Cuttack Silver Filigree Tarakasi Odisha Traditional Craft

Tarakasi, the silver filigree craft of Cuttack in Odisha, is one of India most delicate metal crafts — fine silver wire drawn to hair-like thinness is twisted, coiled, and soldered without any mould to create lace-like jewelry and decorative objects. The wire-drawing process begins with a solid silver rod that is pulled repeatedly through progressively smaller holes in a steel draw plate until it reaches 0.3 to 0.5 millimetre diameter. The filigree work is then assembled on a flat surface into open-work patterns of flowers, leaves, and geometric lace without any background sheet metal. Cuttack silversmiths have practiced tarakasi for over 500 years and the craft serves both the religious ornament market (silver votive offerings, temple jewelry) and the fashion export market. GI recognition protects Cuttack tarakasi as a product of this specific geographic and cultural tradition. Tarakasi artisans produce chariots, temples, and figurines in silver filigree as collector pieces alongside wearable jewelry. Export to museum gift stores in Europe and to Indian diaspora jewelry buyers. The Odisha State Handicrafts Museum hosts tarakasi masters for public demonstrations. Some cooperatives have introduced gold filigree using the same tarakasi technique for the luxury jewelry market.