They come from two different cultures; they speak two different languages, yet they are working on achieving a common goal.
Shaminda Wasantha from Yapagama, Dambulla met his colleague Rajender Prasad Bondwal from Haryana India at the Folk Art Centre complex (Janakala Kendraya) in Battaramulla while taking part in the recently concluded Sri Lanka- India craft exchange programme where several local and Indian craftsmen came under one roof to share their knowledge.
Woodcarvings, being the area of interest for both Wasantha and Rajender, they were allocated the same stall. Visiting the Janakala Kendraya premises, the Sunday Times was able to witness how Wasantha, the Gold Award winner at the Annual Handicraft Exhibition in 2008 and Rajendra Prasad, a National Award winner in 1984 worked together to transform their skill into beautiful wood carving products.
“They exchange ideas, skills, tools, designs etc and together produce an item,” said Chairman, National Crafts Council, Folk Art Centre Complex –Sri Lanka, Deshabandu Buddhi Keerthisena.
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Elaborating further, he said the main aim of the Craft Exchange Programme organised by the Crafts Council in collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Industries and Self Employment Promotion with the Office of the Development Commissioner (Ministry of Textiles) India was to support craftsmen in Sri Lanka and this was the first time that a programme of this nature was being held here. However, a similar programme had been organised last year where six Lankan craftsmen got the opportunity to participate in an exhibition held in India following an invitation by the Development Commissioner of Handicraft in India, Sanjaya Agrarvar.
This year, six local craftsmen from different fields were selected to take part in the eight day craft exchange programme along with the six professional craftsmen from India.
According to the chairman, there was a huge public response and local craftsmen even from Jaffna, Vavuniya and Mannar also visited the location to study the programme and to get advice from the professional Indian craftsmen.
Assistant Director- Ministry of Textiles Govt of India, Paramjit Singh said Sri Lankan craftsmen are eager to learn and in turn the Indian artistes too could learn a lot from them. This kind of programme will not only help to develop the handicraft industry in both countries but also strengthens cultural ties,” he said.
A crafts market, is a popular concept in India and such markets are held in various parts of the country throughout the year, he said adding a similar initiative is being planned here with a craft market being proposed at the Janakala Kendraya in Battaramulla by December this year.
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| Working in harmony: Rajendar Prasad Bondwal and
Shaminda Wasantha |
Indian craftsman Rajender Prasad said this was his first time in Sri Lanka. Rajender, an expert at turning out wood and sandalwood carvings said he has trained many craftsmen in India and this was his first experience working with a Lankan artiste.
Meanwhile his Sri Lankan counterpart, Wasantha said that he was six years old when he entered the industry and that even after being in the field for so long, there was so much to learn from his Indian colleague. “Their standards, skills and technical know-how are high,” he said.
Kusum Wickremasinghe from Matara said she had learnt a lot of innovative methods related to the art of batik production, particularly in terms of the tie and dye method at the programme.
H.G. Peiris Hamy, who has made exquisite brass and metal itemsthroughout his career of two decades, said, the programme gave him the opportunity to work with Mohammed Yakub from India from whom he learnt the art of blending various colours with silver, brass and other metal products. |
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