Bidar's metal handicrafts attract Mangaloreans

January 15, 2012

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Mangalore, January 15: Bidri art or Bidriware has made the name of North Karnataka's sleepy mountain town famous across seven seas. The 17th National Youth Festival created a wonderful opportunity for the Bidri artisans from Bidar to exhibit and sell their beautiful creations.

The exhibition set up at Karavali Grounds, here, by members of Bidri and Chidri Yuvaka Mandala, North Karnataka Crafts and Cultural Development Society, as part of the Fest, attracting a large number of people.

“This craft is a hereditary occupation passed on from generation to generation. Over ancestors were expert in this. It is our desire that our children too should not forget this”, said Ubaidullah, an expert Bidri artisan.

“This is a symbol of prestige. Ratan Tata has presented US President Barak Obama a Bidriware gift during latter's recent India visit”, said Ubaidullah, who had created a special invitation through Bidriware for the engagement of Bollywood stars Abhishek Bachchan and Karishma Kapoor.

Bidriware is a metal handicraft that originated in Bidar, Karnataka, in the 14th century C.E., during the rule of the Bahamani Sultans. The term 'Bidriware' originates from the township of Bidar, which is still the chief centre for the manufacture of the unique metalware. Due to its striking inlay artwork, Bidriware is an important export handicraft of India and is prized as a symbol of wealth. The metal used is a blackened alloy of zinc and copper inlaid with thin sheets of pure silver.

The origin of Bidriware is usually attributed to the Bahamani sultans who ruled Bidar in the 13th–15th centuries. Abdullah bin Kaiser, a craftsman from Iran was invited by the Sultan to work on decorating the royal palaces and courts. According to some accounts, Kaiser joined hands with local craftsmen and gave birth to Bidriware. Since then, the craft has been handed down succeeding generations mostly among the local Muslim and Lingayat sects.

Bidriware is manufactured from an alloy of copper and zinc (in the ratio 1:16) by casting.

Bidriware is an important handicraft exported out of India. Collecting these items is a status symbol among the rich and famous. They contain patterns made of zinc and copper and inlaid with pure silver wire or thin sheets. The craftsmanship and skilled labour involved in creating Bidriware are priceless.

An essential ingredient of Bidri articles is the soil from the floor of ancient buildings and forts. This soil, which has not received rain or sunlight for centuries, has chemicals that give a lustrous black colour to Bidriware. Artisans use such soil from inner areas of the Bidar fort. That is one reason why Bidriware cannot be produced on a large scale.

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News Network
June 5,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 5: With the easing of COVID-19 lockdown norms under unlock 1.0, the Karnataka government on Thursday permitted state transport buses to operate even during the night curfew hours 9 pm to5 am.

Autos, taxis and cabs have also been given permission to operate during these hours for picking commuting passengers from pickup points or bus stands.

Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar in an order said, state transport corporations (BMTC, KSRTC, NEKRTC and NWKRTC) buses have been allowed to operate during night curfew hours from 9 pm to 5 am.

On the basis of their bus tickets, passengers would be allowed to commute to bus stand or from there to home, in accordance with the COVID-19 control measures, SOPs and other guidelines, it said.

Further, during the curfew hours autos, taxis and cabs have been given permission to pick commuters from pickup points or bus stands, it added.

Earlier, the government had revised the night curfew time from the previous 7 pm-7 am to 9 pm-5 am, and said the movement of individuals shall remain strictly prohibited between 9 pm and 5 am throughout the state, except for essential activities.

The government has also said that jungle lodges and resorts, also private organisations providing similar facilities, along with activities they provide like safari, trekking among others would be permitted from June 8, in compliance with the guidelines and SOP issued and following the social distancing norms.  

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News Network
February 2,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 2: A woman from Bengaluru lost Rs 2.8 lakh to a 'foreign friend' who promised her gifts, including gold jewellery and foreign currency.

Priya, 37, of Banashankari III Stage, told police a man named Bright Wills from England befriended her on social media in December 2019.

On December 20, Wills said he would send gold ornaments and some British pounds as gifts to celebrate their friendship and took her postal address.

“A woman claiming to be an official from the customs office, Delhi, called me on December 21. She told me there was a courier from England in my name and I should pay Rs 75,000 tow ards customs clearance. I believed her and transferred Rs 75,000 to a bank account number provided by her. On December 23, another woman called and said gold ornaments had been sent to me by courier and I had to pay Rs 2.1 lakh towards the paperwork. I transferred the money to another account number mentioned by her," Priya told police.

"On December 25, I received an email which said I should make a surety deposit of Rs 4.3 lakh within 48 hours or else the courier would be sent back to its original destination. I realised I had been cheated by Wills and others. Till now, I have paid Rs 2.8 lakh to them," she claimed.

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News Network
March 21,2020

Kasaragod, Mar 21: The lack of self-restraint and social distancing by people here, the ones who come from the Middle East regions, in particular, has been a cause of concern for the district authorities who have time and again been reiterating the need to follow tips from health authorities to counter the spread of Novel Coronavirus.

But as things are feared to go out of control, the district authorities including the Collector Dr. Sajith Babu have come out to the streets and bazaars only to impose social distancing instructions now in place in the district strictly since six more persons have been tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday.

According to health authorities, the new cases were caused by a few people who recently returned from abroad and who did not follow the self-quarantine measures.

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