Craftsman on a mission to set record

Here is a group of twelve artisans who are on a mission to create a history through their indigenous art works. Hailing from Tikamgarh District, Madhya Pradesh the Craftsman have camped in Chamarajendra Academy of Visual Arts (CAVA) to create a traditional Ball Metal Bullock Cart which costs around Rs 3 lakh.

According to the artists the bullock-cart weighs about 350 kilo (300 kilo metal and 50 kilo clay) and will be 8.5 feet length, 4.5 width and about 5 feet in height. The expenses will be owned by South Central Zone Cultural Centre, Nagpur, Ministry of Culture, GoI.

The basic mould works will be created by melting wax and resin (rar). Later mixing this lost wax casting with groundnut oil they replicate beautiful objects and they bake it. Later the substance will be mixed with Ball Metal Alloy (Brass) to give attractive finishing.

Artists like Pannalal Soni, Prem Narayan Soni, Akalesh Soni, Gokul Viswakarma, Sukalesh Soni, Omprakash Soni, Akash Soni, Ramratan Soni, Sunderlal Soni, Rohit Soni, Ravi Shankar Soni and Kashiram Soni are working on this project. The artistes will be in city till July 3.

Programme in-Charge Gopal Betawar said that 'about 25 spare parts  (cow, leg, cart, wheels,) of bullock cart will be created in Mysore and will be assembled at Zone Cultural Center in Nagpur, where it will be displayed.'

Artist Ravi Shankarsani said that the process is very hard and after several steps of process the works will be completed. He says, this type of art works will costs around Rs 7 lakh in open markets.

Expressing happiness for creating the work in Mysore, the artists claimed that they are first to do such a huge bullock cart in country using Ball Metal. They said that about 500 families in Tikamgarh District are practicing this traditional ball metal works from -five centuries.