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Magazine
CRAFT
The resurgence of stone craft
VIDYA SASTRY
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Stone craft needs infusion of modern techniques and technology to survive in the contemporary context.
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New products from an old medium: Stone mushrooms from the CCI workshops.
The history of stone is the history of civilisation. No other material has withstood the ravages of time to tell the story of what came before. It has found uses in simple village constructions, sophisticated urban houses, ornately carved temples and
palaces. Its glory however, did not last long and today the use of stone in architecture is negligible. What survives is traditional sculpture for temples, folk products in village homes and masonry in urban areas. The solid bank of knowledge has been chipped away by apathy and ignorance. Stone is now a material relegated to charming souvenirs and fancy architectural facades. The craft is under siege and needs an urgent infusion of fresh thought and energy.
The Indian subcontinent has stones of all varieties, shapes and sizes. From expensive marble to cheap granite, the sheer abundance of this raw material is a compelling reason to revive its use. Unless we recognise and respect this, stone craft and skills will quietly pass into history.
Stone today continues to be highly recommended for its durability and versatility across a broad range of products and architectural elements. Handcrafted stone products fall into three broad categories: products, architectural elements and sculpture. Further, there are two distinct categories: products meant for the domestic and foreign market.
Urban neglect
There is little evidence of our heritage of stone products in urban homes, where the use of stone products has dropped to a minimum. What has survived is the chapatti rolling stone in North India and the wet grinder in south India. Small oil lamps have also survived. Sculpture is the most common and visible end-product of stone in the country.
The production of architectural elements is largely to be found in non-urban and temple building. Contemporary urban architecture finds little use for it. Architectural elements are generally carved in stone of less value and require a lesser degree of skill than very intricate sculpture or inlay in marble. This is an area with great development possibilities.
In some areas of the country, tools and techniques have developed due to a strong cultural heritage, while in other areas there has been an influx of modern technology. Today, there have been great leaps in technology in the area of industrial stone craft but unfortunately all machinery available in India is custom-made for bulk production, the majority of which is imported. India needs to develop tools and hand-held mechanical aids specific to stones and use in different regions of the country.
New techniques
It is against this background that the Crafts Council of India (CCI) conceived a series of workshops to be conducted in various regions of India to introduce the artisans to power tools, new stone craft technologies and to offer assistance with design and marketing. The workshop series, named “Shila Shilp”, was inaugurated in February 2004 along with the release of the two-volume publication Stone Craft of India with over 1,500 colour illustrations documenting all aspects of stone craft skills in India.
So far, six workshops have been conducted in the series — in Chennai, Agra, Bangalore, Puducherry, Jaipur and Bhubaneshwar. Two artisans were sent for further training to the City and Guilds of London School of Art, London, U.K. One of them was selected as part of the restoration team and his work can be seen at the St.George Chapel, Windsor Castle.
Connected to the workshops, craftsmen were introduced to credit institutions and tool manufacturers, enabling them to invest in the appropriate tools for their requirement. New product designs were introduced. Apart from learning the use of the tools and producing new designs, the craftsmen learnt to work from a technical drawing, produce to precision and deliver against tight schedules. They are able to work in groups and coordinate production. Consistent marketing guidance and support from the CCI were also provided.
The seminar on stone crafts “Living with Stone” held on December 14 and 15, 2007, held at Chennai, is a call from the CCI for active participation from the architect community to now take the work further by using the skills of the millions of craftsmen in the country. Showcasing the work in stone by architects who have used it extensively and by exceptional products on display from crafts persons, the seminar proves the potential of the material and skill availability in our country even today.
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