Inside Varanasi’s Wood Lacquerware & Toys Craft, The place Heritage Finds a Market

Within the older lanes of Varanasi, wood lacquerware and toys seem in areas the place day by day life, ritual, and custom intersect. A brightly lacquered toy in a family, a handcrafted wood piece utilized in worship, or a standard object made for ceremonial use isn’t handled as ornament alone. Every carries reminiscence, perception, and native aesthetics—formed fastidiously by fingers educated to work with wooden with out compromising element or energy.

This conventional craft aligns with Uttar Pradesh’s One District One Product (ODOP) initiative, which focuses on strengthening district-specific merchandise by coaching, monetary assist, and market entry. In Varanasi, Wood Lacquerware and Toys have been formally recognized because the district’s ODOP product, bringing renewed visibility to artisans who’ve sustained this craft for generations.

Omprakash Sharma grew up inside this custom, surrounded by instruments, unfinished wood varieties, and the regular rhythm of handwork. Even when the broader ecosystem weakened, his household held on to the assumption that the craft was not merely a supply of earnings, however a type of inheritance value preserving.

Inherited Talent, Fragile Continuity

Sharma belongs to a household of conventional artisans engaged in wood lacquerware and toy-making in Varanasi. He recollects a time when handcrafted wood merchandise had regular demand, particularly for gadgets related to rituals, gifting, and on a regular basis use. Over time, nonetheless, machine-made and mass-produced options entered the market—cheaper, sooner, and extra uniform.

As demand for handwork declined, many artisans moved away from the craft searching for steady livelihoods. By the late 2000s, Sharma says the variety of lively craftsmen had diminished considerably, and common orders had been unsure. But he selected to remain. For him, leaving the craft felt like letting go of a ability that outlined his household’s id.

The craft itself tailored with time. Earlier, premium woods had been generally used, however as availability declined, artisans recognized different woods appropriate for lacquer software and wonderful shaping. Sharma explains that these substitutes nonetheless permit precision, sturdiness, and the graceful end that defines Banaras-style wood merchandise.

From Workshop to Wider Markets

The making course of stays largely handbook. Wooden is sourced by permitted channels, reduce and seasoned, after which formed fastidiously. Lacquer is utilized in layers, usually on rotating setups, to realize uniform color and end. Closing detailing determines each sturdiness and visible enchantment.

Market entry improved as soon as Sharma started taking part in ODOP-supported exhibitions and craft festivals in cities similar to Delhi, Noida, and Lucknow. These platforms related his work with consumers who worth handcrafted high quality and are prepared to put money into it. Demand has steadily elevated, even exceeding provide at occasions, as rebuilding expert artisan capability takes time.

With renewed confidence, Sharma now trains college students and aspiring artisans, together with wonderful arts learners. His focus extends past approach to endurance, self-discipline, and ending requirements. For him, sustaining the craft issues greater than defending particular person orders.

At the moment, wood lacquerware and toys from this a part of Varanasi are as soon as once more gaining recognition. Guests come to see the method, consumers interact immediately with artisans, and handcrafted work is valued for its ability and story. The craft survives not on nostalgia alone, however on visibility, regular demand, and the power to make heritage related in up to date markets.