Answer: Ghadwa
The metal craftsmen of Bastar involved in making Dhokra sculptures are called ghadwa.
Among the popular sculptural traditions, Dhokra or metal sculptures made from lost wax or cire perdue technique is one of the most prominent metal crafts of Bastar, Chhattisgarh, parts of Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Midnapore in West Bengal. It involves casting of bronze through the lost wax method. The metal craftsmen of Bastar are called ghadwa. In popular etymology, the term ‘ghadwa’ means the act of shaping and creating. It is probably this that gives the casters their name. Traditionally, the ghadwa craftsmen, besides supplying the villagers with utensils of daily use also made jewellery, icons of locally revered deities and votive offerings in the form of snakes, elephants, horses, ritual pots, etc. Subsequently, with a decrease in demand for utensils and traditional ornaments in the community, these craftsmen began creating new (non-traditional) forms and numerous decorative objects. |
