Sholapith sculptures are effigies painstakingly crafted from the spongy core of a reed commonly found in some areas of West Bengal, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. This substance is malleable and can be molded in whatever shape the artisan desires to give it. This material is surprisingly tough and durable, so once an art of craft piece is made from it, it can last a very long time, without succumbing easily to damage. In West Bengal, the artisans who carve shapes from Sholapith are called Malakars. They do not waste any part of the sholapith. All little pieces of the pith that are chipped off from the main piece of craft will then be used for carving out small flowers, designs, frames or embellishments for an idol.
The sholapith sculpture featured here shows a villager traveling by a bullock cart. This is a very common scene in rural India. The most popular form of transport in Indian villages is the bullock cart, which is pulled by two bulls. Two huge wheels are attached to either side of a fairly wide wooden plank. This plank is then covered with cloth or hay. This cart is attached to two wooden planks, where the owner sits. These planks are then attached to the bulls that pull the cart, making it move slowly along the village pathways.
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