Moradabad - Brassware Handicraft

History
Moradabad, in the state of Uttar Pradesh Established in 1600 by Murad, the son of
the Mughal Emperor Shahjahan Moradabad is also known as ‘Brass City’ or ‘Peetal
Nagri’. It has about 850 export units and 25000 metal craft industrial units in its
cluster.
Origin
According to archeological records, brass was popular in India since the third
century BC and most of the idols of gods and goddesses were made of this metal.
Brass work in Moradabad bloomed in the early 19th century and British took the art
to foreign markets. Other immigrating artisans from Banaras, Lucknow, Agra and
many other places formed the current cluster of brassware industry in Moradabad.
In 1980’s various other metal wares like iron, aluminium etc were introduced to the
art industry of Moradabad.
Production Process 
Brass metal is an alloy of copper and zinc and the quality of the metal
depends on the Percentage composition of both these metals. Various
processes involved in the manufacturing of brassware. The task of
making brassware requires a team of skilled artisans having
considerable expertise in various areas. For instance, a skilled engraver
is needed for the task of engraving, a skilled enameller is needed for
the task of enameling, similarly, many others are required for additional
responsibilities. Moreover, this Traditional craft is probably five hundred
years old and these artisans learned this traditional art form from their
ancestors and forefathers engaged into this practice from many
generations.
 Stages for making a brassware are:  

Mould Making- The first step is to make the mould or ‘master-piece’ from which multiple products
would be replicated (cast). These are usually made of wax, as it is soft and easy to work with.
Sometimes wood is also used. This master copy is always created in two (or more) detachable
halves to make sand casting convenient.
Melting- Brass is prepared by melting scrap-metal to approximately coal-fired furnaces. The raw
materials are a mix of many metals namely copper, zinc, lead, etc. in a specified ratio. A flux is also
added to remove the impurities. These are molten in a huge container for about twelve hours to
produce 350 kilograms of brass at one go. The molten metal is left to cool on basic iron molds to
form strips that are then sent to the casting craftsmen.
Casting Dhalai- Sand casting is the traditional method of making brass ware. Sand is used in the
two halves of the mould box to cast the metal which is prepared by packing sand (locally called
‘masala’) around the ‘master copy’ tightly. The chemical binder in the sand aids in holding the
shape of the mould after which it is removed, and molten metal poured in its cavity. After being
allowed to cool for a few minutes, the cast metal is removed from the mould box. The sand and the
‘gating’ (pathway made in the mold for directing the flow of molten metal into the cavity) are
broken from the cast using a hammer. These are re-used in the next casting.
Scraping- The cast metal is mounted on a cylindrical wooden block, which in turn is attached to the
headstock of the lathe machine. Various chisels and files are used to scrap the spinning cast and
smoothen its surface of any irregularities. Sometimes when the product is made in parts, it is first
welded together and then sent for scraping and polishing. Metal shavings are re- used in the next
melting.
Engraving- Nakashi and Dastakari- Engraving is the most refined and artistic of all the processes.
The design that must be engraved is first sketched on paper and then scaled-up according to the
size of the product. Measurement is an important aspect to make the pattern look harmonious and
lyrical. These are mainly inspired from different forms of nature like trees, flowers, birds, and
animals. The geometric ones have their influence from the Mughal architecture. First, an outline of
the whole design is done with a fine engraving tool hammered with a wooden block. After that,
broader tools are used to engrave the background and give depth to the pattern. These are often
filled with colorful lac or enamel.
Polishing Chilai - Polishing mainly includes cleaning the brass ware with a soft scrub and then
buffing it on the machine for golden sheen. The district has domestic units as well as large
industries engaged in the manufacture of metal goods. The work of washing, shaping and polishing
handicraft metal items is carried out in the domestic units.
 Brassware
Products
The designs made on the brass products here display culture, heritage,
history and diversity. The patterns and designs used for decorating these
items are inspired from a variety of sources, varying from Hindu Gods and
Goddesses to paintings of the Mughal Era.
The range of brass products from Moradabad include idols for worship, flower vases and planters, surahis (round pots), tableware (plates, bowls, boxes etc.), ash trays,
diyas, candle stands, instruments, locks and fittings, hookahs, antique jewelry, furniture and trophies made by skilled artisans.
The items that are more popular of the art tradition of Moradabad artisans are flower vases, beautiful table taps, trays and candle stand. Items like ashtray, beer mug,
tables, bookend etc. of considerable variety are also produced by the artisans. 
The brassware is exported to countries like the USA, Britain, Canada, Germany and to the Middle East and Asia.

Brass Wine Set

Brass Necklace
• Why Brass ?
• Brass has the capacity to be recycled an infinite number of times
which has significant environmental and economic advantages. Brass
is a copper-based alloy that does not lose its chemical or physical
properties in the recycling and upcycling process. 
• Environmental Sustainability: The recycling process for brass is less
energy-intensive as compared to aluminum and steel and yields a
smaller carbon footprint. The ability to reuse brass from recycled
materials is a tribute to an industry that is environmentally conscious
regarding its use of natural resources. 
ISHASHI- Upcycling Products of Brass in Moradabad
Isha Virmani. A graduate in electronics and communication engineering – JIIT Noida, she has
pursued her Masters in Industrial Designing- UPES.
ISHASHI revolves around the idea of Up-Cycling that involves the reuse and transformation
of waste materials  and products into products of improved quality and environmental
value-by re-using materials like brass
AMBIENT LIGHTING is mostly used in the hospitality industry we created a set of light
fixtures- NAR-NARi- using the upcycled RANSINGHA musical instrument.
 Noah’s Ark International Expor
Metal workers salvage bike chain from the shops and traders all over Moradabad, then take them to workshops
to burn the grease out and cull the usable chain from the junk. Then the creativity begins, as the chain is
wrapped around various handmade iron molds and welded into what will be its final form. Following quality
checks, cleaning, color plating and more quality checks, the artwork will eventually find its way to export, and
our artisan partners will be paid a sustainable living wage for their art and skill. 
Picture frames, book ends, wall hooks, sculptures, clocks and more all made from bike chain and now paying
homage to a favorite mode of transportation and a favorite past-time.

Bike Chain Wall Hook

Kamrul Hasan, Noah’s Ark artisan using

recycled bicycle chain to create frames
 Seagrass Handicrafts
There are seagrass-production bases in
moradabad, which create jobs and income,
advancing life standard for thousands of people.
1)To have a product qualifying for export, the
process from planting to creating seagrass
products is thoroughly and exactly done from
planting, collecting seagrass from the field,
choosing the good ones, drying, dying in colors
to the final stage is knitting and packaging
products.
2)In the harvesting time, people bring machine
to the field. After cutting the seagrass, they
process right in the field. Thanks to the machine,
this process is done faster and save a lot of labor,
moreover, it helps ensure the quality of the
seagrass.
3)Seagrass after collecting from the field is
dried and then dyed in colors. It is then
dried again by machine to have complete
material.
4) From then, this seagrass is used to weave
various products for export.They still use
hand to weave to create precise products
A collection of handmade details for your home,
crafted by the women of project SNEH in
Moradabad, India.
The beauty of handicrafts lies in the details. A
machine can never fully create the unique
feeling of a handwoven seagrass vase or a
braided rattan tray.

For their crafted collection, theycollaborated with

the social initiative SNEH. Founded in 2019, SNEH
gives women in the villages of Moradabad in
India the opportunity to learn a craft — a skill
that makes it possible to gain financial
independence and break out of inequality.
Since the start, 280 women have come here to
learn a craft. After three months of formal
training, the women become professional
artisans. This means they can use their new
knowledge to join one of Moradabad’s many craft
manufacturers or set up their own craft shop in
their village.