Brass Pot Makers of Birbhum, West Bengal

The life of brass smiths in Jayadev Kenduli, West Bengal is thought to be over 800 years old. Its ancestors can be traced back to the Sena Dynasty, which ruled the Indian subcontinent from Bengal in the 11th and 12th centuries. Brass pots are depicted in the temples of Jayadev Kenduli being transported across the river in a ferry. It’s likely that the brass pots were being shipped for trade or were being used during marriages as it is still done.

The process of making the brass pots involves melting the metal, pouring the casting into plates, joining metals to form the pots before making their surface even and eventually polishing them.

There has been a stark decline in the brass pot making industry. The expanded use of plastic containers, as well as piped water supply to almost every home, has reduced demand for brass pots. Given the steep decline in demand for this product and the intensive process of making the pots, many artisans do not feel motivated to continue with this profession.