Even though their earnings have increased 600%, it’s not enough to sustain Punjab’s dying Thathera art. But despite this, there’s a special reason why the artisans want to continue this legacy of making handcrafted copper utensils.
Promotion
Loud clanging sounds emanate from the small town of Jandiala Guru, Amritsar, Punjab. Not surprising, since Jandiala Guru is home to a community of Thatheras. These artisans, who make brass, copper and kansa utensils by hand, are busy hammering copper and brass sheets into vessels like prayer gongs or chaya patras (reflection bowls), which are used by the bride and groom to capture each other’s reflection in oil, among others.
A part of the village’s legacy, the Thatheras, who once thrived in a post-Partition era, have now dwindled in numbers. Earnings from their outdated and unprofitable craft would not even allow for two meals a day, and the nation-wide lockdown due to the Coronavirus have only added to their woes.
However, long…