Dhokra art and metal casting of Bardhaman and Bankura

[ajoy....@gmail.com]

The metal smiths of tribal origin, commonly known as 'Dhokra' (as
'Dheppos' in Bankura and Purulia), are extremely poor and mostly
socially despised by rural people, are wandering artisans. They still
set up their mobile foundries by road side, although many of them have
now settled in villages. Yet in Dariapur, Bardhaman some of them are
leaving their village failing to cope with poverty and settled life
style. They still possess tribal beliefs and rituals in their everyday
life and remained far away from the main stream of the society.
Education is not much desired by the elder people.

They have a unique method of metal casting and unparallel sense of
style. The style is strictly hereditary. By nature they do not like to
merge with the main stream of the society.

Transition and mixing with urban people influencing their art and
causing change in form also. There is difference in method of metal
casting and in the form from place to place, which should be
documented, both in writings and in video. Moreover, some NGOs trying
to train up other people by these 'Dhokras' so that the increasing
demand of this art form in cities and in foreign countries can be met
up by those NGOs. These people of outer sphere can learn the method of
metal casting but can not learn the hereditary style of the
'Dhokras'. This is causing aberration of the original art form.
This increases the necessity of documentation as the originality is
getting endangered day by day.