Bankura horse
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Bankura Bankura () is a city and a municipality in the state of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of the Bankura district. Etymology In the Mahabharata, Bankura was described as Suhmobhumi. The word or (in Nagari: rāḍh) was introduced af ...
horse is the
terracotta Terracotta, terra cotta, or terra-cotta (; ; ), in its material sense as an earthenware substrate, is a clay-based ceramic glaze, unglazed or glazed ceramic where the pottery firing, fired body is porous. In applied art, craft, construction, a ...
horse, produced in
Panchmura Panchmura is a gram panchayat under Taldangra intermediate panchayat, in Khatra subdivision of Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is from Bishnupur and is famous for the terracotta Bankura horse, a folk artefact and now ...
village in
Bankura district Bankura district (Pron: bãkuɽa) is an administrative unit in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is part of Medinipur division—one of the five administrative divisions of West Bengal. Bankura district is surrounded by Purba Bardhaman distri ...
in the
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n
state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...
of
West Bengal West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...
. It has been praised for “its elegant stance and unique abstraction of basic values.” Originally used for village rituals, it now adorns drawing rooms around the world as symbols of Indian folk-art. It is the logo of All India Handicrafts.


Tradition

In India, terracotta traditions are found from the earliest times. The outskirts of many an Indian village have a pipal tree with terracotta animal figures lying underneath it. They are symbols of fulfillment of aspirations of village folk. In order to cater to the commercial requirements of the modern global market, the village potter is often combining the traditional rural abstractions with refined urban tastes to show pieces of terracotta art. The principal centres where the terracotta horses and elephants are produced are
Panchmura Panchmura is a gram panchayat under Taldangra intermediate panchayat, in Khatra subdivision of Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is from Bishnupur and is famous for the terracotta Bankura horse, a folk artefact and now ...
, Rajagram,
Sonamukhi Sonamukhi is a town and a municipality in the Bishnupur subdivision of the Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is famous for its Kali and Karthik and Godashiv puja . Geography Location Sonamukhi is located at . It has an a ...
and Hamirpur. Each place has its local style. The Panchmura-style of pottery is considered the best and the finest of all the four types.


Process

Different parts of the hollow terracotta horses are turned out in separate parts, on the potter’s wheel. The four legs, the full neck in two parts and the face (seven pieces in all) are turned out separately on the wheel and then joined together. Additional clay is used for making up defects that may remain in the shape of the body. The leaf-like ears and the tails are done in moulds and are later inserted in grooves left on the body. The clay figures are then allowed to dry in the sun. After a little drying in the sun, holes are made on appropriate parts of the body in order that the inner and the outer surfaces of the body are equally dried. Cracks may develop in the body because of unequal drying of the inner and the outer portions. Drying is undert5 done in the normal temperature of a closed room for about six or seven days. Then they are brought out of the room and heated in the sun. Finally they are fired. The terracotta horses of Bankura are produced in two different colours. This achieved by modifying the kiln atmosphere: terracotta red colour is obtained by letting out the smoke through the vents of the kiln during firing to generate an oxidising atmosphere, and the black colour is obtained by sealing the vents to generate a reducing atmosphere.


Significance

In the
Rarh region Rarh region () is a toponym for an area in the Indian subcontinent that lies between the Chota Nagpur Plateau on the West and the Ganges Delta on the East. Although the boundaries of the region have been defined differently according to various ...
where
Dharmathakur Dharmaraj (also called Dharma Thakur, Dharmaraj or simply Dharma) is a Hindu deity of death and justice, worshipped by villagers in the traditional Rarh region in the present day Indian state of West Bengal as one of their special village gods (' ...
is worshipped there is no end to the symbolic use of terracotta and wooden horses. Symbolic sacrifice of horses for fulfillment of wishes is common for many village gods and goddesses, but an assembly of terracotta horses of various shapes and sizes representing sacrifice on wish fulfillment is perhaps peculiar to Dharmathakur.


Shape

Over the centuries the potters have moved away from a realistic presentation to a representational presentation. Potter-artists of different regions focused on different parts of the animal body in such a manner that representation of the same became more important than representation of the entire body of the animal.


Geographical Indications

Bankura horse is registered under the
Geographical Indications A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g., a town, region, or country). The use of a geographical indication, as an indication of the product's source, ...
of
West Bengal West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...
, named Bankura Panchmura Terracota Craft on 28 March 2018.


See also

* * Crafts of India * Manasa chali, terracota idol of Hindu deity Manasa Debi *
Pottery in the Indian subcontinent Pottery in the Indian subcontinent has an ancient history and is one of the most tangible and iconic elements of Indian art. Evidence of pottery has been found in the early settlements of Lahuradewa and later the Indus Valley Civilisation. Tod ...


Bankura horse gallery

File:Bankura Horses Arnab Dutta 2011.JPG, Bishnupur Terracotta Horse File:Bishnupur terracotta horse 4.JPG, Bishnupur terracotta horse File:Bishnupur Terracotta Horse.JPG, Bishnupur Terracotta Horse File:Bankura Terracotta Horses.jpg, Bankura Terracotta Horses


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bankura Horse Geographical indications in West Bengal Culture of West Bengal Terracotta Bankura district Terracotta sculptures Indian handicrafts Horses in art Bengal terracotta Tourist attractions in Bankura district