The first stage of this process is to make the inner core out of clay which is always made somewhat smaller than the final object. The clay is prepared differently by craftsmen of different regions. Some use soft clay with dung, some use clay mixed with sand, while others use fine rice husk mixed with clay.

The inner core is then dried thoroughly in the sun. In the monsoons, it may be dried over very low heat.

After the inner core is dry, it is once again covered with another layer of clay which is smoother in texture. Once again, this finer inner mold is dried out completely before any further work is done on it.

Next all rough surfaces are smoothened out and rubbed thoroughly with Neem or tamarind leaves.

The next stage is wax work. Different craftsman use different types of wax. In Orissa, they use a 2/3 : 1/3 mixture of Bee's wax and rosen (a secretion obtained by slashing the bark of pine family trees) mixture. This mixture is pushed through a sieve to make thin strands of wax. These are usually made in quantities and are hung from a horizontal bamboo pole. Thickness varies according to the kind of motifs.

These strands are then wrapped around the clay core. Details of the figure are worked out, and tiny loops and curves are made using the fingernails as the main tool. The motifs vary from group to group.

Some craftsmen use dhuno or pitch for this work. This is too soft to squeeze through a sieve. Instead it is stretched lengthwise and folded in half repeatedly until thin lines are made. These are then wrapped around the clay core.

In Madhya Pradesh, the craftsmen use pure beeswax which is the best for finer work. For smaller pieces, they don't use the clay core, but work directly with the wax, using balls or rods and flattening them out to model the desired shape. The tools they use here are mostly wooden.

The next stage is to prepare a very smooth textured clay. It is mixed with water and then sieved through a thin cloth to extract impurities like stone chips.

By using a very light but firm touch, the wax work is completely covered with this clay mixture, so that it takes the shape of the object to the minutest details. A small pellet of wax is fixed at one point on the wax work and is left uncovered. This finally becomes the channel through which the molten wax flows out.

Then a coarser clay is mixed with rice husk and is used to cover the mold again, keeping a funnel shape around the wax pellet which was kept uncovered.

This is dried in the sun and then fired. The furnace is usually a pit dug in the ground and lined with bricks and stones. The craftsman starts the fire, puts the objects and fans the flames with a bellows made of goatskin. The temperature is raised until the wax is melts totally. He takes out the object and drains out all the wax, which may be reused later.

After this he puts bits and pieces of brass in the funnel, and covers the funnel head with thick clay. It is then fired to a high temperature. The brass melts and flows into the empty space left by the wax.

Sometimes, the brass is melted separately and pored into the hot molds.

After the firing, the object is taken out of the fire, cooled slowly by sprinkling water on it and the clay mold is broken.

The brass object is taken out, cleaned, filed and polished. Sometimes it may be buffed to give it an extra shine.

You can read about Dhokara craftsmen by clicking here.
You can see some finished dhokara products in our bazaar section.