News — Metal casting

Dhokra Lantern - A Picturesque Repesentation

Dhokra Lantern - A Picturesque Repesentation


Problems faced by Dhokra Artisans

Problems faced by Dhokra Artisans

This art form is widely appreciated and is wooing art lovers across the globe.
But they miss out on having exposure to the change in trends, marketing hence over the years have not been able to achieve a stable position.

They face numerous problems right from procuring raw materials to selling the finished product.


Evolution of Dhokra in India

Evolution of Dhokra in India

While Dhokra art originated in West Bengal, over time the tribes moved to Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa and Chhattisgarh as well as places like Kerala and Rajasthan. Hence, the art has now spread all over India. Most Dhokra artefacts are human or animal figurines. In fact, one of the earliest known lost wax casting artefacts is the legendary dancing girl of Mohenjo Daro. The tribes are also known for making measuring bowls, religious deities and lamps, though the themes are quite limited given the fact that the metalsmiths do not have much exposure beyond their own private lives. That said,...


Dhokra - Lost wax casting Techniques

Dhokra - Lost wax casting Techniques

Lost Wax Casting is the process by which a duplicate metal sculpture is cast from an original sculpture. Intricate works can be achieved by this method. The oldest known example of this technique is a 6,000-year old amulet from the Indus Valley Civilization. Other examples from somewhat later periods are from Mesopotamia in the third millennium B.C. The objects discovered in the Cave of the Treasure (Nahal Mishmar) hoard in southern Palestine (region), which belong to the Chalcolithic period (4500–3500 BC). Conservative estimates of age from carbon-14 dating date the items to c. 3700 BC, making them more than 5,700 years old. Lost-wax casting...


Dhokra - Marvelous Metal Casting

Dhokra - Marvelous Metal Casting
Dhokra (also spelt Dokra) is non–ferrous metal casting using the lost-wax casting technique. This sort of metal casting has been used in India for over 4,000 years and is still used. One of the earliest known lost wax artefacts is the dancing girl of Mohenjo-daro.