Bell Metal - Craft Archive | Research on Indian Handicrafts & Handloom

Bell Metal ~ Kunhimangalam, Kannur

Gaatha A tale of crafts — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 12:45:22 +0000

Kunhimangalam, a heritage village in Kerala’s Kannur district, is renowned as one of the state’s oldest centres of traditional bell metal casting. Practised primarily by the hereditary Moosari artisans of the Vishwakarma community, the craft employs the ancient lost-wax casting technique to produce Panchaloha idols, temple lamps, ritual objects, bells, and domestic utensils. Combining centuries of metallurgical knowledge with exceptional artistic skill, Kunhimangalam’s bell metal craft occupies an important place in Kerala’s religious, cultural, and artistic traditions, while continuing to preserve a living legacy of South India’s bronze-casting heritage.

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Dhokra craft ~ Kondagaon

info_admin — Sat, 20 Sep 2025 12:35:22 +0000

This metal-casting tradition has not only been kept alive in Kondagaon, in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, but artisans here have truly taken it to another level. The name Kondagaon may evoke the feeling of a small village, but it is, in fact, a town. Within Kondagaon, the area of Bhelwapadar is where most of the Dhokra artisans work.
As the craft flourished, many people became involved in different stages of the process. Yet, traditionally, it is the Baghels, belonging to the Ghadwa community—who have practised this art across generations. In Kondagaon, most artworks are inspired by elements of nature and tribal life. The socio-cultural narratives that craftsmen see and hear around them are beautifully sculpted using natural mediums, carrying forward both heritage and storytelling.

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Bell Metal ~ Tikamgarh

Gaatha A tale of crafts — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 13:02:10 +0000

Reminiscent of the glorious lives of the Bundelas of central India that reveals the indulgences of a celebrated era, lost wax casting is a metal sculpting method in which a mould of wax is used for easy workability. Protected by a casing of clay or mud, the intricately designed hollowness it creates when melted away, is occupied by the molten metal to create fine pieces.

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