To stay true to an art form often extracts a price on the artist. That is how 48-year-old V. Gopi Raju feels. A fifth-generation artist skilled in Thanjavur paintings, Raju still follows the traditional methods and ingredients that his ancestors used, at a time when cheaper counterfeits have flooded the market.
Thanjavur, or Tanjore, a district on the east coast of Tamil Nadu, situated on the fertile plains of Cauvery river, is known as the rice bowl of the state. It is also famous for its vivid gold-plated paintings which were once patronized by the Chola, Nayaka and Maratha rulers, dating back to 1600 AD.
"I am teaching my son the art form but I do not want him to take this up as a profession," Raju says over the phone. Raju’s father T. Venkatesa Raja is a renowned artist who won a Shilp Guru award—the highest honour in the Indian handicrafts sector—from the President in 2015.
Back in 2006, the art form found a place in India’s geographical indication (GI) registry. GI is used to identify and protect agricultural, natural and manufactured products originating from a particular geographical area. The purpose is to prevent unauthorized use, boost international sales and promote economic prosperity of producers. A GI-tagged product is also supposed to be an identifier of its quality and reputation.
However, according to Raju, the GI certification of Thanjavur paintings have meant little beyond a cultural recognition for the art. The paintings cost at least ₹6,000 and goes up to ₹25 lakh a piece, depending on the size and craftsmanship. "But many artists now use cheaper raw materials to cut costs. There is no monitoring or quality check to tell a fake from an original. Even government emporiums sell these counterfeit paintings," Raju says.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 21, 2023-Ausgabe von Mint Mumbai.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 21, 2023-Ausgabe von Mint Mumbai.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Air fares in Sep quarter rise, Q3 may be worse
Multiple public holidays have sparked demand for short trips to domestic destinations, said Indiver Rastogi, president & group head of global business travel at Thomas Cook (India) and SOTC Travel. This year, Independence Day, Janmashtami, Onam, Eid and Ganesh Chat-
Yes, the world is hotter than it has been in 2,000 years or so
A scientific study of tree rings confirms global warming is for real
As a non-resident, is there a tax liability on exiting Indian MFs?
I have been investing in mutual funds for the past four years. Last year, I moved to Dubai and am currently a non-resident Indian NRD). Say, if] exit all my mutual fund investments now, would I have zero tax liability? —Name withheld on request.
Mergers off but PSB privatization still on
T 'he Centre doesn't have any plan to merge public sector banks (PSBS) in FY25, though it will not ditch plans to privatize PSBs during the fiscal, two people aware of the matter said.
Think Tesla Is In Trouble? Pity Even More Its Wannabe EV Rivals
The combined market value of six prominent wannabes hit 400bn in 2021, but today they are worth 65bn
Has The Growth Of Our Economy Translated Into Domestic Jobs?
While the covid shock and other setbacks got in the way, data indicates that employment in India is on a firm recovery path
Financial Sector Reforms Plan To Be Unveiled Post Elections
The govt will cut its stake in five PSBs this fiscal to comply with Sebi’s listing guidelines
Generative AI Is Not Ubiquitous In The Business World-Not Yet
While some AI tools racked up users, some firms are proceeding with caution, or not at all
Wipro’s CEO switch was not about its share price
Shareholder value data does not explain the firm's change on top. In a flux-filled field like infotech, business performance counts for more and Wipro's challenge still seems quite steep
How not to blow a major chunk of your travel budget on visas
Rejection of visas can impact your travel costs, especially when you have to cancel flight and hotel bookings