Bankura Horses : the Guardians of Terracotta

Pottery has been known in India since ancient times, dating beyond the Indus Valley Civilisation. Archaeological evidence claims that pottery has been prominent in India since the Indus Valley. But it is still unknown to us how this art expanded over the region of Bengal, and there is also no exact time period for it in Bengal. It may have grown and developed here in the fertile alluvial soil of the Ganges. West Bengal is now one of the largest manufacturers of terracotta pottery in India. One of the regions in Bengal with terracotta pottery is Panchmura pottery, which has its own unique appeal, beauty, and popularity.

Panchmura is a small village in the Bankura district of West Bengal, approximately 25 km from Bishnupur and 300 km from Kolkata. It is the abode of the infamous “Bankura Horse”. This is where the traditional horse, proudly exhibited in many houses, is produced. But ‘Bankura Horse’ is merely one of the treasures that pour out of the hands of the kumbhakaras, or craftsmen, of this hamlet.

Unique Features

A person’s eye eventually goes into the market for terracotta clay art, prominently the horse figurines and elephants. Differentiating the Bankura horse from other art found in different regions, one may closely observe that the horses have strong, long, erect necks with small and straight ears. They look dynamic. The jaws are wide, and a set of teeth is visible. The eyes are small, and the eyebrows are drawn. The forehead is ornamented with Chandmala. The vest has also been beautifully ornamented with different designs.

Religious Purpose

The terracotta horses were initially made for their religious function. Ritually, people used to offer a token of faithfulness to Dharmaraj, Devi Manasa, and numerous other deities of different villages. Not only in Hinduism but also in the Islam community, such contributions were made to the tombs of Muslim saints by people of all communities.

Origin

The terracotta art flourished in West Bengal, especially in the region of Bankura in Bishnupur, in the 16th and 17th centuries. It flourished under the patronage of the 49th Mallanath, Bir Hambir, the Malla king. He ruled his kingdom over present-day Bankura, Burdwan, Medinipur and Murshidabad. The landscape is covered with this art due to Gangetic alluvial data and its raw material. This art form dates back older than those art forms found in Krishnanagar. The terracotta produces not only horses but also elephants. They are manufactured in Panchmura and Rajagram in Bankura district. In addition, the Bankura horse served as the emblem for the All India Handicrafts Board, which was founded in 1952 by cultural activist Pupul Jayakar and disbanded in 2020 amid the devastating COVID-19 pandemic.

Raw Materials and Tools

The main or basic source and raw material for the horse figurines is terracotta clay available in the region or derived from neighbouring regions of Bishnupur. Initially the clay is impure, which the craftsmen make fit for use. They remove the dust particles and stones from it. These clays are found in bulk outside the home and are covered during the rainy season. The other raw materials are sand, grass, water and colour, and especially the khar.

Similarly, the main tools required for the manufacture of the art are mainly a stick and the potter’s wheel to make a cone. Then come the scraps, including bamboo twigs, blades and small pointed wood to carve out details and ornamentation on the head and chest of the horse. Locally, these tools have been termed as “chiari”; the designs mainly depend on the choice of the craftsmen. The most important tool is the cloth made of cotton. Its significance is that it is used to keep the clay together from getting dried up and to keep it from dust. This cloth has been termed ‘Naikrah. A wooden plank is used, called a patara, to roll out long and thin rods of clay. Moulds of Plaster of Paris (P.O.P.) are used for ears of the horse.

Procedure 

The making includes several steps which one has to give time to and also have patience with. These are as follows:

• Preparation of the material:

As described earlier, the first step in preparing the materials is by eliminating dust particles and tiny stones. The lump of clay must be broken in order to purify it, because it is often impure, and with the use of some fine nets or manually. The other raw materials, including sand, water, and khar, are then added.

• Mixing of the clay:

If the amount of clay is little, the mixing is done by hand; if it is large, the artisans prefer to use their legs. Depending on how many people are working and the circumstances, the clay mixing process takes around five to six hours.

• Wheel work:

The primary purpose of the wheel activity is to create the fundamental forms, such as a cone or cylinder, which serve as the horse’s major body components.

• Handwork:

The hand labour, which mostly consists of combining the many components created using the wheel and assembling them to provide the product with its fundamental framework and shape, is completed once the wheeled items have had some time to dry.

• Motif work:

 Prior to this phase, the surfaces are removed with a chiari to make them smoother and more even. If more clay is required to get the horse in the ideal form, it is added. The motif work is generally carried out by the female of the family and is done by bare hands. The decoration work takes about 30-45 minutes for a horse of size around 3 feet. The most common motifs observed on the horse are:

• • Floral motifs are among the most commonly carved designs on the Bankura horses. Intricate lotus or creeper designs often adorn the chest, giving a delicate yet powerful aesthetic.

  • Geometric patterns such as diamond shapes, zigzags, and circular engravings are frequently used. They are simple and elegant. These designs add structure and symmetry to the horse’s body while reflecting the artisan’s skill.

  • Parallel or wavy lines running across the neck highlight the dynamism and majestic stature of the Bankura horse.

  • Medallion-like circular designs are often placed at the centre of the neck. These medallions feature concentric rings, dots, or miniature floral engravings.

Some of them feature patterns resembling beaded necklaces or garlands, enhancing their ornamental appearance.

• Colouring:

Before the figures are fired in the kiln, the primary colouring task is completed by applying colour coatings to the heated figurines. Women complete the colouring process using natural colours made from clay.

• Firing:

Depending on the measurement of the kiln, the firing process might take anywhere from 10 to 15 days or even up to a month.

• Testing and Sorting:

There are a few pieces that do not burn well within the kiln, and the external colours do not come out well, so those items are also removed. The product is sorted and tested, and the broken pieces are divided from the fine ones and kept together.

Current Status

The Crafts Council of West Bengal is actively supportive of the Panchmura craftsmen and works to identify ways to improve their quality of life within their community and in harmony with the environment. Additionally, the Council supports the development of prototypes, introduces sophisticated production techniques, promotes exports through international expositions, and helps craftspeople sell their goods at a higher price.

There are few problems which the craftsmen from Panchmura are facing. These include:

1. The artisans have to adapt to cramped quarters within their homes and have little room to create their craft.
2. The craftsmen have not adopted or developed new, sophisticated production techniques, and equivalent traditional methods have been in use for years. Terracotta crafts are purchased by those who enjoy them, although they are not well-known among younger generations, who find rapid prototyping and various other tasks easier.
3. The majority of items lacked the quality to draw in consumers and had poor finishing; the quality was below par.
4. The artisans must pay more and maybe wait longer to obtain the raw clay needed to make terracotta objects since it is not readily available. Likewise, it is difficult to find the hue that was utilised prior to fire.

Conclusion

Bengal has always been a thriving hub of cultural and artistic brilliance, fusing innovation and tradition in a wide range of artistic mediums. The terracotta art is slowly declining over the years in Bengal. People who have kept working in such forms are shifting their occupation due to many such problems. Promoting the craft at the national level should be encouraged more by the government or the state craft council. There should be additional sales outlets and exhibitions to increase public awareness of the terracotta craft. At the national level, a strong network should be established to promote terracotta crafts to tourists. To foster the creation of new designs, patterns, and motifs, craftsmen should be allowed to freely experiment with their trade. For the craftsmen to understand what people appreciate and what they need to improve in their skills, they should be exposed to the outside world.

References

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bankura_horse
• https://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2312113.pdf
• https://www.chitrolekha.com/V1/n2/06_Terracotta_horse_of_Panchmura-documentation.pdf