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designs are moulded using thread made from melted bees wax & resin and allowed to harden

The hardened mould is DIPPED IN two layers of RAIN-FED MUD AND SUN DRIED BOTH TIMES

Locally sourced upcycled brass is packed into the funnel, covered in a third round of mud, and left to sun-dry

The mud drum is fired in a homemade kiln. The brass melts and takes the place of the bees wax to form a dokra handle inside of the mud drum

The cooled mud drum is broken with a hammer to reveal the dokra handle. It is then scrubbed, chiseled and finally polished

THE DOKRA PROCESS

It takes a tribal artisan 8 days to craft one dokra handle. Dokra is a 4500-year-old metal casting technique still being practiced by tribal craftsmen in India.

Locally Sourced | Sustainable Materials
artisans use bees wax, resin, upcycled brass, river clay, rain prepped mud, sun baked drums and earthen kilns built inside their homes.


No Electricity | Slow & Seasonal
no electricity is used to make dokra handles. It is sun dried and rain prepped. If it rains too much or too little, the mud consistency is incorrect, resulting in air bubbles that show up as defects and blurs in the design. If it is too hot they cannot fire the kiln.


Ancient Technique
artisans still use the same methods their ancestors used 4000 years ago. Dokra is labor intensive; 1 in 4 handles come out damaged or broken at the end of the 8 day process

The History of Dokra

Dokra is a 4500-year-old metal casting technique with the earliest Dokra artifacts dating back to the Bronze Age from the Indus Valley Civilization. It is still practiced by tribal craftsmen in India today.

The name Dokra comes from the Dokra Damar tribes, who were traditional metal smiths that practiced this craft. Works depict daily scenes from tribal culture such as dancers, musicians, ornaments, animals, birds and jewelry. 

The most famous dokra artifact, The Dancing Girl, was excavated from the Indus Valley Civilization and is currently on display at the National Museum in New Delhi, India.

a 4500 year old craft from the

Indus Valley civilization

Archaeologist Gregory Possehl described Dancing Girl as "the most captivating piece of art from an Indus site" and states "We may not be certain that she was a dancer, but she was good at what she did and she knew it."

Museums with Dokra on Display

National Museum, New Delhi (India)

The Indian Museum, Kolkata (India)

Victoria and Albert Museum, London (UK)

The British Museum, London (UK)

Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, Paris (France)

Smithsonian Institution – National Museum of Asian Art, Washington, D.C. (USA)

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (USA)

National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi (India)

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai (India)

The State Museum of Ethnography, Leipzig (Germany)

Museum of World Cultures, Gothenburg (Sweden)

Asia Society Museum, New York (USA)

Deccan Heritage Centre, Hyderabad (India)


PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT A COMPREHENSIVE LIST. ENARAI CANNOT GUARANTEE THESE EXHIBITS WILL BE ON DISPLAY WHEN YOU VISIT, PLEASE CHECK WITH THE MUSEUM DIRECTLY SHOULD YOU DECIDE TO PLAN A VISIT TO VIEW DOKRA ART.

The Dokra Collection: Season 1

Handcrafted Dokra Leather Bucket Bag – Unique & Sustainable DesignHandcrafted Dokra Leather Bucket Bag – Unique & Sustainable Design
Handwoven Hemp Bucket Bag with Dokra Handle – Artisan CraftHandwoven Hemp Bucket Bag with Dokra Handle – Artisan Craft
Handcrafted Leather Clutch Bag with Dokra Handle – Unique Artisan DesignHandcrafted Leather Clutch Bag with Dokra Handle – Unique Artisan Design
Handwoven Hemp Clutch Bag with Dokra Handle – Sustainable Artisan CraftHandwoven Hemp Clutch Bag with Dokra Handle – Sustainable Artisan Craft
Handcrafted Leather Top Handle Bag with Dokra Detailing – Artisan LuxuryHandcrafted Leather Top Handle Bag with Dokra Detailing – Artisan Luxury
Handwoven Hemp Top Handle Bag with Dokra Detailing – Eco-Friendly Artisan DesignHandwoven Hemp Top Handle Bag with Dokra Detailing – Eco-Friendly Artisan Design
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enarai supports the enarai foundation. Thank you for being a steward of craftsmanship.

This 4500-year-old craft has been passed down over generations without any formal education. The enarai foundation strives to document, highlight, preserve and incentivize the communities that create these craft forms by including them in the evolution of creative and sustainable craft preservation. 

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