GI tag is no quick fix for Bikaner Usta Kala’s return to glory

Dwindling number of artists, status of caste-based occupation and scarce government support through schemes and training camps affect its progress Bikaner, Rajasthan: Sitting cross-legged at his workshop in Rajasthan’s Bikaner, Shaukat Ali Usta (52) is engrossed in laying warq (fine slivers of gold) on a wooden frame. His work involves not only acquired skill, but also loads of patience. The intricate designs that he has laid out on camel leather-embossed exhibits have not only won him a national award instituted by the Ministry of Textiles, but also many valuable customers over the last 30 years. Shaukat learnt the art from Mohammed Hanif Usta, a disciple of Hisamuddin Usta, a doyen in this field. Despite Bikaner Usta Kala receiving the Geographical Indications (GI) tag last month, getting more artists into this profession has become an arduous task.Usta kala flourished in the Mughal courts, before Raja Rai Singh, the sixth ruler of Bikaner, patronised it and welcomed artists from Iran, belonging to the Muslim community, to the city famed for its camels. No wonder their work involving gold meenakari and munawwat was done on camel skin. Nowadays, wood, mirror and marble also form the raw materials. Glass jars, wooden boxes, wall paintings and gift items with usta work are quite popular. There are big works like bandanwars (work on doors) too.Usta kala in Bikaner's Bhanda Shah Jain temple is almost 400 years old. Anup Mahal in Junagarh Fort, Jain mansions, mosques, Rampuria Haveli, Ajmer Sharif Dargah, Jama Masjid of Delhi, Neelkanth Mahadev Temple in Nepal, and mosques of Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia are fine examples of workmanship.However, by 1967, Hisamuddin Usta was the only usta artist left in the country. When Munna Lal Goyal became Bikaner Collector in 1976, he exhorted Hisamuddin to impart lessons to others. This led to the launch of Camel Hide Training Centre. Mohammed Hanif Usta soon became Hisamuddin's disciple and started learning the nuances of the art.While Hisamuddin received Padma Shri Award in 1986, Hanif was honoured with the President's Award in 1993 for his miniature work on marble. The latter had decorated the walls of Anup Mahal and Nizamuddin Dargah. During Bill Clinton’s official visit to India in 2000, Hanif and 14 other artists got a chance to meet the then US President. Looking at his marble exhibit, Clinton said he wanted that in the White House. However, Hanif replied that he would not sell the work that fetched him a national award to anyone.Hisamuddin's other disciples Mohammad Asgar Usta and Ajmal Hussain Usta have received state awards for their commendable works. His grandson Mohammad Jameel Usta has been working for the promotion of the art through innovative experiments. He has also been a member of the Rajasthan Lalit Kala Akademi.Thanks to Hisamuddin and his disciples, the number of usta artists has increased. However, it is still not satisfactory as only less than 70 artists are present in the field. Usta Kala artists (Clockwise from top left: Shaukat Ali, Chanchal Suthar, Ajmal Hussain Usta, Dipika Shrimali, Naveen Acharya) Photos sourced by Dr Mudita Popli, 101Reporters An ailing artUsta artists admitted that lack of skilled people was a reason for the art not making much progress, despite having all the necessary ingredients to flourish. Usta artists are well-off and there is no dearth of work. The income of artists depends on how many pieces they can complete in a month, their worthiness and selling prices. Some pieces can fetch Rs 7,000, while some others Rs 50,000. There are more opportunities now as new works are commissioned and renovations are carried out on a regular basis at various places, including Delhi Airport, Jain temples and buildings outside the country. The artists also benefit from handicrafts fairs organised at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi and other big cities.However, lack of skilled manpower eventually means a shortage of talented teachers. The art has been confined to a particular caste and that too to only Bikaner. This has had a negative impact on its growth. As for women in this field, Shaukat said, “I believe use of purdah makes it difficult for women to do this art.” He added that some Hindu women have entered the field, but their numbers are negligible.Another important aspect is the time taken to complete a piece. Showing a bandanwar he did, Shaukat said it took around three months to complete, and it will be priced at above Rs 50,000. Such long periods of work put off the youth, who are keen on getting educated and entering other professions.  Not just that, it takes at least three to five years to master the art. The lack of proper publicity and government efforts to train people also hamper the art.An Usta Kala article (Photo sourced by Dr. Mudita Popli, 101Reporters) The much-needed fillipThe GI tag is the first step to protect usta kala. Bikaner District Industries Centre (DIC) General Manager Manju Nain Godara and NABARD officer Ramesh Tambiya agreed that duplication of usta artworks has been an issue. However, the GI tag will curb the issue as the names and details of the usta artists will be mentioned on their artworks, which can be scanned to check authenticity. Tambiya, Assistant General Manager, NABARD, Bikaner, told 101Reporters that the GI tag will boost employment opportunities in the area and will give the art a place in the international market. However, Shaukat believed that merely getting a GI tag will not protect and promote usta kala. “The art will survive only if it is propagated in a complete manner,” claimed the artist, who has made efforts in collaboration with Prayas Welfare Institute, Bikaner, to get the GI certification. Godara, NABARD and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, New Delhi, also played important roles in making it a reality.Ramesh Tambiya from NABARD and Manju Nain Godara from Bikaner District Industries Centre (Photos sourced by Dr. Mudita Popli, 101Reporters)For the art to be propagated in a complete manner, there should be schemes to promote it. Godara told 101Reporters that no such scheme was being run to help the craft. “For the last four years, I have been striving to get GI certification for usta kala. Now, we will make further efforts to encourage the artists,” she said.Asked about training camps for artists, Godara said, “The DIC’s mandate is to run government schemes only. Earlier, we used to organise such camps under the aegis of Rajasthan Small Industries Corporation Limited. At present, the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Jodhpur, runs them. USTTAD, a skill upgradation scheme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, also aids the artists. The NABARD finances it. However, the duration of the camps is short. If a course is designed by the Centre or state government for usta kala, then the DIC can play an important role in it.”Godara informed that the DIC will display usta works at an exhibition of GI products to be held in Jammu and Kashmir in the first week of October. “We always try to provide artists with information about various fairs and exhibitions, so that they can participate,” she claimed.Ajmal Hussain Usta, aged around 60 , has 40 years of experience in the field. He told 101Reporters that the government was not doing things right. “We do not get full information about schemes. The dissemination of information given on the website of the Union Textile Ministry’s Handicrafts Department is negligible among our artists.”“Like music, usta kala cannot be learnt completely by attending a training camp of only two or three months. It needs constant practice to attain perfection,” Ajmal said. While echoing his views, Shaukat said, “We need to connect with the youth. Only a few have come to learn the art as it is limited only to Usta families. There is also a misconception that it is very expensive to learn."Ajmal felt the Camel Hide Training Centre should hold its training sessions more regularly. That apart, the Central and state governments should try to link usta with the tourism department initiatives. Artisan cardsArtisan cards are issued by the Centre to handicraft artists aged above 18 years on application, so that they could travel in trains free of cost to attend government fairs. They also get free stalls at fairs to exhibit their works. Using the card, they can also participate in art related marketing schemes of the Central and state governments.According to Shaukat, the true expansion of usta kala is possible by providing artisan cards, a rightful place to capable artists and by properly implementing schemes meant for them.Usta artist Naveen Acharya (30) said the government training camps should be able to attract young and energetic learners who want to learn the art fully. “Only a few women are present in this field. Through my interactions, I have known that they all have learnt the work with great difficulty,” he said.Chanchal Suthar (24) told 101Reporters that her artisan card was issued recently and that she wished to get more training. Deepika Shrimali (35), who has studied Master of Fine Arts course, said she learnt usta kala from a guest lecturer. “It is not possible to gain professional knowledge in a short time. If an usta course is launched, many students of Bikaner will become proficient in the art,” she added. Edited by Rekha PulinnoliCover Photo - Usta Kala of Bikaner city of Rajasthan has got Geographical Indication (GI) certification (Photo sourced by Dr Mudita Popli, 101Reporters)

Milk or craftwork, only remunerative pricing can save Rajasthan’s camels, herders

The state government and the National Research Centre on Camel need to devise better strategies to shore up the dwindling numbers of the ‘ship of the desert’Bikaner, Rajasthan: ‘Milk and son are never sold’ is a popular saying among the people of the Raika community of Rajasthan. The lives of these pastoralists are closely linked to camels, the ‘ship of the desert’, and they do not have a custom of selling camel milk outside.However, the number of herders in the community and camels is fast dwindling. “Earlier, every household in the village used to keep camels. For farming, extracting water from wells and carrying loads, camels were the mainstay. They were used for weddings and processions, too,” says Rugharam Raika (56), a farmer and camel keeper from Bikaner's Sindhu village. “When our people travelled through the desert and felt tired, they used to consume fresh milk from the accompanying camel to quench their thirst and hunger. Such was our connection with the animal,” he adds.The 20th Livestock Census released in 2019 has shown a 35% decrease in the number of camels in Rajasthan against the previous census data from 2012. Ask him why, and Rughram says, “The youth are not ready to rear camels as it is not possible to roam around with them in summers. There are no forests left to graze. Keeping camels involves much expense, and the government's contribution has become necessary. Moreover, vehicles have replaced camels in transportation and machinery in agriculture.” A camel can munch away 40 kg of green fodder in a day. In case of dry fodder, it takes in around 15 kg. As a result, a farmer has to spend up to Rs 18,000 a month to maintain a camel.A camel being fed (Photo - Dr. Mudita Popli, 101Reporters)Space shortage also prevents Raikas from rearing as many camels as they used to in the past. “Around 700 camels were present in the 10 houses of my extended family. Now, there are just 10 in my house due to space constraints,” says Ramswaroop Raika (48), another camel herder from Kesar Desar Jatan village near Bikaner.Jetharam Meghwal (56), a farmer from Nalbari near Bikaner, says the number of camels in his house has come down to just one from nine. “Dry fodder has become so expensive that I cannot afford it. Also, the transportation tasks that were earlier carried out using camels are now being done by pickup vehicles,” he says.Bikaner resident Raju attests this when he says he has stopped driving a camel cart and turned to driving a school bus. The Raikas are basically associated with agriculture and animal husbandry, but they do not use camels for agriculture as much as they did before.However, there is one thing that has not changed for the Raikas. They still do not sell camel milk. “There are other caste people like Rabaris and Meghwals who sell milk, but it is a taboo for us,” Ramswaroop insists. Government effort boomerangsOnly 2.50 lakh camels are left in the whole of India, of which about 2.25 lakh are in Rajasthan. The National Research Centre on Camel (NRCC), established in Bikaner in 1984 under the aegis of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, is making continuous efforts to boost their numbers through technological interventions and awareness programmes.A camel gets ready for pregnancy only by the age of four, while the gestation period is around 13 months. “We, at the NRCC, have been experimenting to reduce the time taken to get pregnant to two-and-a-half years,” says NRCC Principal Scientist Dr RK Sawal.In a bid to shore up the desert animal’s population, the state government has been providing Rs 10,000 to the farmer when a calf is born. However, farmers say this assistance is hardly enough to meet the fodder needs for four months. Camels got the status of the ‘state animal of Rajasthan’ in 2014, after which the rules for transporting them to other states became very strict. Though done with a good intention to protect the animal, it posed issues for the people of nomadic communities as they often moved the animals from one place to another for grazing. Eventually, they reduced the number of camels they rear. NRCC Director Dr Artabandhu Sahoo informs 101Reporters that the ‘state animal’ tag has had a negative impact. “The District Magistrate's permission became mandatory to sell camels or transport them to other states. As herders live in extremely rural settings, they have no idea of how to take approval. It is not easy either,” he says. Reminding that the camel population will not increase just by giving the ‘state animal’ status, he says the state government should review its rules to stop camel herders from discarding their profession. In this context, the local officials of the Animal Husbandry Department tell 101Reporters that they have no role to play as the NRCC, which is directly affiliated with the Centre, is working for the conservation and promotion of camels in Rajasthan.NRCC works towards the conservation and promotion of camels in Rajasthan (Photo - Dr. Mudita Popli, 101Reporters)In 2008, the NRCC established the country's first camel milk dairy in Bikaner, which currently provides up to 100 litres daily. The NRCC has also tried breaking the taboo surrounding the sale of camel milk in the Raika community but without much success. Only a few have shun their aversion to sell to shops, where camel milk is now available at Rs 80 per litre.   A powerhouse of nutritionCamel milk is a nutritional powerhouse with extraordinary medicinal properties. “It has low fat with high percentage of desalted calcium, vitamin C and micronutrients such as iron, copper and zinc. This is why we developed camel milk tea, coffee, kulfi, lassi, paneer, barfi, peda, kheer, ice cream and cheese from it,” says Dr Sawal. These products are not available in the market, and can be purchased only from the NRCC. Those who purchase milk mostly use it to deal with diseases. Camel milk is beneficial in cases of dengue, autism and diabetes. A study on the prevalence of diabetes had found that the Raikas who habitually consumed camel milk did not suffer from diabetes.“Based on availability, the NRCC provides camel milk to a private hospital in Pune, and another in Punjab’s Faridkot catering to autistic children. Beauty products and millet food items containing camel milk are also being prepared for launch,” Dr Sawal says, adding that the centre has developed an anti-snake venom from camel's blood for saw-scaled viper attacks. Camel bone and leather can be turned into valuable products. Items carved from the bone can be as beautiful as ivory creations, yet cheaper.  Though continuous efforts, including holding races and decoration competitions, have been made to connect the public with camels, positive results have not been achieved. The youth shy away from rearing camels citing the expenses involved and strict laws, whereas the herders in neighbouring Gujarat are buying more animals as they get remunerative prices by associating with Anand Milk Union Limited (Amul).Camel meat is consumed in many Arab countries, but Rajasthan banned its slaughter by approving the Rajasthan Camel (Prohibition of Slaughter and Regulation of Temporary Migration or Export) Act, 2015, which deprived camel herders of a source of income. Camels are the identity of Rajasthan. Only a new action plan with a focus to boost the income of rearers can arrest the decline in numbers of these hoofed mammals in the state.   Edited by Rekha PulinnoliCover Photo - A farmer/camel keeper feeding the camels (Photo - Dr. Mudita Popli, 101Reporters)