The craft of beaten silver work started in Bhabanipur, West Bengal during the colonial days. The cluster would cater to the demands for intricate and exotic silverware of the kings of different states, dignitaries like viceroys and the governors. However, after independence and the abolition of the Zamindari system, the glory of the craft started […]
The production technique of forging the hollow metal utensils crafted from brass and copper sheets is an ancient tradition in Nepal. The technique has been handed down from generation to generation among hereditary tamrakar/tamot craftsmen. TRADITIONS & USAGE A testament to the skill and dexterity of this craft tradition is on display at the top […]
Moradabad is famous for its exquisite brass ware. The different phases of production are taken care of by specialized craftspeople individually from dhaliya- the metal caster to the engravers. Articles such as paandan- containers for storing paan, hookah, decanters, vases, plates, bowls, pot holders,mirror frames and table lamps are crafted by artisans. Tools used for […]
Bell-metal ware – dominantly cooking ware, now supplemented with some decorative items – made in Odisha is the preserve of the kansari community, experts at this particular craft. Bishnu Sara Sahu, a mastercraftsman, describes the making of bell-metal cooking ware as a traditional craft, passed down through generations, focused within a particular set of villages […]
Both Kumaon and Garwhal have an ancient cottage industry of fashioning copper into beaten wares. Copper mining was a thriving industry in the Kumaon and Garhwal hills till around the first half of the 1800s. The mountains were once rich in copper ore that was extracted over thirty sites well into the 19th century. The […]
Mutra cane is the raw material for shitalpati and it grows mainly in Cooch Behar. This is kept soaked in water for 24 hours and is then cut into strips to make the pati. Some of the strips are dyed magenta in colour to make patterns. Shitalpati is woven with flat strips in simple checks, […]