On her table, figures grow from wood
Coaxed out by memory.
Some rest in glass cases, some outgrow their maker.
A wedding procession frozen mid-song,
A chariot leaning into its turn.
EdexLive honours Kanaklata Das, Devi of Art.
The first cut of the chisel sets the grain whispering.
Lacquer follows, a slow tide of colour sealing the story in.
—
In Balasore’s markets, among dolls that catch the sun and bangles that gleam with colour, the name of Kanaklata Das has become inseparable from Odisha’s lacquer craft.
She has worked not only with her hands, but also with her community, ensuring that the knowledge of lacquer — of wood turned luminous with heat and resin — is carried forward.
Her story is grounded in practice. As President of the Arad Bazar Jaughar Self Help Group, she has guided women artisans in sustaining their livelihoods. As an instructor at the Baleswari Craft Centre, she has passed on skills that are older than memory, teaching how sap and colour can be coaxed into brilliance.
Her work, often showcased at state craft fairs and national exhibitions, shows the discipline of repetition and the spark of artistry: lacquer dolls, bangles, boxes, each a fragment of heritage polished into the present.
In 2018, when Odisha staged a major display of traditional lacquer dolls in Bhubaneswar, the project carried her imprint. Under her supervision, rows of crafted figures stood as testament not only to a craft but to the labour of keeping it alive.
She has also been part of the cultural calendar of Balasore itself. At Jau Kandhei (also called Jaukandhei) festivals where lacquer dolls take centre stage, her presence has been a constant.
Recognition has followed, though slowly. She has been honoured with the Kalakruti Samman, the state’s acknowledgment of her contribution to handicrafts.
Awards, however, do not capture the full measure of her work. That is better seen in the eyes of a child who watches lacquer gloss catch light, or in the confidence of women who sell their own craft under her leadership.