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This Dhokra necklace falls in layers, each strand strung with small brass beads that were cast one by one in Bastar. A layered piece asks for many beads, and every one carries the faint coil marks left by the lost-wax method that shaped it. The drop is long. Wear it over a plain kurta or a tunic, and let the strands settle their own way as you move.
NA Dry clean recommended; iron on reverse side
Each piece is handcrafted, so slight variations in colour, texture and dimension are natural and celebrate its handmade origin.
A layered necklace does the work of two or three pieces on its own, so the rule here is to let it lead and keep everything else quiet. Wear it long. Let the strands do the layering for you.
Everyday: Over a plain cotton kurta or a tunic in a solid colour, the stacked brass strands read as one warm statement without any effort on your part. Leave other necklaces off. Small studs are enough at the ear.
Fusion: With a plain tee, a shirt dress, or a linen top, a long dhokra drop turns a simple outfit into something considered, which is exactly the ground where this craft moves between Indian and western dressing. Push sleeves up. Let the layers fall.
Occasion: For a saree or a festive kurta, wear the strands at full length over a solid blouse so the brass catches light as you move through the evening. If you prefer more height, double the longest strand once to sit it higher. It suits Diwali gatherings and griha pravesh.
Length play: Worn full, the drop sits low for a relaxed line. Doubled or knotted once, it rises to mid-chest for a denser, layered look.
Wearing care: Brass darkens with skin oils and air, a patina many people prefer to a bright shine. Buff the strands with a dry cloth after wearing and keep water and perfume away. Store it flat. Laying the layers side by side stops the strands from tangling.
A layered necklace begins with a lot of small beads, and every one of them is cast on its own. Bastar's Ghadwa metalworker families work the dhokra form the way the region has for generations, bead by bead, until there are enough to fill several strands. Only then does the layering begin.
Core and coil: Each bead starts as a core of clay and river sand, wound with fine threads of beeswax until it holds a rounded shape. The thread lines you can still feel on the finished beads are the maker's own hand, repeated across every single one. There are no shortcuts for volume.
The mould: Clay is packed over each wax bead and dried, then heated so the wax runs out through a channel, which is the step that gives the craft its name, lost-wax, or cire perdue. What is left behind is a hollow shell in the shape of one bead.
Metal and break: Molten brass is poured into each shell and left to set, after which the clay is broken away to release the bead. Every mould yields exactly one, so a layered piece means the process was repeated dozens of times over. Nothing here is cast in bulk.
Strung in layers: The finished beads are filed, cleaned, and rubbed until the brass warms to a soft gold, then sorted and strung across several strands so the lengths sit in graduated layers. A layered drop takes longer to string than a single row, because the strands must balance against each other. Small differences between beads are the signature of hand casting.
The Bastar Dhokra tradition holds a Geographical Indication granted in 2008 (see ipindia.gov.in/gi); for this specific piece, please refer to the product specifications for its stated origin and metal.
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Dhokra is an ancient metal craft from India’s tribal regions, including West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand. Practiced for over 4,000 years, it follows traditional lost-wax casting techniques.
