How do you enjoy your eggs? Is it sunny side up, scrambled or layered in between a simple sandwich? And what about the eggshell? It surely goes in the trash, right? But wait, that is exactly what becomes the primal matter to work on for the humble and adroit eggshell artist, Mr Aloke Bhanja, a retired professional currently residing in Vadodara, Gujarat. He is an adept craftsman who transforms basic eggshells into incredible artworks.

What really made you get into this creative medium? “I have always had an inclination towards art since my very childhood. From sketches to charcoal paintings, art was my solace. When I was probably 10 or 12, one day, seeing eggshell waste, it suddenly dawned upon me: why not do something with this? There were no dedicated tools available back then, and it was only with the help of a pair of scissors that I made a tanpura out of eggshells,” says Mr Aloke Bhanja. However, he soon lost touch with this art form due to studies and a professional career, only to rekindle his love for this creative medium after his retirement from ONGC in 2013.

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One needs to observe Mr Aloke Bhanja while crafting to really decipher the hard work and assiduity required to carve, engrave and build each piece of eggshell art. For him, it took several years to master this art through self-learning and different techniques. While at work, he uses a precise and minute power drilling tool (mostly used by diamond jewellers) that has different needles (he has almost 100 different variants) to cut and engrave the fragile eggs with the bare minimum vibrations. Mastering this skill was a challenge, and he took it upon himself to come up with some brilliant chef-d’oeuvre that would showcase his masterful creative streak.

A time-consuming hobby, the eggs are first emptied in the beginning by blowing out the content through small holes to ensure minimal damage. According to him, it takes years of practice to master the right pressure and technique that need to be applied to make the holes and blow out the content. It is then rinsed and washed before being kept out in the sun for a few days.

He started experimenting with different eggshells, including ostrich eggs, emu eggs, quail eggs and normal chicken and duck eggs. Which one’s your favourite? “Definitely ostrich eggs because of how hardy they are and because of the large surface area, which helps you execute intricate artwork and engravings on them. However, they have been banned now; hence, the next best choice for me would be duck eggs because of their thicker shells, making it easier to handle them while working,” observed Mr Aloke Bhanja. It takes him almost a month or even more to develop each art piece.

He is an ardent believer that art should not only be something to look at but should be purposeful; hence, he is not just an eggshell art prodigy; he transforms them into meaningful pieces that could be used as showpieces, night lamps and much more. He usually visits Kolkata during the winter to conduct exhibitions and workshops. So, whenever you come across his exhibition, make sure to check out his exemplary works, including ‘Gupi Gyne Bagha Byne’, eggshell lotus, vases, ostrich eggshell designer lamps, miniature eggshell tabla and a lot more. He believes that while several art forms have gained recognition and admiration, this creative form is still unknown to most, and he has taken it as a challenge to preach the intricacy and beauty of this art form.