Ivory artisans of Murshidabad3, মুর্শিদাবাদের হাতির দাঁতের কারিগর৩

হাতির দাঁতের কারিগরদের কর্মশালা ১৮৫১র ছবি

The first thing the carver does is to cut a block of

ivory of sufficient bulk for the article required. On this a

tracing of the object to be carved is drawn in pencil, but

sometimes the design is sketched on paper. A clever workman

can carve without any preliminary sketch, if the article to be

manufactured is one which he is accustomed to carve. After this,

the model is roughly shaped by means of chisels, large and small,

according to the size of the parts to be chiselled oil. Then files of

different sizes and fineness are employed to work the model into a

finer shape, and drills of different sizes are used to drill holes for

perforated work. Finishing touches are given with an iron

stylus, which the carvers call by tbe common name for a pen,

kalam. The kalams are of vaiious degrees of fineness, some as fine

as needles and others like knives or sketch-erasers. When the

model has been brought exactly to the designed shape, it is soaked

in water for some time, and the surface is polished, first with fish

scales and lastly with common chalk. For fastening figures

into stands and for joining parts, email ivory pegs are used.

For turning, a heavy lathe is used. When they have to carve

from a new pattern, and they find that none of their existing

tools are suitable or fine enough for the work, the Bhaskars will

at once improvise a suitable tool, in the middle of their

work.

The following list of the articles produced by the carvers is

given in Mr. Gr. C. Dutt's Monograph on Ivory Carving in Bengal.

Formerly they supplied a local demand for images of the gods,

but now for the most part turn out an assortment of table orna-

ments and knick-knacks, mainly for the European market : -

হাতির দাঁতের কাজ করা আসবাবপত্র, লন্ডনের একটি নিলাম সংস্থার ছবি

no	Articles	prices	Remarks
1	2	3	4
1	Alphabet	1 to 1½ annas per letter
2	Durga(the ten handed goddess, with her attendant gods and goddesses in the act of fighting with the giant Mahisasura)	Rs. 50 to Rs.300	The best article that can be made from one block of ivory can be had for Rs. 150.
3	Kali standing on the body of Shiva with two attendant goddesses	40 to 120	The price varies according to the size of the pieces, and also according to the quality of the work
4	Jagaddhatri standing on the lion and elephant with two attendant goddesses	50 to 125
5	Jagannath’s car procession	50 to 150
6	Palanquin, single or with bearers and attendants	15 to 100
7	Chessman	25 to 250
8	Work-box	25 to 300
9	Elephant, single or caparisoned, or fighting with tiger	5 to 150
10	Horse, plain or with rider	2 to 30
11	Bullock-carts	8 to 50
12	Maur-pankhi, or peacock state barge	10 to 100
13	Camel, single or with driver	4 to 40
14	Cow, single or with calf	3 to 20
15	Dog	2 to 8
16	Pig	2 to 10
17	Buffalo	3 to 20
18	Crocodile	5 to 20
19	Deer	2 to 15
20	Plough with ploughman	3 to 20
21	Locket and chain(with or without gold or silver mounting)	5 to 50
22	Earrings	4 to 10
23	Figures of zanana ladies. Hindu priests, washermen, water carriers, peons, porters, tailors, sepoys, fakirs, policemen	2 to 5 each
24	Paper cutter	1 to 30
25	Bangles, bracelets with or without gold or silver mountings	25 and upwards
26	Card case	6 to 15
27	Knitting needles	8 anna for set of four
28	Crochet needles	Do
29	Napkin ring	2 to 8
30	Photo frame	15 to 60
31	Caskets	30 to 100
32	Walking sticks	25 to 75
33	Chamurs or fly-flap	--
34	Combs	---

" The above list," writes Mr. G. C. Dutt, " is by no means

exhaustive. The Murshidabad carvers turn out various other toys

and trinkets, and of mythological subjects there is, perhaps, no

end. Only one mythological figure the Murshidabad Bhaskars

will not carve or sell, and that it is that of Krishna, as they are

his followers * and cannot create or sell the deity they worship.

Although the Murshidabad carvers can carve any practicable

model of almost every useful and ornamental object, it must not

be supposed that there is a regular supply of all these things

in the market, nor should one expect to find many such objects

in daily use anywhere, except, perhaps, the bangles and combs

which are worn by up-country and Deccan women generally.

There is usually but a limited and fitful outturn-."

* They belong to the Vaishnava sect.