ODISHA

Tarakasi is a type of silver filigree work from Cuttack, a city in Odisha in the eastern part of India. Origin This highly skilled art form is more than 500 years old and is traditionally done by local artisans on the Eastern shores of Odisha. Presently, the silver filigree workers are largely from the district of Cuttack, where the art flourishes. Technique The filigree artists work with an alloy of 90% or more pure silver. First, the lump of silver is placed into a small clay pot and the two are put into a bucket full of hot coals. The temperature is regulated through a bellows that is hand operated by a crank.