Bidriware demo by Qadri enthralls students of Alevoor school

Udupi, March 21: Students of Shanthiniketan English Medium School in Alevoor village, near here, witnessed the demonstration of Bidri Art or Bidriware, an unique art form of Bidar (North Karnataka) by Rashid Ahmed Qadri.

Qadri was one of the Bidri artisans who engaged in the Bidri craft live on the mounted truck that featured a tableau representing Karnataka at the Republic Day Parade held at New Delhi on Jan 26, this year.

Qadri was in Alevoor school as part of his campaign to popularize the Bidri art, which is considered extinguishing.

Making a Bidriware involves an alloy of zinc and copper as basic metal, upon which artistic designs in pure silver are inlaid. To make the silver inlay design stand out in a bright contrast against the dark background, a special soil is used.

“This particular type of soil is found only in the inner depths of Bidar Fort, which are three hundred years old, in buildings where neither sun light nor rain has fallen for hundreds of years. This soil when mixed with ammonium chloride and water produces a very special paste, which is rubbed on to the heated Bidri article, to darken the body without any effect on the silver,” he said adding “prior to choosing the soil we have even taste it, as it required to be saline''.

Qadri said that the government had created Bidri Colony, an exclusive settlement for the Bidri artisans on the outskirts of Bidar city. Government had also supplied metals with subsidized rates an even bought the finished Bidri wares to market them through Handicraft Emporium. It had even organized for training to the budding artisans. But since six months supply of subsidized metals and even the training programme had been stopped for the reasons unknown, he said.

On the occasion retired forest officer Raghuram Naik felicitated Qadri.

Principal of the School Roopa Kini, Treasurer of Alevoor Group for Education Hareesh Kini, entrepreneur Sainath Hegde, artist Ramesh Kediyoor, film maker Prakash Suvarna and members of faculty were also present.

Qadri also visited Hastha Shilpa Heritage Village Manipal and held discussions with its Director Vijayanath Shenoy. On the occasion Shenoy said about his association with Bidriware craftsmen and expressed his wish to have an exclusive Bidriware museum at the Heritage village.