Armed with little more than paddy straws and a boundless imagination, Odisha’s national award-winning artist Pradeepta Nayak resurrects an ancient art form and empowers women in his native Jirala village through his craft.
The expression “bringing out the best from the worst” perfectly encapsulates the journey of a 53-year-old man whose hands weave magic from the humblest of materials. Pradeepta Nayak, a national award-winning straw artist from Jirala village in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district, is the master of an ancient art form similar to Pattachitra painting.
However, unlike Pattachitra which involves natural dyes, Pradeepta inlays fine strands of paddy straws to depict various themes from folklore and mythology, especially Odisha’s presiding deity Lord Jagannath and his divine cohorts.
Pradeepta’s best-selling artworks include “Nagarjuna Besha”, which depicts the divine siblings Balabhadra, Jagannath, and Subhadra, and “Kandarpa Rath”, where a group of “gopis” transform into a chariot for Lord Krishna to ride with Radha.
“For me, it all began as an unconventional hobby, an experiment born out of the remains of paddy waste,” reminisced the self-taught straw artist. “I vividly remember I was in class 12 when I first delved into the world of straw art, back in 1989,” he added.
The utility of paddy straws is limited to cattle fodder or to make thatched roofs. It’s not easy to turn Pradeepta’s material of choice into art. The process is painstaking, requiring the careful segregation of straws into three distinct stacks, each imparting a unique hue to the final artwork.
With the precision of a seasoned artisan, Pradeepta pulls out strands from each straw, called “sasa” in Odia. The colour varies depending on the source: fresh straws from the fields are white, those soaked in rain and dried under the sun turn golden yellow, and those gathered from thatched roofs and leftover fodder produce a bright red hue.
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Pradeepta splits each strand, flattening it to create intricate designs, drawing heavily from Pattachitra. The theme is outlined on butter paper and then replicated on a thin plywood sheet covered with a black velvet cloth. A painting the size of an A4 paper requires at least 25 strands.
Despite the arduous nature of the craft, Pradeepta’s dedication has never wavered. Over the past 35 years, he has single-handedly kept the tradition alive in his district, serving as a guardian of this fading art form.
Pradeepta’s passion extends beyond his own creations. He has established the Kalyani Straw Craft Centre in Jirala, where he has imparted his knowledge to more than 1,500 people, with women comprising 70 percent of his students.
“Typically, men avoid pursuing this art due to its time-consuming nature and the need for patience. My doors are always open for anyone willing to learn and preserve this legacy,” he affirmed.
He has inspired women in his community to embrace and showcase this traditional art form to the world. Through his tutelage, students such as Kuni Patra have achieved mastery in the craft, garnering state and national recognition for their exceptional skills.
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While many women discontinue after marriage because of societal expectations and the challenges of marital life, students like Minati Sahoo continue to draw inspiration from his dedication. She attributes her career as a teacher at the local school to the master artist. “I enjoy working here. Our sir has encouraged every woman in our village to earn independently rather than confining themselves to household chores,” she said.
The recognition of straw art by the Odisha government has further bolstered Pradeepta’s efforts, with increased support and funding allocated to train aspiring artisans. Each trainee gets a stipend of Rs 3,000 a month, while his own monthly allowance has seen a considerable increase from Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 this year.
The government had been inviting him to showcase his craft at national exhibitions and state-level fairs such as the Capart Gramashree Mela in Dhenkanal and the annual Toshali Mela held in Bhubaneshwar.
His exquisite work, ranging from delicate straw craft flowers that sell at Rs 250 apiece to elaborate chariots that command a price tag of Rs 1 lakh, have earned him acclaim and accolades, culminating in a national award in 2017.
Straw artist Pradeepta’s creations have transcended geographical boundaries, attracting patrons from across India and beyond, including non-resident Odias residing in the United States, Canada, and Australia, reflecting the growing acknowledgment of his invaluable contribution to preserving cultural heritage.
Pradeepta earns around Rs 7 lakh a year from his artwork sales. Yet, for him, the true measure of success lies not in monetary gains but in the legacy he leaves behind. His fervent hope is to see Jirala recognised as a crafts village, akin to Pipili for applique craft or Raghurajpur for Pattachitra, ensuring that future generations continue to cherish and celebrate this timeless art form.
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In a world where the old often makes way for the new, Pradeepta stands as a guardian of the past, weaving threads of heritage into the fabric of the future.
The lead image at the top shows the Nagarjuna Besha of Lord Jagannath, Pradeepta Nayak’s highest-selling art at INR 1 lakh.
Devashish Biswal holds a degree in English journalism from IIMC Dhenkanal and is a Village Square fellow’23.
