Dhokra Craft: An Ancient Heritage and Livelihood of Jharkhand’s Tribal Communities

16-Mar-2026

This photo is from Karge Rege village in the Ranchi district of Jharkhand, where a tribal artisan is engaged in the traditional process of making Dhokra art. Dhokra is an ancient metal craft of Jharkhand, believed to be around 4,000–5,000 years old. This historic craft has been preserved for generations by the Oraon, Munda, and Ho tribal communities of the region. Today, Dhokra art remains an important source of livelihood for many tribal families. In the image, the artisan is preparing the initial clay mold for a Dhokra artifact using the traditional lost-wax casting technique. A layer of wax is wrapped around the clay base and carefully shaped into intricate designs. Later, molten metal is poured into the mold. Once the metal cools down, the clay mold is broken to reveal the final metal artwork inside.