Tracing the history of Bidriware T.V.

Sivanandan GULBARGA:, JANUARY 24, 2012 00:00 IST

Bidriware, one of the rarest and most intricate art forms which came from Iran centuries ago, has been neglected.
Government agencies have done little, at least in Karnataka, to protect and support this art form or the artisans who
practise it.
According to research scholar Rehman Patel, who has done extensive research on Bidriware and the artisans,
predominantly in Bidar city, the art form has lost its original sheen and the artisans have been forced to tread a
commercial path.
‘No documentation'
It was unfortunate that so far no documentation had been made in the State about how Bidriware came to
Karnataka and flourished under the Bahmani Sultanate centuries ago.
There were also no records about the artists who initially spread this art form in Karnataka and the various art
forms created by artists from Bidar city centuries ago, which are now major attractions in museums such as
Victoria and Albert Museum, London, Dr. Patel said.
The beginning
Dr. Patel, who has a doctorate from Gulbarga University for his research in Bidriware, told The Hindu that in the
beginning of the 12th Century, Bidriware came to India with the arrival of Khaja Moinuddin Chisty.
The artisans who came from Iran along with him fanned out different parts of the country, including Rajasthan,
Gujarat, Delhi, Bidar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
To Bidar
It was during the reign of Allaudin II of the Bahamani Sultanate in 1436 that the artists who were active in Bijapur
were first brought to Bidar city, which was the capital of the Bahamani Sultanate to spread the art form.
This spellbinding art form which took root in Bidar under the Bahmani kings was still thriving although it had lost
its original glory, Dr. Patel said.
700 artisans
Around 700 artisans, including a few women, in Bidar city continue to create Bidriware art with intricate
engravings of gold and silver on articles, which are made with an alloy of zinc and copper. An embossing is done
on the finished product and the article is given special treatment with the mixture of the mud taken from the fort
area and other chemicals to give its distinctive jet black colour.
Dr. Patel said that the Government should come out with documentation and come out with a book detailing the
history of Bidriware and artists, both past and present.
A corporation should be set up to promote Bidriware and market the products throughout the world.
‘No display in State'
While a few rare Bidriware articles have found a place in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the National
Museum in New Delhi and Indian Museum in Kolkata, it was unfortunate that no rare piece had found a place in
the museums of Karnataka.
‘Government has done little to protect art form'
‘Set up corporation to promote Bidriware'
 Bidriware of Karnataka
K ar n at ak a is t h e la n d of f asc i nat i ng n at ur a l be aut y a nd r ic h h er it ag e an d c u lt ur e. T he
h a nd i cr af t s of Kar na t ak a r ef l ect t he sk i lf u l cr af t sm an sh i p of t he ar t i sa ns of K ar nat ak a.
B i dr i wa r e i s o n e s uc h e xq u i s it e ha n di cr af t of Kar nat ak a wh i c h d e ve lo pe d i n t h e v i l l ag e of
B i d ar in K ar nat ak a.
I t is b e l ie ve d t ha t pe o p le f r om I r an b r oug ht t h is a r t t o K ar n at ak a. T h e p eo p le of P er si a in
t he 14t h c e nt ur y u sed t h i s ar t wo r k t o m ak e d if f er en t t h i ng s.
Ma d e b y us i ng t wo m et a l s zin c a nd c opp er , t he B idr i wa r e ar t if act s ar e f or m ed. F r om f i ne l y
c r af t ed h ook a hs t o g o b let s, pa an bo xe s, bo wl s, p l at e s, p e n h o ld er s, let t er o p en er s, a nd
b a ng l es it i s u se d t o m ak e var io us ar t ic le s.
B i dr i wa r e of Kar nat ak a is t h e ar t of e nc r u st ing on e m et a l in t o t h e ot h er . T he m et a l us e d i n
B i dr i wa r e d oe s n ot g et af f ect ed b y r ust b ut i nst ea d but br ing s a n e w lu st r e t o t he m et a l.
T h e pr od uct h as t o p as s t h r o ug h a n in t e ns i ve st ag e of ca st i ng , po l i sh i ng , eng r a vi ng an d
b l a ck en i ng bef or e t he f in a l pr o du ct is r ea d y t o be so l d i n t h e m ar k et .
T h er e is a h ug e dem an d f or t he Bi dr i wa r e pr od uc t s i n K ar n at ak a. O n yo ur t our t o K ar nat ak a
d r o p i nt o ch eck out t h e e xq u is it e an d in t r ic at e d es ig ns of B i dr i wa r e wh i ch is a sp ec i a lt y of
K ar n at ak a ha nd i cr af t s

Ancient artworks: Bindari bidriware

Artists in the small town of Bindar in India are anxious to preserve their ancient tradiitonal
artwork of bidriware craftwork. -Rebecca Conway

Midur Rauf turns a round, black vase over in his hands, delicately tapping and carving
a pattern from the surface to reveal a brilliant silver flower, sparkling through the dark
background. Around him in his tiny workshop, craftsmen emboss intricately carved
black elephants, dishes and traditional shisha pipes with silver leaf, or carve silver
Mughal-esque patterns across the surfaces of blackened plates or vases.
"This art is 500 years old," Rauf explains, "And it is something my grandfather and my father did. It is a family
tradition for me, and this type of work we are doing is found only in this town." The town is Bidar, small and dust-
strewn in a remote corner of north-east Karnataka, its centre a developing hub, with fabric shops and internet
cafes rubbing shoulders with fruit and chai stalls, and its outskirts bordered by ruined fortifications.
It boasts one of India's largest forts, a defensive outpost with huge gates, a mirrored palace hall, and room for
3,000 soldiers on its impressive ramparts, and is also home to a string of royal tombs from the 15th century
Bahmani kingdom. Bidar is most famous, though, for its unique bidriware craftwork, a striking art that was
developed by moulding mixtures of zinc, lead, copper, silver and tin, and using them to create vases, statuettes,
ornamental boxes, goblets, dishes and jewellery. Pieces are blackened using a soil-based mixture, and then
embossed with silver or decorated with designs engraved into the surface, to produce starkly beautiful black and
silver patterns.
Bidriware designs typically borrow heavily from Islamic art and Mughal-era motifs, with solid geometric lines
interspersed with depictions of flowers and vines. It is an ancient art dating back to the 1400s, but Bidar's
contemporary artists are continuing to develop and sustain the town's most famous export. Along the city's
Kulsum Galli Road, a busy street in Bidar's bustling Old City district, a group of bidri craftsmen sit in small
workshops, delicately tapping and carving out patterns on thin and shining metal.
Muhammad Khurram runs the street's Central Bidri Works, hung with aluminium relief work and lined with
examples of bidriware vases and jewellery. He explains the contemporary value of Bidar's artistic exports. "This
art is only found in Bidar, and it is around 500 years old, and so has become very popular, and we have a growing
export industry, shipping around India, and abroad. We sell to Europe - especially in Germany, France and Spain,
and in America. We make a lot of money from exports, and from selling to craft emporiums in India - we are a
small town but we have an important craft here. You won't find it anywhere else, so it's important to keep learning
and training in the art."
Bidriware's popularity is indeed visible across Karnataka, and surrounding states, with craft outlets in large cities
such as Andhra Pradesh's state capital, Hyderabad, displaying a huge range of bidri artwork. A long-standing art
form, bidriware craftwork is often passed through families. The bidriware artist, Altif Rana, learnt the craft from his
father. "This design and style of craft has always existed here, and it is only found here. Less people take up the
art now, but there are still local artists who work to produce pieces.
"It has been passed through my family, from my grandfather to my father to me, and that is how a lot of artists
here learn it - we try to pass it on and keep it going in families that have learnt the craft in the past." At Midur
Rauf's Bidri Crafts workshop on Chowbara Road, Rauf follows a selection of traditional patterns and techniques
that mirror the initial development of bidriware art form. "The patterns are ancient and developed over a long
period, so we keep a lot of pictures, patterns and designs in the workshops, so we can easily follow traditional
patterns, and produce the same pieces over and over again."
Introduced by the Persian Abdullah-bin-Kaiser, an artist among a group of skilled craftsmen brought to Bidar by
Sultan Wali Bahmani during the 15th century rule of the Bahmani Kingdom, bidri craftwork quickly developed. The
sultan was so impressed with the black and silver artwork that the Khwaja Mahmud Gawan Madrasa was built in
1492 to house and train bidriware craftsmen - the ruins remain, dominated by a towering, blue-tiled minaret and
working mosque.
India's competitive handicraft industry is estimated to be expanding at around 18 per cent a year. Muhammad
Khurram worries though that bidriware risks becoming a thing of the past in the face of growing competition. "It is
very popular with tourists and we do export a lot of our art, but fewer people are doing this - this is why workshops
here need to continue, to keep a unique craft in production. Bidar is famous for its silverwork, and we should try to
keep it going."

Meet The Bidris #HandmadeInIndia AVINASH SUBRAMANIAM PUBLISHED JANUARY 25, 2016
In this episode of Handmade in India, we head to Bidar, Karnataka, the heart of Bidri art. Bidri art, also known as
Bidriware, is a distinctive form of metal handicraft from Bidar. It was developed in the 14th century C.E. during the
rule of the Bahamani Sultans.AUTHOR
Products

 Aftaba (Pitcher)
 Animal Statues
 Ashtrays
 Bangles
 Bedpost
 Boxes
 Buttons & Cufflinks
 Figurines
 Hookahs
  Idols
 Keychains
 Masks
 Mir-e-farsh (Weights)
 Muqabas (Containers with dome-shaped lids)
 Paandaan (Supari Box)
 Paper Knife / Paper Cutter
 Powder Boxes
 Surahi (Pitcher)
 Thukdani / Ugaldaan (Spittoon)
 Umarkhayam (Container)
 Vases
 Zalabchi (Washbasin)Production Cluster

 Karnataka – Bidar
 Maharashtra – Aurangabad
 Telangana – Hyderabad

Put simply, it’s all about getting the proportions right. Bidriware is manufactured from an alloy of copper and zinc
(in the ratio 1:16) by casting. It’s the zinc that gives the alloy a deep black colour. And it begins with a mould that
is formed from soil made malleable by the addition of castor oil and resin. The molten metal is then
poured into it to obtain a cast piece which is later smoothened by filing. The casting is now coated with a strong
solution of copper sulphate to obtain a temporary black coating over which designs are etched freehand with the
help of a metal stylus. This is then secured in a vise and the craftsman uses small chisels to engrave the
design over the freehand etching. Fine wire or flattened strips of pure silver are then carefully hammered into
these grooves. The article is then filed, buffed and smoothed to get rid of the temporary black coating. This results
in rendering the silver inlay hardly distinguishable from the gleaming metallic surface which is now all silvery
white. For the final blackening process, a special variety of soil which is available only in the unlit portions
of the Bidar fort is used. It is mixed with ammonium chloride and water to produce a paste which is then rubbed
onto a heated bidri surface. The paste selectively darkens the body while it has no effect on the silver inlay.
The paste is then rinsed off to reveal a shiny silver design resplendent against the black surface. As a
finishing touch, oil is applied to the finished product to deepen the matt coating. The finished product appears
black with brilliant silver inlay.

Soil, the Soul of Bidriware : It is said that the soil of Bidar is very special. Some artisans feel that the soil is away
from the sunlight and rain for years and therefore it has great oxidizing properties. Others believe that the part of
the fort from where soil is brought was a mint and therefore metal extracts in the soil make it unique.
The artisans say that the quality of the Bidri earth is very important and the real art lies in testing
the mud which is necessary for making the articles. It is tasted by the artisans by their tongues before
deciding on its suitability. This testing skill can only be gained through experience and is passed on from
generation to generation.

Elsewhere for Bidriware :While Bidar in Karnataka and Hyderabad in Telangana are the most vibrant centres, this
glorious art is also practiced in other parts of the country. Some of these centres are Purnia in Bihar, Lucknow in
Uttar Pradesh, Murshidabad in West Bengal and Aurangabad in Maharashtra. In Bellori, a village near
Purnia, local craftsmen known as the Kansaris are engaged in molding and turning bidri vessels.
The sonars (goldsmith) then do the engraving and polishing. Also found here is the gharki a less sophisticated
variant of the Bidri. Another variant of the bidriwork can be seen in Lucknow’s Zar Buland, where the ornamental
designs are raised above the surface. In Aurangabad, the Bidri art was introduced by the Nizam of
Hyderabad as it was a part of Nizam’s empire then. As Aurangabad has its own rich legacy of art and craft, the
Bidri work mingled into the local arts soon.

Designs on Bidri : Tradition is to inlay various flowers (known as asharfi-ki-booti), leaves (vine creepers),
geometric designs, human figures, stylized poppy plants with flowers on Bidriware. Also, demand for the
design of Persian roses and passages from the Holy Quran in Arabic script are favoured by Western
aficionados of the art form.In addition, Bidriware is also used in the making hookahs, paan-holders,
vases, bowls, earrings, trays, ornament boxes, and jewellery. And artisans in Aurangabad create designs
of motifs from the Ajanta Caves, especially Ajanta Padmapani, an iconic representation of Buddhism,
which is a favourite among foreign tourists. Laljungle, an intricate pattern of leaves and flowers which is
reminiscent of the background of the frescoes in Ajanta and finds a parallel in Himroo work, is also
popular in Bidri art
Ratan Tata, Barack Obama & Vijay Mallya
Mohammad Rouf, a national and state award winning artisan has had the fortune of making Bidriware for
big names.

“We had created a huge pot with Bidri art that was presented to American president Barack Obama by Ratan
Tata, when the former visited India recently. It cost Rs 8 lakhs,” he says with a proud smile before adding, “only
people who are subtle in their taste are connoisseurs of Bidri art”. The artisan also designed a dining table inlaid
with 3.5 kg silver for businessman Vijay Mallya which was sold out for lakhs. The table top was inlaid with mother-
of-pearl pieces.

Source:
The Hindu (Feb 16, 2013)
Deccan Herald (Aug 13, 2013)

Bidri artisans to get help in marketing

Rishikesh Bahadur Desai BIDAR:, MARCH 11, 2016 00:00 IST

The Union government will work with the State government and other agencies to help Bidri
artisans get access to bigger and more profitable markets. The whole focus will be to help
preserve the art forms by ensuring decent profits to their creators, Vinod Kumar, handicrafts
promotion officer, northern Karnataka, told The Hindu here recently. He was here to speak to
youngsters enrolled in the Guru-Shishya model training programme for Bidri art.
The Ministry of Textiles, the main agency for handicrafts development, will work with the
office of the handicrafts commissioner, the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts, the
handicrafts promotion bodies of the State government bodies and non-governmental
organisations to enlarge the market for various handicrafts.
Artisans will be trained in marketing and communication skills. Groups of artisans in clusters
or cities will be motivated to form self-help groups, joint liability groups or cooperative
societies. These agencies will set up an online platform for selling the items.
 Handicrafts will be exhibited and sold at all international fairs, expos and festivals that India
participates. Artisans will be sent on foreign assignments and allowed to participate in
national-level exhibitions, workshops and design-training sessions, according to him.
“We are concentrating on all aspects of promoting handicrafts, especially creating an
information data base about the craft, its history and heritage and about the status of
craftsmen. Equally important will be to help the makers sell their work easily,” Mr. Vinod
Kumar said.
National award winner and master craftsman M. Abdul Rauf will be the resource person for a
120-day training programme. As many as 15 young apprentices will be trained. The
handicrafts promotion office will pay both the trainer and the trainees. A second round of
training will be conducted under the guidance of Rashid Quadri, national award winner and
master craftsman in Bidri Colony, from March 24 this year.

Focus: to preserve the art by ensuring decent profits to their creators

Sunday Story: Famed Bidri art awaits modern touch

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | K N REDDY

PublishedDec 11, 2016, 4:01 am IST

UpdatedDec 11, 2016, 7:22 am IST

The question troubling the Bidri craftsmen in Bidar, where this art developed and flourished for centuries.

National award winner Bidri artist Abdul Rauf making statuettes of Rani Chennamma at his workshop. Inset is Rani
Chennama’s statuette which was presented to PM Modi recently – DC

BIDAR: Amidst the glint of gold and silver and the lure of synthetic ware, is the famed Bidri art which dates back to medieval
times, losing its charm?
That’s the question troubling the Bidri craftsmen in Bidar, where this art developed and flourished for centuries.

Promoted by the Bahamani kings, the intricate craft is at the crossroads with the tastes of people changing and less and less
youth interested in embracing it as a means of livelihood.

Bidriware has always enchanted art lovers across the country and globe and includes exquisitely designed flower vases,
jewellery boxes, royal hookahs and paan holders. The big question is whether it can be diversified to meet the tastes of the
present generation. This does not mean that the traditional ware, painstakingly prepared by craftsmen, has no market as
they still command high export value. But trends are changing and unless the artisan can style his product according to
changing preferences, Bidri art may well be relegated to some dusty shelf in an antique or handicraft shop with buyers hardly
casting a glance at them.

Popularised by sultans who ruled Bidar in the 14-15 centuries, Bidriware was brought to India from Persia by followers of
Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. It derived its name from the unique soil, which is available only inthe world famous Bidar fort. Till
today, no one has been able to find out why this soil is so special for making Bidriware. Some artisans claim the soil has
remained hidden from sunlight and rain for years and has great oxidizing properties that give Bidriware a lustrous, black
colour.

There are others who believe thatthe part of the fort from where the soil is collected for making the items,was a mine in the
past. Even the test conducted by craftsmen to identify the soil, is unique and amazing- they taste the soil! The skill comes
from experience and ispassed on from generation to generation.

Preparing a Bidri artefact is a long and complicated process wherein silveris inlaid on a blackened alloy of zinc and copper.
The material is first cast in moulds made from clay, sand, resin and oil. Chisels of varied sizes and shapes are used to
engrave the design. Silver metallic wire is then laid in the engraved area. The item is cleaned and polished to be finally put in
copper sulphate solution which gives it the dark colour. The entire process is either performed by one person or by various
artisans specialized in their respective areas.

Realising the need to preserve the art form for future generations,National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
(NABARD) started the Bidriware Cluster Development Programme in 2002 and formed 15 self help groups of artisans. The
Krishna Grameena Bank has given loans to these groups.

Artisans have also been issued Artisan Credit Cards and covered under Janashree Bhima Insurance Scheme. Faculty of the
National Institute of Design have trained artisans to reducecosts and make new designs to enable them hone their skills and
produce world class work for export. All these efforts seem to be bearing fruit. The Bidriware cluster members have been
regularly attending national competitions and exhibitions.

Abdul Rauf, national award-winning master craftsman, says he has no problem in marketing his products as he produces the
items required by the market. “I keep innovating and producing new products according to changing needs of the market. I
get orders from Bengaluru, Hyderabadand Mumbai and I produce what they want. So I have no problems inmarketing my
ware”, he said.

However Rauf admitted that only a handful of artisans were adapting to the new designs, while most were still stuck with
age-old styles. Though there is steady growth in the market, the craft is not attracting the new breed of artisans. On the
contrary, the number is dwindling year after year.

“In a way, Bidri craft has become a hereditary profession and very few outside the family take it up. This is because artisans
develop eyesight problems early in life and most of them are not paid well enough for their effort. Even in the families of
craftsmen, few children are willing to take it up now”, an art lover commented.

The legacy of the Bahamani kings can endure the changing times only if Bidriware evolves to catch the fancy of Gen-Next
with a mind-boggling and attractive set of products and designs matching the mindset and needs of the modern connoisseur.
For an art which has retained its pristine form through the tumultuous course of five centuries, this is no big challenge
provided the artisan can change and give his work a touch of contemporary times.

Major attraction in museums

The art forms created by artists from Bidar city centuries ago, are now major attractions in museums such as Victoria and
Albert Museum, London, National Museum, New Delhi and Indian Museum, Kolkata. All dignitaries and guests of the
Commonwealth Games 2010 were presented mementos handcrafted in Bidri style.

This art form was the Union government’s choice for souvenirs at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Among the new
Bidriware are paper clips, key bunches, lockets, envelope openers, pen stands, lampshades, kajal boxes, tiles and tabletops.
Recently Prime Minister Narendra Modi was presented with a memento of Kittur Rani Chennamma crafted by Bidri Artist
Abdul Rauf.

Tags: bidri art, bidri craftsmen

Location: India, Karnataka, Bengaluru

4.1. Challenges faced by Artisan 4.1.1. Raw Material The availability of raw materials with a good quality is very important
for the production of handicrafts. But the present situation is not favorable for the artisan. They are facing problems to
collect all those materials so they sometimes go for recycled raw materials for some possible handicrafts like paper made
handicrafts. Pith is a kind of plant which is generally grown near the river bed. Due to the scarcity of pith plant, pith art is
moving towards endangered context.

4.1.2. Skilled Labour Though the level demand is high for the hand crafted products, even in foreign countries, there is a
lack skilled labor to produce handicrafts. Because of less income from it, people from artisan family are not showing
interest on the road the production of Handicrafts. In order to produce the crafts without missing the traditional look,
finishing and originality and to match the customer expectations, there is a vast need for high-skilled labor.

4.1.3. Fixing Price Price is a monetary expression value where fixing a price for each craft item is different by influencing
some factors like cost of production, labour cost, competitor price, demand, etc. Artisans are not aware of the pricing
strategy, so price fixing is totally in the hands of retailers based on the customer perception towards the crafts. Generally,
there is an assumption among customers that handcrafted products are expensive because of labor cost and other factors,
but it’s not applicable to all sorts of crafts. Some customers imagine that handcrafted products are with poor quality, it is
up to the customers. For example, customer reception of power loomed carpets has demand than hand loomed carpets
whereas hand made paintings, shell crafts are having more reception from the customer than mechanized products. P.
Abirami, M. Velavan, S. Arunkumar, V. Vijay Anand, J. Sivasumbramanian and G. Abirami International Journal of Economic
Research 436

4.1.4. Financial Support Most of the artisans are not well educated and they are from rural areas. They are not much aware
of the bank loans, interest rates for these loans, government schemes and initiatives. So they are suffering and looking for
financial support to improve their production and yield income out of it. Though the Government has been taken some
necessary action for artisans up liftment, artisans are not aware about the schemes and also some of them are afraid to
lend money and repayment with interest even the interest rate is low. 4.1.5. Promotion This is one of the important
segments to concentrate more on the improvement sales. The component of promotion comprises the advertisement,
direct marketing techniques, personal selling techniques and public relations. If previously mentioned are followed,
consequently, the sales volume gets increased. Though the Government arranges some events, trade fair region wise
exclusively for hand crafted products only least count of artisans are participating rest of them are not coming forward to
expose their talents by their own crafts and not willing to travel even within a region. In some cases, they assume that
language would be a problem for travel, stay, communication. 4.1.6. Quality The wide ranges of Indian handicrafts are
comprised of many different from various regions of the country. There is no similar quality of products are produced
throughout the country. Because of differences in similar products, customer gets confused while the time of purchase of
handicrafts. There is no uniformity in standards of quality for similar products. Being an unorganized sector, there is a
complexity in framing quality policies which are to be suitable for all and quality management by inspection that would be
done by the government.

4.1.7. Lack of interest among “Y” Generation The present Younger generations are not showing their interest towards the
production of handicrafts because they know the challenges in the industry and of low income and other employment
opportunities available for them with better income. Another reason for this disinterest among this generation is our
education system that is not trying to inculcate thought about our esteemed art, culture and tradition. They are pushed to
reach their destination as jobs with a fair salary. Thoughts in some class of people are not coming out of the caste system,
caste based occupation is not adopted by any other community in India in most of the cases. This will lead to the reduction
of a count of artisans in the country.

4.1.8. Branding Due to less investment, less working capital, less profit and in some cases ignorance artisans, especially
who are from a rural background are not having adequate potential to brand their products with the specialized category in
the market and in the minds of customers. They unable to compete with large-scale, machine made producers and existing
brand even their quality and finishing is matching the basic standards expects by the customers. Indian Handicrafts and its
Challenges Faced by Artisan Community International Journal of Economic Research 437

4.1.9. Packaging Artisans are not much aware of market research to know the present trend in marketing and customer
expectation towards Handicraft industry. Because of inadequate knowledge, they are facing various kinds of problems
while marketing their products to customer, wholesalers or retailers. Though their product quality is good with a
reasonable price, in some cases the customers refuse to buy the product due to its poor packaging.

5. Recommendations & Conclusion

5.1. Recommendations

For continues improvement and growth of this industry, there is a need of publicity among all classes of people in the
society. So the Government should conduct trade fairs, exhibitions etc.

∑Government should provide the proper training program to artisans for market study as well as the value added for a
better production.

∑ Uniformity in standards of quality and in price is required.

∑ Technology up gradation is required to capture more foreign markets.

∑ Government should support artisans financially by giving adequate money as a loan through nationalized banks with low
rate of interest.

∑ To inculcate interest among youngsters, the Government should provide proper awareness and training in making of
crafts by the existing artisans in the region, which is also helps to increase the employment rate of the nation.

∑ Artisans should adopt the Internet technology to sell the products through E-Commerce sites which are existing in the
market like fabfurnish, camelcraft, vedique, craftsvilla, above etc

. 5.2. Conclusion Indian Handicrafts are representing their tradition, culture and skills of artisans. It generates employment
opportunities, especially for rural artisans including women artisans. The uniqueness of the products are one of the special
factors for higher demand, which leads to the better exports. The government should take necessary steps to educate and
create awareness among the artisan community about the artisan welfare schemes and other schemes which provide
financial support for them also the government should step in conducting programs on Training, skill development, value
addition, market research, promotion and pricing strategy.
 Bidri Art Ware The present position of Bidri craft as per the statistics of Government is good. As per the
Government listing there were about 1201 craftsmen actively engaged in this field in the year 1999 - 20002 , and as per
the records of 2009 – 20103 it is increased to 1504 craftsmen making a growth of 12.5% annually in the number of artisans
engaged in this field in Andhra Pradesh. Annual production during 1999-2000 was listed as 505 lakhs while during 2009-
2010 it is 1006 lakhs which indicates a 20% growth annually in the industry in a span of decade. Although the growth in the
number of artisans and the total turnover of this industry appears to be 12.5% and 20% respectively, the growth cannot be
taken as a very 142 good growth. Why it cannot be taken as a good growth is because of its long duration of 10 years. If
the same growth is recorded in five (5) years it can be taken as a good growth. The growth in turnover is compensated in
the increase of raw material and labour costs. After considering the hike in expenditure during these 10 years one can
easily say the profits are nominal. It is also noticed, that in this industry, as in any other industry, a considerable amount of
profit margin, is lost to either a middleman or an agency but not to the artisan totally. Out of the total production of Bidri
art ware only less than 20% of the production will have a direct market from the manufacturer to the customer. The
remaining 80% of production will be sold through the commission agent or agencies like handicrafts emporia. The
minimum margin of a middleman or an agency will be not less than 10% and it may go to a maximum of 30% to 35%
depending on the nature of article as well as the market place excluding transport. Handicraft Sales Outlet like Lepakshi,
which is a Government run organization for promoting the handicrafts, and private emporia like Kalanjali and Bidri Crafts,
at Hyderabad mainly sell these items. Both Government‟s and private emporia take the material from the artisans directly
and sometimes through the authorized registered societies if a society exists. The government agencies normally take the
material from artisans on consignment basis whereas the private agencies like Kalanjali and other emporia 143 purchase
the material directly from the artisans at a considerably cheaper rate and sell at a higher rate than the government
Agencies. Artisans also prefer to supply the material to the private agencies and emporia as they get immediate payment.
In the consignment basis the artisans supply the material to the seller and has to wait a minimum period of six months or
more depending on the product movement in the market. In the consignment basis the artisans normally be paid half
yearly after deducting the commission. In the earlier years there were limited number of Bidri objects only like Pandaans,
Hukka Bases, Phool Daans (flower containers / baskets, ) etc. manufactured by the artisans which are mostly utilitarian
value which have now become antiques. With the ban on cigarette smoking and pan chewing the Hukka Bases and
Pandaans have gradually confined themselves to the antique showcases although even today Pandaans and Hukka Bases
are prepared by artisans only for erstwhile royal families or for antique lovers who would like to keep them as show pieces
rather than for utilitarian purpose. With the changing life-style of time, the artisans also madeup their minds and started
preparing the small utilitarian items like goblets, boxes, flower vases, cufflinks, jewellery boxes and other sourvenir items.
Although cigarette smoking is banned in 144 public places, items like ash trays are still on good sales as cigarettes are
being smoked in the indoors more than the out doors. As far as this Bidriware industry is considered, luckily, Bidar where
the maximum production of Bidri items are produced is also a very famous historical site. To improve sale of these Bidri
items, government has to come forward to release pamphlets and posters both on paper as well as on internet, making it
known world wide further that Bidri items are produced and available for sale at Bidar directly from artisans. Tourists who
intend to go to Bidar to see its forts and other monuments prefer to purchase Bidri items, from the manufacturer directly
without going to a middleman or agency. This way the artisans gets more profits and visitor pays less than at private
emporia or government agencies outside the Bidar. As part of improving the sales of their products the artisans should
unite and fix the price of an item either among themselves or by the societies. The artisans once in a way should organize
practical workshops and demonstrations in collaboration with government agencies. For this government through the
concerned department should release sufficient grants. This way the artisans generate more interest towards the Bidri
ware amongst general public. Government is coming forward to hold such workshops and demonstrations to further
increase the activity in this line to meet a big target. The artisan also should consider to shift to the innovative designs and
models from the aged old existing designs to attract the eye of public. Till now there is no trace 145 of furniture in
Bidriware. Artisans should also consider that furniture like small stools to dining table sets and dressing tables etc. which
may be expensive but likely to move more in the market as new items. The major hurdle for the artisans is the
consignment process where the artisans‟ money, time and work are blocked for a long period making the artisans fail for
further investment. If the government comes forward to purchase the material outright atleast to some extent the artisan
will be left with some money to further invest and prepare items. Government should consider this proposal atleast for
the bigger items, where the investment, labour and time taken is considerably more. The government also should
publicise through various media and on internet the history and significance of Bidri items with photos and video clips
apart from their aesthetic appearance and values over the net world wide which is a cheaper process of the publicity.

Name of the Craft/Artfor m Total Artisans Mal e Female Age Group Years of Experience Caste/ Social Status
Hereditar y (Pertaining to Artform Not interested to continue the craft with their children Income after
expenditure Profession Satisfactor y Ove r all Com men tary Max Mini Max Min Yes No Not Decid ed Maximum
Mini mum Satis fied Not Satis fied Bidri 02 02 - 48 48(1) 36(1) 36 35 35(1) 24(1) 24 Muslim 2(from father) 01 01
- 30000 1500 0 02 –