked to our social life. Whether rich or poor, such utensils were widely used in every house, from kings to commoners. When a daughter went to her mother-in-law's house, these utensils were definitely brought along with other items.
As a routine item in every house, the demand for such utensil and brass utensil was the highest. Even in times of financial hardship, many poor people could temporarily overcome their financial problems by selling or mortgaging their utensils. Therefore, to meet the demand for these utensils, people of the bronze-brass utensil making community (Kansari in Odia), used to make and sell it traditionally in many places since the ancient times. Various villages of Odisha have gained fame for their making with quality and style.
Indipur village under Odapada block of Dhenkanal district has a special reputation for this traditional style of making brass utensils. While the brass utensils manufactured in Indipur village were unique and popular in demand, locally they were also called “Petphula” utensils. People prefer Indipur's “Petphula” utensils more than the ones made in other parts of Odisha. For more than 200 years, the utensil craftsmen of Indipur village have adopted it as their traditional craft.
Under the patronage of Suresh Prasad Mishra, 40 heritage walkers from across the state visited about 10 workshops in Indipur village and interacted with the artisans to see the bronze-brass vessel-making techniques. They also visited several bronze- brass warehouses and sales centers in the village. The heritage enthusiasts felt that this unique heritage of the district would soon disappear if adequate steps were not taken . Former sarpanch of Indipur Gram Panchayat Raj Kishore Sahu organized and coordinated the trip titled “Kansha Pitala Walk”.
Declining trend
But now, the craft has gradually declined here. Once, hundreds of bronze-brass smith families in Indipur village used to earn livelihood from this, but now, only 30/40 families are involved with this craft. The rapid increase in the cost of essential ingredients has led to a decline in the production of brass utensils among the younger generation.
Unique and difficult craft, the artisans adopting this unique process is becoming discouraged by the lack of income compared to the hard work. On the other hand, many such artisans and traders of this village have expressed their anger that the demand for the bronze-brass utensils is also decreasing due to the entry of cheap and lightweight materials like steel and fiber into the market. Now, while the interest in traditional bronze utensils, however, is increasing among the people, the number of skilled artisans have also decreased.
