[Dhokra Metalcraft.]
A study of Dhokra metalcraft in Tigariya, Betul, examining how traditional lost-wax casting operates as a living system of material knowledge, cultural memory, and community livelihood.
Dhokra metalcraft, practised by the Bharewa community in Tigariya village in the Betul district of Madhya Pradesh, represents a layered system where material practice, cultural belief, and collective labour intersect. Through field research and documentation, this project investigates the craft not merely as a metal-casting technique but as a living cultural ecosystem shaped by environment, community networks, and generational knowledge.
The study examines the lost-wax casting process, the symbolic language embedded within motifs, and the evolving participation of women within the craft economy.
[Service.]
Craft Research
Product Design Collaboration
Exhibition Curation & Design
[Realm.]
Crafts | Objects | Exhibition
[Essence.]
Material | Culture | Observational
[About.]
[The Product.]
[The Exhibit.]
[The Paper.]
Building on this research, the project extends into a collaborative design exploration with artisans, translating traditional making techniques into a contemporary lighting object.
The work culminates in a curated exhibition that presents Dhokra through objects, processes, and narratives, creating an immersive environment that foregrounds both the tangible and intangible dimensions of craft practice.
The research from this project was presented as a paper titled “Dhokra: Material Memory and Living Heritage in Tigariya".
