An ancient brass made dowry box ‘Dhabla’ is being exhibited at Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sanghralaya. The box is from community Kathi Darbar of Bhavnagar, Gujarat and is 79 cm in height. The present object ‘Dhabla’ also known as ‘Dhabdo’ is used as dowry box specifically given at the time of marriage ceremony for storing clothes and jewellery. It contains the detail of decorative elements with embossed marks of Sun and lotus symbolising their belief of being Surya Vanshi (the descendents of Sura).
The floral design of lotus and symbolic energy radiation of the sun depicted in the Dablo reflects keen affiliation and belongingness towards solar dynasty(Surya Vansha). This traditional metal vessel is uniquely fashioned to stand on three legs with massive attachments of casted latch, hinges and handles. At the time of marriage processions, it is utilized for carrying dowry gifts including ornaments, clothes, beadwork etc. by the bride to her in-laws’ house. The number and size of Dhabla displayed in the drawing room depicts the socio-economic status of the family. The heirloom of this kind is inherited matrilineally from mother to daughter.
Kansara community often used to make and design the utensil based on the socio-cultural inputs provided by the user community. The technique used by them is deep work. A flat piece of metal, or the rounded part of a vessel on which work has to be done, is filled with lac and the basic desired pattern is drawn. Thereafter the outline is beaten into the lac with hammer strokes and the area which has to be depressed is beaten down. At the end lac is heated and melted. The right side is now embedded in lac and the process reversed. The section to be raised in the finished design is now beaten out towards. The process is repeated three or four times until deep repousse work pattern emerges. The Bhopal art lovers can have a view of the object at IGRMS indoor art gallery.