— Photo: Lingaraj Panda

WONDERS IN WOOD: Kausar Ahmed at the All India Crafts Bazar in Berhampur.

BERHAMPUR : When cheap acrylic sheets substitute ivory, the priceless wooden paintings of Mysore that adorned the walls of royalties like Tipu Sultan and Nizam becomes part of Oriya homes.

Kausar Ahmed, an artisan from Mysore is continuing to attract admirers from Orissa towards his traditional wooden paintings. He has a stall at the All India Crafts Bazaar going on in the city. At the Crafts Mela organised in Cuttack during Baliyatra last year he was awarded the Best Artisan award. And he is hooked to Orissa market.

He comes from a family that is preparing these wooden paintings since generations. These paintings are unique as there is no use of brush or paints. Wood pieces of different colours are carved out and pasted on rosewood or `sesam' planks to prepare the painting. Timber of 35 colour variations ranging from light blue of rubber tree to red of Rakta Chandan is found in Karnataka.

Substitute medium

This led to the origin of these paintings centuries back in Mysore area. But for the white colour, ivory was being used, which made these paintings regal and priceless. "Use of ivory has become illegal so we had to search for a substitute medium and acrylic sheets that are quite cheap replaced it making these paintings affordable for the common man," said Kausar. The cost of his paintings starts from Rs. 350.

Kausar and his family are also involved in manufacturing herbal incense sticks using unadulterated herbal mediums like sandalwood powder. But his passion still continues to be the wooden paintings.

Although a Muslim, he ventures into themes from Hindu mythologies. "The various coloured timber that we use for our paintings is the creation of Almighty and I am just playing with it to create the themes whatever they may be," Kausar said.

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