Budithi: Centuries-old 'brass bells' go mute; artisans migrate to other cities
A decade ago, most people used brass vessels for various purposes. Now, steel, plastic, and ceramic vessels have replaced the brass vessels in the kitchen.
By Newsmeter Network Published on 12 Feb 2023 9:30 AM GMT
Srikakulam: The soothing sound of brass metal artifacts has gone mute at Budithi, a small village in the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh. Once a flourishing hub of the traditional bell and brass metal craft, it has now less than 12 units with about 30 to 40 artisans. The craftsmen are struggling to save the centuries-old rural craft from becoming extinct.
Though the Bell and Brass Metal craft of Budithi in the Srikakulam district was GI tagged in 2008, the craft is struggling to save this craft and make ends meet. What has added the proverbial last nail in the coffin is the reluctance of youngsters to take up this craft.
Common Facility and Production Centre (CFPC) was set up in 1981. However, it was shut down by the cooperative society due to irregularities in 2001, resulting in migration of the artisan families to Hyderabad, Chennai, and a few other big cities in search of livelihood.
A decade ago, most people used brass vessels for various purposes. Now, steel, plastic, and ceramic vessels have replaced the brass vessels in the kitchen. It has directly hit the brass vessel trade. Presently, the artisans are getting orders for making brass bells, idols, and a few other brass-crafted items for temples.
“The younger generation is not interested. Brass metal craft is highly-skilled work and not lucrative. Presently, only 30 artisans in Budithi engaged in the brass metal craft despite the difficulties in the traditional occupation. I am sure that the Budithi brass metal craft will disappear in the coming years,” said an artisan Kintada Eswar. He said that the raw material, brass sheets, and few others for the craft imported from Madhya Pradesh, have become expensive and unaffordable for some of the artisans in Budithi. “Over 80 percent of the artisan families have migrated to various cities over two decades ago. The craft is on the verge of extinction in 10 to 15 years,” added K Krishna Rao.
The artisans said their ancestors had migrated to Budithi from of Vizianagaram around two centuries ago. Slowly but surely the craft is on the brink of extinction as none of the youngsters from the artisans’ families has chosen. There is no proper support from the government in terms of providing loans. The handicraft-supporting organizations have not procured our crafts, the artisans added
