With stainless steel replacing bronze-brass utensils in almost all households, the age-old brass craft in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district is on the verge of extinction, thanks to a lack of governmental patronage to artisans, as patronage from government heritage connoisseurs is woefully found wanting.
Once upon a time, bronze-brass utensils (locally called kansha pitala) were an integral part of everyday life. Rich or poor, everyone used them, from kings to commoners. When a daughter left for her in-laws’ home, these utensils were always included among the gifts she carried.
Indipur village under Odapada block of Dhenkanal district has carved out a niche in the 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, said former sarpanch of Indipur Gram Panchayat Raj Kishore Sahu
As a routine item in every house, the demand for such utensils was quite high till the seventies and eighties. 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, members of the bronze-brass-utensil-making community (known as Kansari in Odia) used to make and sell them traditionally in many places since ancient times. Various villages of Odisha have gained fame for their craftsmanship with quality and style.
Under the patronage of Suresh Prasad Mishra, 40 heritage walkers from across the state visited around 10 workshops in Indipur village and interacted with artisans to see the bronze-brass vessel-making techniques.
They also visited several bronze-brass warehouses and sale centres 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 organised and coordinated the trip titled “Kansha Pitala Walk”.
The craft has gradually declined here. Once, hundreds of bronze-brass smith families in Indipur village earned a livelihood from it, 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, Mishra said.