Dhokra Art

In News

• Lalbazaar village in West Bengal is an art hub and moving towards becoming a centre for dhokra art.

Dhokra Art

• About:
  • It is a metalcraft popular in Bengal.
  • An Ancient Tradition: Its documented history is about 5,000 years old. 
  • In its original form, no painting or polishing is done.
  • Most Dhokra artefacts are human or animal figurines.
• Complex Process:
  • Making dhokra art is a difficult process. 
  • Each figurine takes about a month to make. 
  • There are many processes involved, for which seven to eight varieties of clay is required, apart from other raw materials. 

Image Courtesy: TH

• Famous Places for  for dhokra work in West Bengal:
  • Bikna in Bankura and 
  • Dariyapur in Bardhaman. 
• Concerns:
  • The quality of their products is deteriorating. 
  • The steady increase in the cost of raw materials.
  • The primitive techniques and lack of access to modern technology causes a delay in production.
  • There is a lot of polishing and colouring, something that is not done in dhokra.

Source: TH