Bastar Iron Craft also known as Wrought iron craft or the Loha Shilp or Lohary is a traditional craft where in Wrought Iron is used to make many products. The products are available from minimum size of 2 inch and maximum size 50 feet without any welding.
Wrought iron is commercially pure iron, having a very small carbon content, which does not exceed 0.15 %, but usually contains some slag. It is tough, malleable and ductile. Bastar Iron Craft products ranges from utility purpose like candle stand, furnishing, flower vase, lamp shade etc to show case products such as miniature of animals and table top accessories.
The process includes cutting, heating and hammering and joining without any welding. All the shapes, forms and motifs are made manually without any specifications and measurement. The final product does not have any chemical finishing or coating.
Iron was accidentally discovered by the tribal people while hunting. Extraction of metal from the ore was done in indigenously built furnaces called Ghana which were operated by foot and used coal derived from wood of Sal trees. Nowadays modern furnaces are being used. Once the metal is extracted the red-hot iron is repeatedly beaten to give the required shape and thickness.
Initially only weapons like arrows and knives were made. Later agricultural tools like spades, axe etc were made. With the passage of time the residents developed their skills and started making products inspired by their surrounding like god-goddesses, animals, tribal figures, leaves etc. Products like Laman Deeya (a traditional lamp) and local deities were made for gifting during tribal weddings.
Traditionally the craftsmen used the Ghana Pakka stone locally available to extract the Ghana loha. The region has abundant reserves of Ghana pakka stone. The craftsmen source these stones from the forests and melt it in the “Ghana”. The iron obtained from this process was considered to be pure and deities and deep religious belief items were made out of it.
In addition to the traditional Ghana loha, there are two other types of iron used by the craftsmen of Bastar: kaccha or soft iron and pucca or hard iron. Soft iron is used for making utility products and decorative items. Hard iron is used for sturdy items like hammers and agricultural tools like spades.
Most of the designs produced by the craftsmen are made of a single piece of iron, but sometimes there is a need to join two or more pieces to make a product. Red soil is used for joining two pieces of iron.
Rusting is more in case of wrought iron. In order to prevent rusting craftsmen apply vegetable oil on the products. After the application of vegetable oil the products are covered with dry leaves and burnt. It is the traditional method of making the products rust free.
The craftsmen use only tribal motifs in their products which is the uniqueness of their craft. They are inspired by the figures they see in their day to day life, like, birds, elephants, monkeys, trees, tribal festivals etc. thus local flora &fauna is the category of the design motifs.
GI Tag Registration Date : 10 July 2008
GI Tag Number : 82
Certificate Number : 68
Geographical Area : Chhattisgarh
Special Cover Release Date : 05 September 2021
Cancellation : Raipur 492 001
Type : GI Tag Cover
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