ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing ArtsISSN (Online): 2582-7472
Shivarapatna Stone Craft in Karnataka - Exploring the Transformative Role of Innovation in Traditional Handicraft and Cultural Identity Tanima Chanda 1 1 PhD
Scholar, Department of Design, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India 2 Head
of Department, Department of Design, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi,
India
1. INTRODUCTION During the 1900s a lot of artisans, craftsmen and artists lost their employability because of the rising industrialisation, mass manufacturing and globalisation. With the progressing years the internet and introduction to social media became a new sensation to the art and craft business, providing with the platform and reach to millions of people nationwide and worldwide Althizer (2021). In the book Artisan and Handicraft Entrepreneurs, the authors discuss the importance of preserving the knowledge, skill and the asset associated with the local craft production as value to cultural and national heritage. Hence the artisan community is encouraged towards accepting sustainable business practices saving their art form and to keep it flowing in the market Léo-Paul Dana (2022). The local traditional skill knowledge is an asset to the country and study suggests that connecting this skill knowledge with required technology offers to greater goals like sustaining livelihoods and achieving environmental sustainability Pandey et al. (2007), Dana (1999), Dana (2000). Stone craft is one of the oldest in the world, which is known even to the prehistoric men. The craft is curated with pure hand skills associated to its making, where the learning skills of the craft knowledge is passed on in the family, generation-after-generation as part of the community’s tradition Etienne-Nugue (2009). This pure form of the stone craft knowledge is famously used to make sculpture in various part of the globe and many rich heritage sculptures of the material is mostly found in the south part of the India country in the form of engravings on the Temples Branfoot (2002). It is noted in studies that the teaching methods of these craft practices still follow the traditional method of teaching, which is “Guru-Sishya Parampara”, where the disciple is taught about the tools and techniques of the craft making with ‘hands on technique’, directly from the master craftsman himself Bocchi (2008). 2. Statement of Problem Numerous illustrious
studies have examined the possibility of reviving a craft by inventing and
modernising its goods while retaining its distinctive characteristics. The goal
of the study is to experiment and analyse the product innovation and diversification
of the Shivarapatna stone craft in order to determine whether the values and
essence of the particular craft are being preserved through the modernization
of its creations, which is in line with SDG number 9—"Industry,
Innovation, and Infrastructure." In
order to achieve the aim of social and economic growth, it will also examine
changes in the employability scale of the skilled tradespeople. This study's
objective is to develop a sustainable economy by innovating traditional
handcraft. 3. Objective The current study intends
to examine Shivarapatna stone craft and closely examine how traditional crafts
are made. Based on the definition provided by the Harvard business School Catherine Cote. (2022) the study will gather data on the contemporised
innovation to the current craft products to suit the market need, fulfilling
sustainable development goals for product innovation, and analyse the elements
of innovative products to the traditional-ancient form of the same. 4. Research Methods and Methodology The research methodology
involves the application of rapid ethnography to investigate the Shivarapatna
stone craft. An experimental phase is planned to diversify the products crafted
from stone, aiming to assess the resulting outcomes. The study will involve a
comparative analysis, wherein the representational disparities between
traditional and innovative craft products will be examined. In addition to the
comparative aspect, the methodology incorporates a descriptive approach Hegazy & Elbana (2022), specifically concentrating on the detailed
exploration of the handicraft. 5. Study Of Shivarapatna Stone Craft 5.1. Overview of Art and Craft in Karnataka, India Karnataka is a region rich
in culture and history. The ancient sculptures and carvings from temples are
evidence of its rich cultural past, which has fascinated both rulers and
regular people for as long as anybody can remember. The wide variety of State
arts and crafts that now adorn former royal residences, opulent bungalows, and
even modest hutments speak to the artist's talent, aesthetic sense, and
decorative qualities. In Karnataka, many craft traditions have been passed down
from father to son, and this continuity has aided in maintaining a wide range
of handicrafts with very high levels of excellence Baral & William (n.d.). In the past, the nobility lavishly patronised the
State's artisans. To encourage craft families to continue producing handicrafts
and to assist them in marketing their products, the government has established
several agencies and design institutes in the modern era. This has assisted in
preserving several craft traditions so that its practitioners may serve both
the native populace and the numerous visitors that travel to Karnataka Ranjan & Ranjan (2014). 5.2. About Shivarapatna The village of Shivarapatna
is a significant historical location in rural Karnataka, India. Many families in Shivarapatna devote the
majority of their time to carving life into stone; for some of them, it is the
end all and be all. According to local lore and tales, the art of stone carving
has a long history in the village that dates back at least a thousand years to
the Ganga Dynasty Uma (2016). At that time, a travelling stone carver introduced
the craft to the area, and the locals learned the trade from him. Since then,
the craft has been passed down through the generations to the current
Shivarapatna residents. The majority of the deities that artisans carve out of
granite slabs end up in temples all around India. On occasion, they receive
requests from other countries to produce specialised engineering models. The artisans who built the
Belur, Hampi, and Hoskote temples are said to be the ancestors of
Shivarapatna's Shilpi’s (sculptors). As a result, the designs share a
common artisan aesthetic, making them distinct from one another. 5.3. Preparation of the Traditional Craft Shivarapatna craftsmen
specialises in making hindu mythological stone idols and sculptures. To make
the labour for the craftspeople easier, the stone blocks are first divided into
tiny pieces. Paint is used to sketch the design that will be carved. The carving process goes
like this: choosing the stone and making a sketch, rough dressing to remove
material to obtain the basic shape, smooth/flat dressing to define the details,
final polishing with water and emery paper after fitting, finishing with a
variety of carbarundam stones (chane kallu), and fitting the surface. Black and grey granite,
which is readily accessible locally, is the stone used to create both people
and idols for temples. According to the traits of the deity or goddess, the
artist selects the stones for the idols. Since it is softer than the male stone,
the grey granite is known as "Stree
Shila" (Female Stone). The
black granite is referred to by the local artisans as "Purush Shila" (Male Stone) in their
native tongue. Following the marking of
the outline, the pattern is carved out using a hammer and chisel to get the
desired form. The fundamental outside arrangement of engraving takes more than
a month to finish. Detailing takes about a month once the fundamental outline
is completed. The sculpture's surface roughness is then improved and smoothed
utilising a grinding machine on the previously carved surface. They even out
the uneven surface of the idol using sandpaper. The finished sculpture is
prepared for marketing once the finishing touches are applied Baral & William (n.d.). A typical three-foot statue
must go through five steps of painting, polishing, cutting, carving, and
chiselling, taking around three months to finish. There is little room for
development or distraction due to the fierce rivalry. Because of the intense rivalry,
artisans sometimes charge well below market value in order to get an advantage
over their competitors and sell their goods Dokras (2022). Sandstone with variable
grain density, size, and gripping is used by the artisans to manufacture
polishing tools. The carving requires little effort because the instruments'
ergonomic form fits their hand sizes. Figure
1
5.4. Further technical Details of the craft making When working with Hard
granite, the craftsperson first examines the natural pattern present in the
stone they have chosen. After that, the shaping is done very meticulously with
a chisel and hammers. In order to prevent heat production, water is sprayed frequently.
By rubbing it with sandpaper or a file, the stone is made smoother. A stone slab has dimensions
for the created figure marked on it. By using a hammer, extra edges are
eliminated from the slab. On large slabs of stone that have been sliced vertically
into smaller slabs, sketchy designs have been done. With the use of a saw, the
object is removed from the slab. Using a hammer and a chisel, this slab is now
shaped into the appropriate shape. A sharp chisel is used for delicate carving.
To further polish, use a hammer and chisel. The stone is chemically prepared
and then left in boiling water for a whole night prior to cutting. The stone's
surface becomes whiter and smoother as a result. With sand or particles of
carborundum, polishing is done for the ultimate finishing. Many of the carved
objects have been painted. Others have fittings made of brass, seeing glasses,
etc. The stone carver draws a
preliminary outline of the sculpture on the stone block before beginning to
carve the image. The artisans often mist the stone with water while they work
because the friction created by the continual removal of waste material causes
the tools to heat up. Finishing can be done in a variety of methods, such as
using sandpaper, multani-mitti, clay, oil, or cloth. On a piece of soft or hard
stone that has previously been precisely cut to size, an outline is created.
After the shape's outline has been cut out, the final figure is revealed by
trimming away the extraneous pieces. While this is accomplished with softer
stones by chiselling the superfluous material out of the tougher stones. A
sharp flat-edged iron tool is used to scrape out the same in order to do
this. 5.5. Workspace The artist separates his
workspace into 2 areas: sculpture area and showcase place in the backyard On one side, there are raw
materials, artisans at work, tools in use, and views of both finished and
unfinished constructions. One the other, despite the backyard's limited size,
the artist had effectively displayed his sculptures there for guests to view
and buy. Craftsmen combine their modern and traditional work in this way to
show that they are able to meet a variety of changing needs. Figure
2
5.6. Traditional Details of the Craft The craft making uses the
detailed knowledge of the ancient iconometry Shilpshashtra, Manasara (as mentioned in the vedas), which is ‘navatala’ or ‘dasatala’ (where tala
means palm of hand) for every scale and detailing of the traditional figures of
the handmade sculptures Acharya (1956). The idol figures are made in nine and ten-head scale
and the postures picked specific to the gratitude of the god and the goddess.
In the guidelines of the Shashtras it is mentioned that the sculpture height
(heads) are based on the ranking of importance of the gods and the humans,
where the most important are the tallest G. Siromoney
(1980). Previously the idols used to have a slightly curved
posture and now they all stand upright. They have unique style of sculpting:
male deities with robust busts and slender waists and female deities with broad
shoulders and lots of ornamentation. The natural color of the stones are also
used as the distinguish between the genders of the sculptures. There are a lot
more details that can be visually experienced in the craft, like the different
mudras, facial expressions following a specific grid, symmetry and details of
the postures with the ornamentation, completing the idol and following of the
rituals before finally drawing eyes of the idol (which is said to be adding
life to the figures) Siromoney & Govindaraju (1980). The craftsmen are well versed with the technical
details of the shashtra, and the learning is passed on within generations
through hands-on learning technique by the eldest male member of the family.
Since working with stones is a robust job, only males in the family are
involved in its creations, While the womens may/may not help in drawing the
details on the stones before the precision work. The idols are created
following strict customs and rituals, following with Vishwakarma puja, and the
work place is kept unconditionally sacred. Figure
3
Figure 4
Figure
5
5.7. Significant developments and innovations in the craft over
the years In the past, hindu
religious sculptures, temple columns and idols were created. These days,
secular sculptures and portraits are carved by sculptors. Additionally, the
themes change in accordance with market need. In addition to creating idols,
artisans also create temple pillars, entrances, and other products based on
consumer demand. For the creation of life-size sculptures of saints and
politicians, craftspeople have adapted to new types of raw materials, such as
reinforced plastic. They produce metal casting procedures at their built-in
foundries in addition to creating stone sculptures to fulfil market demands. To maintain the intimacy of
touch with the raw material, the artisan builds his own polishing tools to
match various sculpting demands. Sandstone with variable grain density, size,
and gripping is used by the artisans to manufacture polishing tools. With this
they can readily access nooks and deep recesses. In contrast to sandstone,
external materials like sandpaper must be treated carefully and have a short
shelf life. The carving requires little effort because the instruments'
ergonomic form fits their hand sizes. A typical three-foot statue must go
through five steps of painting, polishing, cutting, carving, and chiselling,
taking around three months to finish. Because of the intense
rivalry, artisans sometimes charge well below market value in order to get an
advantage over their competitors and sell their goods. Today, the freshly
constructed temples or the older ones in need of restoration continue to be the
primary clients, and the stone gods, according to the sculptors, can withstand
the test of time effectively. The metal artisans, known as Sthapati, are
skilled in the Shilpa-shastra, which
is outlined in the Vedas. Traditionally, they were goldsmiths, but they shifted
their field of expertise in response to changing demands of the period. The idols now all stand
straight instead of their former slightly curled position. They each have
distinctive sculpting styles, with feminine goddesses having broad shoulders
and heavy ornamentation and male deities having strong busts and narrow waists.
According to one of the craftsmen surveyed, good sculptors may earn decent per
month, but this is greatly influenced by seasonal demand and individual orders.
Shilpi Gramme for the village was recently declared by the Karnataka State
Handicrafts Development Corporation Ltd. The Shilpi Gramme will have a training
facility and serve as a venue for sculptors to display their works. It is
intended to inspire the next generation to uphold the family legacy of becoming
sculptors or shilpkars. 6. Product development (experiment) The Harvard Business school
defines product innovation as the development in the product with improvement
to the present product to serve greater human needs Cote (2022). Also it is the need of the hour for the artisans to
process innovation in the craft production to sustain their livlihood Guha et al. (2022). It was observed that even
till today, the craftsmen follow the guidelines of shastras, following each
details from drawing till completion of the idol crafting. But with changing
times, the demand of the specific traditional sculptures have seemingly reduced
and the need to produce innovative products of market requirement can be seen
as the need of the hour. Figure
6
For the study, a few
innovative contemporary products were designed to be crafted by the craftsmen
based on the current market requirements (resembling the regular orders they
receive from the current consumers); 1) Simple dhoop stand 2) Plant pot holder 3) Human Sculpture (their personal assigned project) Key observations: Object 1 and 2; It was
observed that the considered measurements were according to the universal
standard forms of measurements and not according to the Shilpashastric units.
The tools and materials followed were same as that of the craft, but the significance
of the followed ritualistic procedures for creating the work changed
drastically. The colors of the stones didn’t play role to identify object
gender, there was no rituals before completion of the work, the scale of angulas and talas didn’t play any significant role, neither did the silhoutte
of the output made any resemblence to the traditional Shivarapatna product. Object 1: Figure 7
Object 2: Figure 8
Object 3: The third object was a
custom order for the craftsmen. On further enquiry it was found that the figure
is of height 5 feets 8 inches approx. and a picture of the same was provided to
the artisan for sculpting the figure on granite rock. For the particular, the
artisan mentioned- because of practising the craft form since so many years and
with his generational learning, it was not necessary for him to follow any
particular unit of measurement as mentioned in Shilpashastra or any
international standard units. He used his muscle memory to craft the
masterpiece with his hands. The tools and techniques in its making were same as
that of idols. There were no followed rituals observed in making of the statue Figure 9. Figure
9
It is observed that the final forms of the developed innovative products are absolute unique and displays no resemblance to the traditional form of the craft. If the below images (Figure 10) are considered, we may observe significant change in the formation of the shoulder blades in both the figures, which clearly implies the changed source of product preparation methods and measurements respectively. Figure 10
7. Conclusion In conclusion, while numerous studies emphasize the contribution of past knowledge to future innovations Massis et al. (2016), it is essential to acknowledge the potential drawbacks associated with introducing contemporary innovations into ancient knowledge systems, as it may compromise cultural identity. The analysis of the Shivarapatna stone craft serves as a case in point, revealing a significant deterioration in the cultural significance of products due to introduced innovations. The implementation of a product diversification strategy led to noticeable changes in the approach and aesthetic of the products, despite the continued use of unchanged raw materials, tools, techniques, and craftsmen. In light of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 9 focused on product innovation, this study raises questions about the suitability of product diversification and innovation as a means to preserve traditional crafts, their associated knowledge, and cultural identity. Further scrutiny is required to assess whether this approach aligns with the overarching goal of sustaining traditional practices and their cultural heritage.
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