Bidar's metal handicrafts attract Mangaloreans

January 15, 2012

Mangalore, January 15: Bidri art or Bidriware has made the name of North Karnataka's sleepy mountain town famous across seven seas. The 17th National Youth Festival created a wonderful opportunity for the Bidri artisans from Bidar to exhibit and sell their beautiful creations.

The exhibition set up at Karavali Grounds, here, by members of Bidri and Chidri Yuvaka Mandala, North Karnataka Crafts and Cultural Development Society, as part of the Fest, attracting a large number of people.

“This craft is a hereditary occupation passed on from generation to generation. Over ancestors were expert in this. It is our desire that our children too should not forget this”, said Ubaidullah, an expert Bidri artisan.

“This is a symbol of prestige. Ratan Tata has presented US President Barak Obama a Bidriware gift during latter's recent India visit”, said Ubaidullah, who had created a special invitation through Bidriware for the engagement of Bollywood stars Abhishek Bachchan and Karishma Kapoor.

Bidriware is a metal handicraft that originated in Bidar, Karnataka, in the 14th century C.E., during the rule of the Bahamani Sultans. The term 'Bidriware' originates from the township of Bidar, which is still the chief centre for the manufacture of the unique metalware. Due to its striking inlay artwork, Bidriware is an important export handicraft of India and is prized as a symbol of wealth. The metal used is a blackened alloy of zinc and copper inlaid with thin sheets of pure silver.

The origin of Bidriware is usually attributed to the Bahamani sultans who ruled Bidar in the 13th–15th centuries. Abdullah bin Kaiser, a craftsman from Iran was invited by the Sultan to work on decorating the royal palaces and courts. According to some accounts, Kaiser joined hands with local craftsmen and gave birth to Bidriware. Since then, the craft has been handed down succeeding generations mostly among the local Muslim and Lingayat sects.

Bidriware is manufactured from an alloy of copper and zinc (in the ratio 1:16) by casting.

Bidriware is an important handicraft exported out of India. Collecting these items is a status symbol among the rich and famous. They contain patterns made of zinc and copper and inlaid with pure silver wire or thin sheets. The craftsmanship and skilled labour involved in creating Bidriware are priceless.

An essential ingredient of Bidri articles is the soil from the floor of ancient buildings and forts. This soil, which has not received rain or sunlight for centuries, has chemicals that give a lustrous black colour to Bidriware. Artisans use such soil from inner areas of the Bidar fort. That is one reason why Bidriware cannot be produced on a large scale.

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HC refuses to quash probe against Mangaluru WhatsApp admin over offensive posts

News Network

February 1,2026

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has refused to quash an investigation against a WhatsApp group administrator accused of allowing the circulation of obscene and offensive images depicting Hindutva politicians and idols in 2021.

Justice M Nagaprasanna observed that, prima facie, the ingredients of the offence under Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code were made out. “The offence under Section 295A of the IPC is met to every word of its ingredient, albeit prima facie,” the judge said.

The petitioner, Sirajuddin, a resident of Belthangady taluk in Dakshina Kannada district, had challenged the FIR registered against him at the CEN (Cyber, Economics and Narcotics) police station, Mangaluru, for offences under Section 295A of the IPC and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act. Section 295A relates to punishment for deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings of any class of citizens.

According to the complaint filed by K Jayaraj Salian, also a resident of Belthangady taluk, he received a WhatsApp group link from an unknown source and was added to the group after accessing it. The group reportedly had six administrators and around 250 participants, where obscene and offensive images depicting Hindu deities and certain political figures were allegedly circulated repeatedly.

Sirajuddin was arrested in connection with the case and later released on bail on February 16, 2021. He argued before the court that he was being selectively targeted, while other administrators—including the creator of the group—were neither arrested nor investigated. He also contended that the Magistrate could not have taken cognisance of the offence under Section 295A without prior sanction under Section 196(1) of the CrPC.

Rejecting the argument, Justice Nagaprasanna held that prior sanction is required only at the stage of taking cognisance, and not at the stage of registration of the crime or during investigation.

The judge noted that the State had produced the entire investigation material before the court. “A perusal of the material reveals depictions of Hindu deities in an extraordinarily obscene, demeaning and profane manner. The content is such that its reproduction in a judicial order would itself be inappropriate,” the court said, adding that the material, on its face, had the tendency to outrage religious feelings and disturb communal harmony.

Observing that the case was still at the investigation stage, the court said it could not interdict the probe at this juncture. However, it expressed concern that the investigating officer appeared to have not proceeded uniformly against all administrators. The court clarified that if the investigation revealed the active involvement of any member in permitting the circulation of such content, they must also be proceeded against.

“At this investigative stage, any further observation by this Court would be unnecessary,” the order concluded.

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