Horn Art

This post is for all the art lovers of this world. I've grown up surrounded by these priceless pieces of art, and it was not till I came out of my shell, that I understood their value. Beautifully carved, and made out of Buffalo horns(yes, you heard me right!), these works have a sheen, a smooth texture, which is untouched by time.

I once had a piece, of a damsel, which was meant to be a gift; I carried it around for more than 2 years, before I could ultimately part with it, and even then, it was as good as new. All these works here have been the handiwork of craftsmen from Parlakhemundi, of Orissa. The cost of these treasures is unbelievable, with traders buying them directly from the masters at a price of about 200 bucks apiece, and later reselling them for 10 times their cost.

It requires great patience and skill to carve a single sculptre, and the craftsmen spend days and nights on it, honing a shapeless, dull, stinking piece of horn to the beauty that you can see here. The first piece is of a mother crane feeding her baby; not so difficult to guess, huh? You have birds sitting on a tree, and a pair of elephants trying to fell a tree in the second image.

The pieces are smooth to the touch, and add an elegance, and style to any living room they find their presence in. Curiosity about them has considerably grown, since the children of Parlakhemundi have gone to bigger cities to earn their livelyhood, invariably taking these with them, since, for us, they represent a part of our culture, and, a part of growing up.

I dont ever remember a time when I was not in the presence of these sculpted pieces of art, and, strangely, I associate them with home. I only hope they find recognition. If anything deserves fame, then this is it.