Shellac dolls, colloquially known as ‘Gaalar Putul’ used to be a very popular and unique craft of Bengal's Purba Midnapore District for decades. Brightly coloured and beautifully textured, these miniature dolls come in various forms of deities, animals, and humans. They are entirely handmade and are eco-friendly as well. Sadly, with the passage of time, the industrial mass production of dolls have pushed this exquisite art to the brink of oblivion.
The Gala art of Ilambazar gained global fame in the early 20th century, possibly showcased in a Paris exhibition. Rabindra Bhavan Museum still preserves Japanese Gala gifts received by Tagore, who invited Gopal Guin, a skilled Ilambazar artist, to teach at Santiniketan in 1922. After Shilpa Bhavan’s establishment in 1924, Guin nurtured this eco-friendly craft, passing it to Ajit Guin, who passed it forward to Sheikh Yusuf Ali, its sole custodian today. We proudly present Yusuf Ali’s remarkable work at 'The Bengal Store.'
This set contains a Bird with a round base.
These dolls are made of clay obtained from termites' nests. It is then soaked in water and left to ferment for three days straight after which the residual twigs, pebbles, and gravels are separated out. The clay is then shaped into beautiful dolls and sun-dried and baked in mud kilns to turn them firm and solid.
What makes these dolls so unique is the rather interesting process thereafter. Held with a pair of tongs over red hot coal, an array of colourful ‘Lac’ is applied all over the dolls. With nimble hands and crafty skills, the artisans then create magnificent body designs and patterns on the dolls with the thread of the lac. Cooled for 10-15 minutes and the dolls are finally ready.
This traditional art form of Bengal deserves all the praise, applause, and help not merely because the products are so unique and beautifully handcrafted, but to appreciate the passion and the age-old bond that men and women have with mother nature!
Please Note: The products are all handcrafted and hence, there may be slight variations in colour and shape of the actual product against the one shown on the website.
