JOIN USHyderabad has not shaken off the legacy of the Nizam era and for tourists with an eye for souvenirs, things may turn out to be delightfully different. Charminar is a must-visit destination for tourists in Hyderabad, and it is unlikely for visitors to miss out on the opportunity of shopping for spectacular black metal works at Laad Bazaar in the old city.
The art of black metal crafting began before the Nizam era, and it was around 60 years ago that the art tranformed into a full-fledged industry. Black metal items are crafted by casting aluminium sheet, which is made smooth, then polished and eventually coated with copper, with the help of electrolysis. On an average, an artisan casts around 30 kg of aluminium sheets per day, and it takes a week to complete the entire process of casting, filing, welding, electroplating with copper and polishing that adds lustre to the works. The process is not only cumbersome, but also labour-intensive.
For art buffs, black metal works offer an entire gamut of knick-knacks and decorative items including Hindu deities. One can find attractive and shining black metal works of Lord Ganesha, Lord Krishna and Radha, Goddess Saraswati, Lakshmi, Sun God and Hanuman. There are prominent showpieces like flower vases, animal figures and a cop with a lantern that are of considerable interest to buyers. However, Lord Ganesha rules the popularity quotient for art lovers, who can find nearly 600 varieties of idols in the collection.
Black metal works are sold at both retail and wholesale outlets in the Charminar area. Central Cottage Industries, government emporiums and Lepakshi outlets across the country also display black metal artefacts. The prices of exotic black metal stuff will not put off potential buyers. It starts from Rs 60, and depending upon the size and intricacy of the work, it goes up to Rs 10,000.