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Craft revival with Varanasi artisans

Under the World Bank-assisted Pro-Poor Tourism Development Project of the Government of Uttar Pradesh, Manish Arora led training that gave the wood and clay crafts of Banaras new forms, colours and markets.

Role
Principal Investigator / Coordinator
Funder
World Bank / UP Tourism
Partners
DIC & Dept. of Applied Arts, BHU; BASICS
Years
2023–24
18 Oct – 9 Dec 2023 (45 days) · 40 wood artisans

Wooden Craft Training Programme

Training to give new dimensions to the wood art of Banaras: wooden toys, souvenirs, decorations and carving given a new look through experiments in shape, colour and design, plus training to sell through social media, mobile apps and websites.

Design Café Lab, Department of Applied Arts, FoVA, BHU

Wooden craft training
Wooden craft training
Wooden craft training
Wooden craft training
Wooden craft training
Wooden craft training
August 2023 (daily reports for days 4–10: 10–17 Aug 2023) · 120 artisans in self-help groups

Clay Craft Training Programme

Mould-making, casting and wheel work in clay and plaster with SHG artisans; new kulhad designs, toys, lamps and terracotta forms, including a remarkable elephant by an elderly participant that recalls tribal motifs.

Chaura Mata Mandir, Sultanpur village, Sarnath

Clay craft training
Clay craft training
Clay craft training
Clay craft training