ABSTRACT
The craft of copper and brass utensil-making practised by the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2014. This is the first time that a traditional craft form from India has been inscribed on the UNESCO list. It is anticipated to open the doors to recognising the cultural value of craft and its practitioners and highlighting their significance as “Living Heritage” of India. The significance of the Jandiala Thatheras lies not in their uniqueness; their value lies in the process of manufacture, drawing from a complex range of traditional knowledge systems practiced by the craftsman. The chapter explores the process of listing of the craft as a dialectical interaction with the practitioners, delineating the traditional practice within the transforming context of their historic past and the changing present, and explores possibilities for a sustainable future.
