Bamboo Artisans Of Dom Para Losing Out To Flex And Digital Printing In Poll Season

Kolkata: There was a time when elections were seen as a festive occasion by the workers of Ramesh Dutta Street, a part of Kolkata that is long known as Dom Para. This was a time when artists living here were in great demand to create various party symbols with the help of bamboo, paper, glue and paint that were used in the campaign. But those days are gone now. Faced with the onslaught of flex and digital printing, the traditional bamboo craft has gradually been pushed into a corner. Much like wall-writing, the art of crafting symbolic figures from bamboo and paper is also on the verge of extinction.

The bamboo models made here ahead of the polls could be a hand representing the Congress, hammer and sickle representing the Communists, lotus of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or flowers and grass of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). But, swept by the tide of time, this familiar scene is on the verge of extinction.

The artisans of Dom Para are primarily engaged in bamboo craftsmanship. Whether it is Kali Puja, Saraswati Puja or other fairs, their handiwork was once an eyecatching spectacle. Their expertise was best demonstrated through their ability to craft flawless replicas by cutting bamboo into splints and applying layers of paper and glue over them. Whenever elections approached, orders would pour in from all the political parties. Besides creating party symbols, they produced flagpoles and hand sticks, all of which combined to ensure a booming trade.

A stroll through Ramesh Dutta Street revealed that the crowds of the past are no longer there. Only a few artists remain at work. Some are cutting bamboo splints to fashion flagsticks while the others are crafting hand held staffs. That familiar bustle of old times is gone as the majority of the artists have moved on to other lines of work.

One of the artists, Baikuntha Majhi shared, "In the past, whenever elections approached, it was difficult to cope with the workload. Orders would pour in from every political party. Being artists we do not look at the political colours of any party. We take on every assignment. But now, those orders are gone. Flex printing has taken it all away."

He further disclosed that in the past the artists used to receive numerous orders for creating large scale party symbols and quite often lights were installed inside these to create a unique visual appeal. Such work has now come to a complete standstill.

Speaking with a tone of regret, he said, "I did manage to get some work during the last Lok Sabha elections but there is virtually nothing this time around for the Assembly elections."

However, work has not come to a complete standstill as some new types of orders are coming in that involve cutting plywood to craft small hand held sticks or making emblems for the 'Lakshmir Bhandar' scheme. Recently, the artists also secured a contract to construct models of gas cylinders that are being produced specifically for use in political campaigns.

Majhi pointed out, "While these new assignments certainly offer some relief, the earnings are no longer what they used to be."

Another artist, Ujjwal said, "The amount of work I used to do even five or six years ago has now dwindled to less than half. Previously, I would craft campaign symbols out of bamboo and paper but now the parties simply supply readymade flex banners. We are left with nothing but making flagsticks and selling them at Rs 3 apiece. A handheld stick costs Rs 150. We are barely managing to get by."

The transformation taking place in Dom Para represents not merely a crisis of livelihood but rather the erosion of a cultural heritage. Once, the very colour, scent and emotion of the electoral process were inextricably woven into handcrafted symbols. Today, overshadowed by the dominance of technology, that sentiment seems to have faded.

Experts say the intrinsic value of folk art is often overshadowed in the pursuit of keeping pace with modernity. The plight of the artisans in the Dom Para serves as a stark reflection of this very reality. Yet, they cling to hope that perhaps one day, the bustle of the old days will return, and Ramesh Dutta Street will once again be filled with the scent of bamboo and paper.

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