The popular traditional brass and copper craft of utensil-making from Punjab has been inscribed on UNESCO’s 2014 Representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
This utensil-making among the Thatheras of of Jandiala Guru community is the 11th element which has been inscribed in the list.“This craft constitutes the traditional techniques of manufacturing brass and copper utensils in Punjab,” said a senior official from the Union Culture Ministry.
“The craft utensils are of both utilitarian and ritualistic value made of copper, brass and ‘kansa’, an alloy of copper, zinc and tin,” he added. The metals used are highly considered beneficial for health purpose particularly in the ancient Indian school of medicine, Ayurveda.This crafting process is carried out by a specific group of craftspeople, the Thatheras, who have a unique ethnic and historical identity with an oral tradition that underpin their skill.
The process of manufacturing is transmitted orally from father to son. Metalwork is not simply a form of livelihood for Thatheras, but it defines their family and kinship structure, work ethic and status within the social hierarchy of the town.The crafts colony was established during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the 19th century Sikh monarch, who encouraged skilled metal crafters from Kashmir to settle in the heart of his kingdom in the Punjab.
Jandiala Guru became an area of repute due to the skill of the thatheras. “The inscription of the element on the representative list will tangibly contribute to the visibility of the intangible cultural heritage in general by lending recognition to the skill of the thatheras that have been orally transmitted for generations upon generations so far,” the official said.
It would also encourage dialogues with other communities worldwide that practice traditional metal craftsmanship to manufacture handcrafted products that are both useful and beautiful.Helen Acharya, Secretary, National School of Drama said that this is the eleventh element from India to be inscribed on the Representative list of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and the first element in the country under the domain of ‘traditional craftsmanship’.