While the arts of India are heavily inspired by elements of nature, they are also an outcome of natural products. The traditional crafts of India emerge from a time and era, where production processes were natural and small-scale. Dhokra, being a craft that descended from this timeline, proudly upholds the promise of being safe and environment friendly.
The Art of Sustainability
The uniqueness of Dhokra is embedded in the traditional process of its making, the element of the creator’s imagination and making the most from limited means available. It is well known that Dhokra art emerges from clusters of tribal settlements in pockets of rural India, especially in the states of West Bengal and Odisha. These Dhokra artisans have been practising the art since time immemorial, as a generational occupation. They are largely distanced from the modern world and its ways and thus, it is not surprising that they have managed to sustain an art for centuries without affecting the sanctity of our environment.
Conservation through Raw Materials
Have you ever wondered what your Dhokra home decor statues and accessories are made of? We are living in a world built of plastic. Almost every accessory we use has materials that leave behind a worrisome carbon footprint.
However, Dhokra handcrafted products, available on our website, are made from raw materials that are locally sourced, reusable and thus, highly sustainable. The main materials required for the production of a Dhokra piece include beeswax, paddy or wheat husk, terracotta and brass (or some other alloy, depending on the availability of the metal). With rising prices of metal and persistent economic hardships faced by the artisans, they have, for a long time now, relied on scrap metal for their creations. Reuse of scrap metal automatically saves joules of energy that can be used otherwise or help in restricting greenhouse gas emissions that have led to rising temperatures and widespread pollution.
Other raw materials too, are easy to recycle and are used in subsequent production processes. The beeswax, for example, is used to make the mould which gives shape to the metal. Once the mould is melted, the beeswax is refined and used again for the next product. Thus, careful use of resources shows how much value and respect is accorded to the gifts of nature, by the dhokra craftsmen.
Conservation through Production Process
Made by nimble hands and intricate craftsmanship, Dhokra is well-known as a cottage industry. The thatched huts of the hardworking craftsmen act as the production unit of Dhokra items. The amount of energy and resources saved is thus pretty evident.
The ancient process of ‘cire perdue’ (lost-wax technique) begins with the creation of a clay core and assembling of the wax threads to mount upon the core. It is again covered with a layer of clay followed by heating of the mould to allow the wax to flow out. The hollow structure that is left behind is filled with the molten metal which has to be heated at high temperatures in a furnace. Finally, the outer mould is cooled down and broken to reveal the ultimate product.
One would argue that the fumes released while melting the metal can have a concerning environmental impact. However, as mentioned earlier, the units of production for Dhokra items operate at a very small scale. Thus, the emissions in air or release of water pollutants are regarded to have no significant effect on the environment. In fact, it has been determined that if these materials were produced in an industrial environment, it would have consumed 3000 Watts of power and 135 Kilojoules of energy! The Dhokra creator is also always judicious with regards to waste production. Any brass left behind is reused and the mud and clay is returned to the soil, making the whole process highly sustainable. Do Your Bit for the Environment We know very well that the Climate Crisis is real and our Environment is rapidly changing due to the effects of our lifestyle. So this World Environment Day, let’s pledge to do our bit because the smallest of change must begin at home!
We, at www.dhokrahandicrafts.com, solemnly pledge that with our home decor products, jewellery or utility items, you don’t just accentuate your home, you also uplift the environment; you don’t just beautify your look, you purify nature; you don’t just buy art, you build the world!
