Thanks to MSME dept, remote hamlet of wooden doll makers comes up as Rural Craft Hub

Kolkata: The state Micro Small and Medium Enterprises & Textiles department, in association with UNESCO, has developed Natungram as one of the Rural Craft Hubs of the state.

This has given a major

boost to the wooden doll

industry which is becoming globally famous. The hub has helped the artisans, particularly the women, to become self-reliant.

West Bengal Khadi and Village Industries Board (WBKVIB) has developed a Folk Art Centre in the village, with lodging facility that is equipped with all basic amenities.

Visitors at Natungram can witness the artisans at work, explore the Folk Art Centre to learn about the craft and its techniques and learn the stories behind.

The hub is located in Agradwip area. The nearest railway station is Agradwip or Katwa. Katwa Railway Station is 18 km away from the place. It is about a 1.5 hour drive from Bardhaman or Santiniketan and takes around 4 hours from Kolkata.

The two-storeyed Folk Art Centre at Natungram has four rooms - two on the ground floor and two on the first floor. The rooms can accommodate 8-10 persons at a time. Guests can relish traditional Indian cuisine.

The centre also houses a saw mill and a workshop where the artisans can be seen working. Craftsmen assemble here to work daily and the tourists can interact, watch them work and can also make purchases.

Every year, the artisans of Natungram celebrate their tradition through a village fair in January. Their 'Wooden Doll Festival' will take place from January 18-20, 2019. One can enjoy the colourful folk festival and also visit the place throughout the year to explore the process of carving the wooden dolls.

There are about 60 families pursuing the traditional art form, where the men do the carving and chiseling while the women do the painting. The wooden doll artisans of Natungram organise themselves under a collective known as Swami Janakidas Natungram Wood Carving Artisans Industrial Cooperative Society Ltd. established in 2008.

A Common Facility Centre has been built inside the village with machinery, storage, common workspace, guest accommodation facilities etc.

Other than arranging for skill upgradation of the traditional artisans, the society provides them with working capital support and marke-

ting.