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Journalism of Courage
Control hi nahi hota, laughed Mukul Goyal,wondering when should he stop working with the traditional craft of the Dhokra. This art form captured his imagination over 14 years ago in Orissa. Over the years,he has dabbled with multiple materials from leather to plastic to give art a contemporary twist. However,it was the Dhokra that struck the chord with him. What fascinated me was the way it is made and the possibilities attached to it, says the graduate from IIT-Kanpur and National Institute of Design (NID).
Found in the tribal belts of Madhya Pradesh,Orissa,West Bengal,Chattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh,Dhokra derives its name from West Bengals Dhokra Damar tribe,who are the traditional metalsmiths. These craftsmen are not exposed to modern techniques. However,if I am selling a product in international market,I cannot have defects in it. My team and I have walked the fine line between improving the technique and bringing consistency to every product,apart from incorporating the defects in it; as not defects but beautiful parts of it, he says.
At first,Goyal worked with an NGO in Orissa. However,this association didnt last long as the NGO had its own agenda and no idea about design and process. When I would make a design,the production would not come through. Its very frustrating, the designer recalls.
Starting at Rs 800,Goyal feels his products sell by virtue of their aesthetic appeal. Im not there to sell the product. It has to appeal to the buyer without any support. Its a tight line between business,design and art. Its a process fraught with lots of fun,enjoyment and frustration, he says.
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