Zishta Brass Fry Pan (with Tin Coating)

Description

This craft from thatheras near Amritsar has been included in the UNSECO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Cooking in Brass has been part of our culture since time immemorial.
Brass is known to preserve the anti-oxidants of food cooked in them. Brass also helps in preserving more than 90% of nutrition of food cooked in them.
Note: Tin coating wears off with use, re-coating has to be done once the metal finish is visible.

Partition of India, the metal workers‟ community of Kujranwala, primarily Hindus and Sikhs, crossed the border and settled in Jandiala Guru, while the Muslim craftsmen migrated to Pakistan.
The metals are melted, poured in Iron moulds and the nuggets are rolled into flat plates. The thatheras skilfully hammer the plates into different shapes. The seams are joined by hammering.
Heating the plates while hammering and curving them into different shapes requires careful temperature control, which is achieved by using tiny wood-fired stoves (aided by hand-held bellows) buried in the earth.
The finished vessel is polished with sand and then tamarind juice.
The final hammered finish is given to the utensil. They create small bowls, rimmed plates, to larger pots for water and milk, huge cooking vessels and other artefacts.