Ivory artisans of Murshidabad1, মুর্শিদাবাদের হাতির দাঁতের কারিগর১

From

BENGAL DISTRICT GAZETTEERS MURSHIDABAD.

BY L. S, S. O'MALLEY

১৮৭৫ সালে ভারত সফররত প্রিন্স অফ ওয়েলসকে মুর্শিদাবাদের হাতির দাঁতের কারুকার্য উপহার দেওয়ার প্রস্তুতি

Another industry for which the district is famous is ivory

Carving. The skill of the carvers and the high estimation in which

their work has been held are sufficiently attested by the remarks

of Professor Royle in Lectures on the Arts and Manufactures of

India (1852) with reference to the exhibits sent to the London

Exhibition of 1851 :

"A variety of specimens of carving in ivory have been sent from

different parts of India and are much to be admired, whether

for the minuteness of size, for the elaborateness of detail, or

for the truth of representation. Among these the ivory-carvers

of Berhampore are conspicuous. They have sent a little model

of themselves at work, and using, as is the custom of India, only

a few tools. The set of chess-men carved from the drawings in

Layard's ' Nineveh ' were excellent representations of what they

could only have seen in the above work, showing that they are

capable of doing new things when required ; while their represent-

ations of the elephant and other animals are so true to nature,

that they may be considered the works of real artists and should

be mentioned rather under the head of fine arts than of mere

manual dexterity." In 1888 again the Murshidabad carvers

were declared to be perhaps the best in India, "fully displaying

the finish, minuteness and ingenuity characteristic of all true

Indian art."

The industry dates back to the time when the Nawabs

of Bengal had their court at Murshidabad. The legend of its

introduction is quaint. The Nawab, it is said, one day called

for an ear-pick or scratcher, and when one made of grass

was brought, said that it was not worthy of the dignity of a

Nawab and that one must be made of ivory. An ivory carver

was therefore brought from Delhi to make one. While he

was at work, a Hindu Bhaskar spied on him through a hole

in the wall and learnt his art, which he taught his son, Tulsi

Khatumbar. The latter soon excelled his father and was made

carver in ivory to the Nawab. He was a pious Hindu and  

anxious to go on pilgrimage, and, this being known, a guard was

set over him, for fear that he might leave the city, At last he

managed to escape and went on pilgrimage to various places,

paying his way by his work. After an absence of 17 years, he

returned to Murshidabad and was summoned before the Nawab,

who ordered him to make from memory a carving of the late

Nawab. The statue he produced was so life-like, that the Nawab,

in admiration of his genius, gave him his salary in full for the

17 years he had been away and presented him with a house

in Mahajantuli. To this day, it is said, " the ivory carvers of

Murshidabad bend their heads and raise their hands in veneration

whenever the name of Tulsi is mentioned." Whatever be the

truth of the legend, the art appears to have been from the

first the monopoly of the Bhaskars, whose original hereditary

occupation is the manufacture of clay and wooden images, wood

carving and wall painting. It was an industry which depended

for its prosperity on the support of a luxurious court and wealthy

noblemen, and when the Nawabs lost their power and their

court disappeared, it languished.