CRAFT DOC_compressed

5.5 Diya/lamp making
The iron sheet used to make diyas/lamps
is of 18-16 gauge thickness (same as that
of panels). First, a half-circle is cut out
of the sheet, roughly, using a chisel and
hammer, and then another adjoining
half-circle is cut, with a rectangular
extension from the circular shape, for
riveting. The cut-out measures about 6
cm in diameter and 8 cm in length. It is
beaten on its edges to blunt them.
To give it a concave shape, it is placed
on a large bearing (their local dapping
tool which they procure from waste),
and beaten over from the narrower end
of the hammer, skilfully. More depth can
be achieved by heating the diya/lamp in
the furnace 2-3 times alternating with
hammering. It is then kept at the edge of
the pattri/rail and hammered with the
broader end of the hammer to create a
Fig. 5.88
Fig. 5.87 The posture
of the artisan while
cutting is such that the
right knee is raised
higher for supporting
the right hand used for
hammering
Fig. 5.89
Fig. 5.88 Iron sheet
is cut along an
approximate shape of
the diya/lamp using a
chisel and hammer
Fig. 5.89 The sharp
edges of the cut-out
are evened out by
hammering over them
Fig. 5.90 The cut-out is
put into the furnace for
heating it to forge Fig. 5.87
Fig. 5.90
102