Odisha’s bell metal legacy captured in landmark book ‘Kansa: Forging Traditions, Shaping Futures’

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, SEPTEMBER 6, 2025

A unique book celebrating Odisha’s centuries-old bell metal craft, “Kansa: Forging Traditions, Shaping Futures,” was unveiled today by Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo at a special ceremony hosted by MGM Foundation and Bhubaneswar Experimental Art and Design Studio (BEADS).

The event, graced by Pankaj Lochan Mohanty, Chairman & Managing Director of MGM Group, and Tathagata Satpathy, former MP and Editor of ‘Dharitri’ and ‘Orissa Post’, brought together artists, scholars, and heritage enthusiasts.

The book serves as both a tribute and a call to action — documenting the practices, techniques, and oral histories of artisans whose bell metal craft, known locally as *Kansa*, faces the threat of extinction. It draws attention to the urgent need to safeguard this fading cultural tradition.

“Through this book, the MGM Group has made sincere efforts to save this dying art and its legacy for future generations,” said Deputy CM Singh Deo.

Echoing the sentiment, Mohanty of MGM Group said, “This publication is a significant step toward reviving and protecting Odisha’s bell metal craft. We hope it inspires people to value these traditions rather than replace them with mass-produced alternatives.” He also emphasized that old bell metal utensils, instead of being exchanged for aluminum, should be preserved as valuable heirlooms.

The publication is the outcome of intensive fieldwork carried out under the Odisha Craft Odyssey (OCO) Fellowship Programme 2024-25. Researchers and fellows spent five months documenting the living traditions of ‘Kansa’ across 18 villages in Odisha.

Available in both English and Odia, the book not only showcases the struggles and skills of master craftsmen but also underlines the importance of passing these traditions to younger generations. Experts at the launch expressed optimism that it would inspire policy support and greater public interest in sustaining Odisha’s bell metal heritage.