To protect, preserve & promote various forms of traditional art and folk art in Jharkhand

Indigenous art forms of Jharkhand are on the verge of extinction. In the online age when people are looking for more avenues of entertainment, and when the internet and Googling have become the easiest way to knowledge and entertainment, traditional art forms of the Santhal Pargana are in need of a revival. The last few practitioners of Sohrai-Khovar and Jadu Patiya, a form of painting and storytelling, say their art forms may soon be lost.

WWY has been working for the development and promotion of the livelihood of artisans, especially in Below Poverty Line(BPL) in Hazaribagh, Ramgarh and Chatra districts. These artisans generally belong to the OBC and ST, SC communities’ women with very low-income groups. In some low-income other societies, women are also engaged in Hand Painting Artworks.

Need of Project:

-The targeted artisans belong to weaker Socioeconomic backgrounds and the livelihood support in terms of the development of their skills and promotion of micro-production/ processing units will help their economic development.

- In many districts of Jharkhand, there has been a rich tradition of Sohrai- Kohvar. The Sohrai and Kohvar art are the two main GI tagged folk arts of Jharkhand. Both these paintings depict the development of human civilization. Natural colours are used in both these paintings. In one hand, the GI tagged paintings(Sohrai and Kohvar) of Jharkhand are gradually getting popularity. Besides, the artist of traditional painting has been reduced drastically as they were not able to secure regular income from it. They were also not able to promote their art on the regular market. They were unable to link their product with the modern time which resulted to have almost no income from their art and they started to leave the art and transfer it to the next generations.

- These SHG members form the traditional cluster of the Sohrai Kohvar and are able to partially support their family livelihood through the contribution of manual labour and traditional skills they have inherited.

- A planned effort towards their skill formation/ up-gradation and hand-holding of these skilled women for their evolution as micro/entrepreneurs leading to enhanced livelihood, the project will be of immense help.

- A planned and organized effort with support for the establishment of a cluster demonstration unit will immensely help in the promotion of GI Tagged Sohrai Kohvar Paintings with diversified products painting/crafts/toys/ other utility goods in the district which may be cater to local market demand of the adjoining district namely Hazaribagh, Ramgarh, Ranchi and Chatra etc.

- Given the established market demand, easy sourcing of raw material as well requisite equipments by us, the project will witness take off a good production cluster in the region.

Traditional paintings of Jharkhand have a lot to teach us as these are inspired by nature, made up of natural materials and communicate nature’s message of peace and harmony. The proposed project is our sincere effort to preserve and promote these immensely important icons of our cultural heritage. WWY came across as a vision in 2018 after knowing the deteriorating conditions of these art forms and their artisans. Since then, we have been trying to improve the lives of traditional artisans by promoting their work and providing then market linkages. We have also been teaching these to the needy and most importantly to our coming generation.

The proposed project envisages promoting modern and professionally skilled production clusters of quality Hand Painting and artworks in the Hazaribagh and Ramgarh districts of Jharkhand, with following actions:

• Creating a Sohrai-Kohvar Based Hand Painting Production cluster of artisans

• Capacity building through vocational training of 150 women artisans for Livelihood promotion

• Skill/Professional Development through training on management related aspects

• Strengthening the bank linkage & market development.

• Mobilizing bank and/or another micro-financing linkage.

• Counseling on essential aspects of Social & Gender Development for up gradation of living

patterns of beneficiary participants.

• A cluster of skilled women artisans in Sohrai Kohvar and Paitkar Artwork like utility and decorative items and related items will be formed.

• A regular production unit with moderate capacity will be established with market linkage.

• Activity based Credit linkage of the cluster will be ensured.

• A production unit will be established