Handicraft artist seeks revival of traditional art in state

Neha Saini

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Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 18

A jane of all crafts, city-based handicraft artist Paramjeet Kaur Kapoor has been honoured with the National Merit Award by the Ministry of Textiles. Paramjeet has created a 4X4 painting of the Golden Temple along with 10 Sikh Gurus, using thread. The painting took three years in making and witnessed usage of over 10 silken threads, woven using several techniques, to create a masterpiece that anyone can mistake for a water colour painting. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 75,000 as well.

“It is a huge honour as I am the first handicraft artist from Punjab to get this award,” says Paramjeet, who has been involved in creating and designing handicrafts and handloom products for 15 years. “The painting took two years of conception and attempts, while it took me three years to complete in one final go. The stitches used in the painting were complicated as I had to use thread for details like creating reflection of Golden Temple in water or to create eyes of Gurus. These are very difficult to get using thread,” she says.

Paramjeet, who has been working in association with Ministry of Textiles’s project to develop and promote handicrafts, is an empanelled designer with them. She says that her award also brings forth the sad reality of handicrafts being neglected in Punjab. “I have worked with Chamba Rumal, a traditional and internationally-recognised handicraft form from Himachal Pradesh. I exclusively work with artisans and self-help groups across Punjab to promote phulkari. I feel that the centre has a very commendable policy for developing handicrafts, but it’s the state that lacks intent and infrastructure to benefit the artisans. There is no state award or honour for handicraft artists,” she rues.

The losing art of phulkari needs instant revival plan from the state government.

“Phulkaris were produced for domestic use (within the family) once. It was only in the later part of the 19th century that the phulkaries were put to sale and, thus, commercialisation happened. Today, despite its huge market internationally, phulkari has virtually reduced to a lost art and has been under severe threat of extinction due to the inception of machine versions. Very little has been done by the state government to revive it as most government emporiums and small scale cottage industries are lying defunct and there is no recognition for handicraft artists,” she says.

She along with her husband runs a self-help group — Gramin Vikas Handicrafts Women and Children Welfare Society — through which 8,000 handicraft artists across the state have been registered with the Ministry of Textiles. “Punjab has rich handicrafts and handloom history. It can be revived through skill development and recognition,” she adds.