THE STORY BEHIND THE CRAFT
Born from a broken mould
Hemant Behera
Sadeibereni, Dhenkanal, Odisha
Representative photo: Saiphani02 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · credits
Meet the maker
Hemant Behera
Dhokra casting & brasswork
“The mould is broken so the piece can be born. That is why every one is different.”
Hemant (a fictional demo maker) casts a few pieces each week in a small courtyard furnace.
Hemant's workshop smells of beeswax and wood smoke. Every figure starts as a clay core wrapped in hand-rolled wax threads, then a clay jacket; the wax is melted out and molten brass poured in. Because the mould is broken open, no two pieces are ever the same.
Visit profile- Making time
- About 3 weeks (incl. mould drying)
- hours of handwork
- 18
- Materials
- Recycled brass, Beeswax, Clay
- Origin
- Dhenkanal, Odisha
- Craft
- 24 years of practice
How it is made
Step by step
A clay core is covered in wax, and details are added with hand-rolled wax threads. A clay jacket is added, the wax melted out and molten brass poured in. Once cool, the mould is broken to release a single piece.
- 01
Clay core
A rough figure is shaped from clay and dried.
- 02
Wax detailing
Fine wax threads are rolled and wound to form the design.
- 03
Moulding
Layers of clay encase the wax model.
- 04
Casting
Wax is melted out and molten brass poured in.
- 05
Breaking & finishing
The mould is broken and the piece cleaned by hand.
Tradition & history
Dhokra lost-wax casting
Dhokra is among the oldest known metal-casting methods, still practised by tribal communities in eastern India.
Materials
Recycled brass, beeswax, clay.
Sourcing
Brass scrap bought and melted locally; beeswax from forest collectors.
Impact & fair price
How this price is made
Using recycled brass keeps costs within reach and gives old metal a new life.
Maker's share (estimate)
- Materials
- ₹900
- Labour (18 hrs) × ₹120
- ₹2,160
- Listed price
- ₹3,500
An estimate from material cost, hours and margin — not an official market price.
Own this piece
Dhokra Horse Rider Figurine
₹3,500
Each piece is cast in a mould that must be broken to free it — so no two are alike.
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THE STORY BEHIND THE CRAFT
Dhokra Horse Rider Figurine
by Hemant Behera · Dhenkanal, Odisha
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Reviews
- K
Karthik (demo)
A true one-of-a-kind piece. The detail is remarkable.
More stories
Dhokra Horse Rider Figurine
₹3,500