Thathera

The Thathera (literally meaning 'the beater',[1] also known as Thathrias[2]) is a Hindu and Sikh artisan caste in India, whose traditional occupation is the making of brass and copper utensils. In 2014, the craft of the Thathera community of Jandiala Guru was included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.[3]

Thathera
Mid-19th century painting of a metalworking shop
Regions with significant populations
India
Languages
Hindi, Punjabi
Religion
Hinduism, Sikhism

History
Repoussé plaque (gilded panel) depicting the Sidh Gosht episode of Guru Nanak's life, from Gurdwara Baba Atal Rai, Amritsar, ca.1896

The Thathera communities of Punjab played a prominent role in developing the Sikh School of metal relief artwork.[1][2] Many of the surviving gilded brass and copper panels affixed to the edifices of the Golden Temple or Gurdwara Baba Atal Rai were crafted by Thathera craftsmen or guilds in the 19th and early 20th century.[1] The most renowned Thatheras for creating metal panel art were located in Kucha Fakirkhana, Lahore.[1] Only three or four Thathera families in Amritsar have preserved the knowledge on how to execute this form of metalworking art at present.[2]

Present circumstances
Thatheras

In Bihar

In Bihar, the Thatheras are classified as a Backward Caste.[4]

UNESCO Listing and Government Programs

Although people of the Thathera community reside across the country, only those from Jandiala Guru in the state of Punjab were included in the UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. [5]

After years of neglect and inaction on the part of the government and the civil society, the UNESCO listing prompted the Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar to collaborate with students of Shri Ram College of Commerce to revive the dying craft form.[6] Soon, Navjot Singh Sidhu, the then Minister of Tourism of Punjab pledged Rs. 10 lakhs to this effort, under the umbrella of Project Virasat.[7][8]

References
  1. Kang, Kanwarjit Singh (21 October 2007). "From metal to form". The Tribune - Spectrum.
  2. Robin, Ravinder Singh (8 February 2010). "Artisans keep copper bas-relief art alive in Amritsar". Sikh Net.
  3. "Traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making among the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab, India", ICH UNESCO, UNESCO
  4. Vidyarthi, Lalita Prasad; Prasad, Ramakant; Upadhyay, Vijay S. (1979). Changing Dietary Patterns and Habits: A Socio-cultural Study of Bihar. Concept. p. 11.
  5. Roy, Soumyadeep (13 December 2014). "Preserving India's living heritage for the future". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 30 June 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  6. "Delhi-based team comes to rescue of Thathera community". The Tribune. 14 September 2017.
  7. Yudhvir Rana (24 June 2018). "Age-old craft of thatheras to get new life". The Times of India. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  8. GS Paul. "'Thatheras' of Jandiala Guru find saviour in minister". The Tribune.
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