Pal at the award function. Picture by Eastern Projections

Jorhat, Jan. 27: His work has several patrons in the European countries and his name is frequently associated with the rebirth of the terracotta industry in Assam. Dhirendra Nath Pal, whose journey started from a small village in Dhubri district, has been selected for this year?s Bokul Bon Bota award.

The award, instituted by the Bokul Bon Trust, comprises Rs 10,000 in cash, a citation and a plaque. Every year, the award is given to persons who have been involved in the preservation and promotion of Assamese folk art, culture, literature and language. Pal received the award at the Sahitya Sabha Bhawan here today.

The award has been instituted in the memory of poet Ananda Chandra Baruah, a Padmasree, popularly known as Bokul Bonor Kobi.

?I feel honoured to have been selected for such a prestigious award. I will continue to work towards developing and popularising the terracotta art of Assam,? said Pal, who hails from Asarikandi village of Dhubri district.

?It is only because of Dhirendra Nath Pal that terracotta art of the state still survives and we feel absolutely privileged to have him here with us today,? said Samiran Bordoloi, president of the trust.

Pal, besides making a name for himself, has also created livelihood opportunities for nearly 80 families of his village.

Pal got a break in 1982 when he was invited by the Centre to take part in an exhibition during the Asian Games in New Delhi. ?The terracotta art of Assam was not very well-known then. I was just surviving by making small terracotta items with the help of the knowledge I had inherited from my forefathers,? he said. However, there was no looking back for Pal after the Asian Games exhibition. His work became popular not only in the country, but also abroad. ?I visited most of the European countries and took part in several exhibitions. Some of my works adorn the famous five star hotels of the world,? he said.

With Pal?s phenomenal success, the entire Asarikandi village took up the art of making terracotta products as a means of earning a livelihood.

?I will definitely say that the break I got during the Asian Games has led to the rebirth of Assam?s terracotta industry. It was a dying art because there was no demand for the products as there was no marketing policy in place,? the artist said.

Pal, who is a resource person at the Centre for Cultural Research and Training, does not mince words in expressing his dissatisfaction at not having received adequate recognition from the state government.