Tradition Under Transition: A Sociological Exploration of the Socio-Economic Crisis Faced By Shola Artists of West Bengal

Traditional crafts are culturally important as they help preserve heritage and traditional skill-sets. In West Bengal, Shola artists, also known as Malakars, migrated to Bankapasi village in Bardhaman District from Chittagong (now in Bangladesh) to make delicate-decorative objects from Shola (Indian cork). The Malakars are believed to be descendants of Lord Vishwakarma, the Hindu God of craftsmanship. The objects that they make are integrally associated with the culture, religious requirements and everyday life in Bengal. These objects are socially significant and attached with a sacred value. The strength of these craftsmen lie in their traditional skill-sets that they have acquired through generations of caste-bound practices. The old order of this craft tradition is undergoing transition as old values are impacted by industrialization and commercialization. The Shola artists are facing multiple socio-economic issues like lack of infrastructure; lack of interest in learning of this traditional skill by future generations; lack of viability of this profession owing to hand operated tools that make production cumbersome and time-consuming. The global pandemic has also negatively impacted this craft-tradition and added to pre-existing socio-economic crises faced by the Shola artists. Multiple pre-existing vulnerabilities and pandemic induced inequalities have been explored in this study through narratives of Shola artists of Bankapasi village. Through semi-structured interviews, the study aims to explore how these artists understand, live with and cope with socio-economic crises. This study also brings to light how community-led innovations and other social welfare agencies are empowering the Malakar community to overcome the socio-economic crises faced.