Conference on Indian crafts held in city

Kolkata: Science City on Thursday hosted a one-day conference on 'Traditional Indian crafts-Storehouse of Scientific Knowledge', as a part of the Traditional Crafts and Artisans Meet & Exposition of India International Science Festival 2019.

Saroj Ghose, former president of the International Council of Museum (ICOM), inaugurated the event and shared his experience of introducing crafts in science museums around 40 years ago and also during the 'Festival of India' Exhibition, which travelled across different cities of USA.

He shared how craft demonstration during the exhibition became a major crowd-puller. He also explained the science and technology behind the

traditional crafts, citing examples of the dancing girl of Mohenjo-Daro, intricate work of gold and silk in Banarasi sarees, etc.

He also suggested National Council of Science Museums to introduce a crafts demonstration corner in science museums or centres on a regular basis.

Vasant Shinde, eminent archeologist and DG, National Maritime Heritage Complex, talked about his discovery of the Rakhigarhi skeleton, which helped in rewriting the prehistory of India.

The public bath from Mohenjo-Daro, tiles of the toilet, dockyard from Lothal and well from Dholavira suggest that ancient Indian civilisation was more advanced than many other civilisations.

He further said that many artisans still follow the

same method which were followed during the Harappan period.

Meanwhile, Pt. Keshav Ginde spoke about the evolution of flute in a session titled 'Keshav Venu: Innovating towards an Ideal Flute'.