A tour to Odisha Tarakashiis never finished without looking at the art and crafts of state. With great pride, these art forms structure an indispensable culture of the state. The workmanship and art that is prevalent in Odisha dates back to hundreds of years. These art works are displayed in bulk in every departments of the Government of Odisha in their own particular manner. Numerous temples in Odisha (particularly Jagannath temple in Puri) can be seen utilizing these things. Silver Filigree or Tarakasi as it is known in Odisha is one of the best and most perfect art works.
Cuttack: The ‘Silver City’ of India
Cuttack is the abode of silver filigree work in Odisha. The craftsmen and specialists in the close by towns practice this art. Otherwise called the ‘Silver City of India’, Cuttack takes pride for Chandi Tarkashi: the specialty of silver filigree Tarakashi. The city is home to numerous gifted silversmiths who have a place with the Sunar or goldsmith network.
Silversmiths of Cuttack exceed expectations in making huge decorative pieces that add greatness to the Durga icons during Durga Puja, just as different deities during different celebrations.
The Mangala temple at Alisa Bazar, Cuttack Tarakashi, has an enormous silver seat that encompasses the earth symbol of Goddess Durga.
Procedure
The nature of silver utilized for making these items is of great expectation and have up to 90 percent purity. Silver wires are drawn through little openings and afterward fastened to make a wonderful work.
First, the piece of silver is set into a little mud pot and the two are placed into a basin brimming with hot coals. The heat is directed through a howl that is hand worked by a wrench.
The dissolving procedure takes around ten minutes and afterward the silver is filled a little, pole like shape and cooled by lowering the bar in water. It is then positioned into a machine that will press the pole into a long, flimsy wire. This monotonous and genuinely requesting process had been done customarily by hand and took two men to turn the wrench.
When the silver is squeezed into a level, serviceable wire, the wire itself would first be able to be hand cut with complex structures or quickly seethed by a little lamp fuel fire with one craftsman coordinating the little fire with a cylinder held in his mouth into which he can blow Tarakashi. This procedure makes it simpler for the craftsman to form the wire into the ideal casing for the piece before it is cooled.
Next the wires are hung together and wound and moulded into a plan by the craftsman’s exact fingers. Welding is finished by putting the piece into a blend of borax powder and water Tarakashi, sprinkling patching powder on it, and afterward setting it indeed under the little fire. This guarantees the detail of the structure will remain unblemished.
When this is done, the craftsman will take the warm piece and shape it into an adornment. Procedures, for example, granulation, snow coating and throwing are utilized creatively to uplift the impact.
Tarakashi in everyday life:
Fancy things like bangles, studs, jewellery, clasps, pendants are most loved among the women. Brightening things like temple shape, cast of snakes and ponies, creatures and chariots are able for drawing room. The utilitarian things primarily comprise of bowls, ashtrays, cups, vermillion holder and so forth. Reverential things of silver are likewise utilized in the numerous temples of Odisha.
You can read our another post on The Leaning Temple of Huma: A Unique Architectural Wonder
Current Juncture
With changing times, new strategies and experimentation are progressively being utilized to deliver profoundly cleaned and refined antiquities. Platinum cleaning is done to give more enduring sparkle while combination of silver and metal or different materials is done to make intriguing impacts.
