The Famed Bell Metal Craft of Payyanur

Clay mixed with jute is used to make a mould.

A handmade mould, made of a mix of jute and clay, is partly completed.

A ready clay mould is dried before it can be cast.

Clay moulds, that have been used, lie at the doorway.

A variety of clay moulds await to be casted.

These clay moulds are for hollow articles, like lamps and bells.

The word ‘bell’ of bell metal indicates that this strong alloy of metals was used to make temple bells.

This picture shows a dried clay mould of a bell before being cast.

The metal pieces are placed inside the crucible to be melted.

Broken bell metal vessels after the casting process.

The only infrastructure required is the furnace, which is a permanent kiln made by the crafts persons themselves.

This open furnace does not maintain a uniform temperature.

The fuel used for casting the articles in the lengthy process of bell metal craft are cow dung cakes, dried coconut husks and coal.

The furnace is fired to perform two activities simultaneously, baking the mould and melting the metal in a crucible.

While the mould gets baked, metal is melted in a crucible.

Equal temperatures of the mould and the metal fluid will ensure a smooth flow of the molten metal in the hollow layer.

The metal which is heated in a crucible is poured into the conical openings in the moulds; air escapes through strategically located vents.

The process of pouring the molten metal is a carefully managed group effort.

The craftsman shows the molten metal inside the mould during the casting process.

Dried coconut husk is used as a fuel during the casting process.

After cooling, the clay core and the investment are broken open using a hammer, revealing the metal object.

The furnace is broken open with a hammer to take out the moulds that have been cast from the ground.

This picture shows the cast metal objects waiting to be polished.

The workshop where casting takes place has numerous deities on the walls. Clearly, work is worship in this community.

The craftsman cleans the articles by chiselling and filing.

During the finishing process the article is polished by vigorously rubbing it till it achieves a remarkable shine akin to old gold. This is a unique feature of bell metal.

The craftsman gives the finishing touches to the bell metal lamp.

The craftsman cleans an old bell metal artefact.

A small vessel, called a kindi in Malayalam, which used to pour water during a ritual or to wash hands, has just emerged from a broken mould.

Inside a workshop where oil lamps are stored in a large number of styles and sizes.

Various tools used in bell metal casting.

Various tools used in bell metal casting.

Hammers are used to break open the clay core and the investment layer.

Tools used for cleaning

Read more about Bell Metal Casting here:

- From Dull Mud to Shining Metal
- Antiques and Contemporary Bell Metal Objects