Traditional Indian Art forms – Why are they disappearing?

India has an amazing culture and history of different art forms and handicrafts. India is the hometown for more than 50 tribal and traditional folk arts. These folk arts of India have passed from generation to generation from over 3000 years. But lots of these traditions are about to disappear.

Folk art of India is a very respected and very important element of India’s Culture. It has been practiced and perfected by artisans' generations. The reason for disappearing these traditional Indian art forms is complex. There are lots of factors that have resulted in the disappearance of the traditional Indian Art forms.

Two major reasons for the disappearance of Traditional Indian form are westernization and Industrialization. The cultural identity of traditional art form, buyers, artists and beliefs have had a negative effect of westernization. This has changed in what was made for them, what they made, and how it was made. The lack of attention and interest about traditional art forms in current generation art collectors, in India as well as outside has led to disappointing situations where these arts are slowly disappearing.

Now talking about industrialization resulting in creating goods, longer lasting, cheaper and faster to the customers. Government is spending a lot to sustain and motivate the traditional art industry. They even require training in design, processes, products, material expertise and much needed awareness of international trends to come up with creative solutions.

Government’s organizational set up itself has very little scope for satisfactory profit margin for artists and craftsmen. This is discouraging the upcoming generations from ancestral to choose a traditional art form as a profession. New generation is not preferring this profession because of its low earning potential.

Telangana’s Cheriyal scrolls, Karnataka's the chittara, West Bengal’s the Dhokra, Rajasthan’s the Kavad , Andra’s Leather puppet and other art forms all are disappearing. Traditional art forms are all endangered because most of them aren’t making money and customers don’t want to do them. When considering the traditional art forms it includes carving, nirmal painting, wicker woven baskets. Nowadays design trends leaning towards modernism, the demand for traditional items is reducing. China and other Asian markets are now mass producing and supplying trendy natural materials everywhere that is disrupting the market size for artisan and craftsmen.

Traditional art needs to be saved for its original value and not just as an option to earn money. We need new ways to keep traditional arts alive by encouraging those who have passion for art but can’t afford it. The western art is replacing traditional art forms in our living rooms. While the traditional art form has maintained significant identity, It is eventually losing its relevance in the global and domestic art sphere.

By making sure that artisans get the major share of profit, not middle agents will encourage artisans. Consumers' interest in traditional art forms lives when the updated designs, quality, and skill of the craftsman are preferred over quantity and bad workmanship.

India with its diverse and very very rich traditional arts, must focus on the strength of artisans and getting best deals for their craftsmen in the international market by implementing better strategies.

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