Cuttack’s Retired Academic Recreates Traditional Items Of Daily Use

Cuttack: As the young generation drifts away from their roots, a retired professor has launched a solitary endeavour to make them aware of Odisha’s traditional lifestyle and its values in context of living with nature.

Dr Ajay Kumar Mishra, retired Associate Professor of Odia literature who stays in Madhupatna of the city, has been making the items that were used in daily life in traditional households of Odisha.

Those were not only environment-friendly but also were technological marvels. Ajay has created some of those items in miniature form while some are functional.

“I was surprised during my interactions with the younger generation that they know nothing about traditional items or their uses. We have made advancement in technology which has helped us grow, but the ethnic items have been somewhat lost in time,” said Ajay.

His creative works include bullock cart, plough, wooden beater for de-husking, kathau (wood chappal), hand fan, fishing basket, palanquin, butter churner, palm leaf umbrella, single-stringed instrument such as ‘kendara’ and ‘dhuduki’. He uses traditional mechanisms to create these models.

Ajay said he wants to remind the young generation of Odisha’s rich tradition and the utility of such items which are no more in use. He wishes to open a unique museum with ethnic Odia items.

The retired professor is of the opinion that if everyone switches back to traditional decorative items instead of foreign plastic ones, it will provide employment to youths and boost the local economy.