First Time In Australia
DazzlingDokra:The Ancient Indian Craft&Metallurgical Wonder
Do you remember the "Dancing Girl" (circa 2500 BC, unearthed in 1926)- the most famous icon of the Indus valley civilization. She was created using the unique lost wax method -a metallurgical genius of the time.
Did you know this ancient craft was kept alive for centuries by a small group of indigenous nomadic tribe-the Dokra Damar Tribe. Their passion and incomprehensible hard work brings alive the ancient motifs....
‘Dokra’, is non–ferrous metal casting using the lost-wax casting technique. The lost-wax technique, called cire perdue in French, is a metallurgical art. This art is one of the oldest and the most advanced metallurgical art.
Dokra is the art of metal crafts amongst some aboriginal tribes of eastern India. The tribes were initially nomadic in nature who finally settled in the different tribal areas of India.
We bring to you this art of Dhokra from a tiny tribal settlement (36 families, a total of 133 craftsperson including 65 women) in West Bengal, India. Women are equally involved in making of these artecrafts. Though the art is appreciated by many, it is threatened with extinction due to the economic pressure on the artists.
Dokra objects are timeless and create an antique look. The materials used are Brass metal (Copper and Zinc), wax, clay, coal and mustard oil. The entire piece of art is made from a single mould without any assembly or soldering and could take up to a month or two to be created. In May 2018, Dokra art from Bengal was presented with the Geographical Indication tag (vide no. 563).
Maya Emporium presents- Dazzling Dokra: The Ancient Indian Craft And Metallurgical Wonder- First Time in Australia...We are very thankful to State Bank of India (SBI), Australia for their kind support in this endeavour.
Dazzling Dokra:The Ancient Indian Craft & Metallurgical Wonder | Maya Emporium Australia | Aug 2021
Showcasing The Ancient Indian Art of Dokra in Australia
Mr. Pranay Kumar, CEO, State Bank of India, Australia
It is of utmost importance that we never forget our roots and the cultures that have shaped us. SBI Australia is proud to support the Dokra project and is deeply appreciative of Maya Emporium for their hard work in preserving the arts of our cultural heritage.
The Dhokra project is a powerful showcasing of the endangered arts and crafts of the Dokra tribe, and SBI Australia is proud to provide its moral and economic support in order to give this form of art another chance to thrive. Their art tells us the stories of different men and women who work hard and put an endless amount of effort to create arts that will forever be graceful.
SBIA would like to convey its sincere thanks and immensely appreciate Dr. Jayantee Mukherjee Saha (Director, Maya Emporium) for bringing the showcase of Indian art form of Dokra to our attention. It is something most of us are not truly aware of. SBIA would like to express its gratitude for excellent initiative and wishes a fruitful success of Dokra Project and a true recognition of craftsperson.