Colouring the world with lacquer; Odisha woman makes Women’s Day celebration worth it

If the world celebrates women’s day on March 8, it is because some enterprising pathfinders have actually paved the way for empowerment of other women.

Prabhati Patra from Odisha’s Nabarangpur is such an enterprising woman who not only kept the lacquer craft alive in her district, but has actually managed to empower a lot of other women by giving them a sustainable livelihood.

Though a dying craft, natural lacquer is still loved and admired by many for its longevity and glossy finish. Patra makes sure her products reach those handicraft enthusiasts who do not hesitate to pay handsomely for natural & original products.

Lacquer is a coating that is generally seen on furniture, guitars, and some wooden sculptures. It can be matte, glossy, or resinous and can come in clear or colored styles. The clear type will give the object a slightly yellow look, while colored varieties will give the desired hue.

It will dry very quickly after it has been applied, and will produce a durable finish. Many people confuse this type of coating with a varnish coating, but it is actually different because of the durability, color, and the chemical constitution.

From collecting the lacquer from the Kusuma tree (lacquer gum tree) in the jungles to making it usable, it is a tedious process, perhaps the reason behind the craftsmen are migrating to the synthetic ones.

But Patra never attempted to make synthetic lacquer, instead she stuck with her family occupation which is to extract natural lacquer. However, she went a step ahead, trained, and employed the women in her village to make them self-reliant.

Hard lacquer is first crushed into small pieces and washed. It is wrapped in a cloth and heated over a wooden stove to melt the lacquer. Afterwards, colour is added and it is applied on wood products, furniture and terracotta products.

“The raw material is lacquer and it is extracted from the Kusum tree. The lacquer making process is very long and tedious. There are machines too but they compromise the durability and longevity of the finished product. Our products last really long as they are handmade,” said Patra.

“We prepare the signature yellow colour by hand too and it takes 21 days of hand grinding before it is ready to be mixed with lacquer,” she added.

Poonam Sahu, a lacquer craft trainee with Patra said, “I am interested to learn the lacquer craft. This is my second training with Patra. She (Patra) is our inspiration. It is because of her, that lacquer craft is still breathing.”

Sushila Patra, a lacquer craftswoman said, “We need a lot of things to create our product. Prabhati Patra takes care of the entire supply chain and has united us under one roof."

Patra never took any training. Lacquer was her family trade. It was only her interest in the craft that has brought her recognition and put her in this spot. She even remained unmarried and has devoted her life to the craft.

Not only lacquer, Patra makes bamboo and terracotta products too by employing women from her village. Patra is a true champion of women empowerment and a great ambassador of the International Women's Day.

(Reported By Nabaghana Bisoyi, OTV)