The brass and copper utensil craft of the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru is inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Background

The craft of the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru constitutes the traditional technique of manufacturing brass and copper utensils in Punjab. UNESCO inscribed it in 2014 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The metals used are copper, brass and certain alloys. The process begins with cooled cakes of metal that are flattened into thin plates and then hammered into curved shapes, producing small bowls, rimmed plates, larger pots for water and milk and huge cooking vessels. Careful temperature control is achieved by using tiny wood-fired stoves, aided by hand-held bellows, buried in the earth. Utensils are manually finished by polishing with traditional materials such as sand and tamarind juice, and designs are made by hammering a series of tiny dents into the heated metal. The process of manufacturing is transmitted orally from father to son, and the element is listed under the domain of Traditional craftsmanship.