What is dhokra? India’s lost-wax metal casting, explained

Dhokra (also written dokra) is a non-ferrous metal-casting craft made with the lost-wax technique. It is practised by artisan communities across West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, and the method is often linked to the bronze “Dancing Girl” of Mohenjo-daro, cast more than four thousand years ago.

How a dhokra piece is made

• A core is shaped from clay and left to dry.
• The form and its surface pattern are built over the core in wax, often from fine wax threads that give dhokra its characteristic texture.
• The wax model is covered in layers of clay, leaving a channel, and dried.
• The mould is heated: the wax melts and runs out — it is “lost” — leaving a cavity.
• Molten brass is poured in. Once cool, the clay mould is broken away, so no two pieces are identical.
• The casting is cleaned, filed and finished, often with a patina.

How to recognise genuine dhokra

Look for the raised thread-like patterns, slight asymmetry and a surface that is never perfectly smooth. Each figure carries small differences in proportion and texture; identical, polished, mould-sharp copies are usually machine-cast imitations.

Motifs and meaning

Traditional dhokra shows everyday and ceremonial life: elephants, horses and bulls, musicians and dancers, palanquins, lamps and deities. Elephants are associated with strength and good fortune and are popular for entrances and reception desks.

Caring for dhokra

• Dust with a soft dry brush; the texture traps dust.
• Avoid water and chemical polish, which strip the patina.
• Keep away from damp walls and coastal air, or ask for a lacquered finish.