Asharikandi

2019-06-07T19:39:20Z

41.184.178.31:

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Asharikandi
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| other_name = Asharikandi Craft Village
| nickname =
| settlement_type = village
| image_skyline =
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| pushpin_map = India Assam#India
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Assam, India
| coordinates = {{coord|26|6|4|N|89|59|14|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Assam]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Dhubri District|Dhubri]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type = [[Panchayati raj (India)]]
| governing_body = [[Gram panchayat]]
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_total = 1872
| population_as_of = 2001
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Assamese language|Assamese]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code = 783331
| area_code_type = Telephone code
| area_code = 91-3662
| registration_plate =AS
| blank1_name_sec1 = Nearest city
| blank1_info_sec1 = Gauripur
| blank2_name_sec1 = [[Lok Sabha]] constituency
| blank2_info_sec1 = Dhubri
| blank3_name_sec1 = [[Vidhan Sabha]] constituency
| blank3_info_sec1 = Gauripur
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
[[File:Ask1.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Some terracotta and pottery products of Asharikandi craft village]]
'''Asharikandi''' is a village in Debitola development block in [[Dhubri district]] of [[Assam]], [[India]].<ref name="P">[http://www.censusindia.gov.in/PopulationFinder/View_Village_Population.aspx?pcaid=958714&category=VILLAGE Population details of 2001 India Census data]</ref><ref name="U">{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/north-east/official-nudged-on-asharikandi-bridge/cid/327642 | title=Official nudged on Asharikandi bridge | newspaper=The Telegraph | location=Kolkata, India | date=2 November 2011 | accessdate=12 January 2019 }}</ref> The village is located at ~14 kilometers distance east of [[Dhubri]] town and ~190 kilometers west of the state capital [[Guwahati]] and [[Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport|Borjhar Airport]]. According to 2001 [[Demographics of India|India census]], Asharikandi had a population of 1,872 in 305 households. Males constitute ~51% of the population and females ~49%.<ref name="P" /> The village is famous for its traditional crafts, [[Terracotta]] and [[Pottery]]. It is one of the largest clusters of Terracotta and Pottery in India.<ref>[http://dhubri.gov.in/terracota.html Government of Assam Tourism Project]</ref><ref>[http://drdadhubri.org/terracotta/booklet.asp Dhubri DRDA booklet of Asharikandi Crafts] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120407004124/http://drdadhubri.org/terracotta/booklet.asp |date=7 April 2012 }}</ref><ref name="DP" />

==Historical background of the village and their crafts==

[[File:Ask2.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Some terracotta and pottery products of Asharikandi craft village]]
It is said that the name Asharikandi was derived from the combination of two words ''ASHAR'' and ''KANDI''. ''ASHAR'' or ''AXAR'' is the third month in [[Assamese Calendar]] and ''KANDI'' ([[Assamese language|Assamese]] term) means 'shedding tears'. During ASHAR, heavy [[sub-tropical]] rainfall creates flood in this low-lying area, which causes the dwellers of this place to shed tears out of misery. Especially the potters suffer a lot. Because they cannot make, dry up, burn their products and even cannot store safely their earlier produced items during the rainy season. But they selected the place due to some economically viable factors like the availability of raw materials, cheaper transportation facility, important strategic location, etc. The soil ''HIRAMATI'' is the soul of this craft. There are huge reserves of ''HIRAMATI'' in surrounding areas and the potters use the cheapest means of transport like boat as the village is just on the bank of the river Gadadhar, a tributary of the mighty [[Brahmaputra]]. For the purpose of selling the products, both the surface transport and water transport are availed. The closeness of the village to Brahmaputra has given a great an advantage for shipping network with the major cities.

==Geography==
The village is situated at . It has an average elevation of 26 meters (85 feet). The river Gadadhar is flowing next to the village.<ref>[https://www.scribd.com/doc/59620997/About-Gauripur-and-Dhubri-District ''About Gauripur and Dhubri District'', Assam]</ref>

==Culture of the village==
Originally, in early 19th century, a cluster of families of pottery community migrated from [[East Bengal]] (now [[Bangladesh]]) to Asharikandi and maintained their profession with innovation. Thus the [[Assamese people|Assamese]] [[terracotta]] art and culture took its birth at Asharikandi through a few cluster of pottery families. Today more than 80% families of this village are engaged in this ethnic art (handicraft) and pass their life after selling the terracotta items in the national and international markets.<ref>[http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=187616251291253 Asharikandi: Famous for Terracotta]</ref> Traditionally most of these families belong to 'Paul' community of [[Bengali people|Bengali]] ethnicity. In Assam 'Paul' means [[Kumar]] (that is, potter).{{fact|date=January 2019}} These days Dhubri district has acquired a pivotal position in the terracotta and pottery markets in India and abroad.{{fact|date=January 2019}}

==Prominent artisans in the village==
Among the numerous artisans of Asharikandi cluster, late Sarala Bala Devi, who bagged the national award on [[Terracotta]] craft in 1982 for her innovative masterpiece - ''HATIMA'' doll, a lovely female figure with a child on her lap - brought name and fame to the craft village. Dhirendra Nath Paul, a son of Sarala Bala Devi, is nationally and internationally acclaimed master craftsman on Terracotta. Mahadev Paul is one of the senior craftsmen of this cluster. He begged state award on Terracotta for his excellent masterpiece [[Ganesha|Ganesh]]. Gokul Paul and Ashwini Paul are some young upcoming talents of this cluster.<ref name="DP">[http://sisiguwahati.gov.in/dip_dhubri.html Dhubri District Industrial Profile] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426081724/http://sisiguwahati.gov.in/dip_dhubri.html |date=26 April 2012 }}</ref>

==Present status and Government initiatives==
Considering the tourism potential of this craft village, the [[Government of Assam]] has declared the village as a model village and brought under its rural tourism projects. NECARDO (North East Craft And Rural Development Organisation), an [[Non-governmental organization|NGO]], has been working for the revival of the craft and socio-economic development of the craftpersons. NECARDO is also implementing a [[United Nations]] Development Project (UNDP) for the promotion of terracotta art and culture since 2006.<ref name="U" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120407004124/http://drdadhubri.org/terracotta/booklet.asp ''A Booklet by NECARDO & DRDA Dhubri'']

[[Category:Dhubri]]
[[Category:Villages in Dhubri district]]

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Asharikandi