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Crafts / Pembarthi Metal Craft

Pembarthi Metal Craft

State
Telangana
Material
Brass sheet · Silver
Rarity
Rare

A stylus, a brass sheet and an eye for leaves and flowers

About

Hand-etched and engraved brass sheet work with leaf and flower motifs from a village in Jangaon district.

Pembarthi is a village in Jangaon district of Telangana which is famous for its metal handicrafts. The craft is sheet metalwork in brass, and sometimes silver, in which the artisan draws, etches and engraves designs onto thin metal. The designs often depict mythological themes, rural life and nature, with leaf and flower motifs and a stylised goose among the favourites.

The work is done by artisans of the metalworking community known locally as Vishwakarma. Pembarthi's crafts include idols, figurines, utensils, candle and lamp stands, trays, boxes, vases, panels and other decorative pieces. The products are both useful and ornamental.

The craft is rooted in a wider brassware tradition of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, which has been in existence for about thirteen centuries according to a craft documentation project. Pembarthi was named one of the best tourism villages of Telangana for the year 2023, which has brought it some attention.

How it’s made

Pembarthi work begins with sheet metal. Thin brass sheet is cut to size and flattened. The artisan draws the design directly on the sheet using a sharp pointed stylus, scratching leaves, flowers, birds, mythological figures or borders into the surface.

The drawn design is then made deeper and clearer by etching and engraving. In acid etching, the pattern is bitten into the surface of the metal so that the design stands out in contrast to the background; engraving uses tools to cut and shape the lines. The sheet can be cut, bent and joined into trays, boxes, lamp stands and panels.

The piece is then shaped and polished, and may be given a protective coating of lacquer or enamel so that it keeps its shine. Because the work is done by hand with simple tools, each piece is individual, and the surface texture shows the artisan's hand.

Key features

  • Sheet metalwork in brass, and sometimes silver
  • Designs drawn with a pointed stylus, then etched and engraved
  • Leaf and flower motifs and a stylised goose
  • Mythological themes, rural life and nature
  • Idols, lamp stands, trays, boxes, vases and panels
  • Practised by Vishwakarma metalworkers of Pembarthi village
  • Part of a brassware tradition described as about 1,300 years old

History

Brass working in the Telugu region is old: the brassware craft of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana is described as having existed for about 1,300 years. Within this tradition, the sheet metal work in brass and silver of Pembarthi and Warangal became known for its leaf and flower motifs, and for traditional as well as new designs. A popular motif is a stylised goose.

Many metal craftsmen of the village, known locally as Vishwakarma, are skilled in making idols and figures. Accounts describe the number of families who depend on the craft as having fallen because of limited marketing opportunities, though the figures given vary.

Today the craft is promoted by cooperatives and by online and craft-fair marketing. It also features in tourism promotion, with the village recognised among the best tourism villages in Telangana in 2023. The craft is not as well documented as others, and more local research is needed.

Facts

  • Stylus & acid Etched and engraved. Designs are drawn on brass sheet with a sharp pointed stylus, then made deeper by acid etching and engraving.
  • Goose motif A stylised goose. A very popular motif in Pembarthi and Warangal sheet metal work is a stylised goose, along with leaves and flowers.
  • 1,300 years An old brassware tradition. The brassware craft of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh is described as having been in existence for about 1,300 years.
  • Tourism village A recognised village. Pembarthi was named one of the best tourism villages of Telangana for the year 2023.

Market

Decor, gifts and idols

Pembarthi metalware is sold as idols, figurines, lamp and candle stands, trays, boxes and wall panels through craft emporia, fairs and the artisans' own online outlets. Prices depend on the metal and the detail. Cast or machine-stamped brass items imitate the style; hand-engraved pieces show slight variations in the lines.

Sustainability

A durable, recyclable metal craft

Brass is long-lasting and can be melted and reused, so Pembarthi pieces can be kept for generations or recycled. The craft's main challenge is finding steady buyers.

Products

  • Idols and figurines: Religious and decorative figures
  • Lamp and candle stands: Etched stands for lamps and candles
  • Trays and boxes: Sheet metal pieces with etched designs
  • Vases and pots: Decorative and useful vessels
  • Wall panels: Etched panels with mythological or nature scenes

Words to know

  • Stylus: A sharp pointed tool used to draw designs on metal.
  • Etching: Using acid to cut a pattern into metal.
  • Engraving: Cutting lines into metal with tools.
  • Vishwakarma: The community of metal and craft workers, named after the divine architect.
  • Sheet metal: Thin, flat metal that can be cut and shaped.

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