Social media is giving a boost to the artisans

Santoshkumar Chitragar, 28, an artisan from Kinnal (also spelt Kinhal) in Karnataka is a busy man these days. When he’s not working in his studio crafting the exquisite Kinnal dolls, he is busy closing orders on Instagram, attending conference calls with clients, getting packages shipped or organising training programmes for his fellow craftsmen. It’s a stark contrast to his routine a year ago, and Santosh is enjoying every bit of it. “I have been making Kinnal idols since my childhood, a craft I picked up from my father and grandfather. It has always been my dream to keep the legacy alive, and Instagram has really helped,” says Santosh.

It was during a Kinnal workshop four years ago at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Bengaluru, that two students introduced Santosh to social media, and opened an Instagram account for him. Seeing tremendous traction over the past year, the platform has given Santosh visibility and a chance to reach out to customers not only in India but across the globe. The account itself is managed by Santosh’s friend Nagaraj Bakale, a painter from Gadag. According to Bakale, they regularly receive orders from countries including the U.S., Germany and Canada. Buoyed by their success, the two have also started a Facebook page, and receive a steady stream of enquiries from overseas.

Kinnal, a sleepy village in Koppal taluk, is home to the eponymous craft that was awarded a Geographical Indication tag in 2012. The chitragars, as the traditional artisans are known, fashion brightly coloured, lightweight toys and religious idols from a local variety of wood called Polki Marra, which grows in and around Jabbalgudda village, about 30 km from Koppal. The themes are mainly mythological — idols of deities including Hanuman, Garuda, Gowri and Durga are among Kinnal’s signature creations. Many of the artisans are also involved in making larger idols for the local village festivals, or ooru habba, along with paraphernalia such as palanquins, cradles and chowkis.