VIJAYAWADA: As many as 400 families at Onipenta in Kadapa district and 90 families at Budithi of Srikakulam have lost their livelihood inherited from ancestors as brass household items have lost their sheen among people.
Majority of these traditional artisans have already taken up other jobs. FM Ismail, founder of Onipenta Brass Artisans Development Macts Society, said, “There were over 500 families in the profession of making brass household items in Onipenta in 1998. At present, there are less than 100 families left in the business. Nobody is using brass items in their houses these days. People have switched to plastic and aluminum. Hence, a majority of these families were forced to switch to other works such as tenant farming and construction work.”
A Suryakala, co-founder of Manikanta Brass Works in Budithi, said, “There were 120 families engaged in this profession 15-20 years ago. Only 30 families are remaining now. Some of the families have moved to other professions.” However, Lepakshi Handicrafts, a State government initiative, has been trying to uplift these artisans by conducting workshops by purchasing their household brass items. “We have been supplying brass household items to 14 Lepakshis. Artisans in Budithi are making brass vases, pails and containers which are being showcased by Lepakshi and other private stores. Due to these efforts, the sale is better these days,” said Suryakala.
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development had conducted a workshop for the artisans in Onipenta for 45 days from May to June. “There will be more such programmes. Our brass items were showcased in Delhi’s Pragati Maidan in November 2017 and we showcase them regularly in Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam,” said Ismail. Citing a German study which says brass pails kill bacteria in the water, he said brass household items are good for the health.
While around 50 household brassware artisans in Onipenta and 30 in Budithi are struggling to meet ends, temple brass item makers are earning a handsomely.“We make temple items like idols, bells and arches. We are earning from Rs 30,000 to Rs 1,00,000 a month. We are exporting our products to temples in Chennai, Kanchipuram and Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu. We are using the Common Facility Service Centre established by the government in Onipenta. Each machine for brass casting in the facility costs about Rs 20-30 lakh,” said Ismail.
While artisans said they had asked government officials to train them in making temple brass items, Lepakshi general manager I V Lakshmikant told Express that the government has no plans to convert household brass item makers into temple brass item makers.