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Crafts / Dhokra

Dhokra

State
Chhattisgarh
Material
Brass · Beeswax
Rarity
Rare

One wax model, one clay mould, one metal figure

About

Hand-cast brass figures of animals, gods and lamps, made by tribal metalsmiths with the ancient lost-wax technique.

Dhokra, also spelt Dokra, is a way of casting non-ferrous metal, mostly brass and other copper alloys, using the lost-wax technique. A model is made in wax, covered in clay, and the wax is melted out and replaced by molten metal. Each piece is made from its own clay mould, which is broken to free it, so no two pieces are identical.

The craft is carried on by tribal and traditional metalsmith communities in several parts of eastern and central India: in Bastar in Chhattisgarh, where the smiths are known as Ghadwa or Ghasi, in Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Telangana. The name is linked to the Dhokra Damar tribe, traditional metalsmiths of Odisha and West Bengal.

Dhokra pieces are valued for their simple, strong forms and the folk spirit of their motifs. They include horses, elephants, peacocks, owls, images of local deities, oil lamps, measuring bowls, jewellery and animal carts.

How it’s made

Dhokra casting follows a precise sequence of steps. In the hollow-casting method, which is more traditional in central and eastern India, the smith first makes a rough core of clay in the approximate shape of the final figure. This core is covered with a layer of wax, a mix of beeswax, a tree resin and nut oil, which is shaped and carved with all the details of the design. In the solid-casting method, more common in the south, the model is a solid wax piece and there is no clay core.

The wax model is then coated with several layers of clay, with a fine layer first to pick up the detail, and with a drain channel (and a pouring cup) left open. In Bastar, the clay is mixed with materials such as red soil, cow dung and paddy husk. The mould is dried and heated, and the wax melts away through the channel, leaving a hollow space in the shape of the model.

Molten metal, often brass scrap, is poured into this space and fills it. When it has cooled, the outer clay is broken and the figure is chipped free, the core is removed if there is one, and the piece is filed, cleaned and polished. A typical Dhokra look, with fine coiled or wiry texture, comes from wax threads rolled out and pressed on the wax model before casting.

Key features

  • Lost-wax casting in brass and other copper alloys
  • Each piece is cast from its own clay mould, so no two are identical
  • Hollow casting with a clay core, or solid casting with wax
  • Wax threads give a distinctive coiled, textured surface
  • Tribal motifs: horses, elephants, owls, peacocks, deities, lamps
  • Regional centres in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Telangana
  • A technique known in India for over 4,000 years

History

Lost-wax casting is among the oldest metalworking techniques in India. It has been used in the subcontinent for more than four thousand years, and the famous small bronze figure of the dancing girl of Mohenjo-daro is one of the earliest known lost-wax objects. The same technique has been found in many other parts of the world, so the craft is not unique to India, but India has an unbroken tradition of it.

Dhokra metalsmiths are described as having travelled widely: a few hundred years ago the Dhokras of central and eastern India are said to have moved as far south as Tamil Nadu and as far north as Rajasthan, which is why the craft is found in many regions. Different regions have their own styles, such as the Bastar tribal figures, the Dwariapur and Bikna dhokra of West Bengal, and the Adilabad dokra of Telangana, which has been given a Geographical Indication.

Dhokra has long served ritual and everyday life, producing figures of village gods, votive animals and lamps. Over the last decades it has also reached museums, craft markets and export, and many smiths now make decorative pieces for a broader market.

Facts

  • 4,000+ years An ancient method. Lost-wax casting has been used in India for over four thousand years. The dancing girl of Mohenjo-daro is among the earliest known lost-wax objects.
  • One of a kind The mould is broken. The clay mould is broken to remove the metal figure, so each Dhokra piece is cast from its own mould and is unique.
  • Tribal name Named for a tribe. The technique is named after the Dhokra Damar tribe, traditional metalsmiths of Odisha and West Bengal, whose members are related to the Dhokras of Chhattisgarh.
  • Wax thread The coiled look. Fine threads of wax are rolled and pressed onto the model to create the typical textured, wiry surface that survives in the metal.

Market

Folk figures for home and gifting

Dhokra is sold as figurines, lamps, jewellery, bells, boxes and wall pieces by craft emporia, fairs and online shops. Genuine hand-cast Dhokra shows slight irregularities and tool marks. Some factory-cast or machine-cast items imitate the style; buying from state emporia or directly from artisan groups helps the smiths.

Sustainability

Recycled metal and natural materials

Dhokra smiths often use scrap brass and natural materials such as beeswax, clay, cow dung and paddy husk. Casting uses firewood or charcoal, but each piece is made in small batches, and the pieces are durable and non-toxic.

Products

  • Lost-wax cast metal figures: Horses, elephants, owls, peacocks and tribal figures
  • Deity images: Figures of village gods and goddesses
  • Lamps: Oil lamps and lamp stands
  • Animal carts and bells: Bastar-style carts and decorative bells
  • Jewellery and bowls: Necklaces, bangles and measuring bowls

Words to know

  • Lost wax: A casting method where a wax model is melted out of a clay mould and replaced with metal.
  • Hollow casting: Casting around a clay core, so the figure is hollow.
  • Solid casting: Casting from a solid wax model without a core.
  • Ghadwa: The name for the metalsmiths of Bastar in Chhattisgarh.
  • Damar: A tree resin used in the wax mixture; also the tribe name Dhokra Damar.
  • Wax thread: Rolled wax strands used to build the textured surface.

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