The Dokra brass figures depict life in all its glorious variety. There are human and animal figurines, idols of Lord Ganesh and one even depicts a group of tribals nursing a sick child.
This small village of Sadeibereni in Dhenkanal district, Odisha, is synonymous with the ancient craft of Dokra. Located close to the tourist spot of Saptasajya, Sadeibereni is home to 126 artisan families who are enlisted as Situla tribals.
While the entire village makes Dokra artefacts, six artists—Golap Gadatia (43), Sansari Gadatia (53), Dushasan Behera (67), Trinath Behera (41), Iswar Pradhan (42) and Hemanta Majhi (32)—have been instrumental in promoting the craft and popularising it outside the state. While Sansari, Hemanta, Iswar and Trinath are state awardees, Dushasan and Golap are master craftspersons, who have received the National Shilp Guru Award in 2002 and 2003, respectively.
The artists have never had any formal training in Dokra casting. They learnt the craft by just watching their forefathers work with the wax-casting technique.
Every piece of Dokra that they create has a distinct identity. All six artists have showcased their talent at various state and national-level exhibitions. They also train other artisans in the village.
The Situla tribals, Golap says, originally used to make brass utensils with a specific pattern of designs for household use. Over a period of time, they started making more decorative handicraft pieces. Golap is an innovator and her products always have a high market value. A decade ago, she had crafted a long lamp shade with narratives from the story behind ‘Shiva Tandav’. It was this creation that fetched her the National Shilp Guru Award.
Recently, she has created a long decorative piece with small Soura figurines which depicts the lack of healthcare facilities for tribals. In another piece of work, she puts together a group of tribals nursing a sick child under a towering tree. Her repertoire includes animal figurines, door handles, flower vases, figures of tribal men and women and Lord Ganesh, which is one of the most sought designs.
Sansari explains how the figurines are made. First, the mould for the artefact is made with fine clay and cow dung, which is then covered with a layer of paste prepared from leaves of broad beans that act as glue. The mould is then layered decoratively with thin strips of wax prepared with bee wax, refined oil and white resin. It is again covered with another layer of clay and cooked over a furnace. There are two drain ducts in each of the moulds from where the wax drains out after being heated. “Molten brass is then poured into the mould which takes the shape of the final metal structure. The moulds are taken out of the furnace and cooled in water. The cast figures are then polished mechanically for 15 minutes for the glaze,” he shares.
Trinath, who likes creating traditional designs, says the mesh-like features of a Dokra artefact give it a distinctive beauty.
Hemant says the unpolished pieces of Dokra are in high demand among international travellers. “The unpolished metal craft is actually authentic Dokra. In India, people mostly want the shiny ones that have a golden look, while buyers from abroad prefer black Dokra artefacts which have an antique look,” he says. Dushasan says the artists have a loyal customer base among European travellers. He began his journey in Dokra casting by learning the craft from his father at the age of seven. He has been collaborating with Dokra craftsmen from other states to come up with products that have a contemporary look and are commercially viable. Dushasan has created over 1,500 unique Dokra designs so far.
The six artists feel that adding modern elements to the craft is the need of the hour to keep it visible and afloat in the state’s vibrant handicraft scene.