Under the latest and popular online series of Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya entitled ‘Exhibit of the Week’ the ‘Bhumpa-A traditional water boiler from Vadodara, Gujarat’ collected from Folk communities of Vadodara, Gujarat in 2008 displayed in the audience as the Second Exhibit of the month of January , 2023 through official website, Facebook, Instagram and twitter page of the IGRMS.
In this regard Praveen Kumar Mishra, Director, IGRMS said that The Bhumpa is a traditional brass vessel used to boil water. A fire container is located inside the Bhumpa, in which charcoal is kept. A space is provided around the fire container for boiling water. The utensil looks very much like the samovar used in Russia, some parts of Central, Eastern, and South-Eastern Europe and the Middle East. In India it is mostly used in the Saurashtra area of Gujarat and the Kashmir region.
There are multiple uses for the Bhumpa, such as holding and heating a teapot filled with tea concentrate. It is a metal urn supported by legs attached to a square base. In order to maintain combustion, this device has a narrow neck and perforations on the upper part to permit air to pass through. Ash and coal residues from burning wood are stored in the ash-pit, so that they can be easily removed after use. There are handles on both sides of the urn for carrying it. A faucet is attached to the front of the urn to collect boiling water. A small hemispherical knobbed lid covers the mouth of the Bhumpa. It is used on special occasions and ceremonies for preparing tea.
Bhumpas come in a variety of shapes and sizes, sometimes beautifully engraved with geometric patterns and leaves. However, they all accomplish the same purpose of brewing, boiling, and serving tea. It has always been a center of attraction at the serving table and is mostly regarded to be a rare and decorative item rather than a general household utensil.