Dhokra Art is made from a historic metal casting technique called lost wax casting. The technique was used thousands of years back to cast non-ferrous metals like copper to make artifacts. Some old artisans also used alloys like brass or bronze. Brass is a mixture of zinc and copper, while bronze is an alloy of tin and copper. About the artisans

The name of this unusual and attractive art form is named after ‘Dhokar Damar,’ a nomadic Indian tribe belonging to the eastern part of the country. The tribe initially resided in the Bankura-Dariapur belt in West Bengal, parts of Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha. Historians believe that the custodian of this legacy is mainly the tribal communities living in this region and famously known as Dhokra art of West Bengal.

Interestingly, this prized Indian art is not limited to only one region of the country. It is believed that the artisans might have travelled from one part to the other and carried with them the knowledge and skills of Dhokra and passed it from one generation to the other.

As a result, the tribal community that was primarily into making Dhokra Art and lived in the region covering Birbhum, Purulia, Burdwan, and Midnapore is now spread to the neighboring regions too, having evolved this legacy to include local aspects and interpretations.