The economy of Belpahari — once the hotbed of Maoists in the erstwhile district of Paschim Medinipur — has witnessed a welcome boost to tourism and the cottage industry
All photographs by Amit DattaIn these two villages of Belpahari in the present-day Jhargram district bordering Jharkhand, this photojournalist found artisans adept at stone craft eking a decent livelihood
Laterite stones found in the hills of Dankikusum, a village in Belpahari, Jhargram, are painstakingly carved into plates, bowls idols, household items and decorative products by village artisans
Freshly plucked and collected sal leaves are shaped into plates and bowls to serve food and phuchka, respectively
Pottery is made by lending shape to a mound of clay into objects of the desired shape and heating them to high temperatures in a kiln which helps removing all the water from the clay. The process induces reactions that lead to permanent changes, including increasing their strength and hardening and setting their shape