Lost Wax and Metal Craft: An Indigenous Knowledge of Malhar Community of Jharkhand

Abstract (English)

Lost wax technique in Indian subcontinent have antiquity of over 4000 years, there are evidence that suggest that the Harappan were the first, who used the technique for making idols. The bronze idols of Chola period in South India has been made by the same technique. Such antiquities of the metal technology suggest that, there might be several metal workers, who used the lost wax technique since thousands of years ago. At present, we have some communities, like Dokra in West Bengal and Malhar in Jharkhand, who are using the lost wax technique to acquire their desired shapes and make different animal and human figures. This paper deals with the Dokra craft of Malhar community of Jharkhand (Eastern India), who manufacture metal artefacts by using such ancient technique and continued to work, which helps their economy and have been the main source of their livelihood. The paper focuses on the case study of lost wax technique documented in the house of Shankar Malhar. Besides technical aspect, the paper also suggest the socio-cultural aspect of the craft. The paper is also concerned with present challenges and issues for the community to survive.