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DHOKRA ART: THE UNUSUAL CRAFT OF BRASS FROM BENGAL

Brass craft has made a significant change within the artwork created by the artisans in India. Many handicrafts have been made on and with brass such as bowls, lamps, containers, ashtrays, etc. West Bengal in particular has been using the ancient metal casting technique of Dhokra to facilitate the use of brass. A non-ferrous metal casting using the lost-wax casting technique, Dhokra has been used for over 4,000 years in India. Winning hearts in both domestic and foreign markets, Dhokra artisans create a string of folk motifs like horses, elephants, peacocks, owls, etc. on an everyday basis. One of the oldest Dhokra artifacts is the dancing girl of Mohenjo-Daro.

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A Dhokra sculpture of a couple, 2016
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A Dhokra sculpture of a tribal bull, 2013

The term “Dhokra” has been named after the Dhokra Damar tribes, the traditional metalsmiths from West Bengal and Odisha. Since the original craft makers of Dhokra extend across many parts of India including Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Kerela, the craft is also found all over the country today! This ancient art form has been known to the people of India since the Indus Valley Civilization.

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Sculptures of women from Dhokra tribe, 2016
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Sculpture of a fish, 2008
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A traditional ornamental box made of Dhokra from the 19th Century, 2015

Dhokra artists who have been practicing this art for more than 120 years are usually settled in Dariyapur in Purba Bardhhaman district, nearly 140km from Kolkata. The long-drawn process of metal casting is followed by the local artisans who have to put in a lot of effort and patience to fetch different kinds of materials and turn and mold every piece that is already broken apart.

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Sculpture of cattle made of Dhokra, 2010
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Sculptures of people from Dhokra Tribe, 2010
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Sculptures of a Lantern, 2000
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Sculpture of Lord Ganesha, 2010

The members of the Dariapur Artisans Cooperative in Burdwan District of West Bengal are brass casters by ancestral occupation. With simple, indigenous materials, they convert delicate models into beautiful pieces of brass to make materials like jars, animal faces, Hindu deities, etc.

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Sculpture of a musician and an animal, 2010
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Sculptures of a Lord Ganesha,2010
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Dhokra displaying Hindu deity, 2017

An essential distinction between Dhokra art and various other art forms found in the nearby states of West Bengal is that the Dhokra art pieces are adorned with thin, twisted brass wires that carve out various recognizable shapes giving it a rustic look. Many craftspeople also create Dhokra jewelry with disposable materials like wax, resin, firewood, clay, and even firing ovens. The meticulous and intricate work of making Dhokra art usually exists in families that were traditionally involved in making crafts from brass.

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Sculpture of an individual, 2010
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Sculptures of animals, 2010

Dhokra art from Bengal has received great responses nationally as well as outside the country and the demand for brass products has also shown tremendous progress. People particularly appreciate these brass items for their primitive simplicity, enchanting folk motifs, and forceful form. Some of the famous items include Krishnanagar Clay Dolls with minute anatomical details and life-like representation of diverse people in various poses and Bankura horses and elephants.

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Ethnic Dhokra ornaments photographed at the Sonajhuri-Khoai area, West Bengal, 2014

However, at the same time, many capitalist markets and products are now replacing the traditional craft in the market, making it quite challenging for the traditional craftspeople to work. Traditionally, Dhokra products were utilitarian as well as functionally religious. Today standard bazaar stock has led to several mass-made brass products being specially commissioned to fetch expensive prices.

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Mass-made brass products, 2005

Many products continue to be made for sale in local markets. However, quality brass products are replacing local artisans and remaining too expensive for the traditional market.

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Mass-made brass products, 2005

Text By Ayushree Nandan
Images Courtesy: Martijn, Ganges India, Kang Paul, Juggadery, Shivam Singhh, Priyadarshini Handloom, and Wikimedia commons.

Find out more about the Artists and Gallery:

http://www.craftmark.org/dariyapur-dokra-artists-cooperative-industrial-society

http://toureast.in/destination/dariyapur/

https://in.pinterest.com/gyaanawc/dhokra-art/

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