Dhokra craft or jeweller are very fascinating me when I first saw it in “Toshali exhibition”. The composition is simple, inspired from the daily life of the village. The craft have folk motifs like horses, owl, ladies cutting vegetable etc. etc. all are so attractive that the thoughts of these statues and jewellery follows me many days. So I decided to follow my heart and mind and started research on Dhokra craft before starting my business. I Its my pleasure to share my experience and research with you all.
The first Dhokra/Dokra craft i.e. dancing girl was found in 1926. This statue was 4500 years old and came from the Bronze Age Civilization of “Indus Valley, probably from the city MOHENJO DARO. The dancing girl from the Bronze Age is the most famous example of Dhokra craftsmanship. The sculpture was made with the help of lost wax casting technique. This method of metal casting was practised in Odisha, West Bengal and Chattigarh. The name Dhokra / Dokra comes from the Dhokra Damar tribe who are traditional metal smith. .The craft is also known as “BELL METAL CRAFT”.
The raw material and process – Mostly the craft is done in forest areas or remote places because the tribes live in the jungle and because the raw materials required are easily available there. Here in Odisha we use scrap/old brass, cow dung, wood for firing the model, rice husks, beeswax balls and threads, charcoal and black and red earth. Most importantly, the tribe usually uses red soil, which is used by ants to build their homes. To make a small or large craft, we go through 6 processes, from modelling to finishing.
We use the lost wax technique and the hand bitten metal technique to make antique crafts as well as folk motifs and beads for jewellery making. Casting can be made in steel and aluminium and hand bitten beads can be made in, copper, steel and aluminium too. The brass/bronze that we usually use is non-ferrous in nature (non-corrosive) that is the main advantage of the dhokra craft.
It looks like antique gold/silver but it is very affordable, skin friendly and sturdy. It is a lifetime possession like gold that can be passed on from one generation to another.
So, try it at least once in your life, experience this great craft from Odisha (India) and feel the elegance and history behind each piece of craftsmanship.
Do you get any value from this blog? I welcome comments and sharing your thoughts.
Yours sincerely,
Vrushali Wadnerkar
