Even before setting foot in Bhubaneshvar I knew I had to go to Dhenkanal. If you are wondering why Dhenkanal then the answer is Dokra art. I got to know about Dhenkanal and Dokra art only a couple of days before the trip. Because I didn’t get much time to research about the place, I had no idea about the route and other logistics. The only thing that I was certain of was going to Dhenkanal district in Odisha. I could not, in my right state of mind miss the chance of witnessing Dokra art which has put Dhenkanal on the world map.
Since I needed more time to figure out the whereabouts of Dhenkanal, I pushed it to the last day. When I was done with Exploring Pattachitra of Raghurajpur and Appliqué of Pipili and learning the fact that Silver Filigree is dying a slow death in India I was ready to take the roads to Dhenkanal. After hours of cogitation over choosing public transportation or a private cab, I finally decided on taking a private cab. It was completely new territory for me and also it was insanely hot. Safety over adventure, that’s me pretty much all the time. I hired a cab for the whole day and left first thing in the morning.
Reaching Dhenkanal from Bhubaneswar
Dhenkanal is close to 60 kilometres away from Bhubaneswar. It took me around two hours to reach the village. The roads to the village are mostly smooth and barely any traffic. The most interesting part of the journey was the surprise pit stop to see Cashew forest. I have never seen cashew in its real habitat. I was jumping like a kid in a candy store. The whole forest was laden with cashews and there were so many lying on the ground. The driver literally had to remind me that the cashew jungle was not our final destination. We literally drove through dense cashew forests on both sides of the roads. A sight to behold.
Further, in Dhenkanal, Sadeibareni village was the final destination. Located near the Saptasarjya Hills, Sadeibareni village has 60 thatched houses, inhabited by members of the Situla tribe. Saptasarjya Hills is also a popular tourist spot and people from all around the nearby areas come to hills for picnic and hikes. Each house is a repository of dokra art, and every local is an expert in the craft. Mostly the houses were made of mud and hardly any concrete house. Depending on the time you reach the village, you will find the villagers doing something or the other for creating dokra figures.
Sadeibareni Village and Dokra Art
By the time I reached the village the sun was at its peak. The village looked quiet and I could hardly see anyone there. The driver checked with a local and he guided us further. One of the striking features of the houses in Sadeibareni village is their height. All the houses were of very low height with slanting ceilings. We walked till the end of the lane on the untarred road and finally found a house where a couple was working on the art.
The man was busy preparing black wax strands from beeswax, and resin. The woman was carefully wrapping those strands on the small figures which were kept in the sun to dry. The figures are made of cow dung and red clay.
Language is a huge barrier but the driver was there for the rescue. The man explained that they collect the wax from the nearby Saptasarjya forest. While I caught them in the middle of the act, I was keen to understand the whole process of Dokra. I was also hesitant to interrupt their work and cater to my questions. The heat was excruciating and I can only imagine that they wouldn’t be interested in entertaining anyone at that time. But to my surprise, the man happily answered all my questions via the driver.
Dokra Art Process
The process starts with the preparation of sculptures with cow dung and red clay. The sculptures are then dried in sun and a certain glue is applied on to it. While the figures are getting dried black wax strands are prepared from the beeswax. After the glue is applied the wax is shaped and carved in all its finer details of design and decorations.
It is then covered with layers of clay, which takes the negative form of the wax on the inside, thus becoming a mould for the metal that will be poured inside it. Drain ducts are left for the wax, which melts away when the clay is cooked.
The wax is then replaced by the molten metal.
Generally, molten brass is poured through a duct on top to fill the space, forming a metal statue. The liquid metal poured inside hardens between the core and the inner surface of the mould. The metal fills the mould and takes the same shape as the wax.
After the figures are taken out from the kiln, the clay/cow dung is scraped off from the metal figures. The figures are then given the finishing touch by taking care of deformities if any.
I couldn’t see the baking in Kiln part because the villager makes sure to finish it early in the morning. Else the afternoon heat makes it impossible. After watching the whole process, we went to a villagers house where he was selling the Dokra figures. Though I don’t indulge in a lot of retail therapy I did buy two dokra items from him.
Interesting facts about Dokra art and Sadeibareni Village
Many artists of the Sadeibareni village have received the National Shilp Guru award from the Ministry of Textiles. The famous bronze figurine of a dancing girl, excavated from the ancient Indus Valley Civilization site of Mohenjo Daro, is considered the earliest example of dokra, or metal casting. It is amazing that this technique thrives 4,500 years later in a small district Dhenkanal of Odisha. Dokra art is also prominent in few parts of West Bengal and Chhattisgarh but Sadeibareni holds the most significant place in Dokra history.
How to Reach:
Sadeibareni is around 80 km/1 hr 40 min from Bhubaneswar. One can also take a train to Dhenkanal from Bhubaneswar and proceed to Sadeibareni by car. Hiring a private cab to Sadeibareni would be the most convenient way of reaching the village.
Where to Buy:
The entire Sadeibareni village is an open-air gallery. Dokra is sold in the village, you simply have to ask around the village and the villager will direct you to the house where you can buy dokra figures.
Disclaimer :
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Dokra art of Sadeibareni village has put Dhenkanal district in Odisha in the world map. Sadeiberini Village, 5 km from Saptasajya in Dhenkanal, is home to 45 families with 130-odd artisans, all belonging to SC and ST categories who are mostly into creating Dokra handicraft, which dates back to pre-historic time of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro period of Indus Valley Civilization. The process of making Dokra is fascinating and only natural raw materials are used.
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