Sanskriti Bastar

About Us

Dhokra art of Bastar (lost wax process) "India is virtually the only country in the world today which stands with one foot still firmly planted in a handicraft era reaching back over a time cycle of five millenia- Ruth Reeves. Dhokra meaning "oldest" is an ancient folk craft. Some say it originated at the time of the Sumarian Culture in 2000 BC at the Indus Valley. Indeed many an expert see in it traces of pre-metal works in bamboo and cane. Today, practised by artisans who live in the vicinity of the Vindhyas and the Eastern Ghats, in and around Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal, these crafts continue to represent the culture, belief and tradition of their remarkable craftsmen and the place they call home. Called by different names depending on the region that they move around in, these artisans, be it the Dhokras, Ghantrars or the Ghoruas have for countless years created fascinating metalwork using the "Lost wax process ( Cire - perdue )". Their way of life has been a difficult one, for they represent a section of the community with no land and no steady income. Leading a nomadic life, their craft has been the most enduring aspect of their existence. Slight changes depending on the location notwithstanding, their creations share a more or less similar birthing process. Initially fine sand and clay is used to make the basic mould.The process called core building varies from place to place only in the type of materials used. Some add goat-dung others cow-dung or husk etc to the clay, the principal material. The wax preparation thereafter involves the use of pure bee-wax. Found in abundance in the jungle terrain where these craftsmen reside, the bee-wax is melted over an open fire and strained through a fine cloth into a basin of water. This ensuing wax is kept absolutely clean and free of impurities. The wax thread, its thickness depending on the wish of the workman is then prepared from this. The thread is then wound around the clay mould until its entire surface is covered and uniformity is given to the wax cover. Lastly, the decorative aspects are added. Channel building, the third step, entails the adding of wax channels or runners to the finished wax figure. These at the time of baking in the furnace act as a freeway for the molten metal. Next the entire model is covered with a thin layer of fine clay and this is in turn is followed by a thicker coating of clay, sand and cow-dung mixture.Only the tips of the wax channel are left uncovered in this, the Covering the wax stage.