Odisha’s brass and bell metal wares all set to get GI tag

CHENNAI: The famous Odisha brass and bell metal is in line for the geographical indication (GI) tag, as the Odisha State Cooperative Handicrafts Corporation Ltd (UTKALIKA) has moved an application before the GI Registry in Chennai.


Brass and Bell Metal wares comprise household utensils, sacred or ritual wares, icons, ornaments, luxury goods and artware. They are hand-crafted by the Kansari artisans and even Ayurvedic scientist Charaka stated that eating and cooking in Kansa utensils, which have been made with the correct ratio of copper and tin, balances the body’s pH level.

In Odisha, the Bell Metal craft reached its height of perfection during the rule of the Ganga kings from 11th century onwards, said veteran GI expert and IPR attorney P Sanjai Gandhi.

In important rituals, especially marriages, Brass and Bell Metal objects are used as objects of gifts. Thus, the indispensability of the craft and the socio-economic values are rooted in the ancient past, justifying the prominent role of the Kansari as an artisan caste in Odisha, Sanjai Gandhi said.

Among the household utensils and pots, the bell metal handicraft objects are used for cooking and dining purposes and for storage of grains, foodstuffs and water. Thali (plate or tray), thalia (saucer of quarter plate), kansa or bela, tatia or big gina (cup), rasa, gini and dhalo or gadu (washing pot).

Temple accessories include images of gods and goddesses made of brass, sacred lamp stands (pili-saja) and ceremonial lighters (alati-kathi). Cymbals (Uhanja), bells and gongs (karaghanti and mandira-ghanti) and incense burners (dhupa-dani) are also made of brass.

Among luxury goods and ornaments, artisans make collyrium container (kajal-pati) meant for painting the eye-lid margins dark, the betel chewer's outfits such as betel-box (pan-peda) and the lime container (chuna-khai). Brass or bell metal ornaments are mostly worn on the wrist, neck, nose and ears.

The blacksmiths of Odisha acquired the knowledge of casting and fabricating metal artifacts. Availability of rich mineral resources in northern Odisha provided the necessary physical background for the development of metal craft in Odisha, said Sanjai Gandhi.

The metal craftsmen of Odisha are commonly known as Kansari amongst other names. The Kansari is an artisan caste in the socio-cultural region of Odisha. As metal smiths they specialize in bell metal alloy (copper and tin), brass alloy (copper and zinc), copper, and various types of non-ferrous metalware and deal in the finished products, Sanjai Gandhi said.

Despite Odisha being ruled by several kingdoms in its past, the glory of the metal craft never got lost, he said, adding that copper has been known to the people of Odisha roughly since 2100 BC if not earlier.