For the love of Dokra

“Oh, Dokra art!” my mother-in-law would exclaim, her eyes sparkling like a connoisseur spotting a rare gem. “Every piece is a labor of love, handcrafted with such meticulous detail.”

Me, on the other hand, a corporate butterfly, flitting through a world of shiny presentations and dazzling deadlines. Handicrafts? They were mere blips on the radar of my fast-paced life.

I still remember receiving a magnificent Dokra piece as a wedding gift from a well wisher. But blinded by the corporate glitter and their penchant for avant-garde style, I nonchalantly dismissed it and asked my mother-in-law , “Gift it away. I don’t like it.”

The look on my mother-in-law’s face was a sight to behold in itself – a priceless blend of shock and amusement. “Oh, my dear,” she chuckled, “this treasure is staying right here, forever!”

Many years on now when I have a few grey hairs, I laugh at myself when I think of it and heave a sigh of relief whenever I walk into my mother-in-law’s house and I see it proudly displayed at the entrance.

“Dokra, a handcraft boasting a lineage that stretches back to the Mohenjodaro era, thrives in the heart of Odisha, India. Each step in this exquisite art form is a labor of love, a meticulous dance between fire and clay.

Intricate figures, captivating jewelry, and everyday objects, all can be transformed from a lump of clay . This is the magic of Dokra, where generations have honed their skills to create pieces that radiate a timeless beauty.”