Abstract
The
traditional brass craft industry of Hajo in Assam represents one of the most
significant living craft traditions of North East India. Rooted in indigenous
knowledge systems, hereditary craftsmanship, and temple-centered socio-economic
structures, the brass industry of Hajo reflects a unique interaction between
intangible cultural heritage and local economic sustainability. This paper
examines the historical background, technological processes, socio-cultural
dimensions, and present challenges of the brass craft tradition practiced
mainly by the Mariya artisan community of Hajo. Based on field observations, oral
narratives, and technical documentation preserved in the project materials, the
study highlights the importance of safeguarding traditional craftsmanship
within the framework of community participation and sustainable cultural
development. The paper also discusses the decline of traditional trade routes
after the Indo-China conflict and the resulting economic vulnerability faced by
artisans. Finally, the study proposes community-oriented safeguarding measures
involving documentation, training, heritage tourism, digital archiving, and
institutional collaboration.
Keywords: Hajo, Brass Craft, Mariya
Community, Indigenous Technology, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Assam,
Traditional Craftsmanship, Cultural Sustainability.
1. Introduction
The traditional brass craft of Hajo occupies an important place within the cultural history of Assam and the wider North Eastern region of India. Hajo, situated in the Kamrup district of Assam, has historically been recognized as a sacred multi-religious cultural landscape associated with Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. Alongside its religious significance, Hajo developed into an important center of traditional craftsmanship, especially brass and bell-metal work.
The craft tradition represents not merely an economic occupation but a living embodiment of inherited technical knowledge, ritual association, artistic expression, and community identity. The production of brass utensils, ritual objects, musical accessories, and household articles evolved through generations of hereditary artisans who preserved highly specialized indigenous techniques.
Traditional craftsmanship, as recognized within the framework of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), includes the skills, knowledge systems, and practices associated with the creation of handmade objects using local materials and inherited methods. The brass artisans of Hajo exemplify this concept through their continued dependence on manual production methods, traditional furnaces, locally adapted tools, and oral transmission of technical skills.
The
present study attempts to document and analyze the brass craft heritage of Hajo
with special emphasis on the Mariya artisan community, their historical
contribution, technical processes, socio-economic conditions, and contemporary
challenges.
2. Historical Background of the Brass Industry in Hajo
The development of brass craftsmanship in Hajo appears closely associated with the socio-religious economy surrounding the Hayagriva Madhava Temple. Historical narratives suggest that royal patronage played an important role in shaping the occupational settlements around the temple complex. Land grants and settlement privileges were reportedly provided to Brahmins, flower gardeners, potters, blacksmiths, singers, dancers, and other service communities connected with temple activities.
Among these occupational groups, the Mariya brass artisans emerged as a specialized community engaged in the production of brass utensils and ritual objects. Their settlement at Mariyapatti became an important production center linked both to temple requirements and regional trade networks.
Until the middle of the twentieth century, the brass products manufactured in Hajo reportedly traveled beyond Assam through trade routes connecting Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet, China, Korea, and Japan. Products such as traditional ritual cymbals, utensils, and ceremonial objects were highly valued within Himalayan and trans-Himalayan cultural circuits. The existence of these trade relationships indicates the historical importance of North East India as a cultural and commercial corridor between South Asia and East Asia.
However, the geopolitical changes following the Indo-China border conflict significantly disrupted these traditional trade networks. The decline of cross-border commerce resulted in severe economic setbacks for artisan communities dependent upon long-distance trade. As a consequence, many traditional families faced occupational insecurity and migration.
Despite these challenges, sections of the Mariya community continued to preserve their craft by traveling periodically to Bhutan and Nepal to produce brass goods locally. Such adaptive survival strategies demonstrate both the resilience of the artisan community and the fragile condition of the traditional industry.
3. Community Structure and Transmission of Knowledge
The brass craft tradition of Hajo is deeply community-centered. Technical skills are generally transmitted through hereditary learning systems within families and workshops. Young apprentices learn through direct observation, repetitive practice, and oral instruction rather than formal institutional education.
The workshop environment functions simultaneously as a production center and a traditional educational space. Senior artisans teach younger generations about the selection of materials, operation of furnaces, hammering techniques, alloy preparation, finishing methods, and symbolic design traditions.
This intergenerational transmission of knowledge forms an important component of intangible cultural heritage. The continuity of the tradition depends not only upon economic viability but also upon the preservation of social relationships between masters, apprentices, families, and community networks.
Field
observations indicate that many artisans continue to maintain strong emotional
attachment to their profession despite declining economic returns. Their craft
identity is associated with dignity, ancestral memory, and cultural continuity.
4. Indigenous Technology and Traditional Production System
One of the most remarkable features of the brass industry in Hajo is its preservation of indigenous technological systems. The production process depends heavily upon manually operated tools, locally adapted furnaces, and traditional metallurgical knowledge.
The
project documentation records numerous tools and raw materials used in the
production process. These include bellows, furnaces, anvils, hammers, tongs,
chisels, polishing stones, and manually operated lathis. Each tool reflects
long-term adaptation to the practical needs of brass manufacturing.
4.1
Bhati (Bellows)
The bhati or bellow is an essential component of the furnace system. Traditionally, it was constructed using goatskin, though modern adaptations include the use of rubber tyres. The device operates through a manually controlled air-pressure mechanism connected to the underground furnace chamber. The operator regulates the fire while simultaneously controlling airflow through coordinated hand movement.
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4.2
Aphuri (Furnace)
The aphuri is the furnace mouth dug into the floor of the workshop. It is primarily used for heating brass sheets before shaping and hammering. The underground design reflects both fuel efficiency and continuity of traditional metallurgical practice.
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(Photo courtesy Mr. Naimul Ali, President of the Hajo Muslimpatty Pital Karikar Santha)
4.3
Measuring and Shaping Instruments
Traditional rulers (cheri), compasses (girhmis), anvils, and shaping rods are used for precise measurement and design formation. The artisans possess highly developed practical geometry, enabling them to create symmetrical objects without modern industrial machinery.
.png)
(Photo courtesy Mr. Naimul Ali, President of the Hajo Muslimpatty Pital Karikar Santha)
4.4
Hammers and Forging Tools
Several specialized hammers are employed for different production stages, including the matha haturi, ekthengia haturi, kanhesa haturi, and sorua haturi. These tools are designed specifically for shaping round surfaces, internal curves, and heavy brass sheets.
.png)
(Photo courtesy Mr. Naimul Ali, President of the Hajo Muslimpatty Pital Karikar Santha)
4.5
Manual Lathis
Traditional manually operated lathis such as xoru kunda and khama kunda are used for scraping and finishing brass surfaces. These devices represent indigenous engineering adapted to precision finishing work.
The technical sophistication of these tools demonstrates the existence of an indigenous technological system developed through centuries of practical experimentation and localized innovation.
5. Cultural and Ritual Significance
The
brass craft industry of Hajo is inseparable from the cultural and ritual life
of Assam. Brass utensils and ceremonial objects occupy a central place in
Assamese domestic rituals, temple worship, marriage ceremonies, festive
occasions, and community gatherings.
Objects produced by the artisans are not merely utilitarian items; they function as symbols of cultural identity and sacred continuity. Ritual utensils, lamps, cymbals, and ceremonial vessels are associated with religious practices in temples, monasteries, namghars, and households.
The artistic forms of brass objects often reflect floral patterns, geometric designs, and symbolic motifs connected with Assamese cultural aesthetics. These motifs embody regional memory and collective artistic traditions.
The craft industry also contributes significantly to the cultural economy of Assam during festivals and ceremonial seasons when demand for traditional products increases substantially.
6. Economic Importance and Livelihood
The brass industry historically provided livelihood opportunities to numerous artisan families and associated occupational groups. Production activities involve not only craftsmen but also traders, transporters, raw material suppliers, and local markets.
The
industry contributes to the rural economy through small-scale manufacturing,
seasonal trade, and cultural tourism. Traditional brass products remain
important in Assamese households and religious institutions.
However, globalization, industrial manufacturing, and changing consumer preferences have affected the economic sustainability of handmade brass products. Machine-made alternatives available at lower prices have reduced market competitiveness for traditional artisans.
7. Revitalization
Activities
The revitalization of the traditional brass and bell-metal craft culture of Hajo requires a multidimensional safeguarding strategy integrating community participation, heritage documentation, technological support, market development, and cultural education. The following activities are considered essential for the sustainable preservation and revitalization of this traditional knowledge system:
7.1.
Documentation and Digital Archiving
· Systematic
audio-visual documentation of traditional manufacturing processes, ritual
practices, tools, terminology, songs, and oral histories.
·
Preparation
of digital archives, catalogues, and community heritage inventories.
·
Recording
indigenous metallurgical knowledge and traditional design patterns.
7.2.
Skill Transmission and Capacity Building
·
Organizing
apprenticeship programs for younger generations.
·
Conducting
workshops, seminars, and live demonstrations in schools, universities, and
cultural institutions.
·
Establishing
community-based training centres for brass craftsmanship.
7.3.
Community-Based Safeguarding
·
Strengthening
traditional artisan associations and cooperatives.
·
Encouraging
women and youth participation in production, design, and marketing.
·
Promoting
inter-generational transmission through family and community learning systems.
7.4.
Research and Academic Collaboration
·
Undertaking
interdisciplinary research involving heritage experts, historians, engineers,
anthropologists, and designers.
·
Collaborating
with universities, museums, and heritage organizations for technical and
scholarly support.
·
Publishing
research papers, catalogues, and field reports.
7.5.
Market Development and Cultural Tourism
·
Developing
heritage tourism circuits linked with Hayagriva Madhava Temple and surrounding
craft villages.
·
Organizing
craft fairs, exhibitions, and cultural festivals.
· Supporting online marketing and
geographical branding of Hajo brass products.
1.
Comprehensive
digital documentation of traditional brass craftsmanship.
2.
Revival
of endangered traditional products and designs.
3.
Increased
participation of youth in hereditary craftsmanship.
4.
Creation
of heritage-based livelihood opportunities.
5.
Strengthened
artisan cooperatives and community institutions.
6.
Improved
visibility of Assam’s indigenous engineering traditions at national and
international levels.
7.
Development
of educational resources and museum-quality archives.
8.
Enhanced
collaboration between government agencies, scholars, and artisan communities.
9.
Direct Benefits
9.1
Economic Benefits
·
Increased
income opportunities for artisans and traders.
·
Expansion
of local and international markets for handcrafted products.
·
Growth
of rural entrepreneurship and small-scale industries.
9.2
Cultural Benefits
·
Preservation
of traditional craftsmanship and indigenous technical knowledge.
·
Protection
of intangible cultural heritage associated with rituals and festivals.
·
Reinforcement
of community identity and cultural pride.
9.3
Educational Benefits
·
Transfer
of traditional skills to younger generations.
·
Development
of research opportunities for scholars and institutions.
·
Promotion
of heritage awareness among students and local communities.
10.
Indirect Benefits
10.1
Social Benefits
·
Strengthening
of community cohesion and collective identity.
·
Reduction
of migration through local employment generation.
·
Increased
participation of women and marginalized groups in heritage economies.
10.2
Tourism and Regional Development
·
Promotion
of sustainable cultural tourism in Hajo and greater Assam.
·
Development
of heritage trails and experiential tourism.
·
Enhancement
of regional cultural branding.
10.3
Environmental Benefits
·
Encouragement
of sustainable handmade production practices.
·
Preservation
of eco-friendly traditional technologies and local materials.
11.1.
Technological Up-gradation
·
Introduction
of improved furnaces and energy-efficient tools while preserving traditional
methods.
·
Training
artisans in modern finishing, polishing, and quality-control techniques.
·
Use
of digital platforms for product marketing and promotion.
11.2.
Design Innovation
·
Collaboration
with designers for contemporary utility products inspired by traditional
motifs.
·
Diversification
into decorative, ritual, musical, and lifestyle products.
·
Development
of export-quality packaging and branding.
11.3.
Institutional Support
·
Formation
of heritage clusters and common facility centres.
·
Financial
assistance through government and cultural grants.
·
Establishment
of museums, interpretation centres, and live craft studios.
11.4.
Heritage Recognition
·
Inclusion
of the tradition in national and international intangible cultural heritage
inventories.
·
Preparation
of safeguarding dossiers for future UNESCO-oriented initiatives.
·
Recognition
of master artisans through fellowships and awards.
11.5.
Digital and Educational Expansion
·
Development
of documentaries, virtual exhibitions, and educational modules.
·
Integration
of indigenous craftsmanship studies into academic curricula.
·
Creation
of online repositories and multilingual promotional materials.
11.
Broader Cultural Significance
The
brass craft tradition of Hajo represents not merely an artisanal economy but an
integrated civilizational knowledge system connecting ritual practice,
indigenous engineering, sacred geography, trade history, metallurgy, music, and
social organization. Its revitalization therefore contributes simultaneously to
cultural sustainability, economic resilience, heritage conservation, and the
preservation of the historical identity of North East India.
Conclusion
The brass and bell-metal craft tradition of Hajo represents far more than a localized artisanal occupation; it embodies a living continuum of cultural memory, ritual economy, technological knowledge, and community identity deeply rooted in the historical landscape of ancient Kamrupa. The study demonstrates that the Mariya brass-working community, historically associated with the socio-religious ecosystem of the Hayagriva Madhava Temple, developed a highly specialized indigenous knowledge system connected with temple rituals, agrarian life, trade networks, and regional craftsmanship.
Historical evidence and oral traditions indicate that Hajo once functioned as an important centre of brass production whose products circulated beyond Assam through trade routes extending toward Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet, and parts of East Asia. The decline of these traditional trade systems after the mid-twentieth century, combined with industrial production, changing market preferences, urban migration, and diminishing transmission of hereditary skills, has placed this heritage tradition in a vulnerable condition.
Nevertheless,
the resilience of the artisan community remains remarkable. The continuity of
traditional techniques, ritual practices, apprenticeship systems, and community
institutions reflects the enduring strength of intangible cultural heritage
within the region. The study further reveals that safeguarding such traditions
requires an integrated approach involving documentation, policy support,
community participation, cultural tourism planning, market development, and
inter-generational transmission of skills.
In
this regard, the collaborative initiatives undertaken by the North East Zone of
ICOMOS India and associated scholars may serve as an important step toward
establishing a broader framework for the conservation and revitalization of
traditional brass craftsmanship in Assam. The safeguarding of this heritage is
not merely the preservation of objects or techniques; it is the protection of a
living cultural ecosystem that carries the collective historical consciousness
of the people of North East India.
Footnotes
- The term
“Mariya” in the present study refers to the traditional brass-working
Muslim artisan community residing in Mariyapatti, Hajo, Assam.
- Hajo has
historically functioned as a multi-religious pilgrimage centre associated
with Hindu, Buddhist, and Islamic traditions.
- Oral
narratives collected during the field survey indicate that traditional
brass products from Hajo were historically traded through Bhutan and Nepal
toward Tibet and adjoining Himalayan regions.
- The
“Bhor-Taal” is a large brass cymbal widely used in Assamese devotional and
ritual music traditions, especially in Neo-Vaishnavite institutions.
- The field
survey at Mariyapatti, Hajo, was conducted on 22 April 2026 with the
assistance of local artisans, traders, and community representatives.
- Indigenous
metallurgical practices of Assam remain insufficiently documented within
mainstream heritage studies and require systematic interdisciplinary
research.
- The
safeguarding framework discussed in this paper follows the principles of
the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural
Heritage.
- Community
participation remains an essential component for the sustainable
preservation of traditional craftsmanship traditions.
References
- Kalika
Purana.
- Yogini
Tantra. Various editions.
- UNESCO Convention for the
Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003).
- ICOMOS
India. Heritage documentation and conservation initiatives.
- Oral
interviews with artisans of Mariyapatti, Hajo, conducted during fieldwork
on 22 April 2026.
- Ali, Naimul.
Personal communications regarding the historical development of the brass
artisan community of Hajo.
- Field
documentation and photographic records collected by Dilip Changkakoty,
North East Zone, ICOMOS India.
- Barkakoti,
Sanjib Kumar. Notes and discussions relating to intangible cultural
heritage and traditional craftsmanship in Assam.
- Bordoloi,
regional historical references on socio-cultural traditions of Kamrupa and
Hajo.
- UNESCO.
“Traditional Craftsmanship as Intangible Cultural Heritage.” Paris: UNESCO
Publications.
Rock
Inscription of Hayagrīva-Mādhava Temple, 1605 Śaka
śrīśrī-viśvasiṃhaḥ kṣitipatir
abhavattat-sutaḥ khyāta-kīrttiḥ |
śrīmat-śrīmalla-devo nṛpatir
atimatir nirjjitārāti-jātiḥ ||
gāmbhīryyodāryya-śauryya-prathita-pṛthu-yaśo-dharmma-karmmāvadātaḥ
śrīmac-chukladhvajakhyo
vyajani tad-anujo yad-vaśe'śeṣa-deśaḥ ||
sākṣād
rāghava-puṅgavo diśi diśi prakhyāta-kīrtti-vrajo
hantāpuṇya-janasya yo
vidhi-vaśād yaḥ kāmarūpeśvaraḥ |
yo
yo'khila-loka-śoka-dahana-jvālāvalī-vāridaḥ
śrīmac-chrī-raghudevo
bhūpatir abhūt śukladhvajasy aurasaḥ ||
tasyāśeṣa-jana-prasāda-janakaḥ
śrī-kṛṣṇa-pādārcako
bhūpaḥ prāptavayā
gadādhara-kṛta-prāsāda-ratnaṃ vyadhāt |
maṇyākhyāna-girau
hayāsura-ripo ratnāśma-mānāspadaṃ
śāke vāṇa-vivattithau
guṇivaraḥ kākaḥ svayaṃ śrīdharaḥ ||
1505 śaka
Page No 5, Prāchya-śāsanāvalī,
Compiled and Edited by – Neog, Dr Maheswar; Publisher: Publication Board:
Assam: 3rd publication (September 2008)
Translation:
“The illustrious
king Śrī Śrī Viśvasiṃha became the sovereign ruler of the land; his son,
renowned for his fame, was the noble King Śrī Malladeva, possessed of great
intellect and victorious over hostile enemies.”
“Endowed with
gravity, generosity, and valor, celebrated for his widespread fame, and
distinguished in righteous deeds and duties, his younger brother, known as
Śrīmat Śukladhvaja, brought the entire realm under his command.”
“Like the noble hero
Rāghava (Rāma), whose fame spread in all directions, he became the lord of Kamarupa
by divine destiny, a destroyer of the wicked and a benefactor who extinguished
the flames of sorrow among all people.”
“The illustrious
King Śrī Raghudeva, the rightful son of Śukladhvaja, became the ruler; he was
devoted to the worship of the feet of Lord Krishna and a benefactor who brought
happiness to all his subjects.”
“Having attained
maturity, this king caused to be constructed a magnificent temple, a jewel
among edifices, built by Gadādhara, at the sacred hill known as Maṇyākhya, the
abode of the enemy of the demon Hayāsura.”
“In the Śaka year
1505, on an auspicious date marked by the constellation of Vāṇa, the noble and
virtuous Śrīdhara himself caused this sacred stone structure to be
established.”
Rock Inscription of
Hayagrīva-Mādhava Temple 1605 Śaka |
1683 AD
King
Raghudevanārāyaņa.
Gait: p 69. Amanatullah Ahmed: op.cit., pp. 121-22. Chaudhuri: ‘Hājor vivaraņ’, Chetanā, IV.8, p.219. Dharanikanta Sarma: Kāmākhyā-tīrtha, p.91.
Śrīmacchukla- OR śrīmat-śukla. Hantāpuņyajanasya – Ahmed hanṭā puņyajanasya. Prāptavayā—Chudhuri, prāptavayāh. Śrīmacchrīraghu- --OR śrīmat-śrīraghu-.
King Naranārāyana of Koc-Behar did not have a son till late in life. Eaghudeva, son of Śukladhvaja, was, therefore, regarded as the heir to the throne. After Śukladhvaja death, Raghudeva on seeing that he had no hope of succession removed himself to Bijaynagar and showed signs of revolt. The old king divided his kingdom along the river Soņkoşh, giving the eastern part, Kāmarūpa (Koch Hajo), to the nephew in 1581 AD, who agreed to pay tribute to, and acknowledge, Naranārāyaņa as his over-lord. That is why when Raghudeva rebuilt the temple of Hayagrīva-Mādhava, found in ruins under cover of a dense forest, on the Maņikūṭa hillock in Hājo in 1583, he calls glory to Malladeva alias Naranārāyaņa, even though he himself is ‘Kāmarūpeśvara’, Gadādhara, mentioned in the epigraph, was the king’s treasurer, acting for some time as regent, while Śrīdhara was the chief artisan. The code of worship of Hayagrīva-Mādhava is contained in the Yoginī-tantra, written about this time, and was modeled on the pūjā-vidhi of Jagannātha of Purī as found in the Brahamapurāna.
Page No 143,
Introduction, Prāchya-śāsanāvalī, Compiled and Edited by – Neog, Dr
Maheswar; Publisher: Publication Board: Assam: 3rd publication
(September 2008)
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