Under the popular museum series ‘Exhibit of the Month’ of Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, a traditional object is displayed in the appearance for a whole month. The exhibit for the month of December, 2021 - “Surahi” - A Traditional Pot for Serving Water or Liquor of the Usta Community from Bikaner, Rajasthan, is on display in the indoor exhibition building – Veethi Sankul. The 'exhibit of the month' was inaugurated by P.K. Mishra Director IGRMS, renowned people present on this occasion. This exhibit of the month had been composed and collected by Mrs. Garima Anand Dubey, Museum Associate.
About the exhibit displayed in the exhibition Garima Anand Dubey, Museum Associate told that Surahi, a water or liquor serving pot originating in Bikaner, Rajasthan, is an artistic and ornamental object as well as a magnificent example of the Usta artists' aesthetic sensibility and creative abilities in their particular domains.
The most attractive aspect of the object is its shape and the material used for the ornamentation. Indeed, it is a beautiful combination of two art forms (1) molding leather into a pot neatly and (2) the ornamentation after carving out the same and that is why we can say that painting with natural colours and gold foil by Usta art and the pattern used on this 'Surahi' made up of camel hide shows its royal affiliation and the cultural community fusion and glorious architecture of Rajasthan, including Bikaner.
The word 'Usta' is derived from the Persian word 'Ustad,' which means to be the master or being versatile in a particular art form or discipline.