Since his early twenties, Tamrakar, who lives in Ikhalakhutole, Lalitpur, has been diligently overseeing the business started by his grandfather Hari Krishna and continued by his father Purna Krishna.
The family´s history is so deeply rooted in copper works, 60-year-old Tamrakar can hardly imagine himself or his family doing anything else. And this belongingness with the profession comes from caste itself, with Tamra meaning copper, and akar meaning shape.
“I find the profession interesting, and am attached to it as it is my family business too,” says Tamrakar, who is helped by his wife Nabina.
The Tamrakars, who mostly live in Ikhalakhutole, Haugal and Chakrabahal areas in central Patan, are traditional coppersmiths, though many from the community have taken up other professions these days. But not the descendants of Hari Krishna.
Tamrakala, where 35 people are employed, caters mainly to the Newari community which cannot do without traditional metal equipment such as the Kotah, Kala, Li Bhu, and Panas during marriage ceremonies. But the shop also sells the Kharkulo needed by the Brahmins and the Chhetris during their marriage ceremonies.
Among the shop´s highest-selling items is the copper bowl. The item goes like hotcakes due to popular belief that drinking water after keeping it in copper for 12 hours is good for health. The belief that metal is good for arthritis patients has also helped the business flourish.
The Tamrakars recently introduced handicraft, further diversifying their collection, of which the singing bowl is the best-selling item, particularly to foreigners. Tamrakar claims his family was the first to make the metal singing bowl some 20 years ago. “Foreigners mostly buy the singing bowl along with statues of Buddha and Lokeshwar,” he says.
The Tamrakars used to buy old metal objects as raw material. But these days, they import metal from Singapore to enable them to produce items in the shapes and sizes they desire.
Tamrakar´s elder brother Kalyan Krishna has also followed the family profession, but is more into musical instruments than kitchenware. Kalyan sells musical instruments from his shop in Lagankhel.
Whether a fourth generation of Tamrakars will continue with the profession remains to be seen. Tamrakar has two children, Urja, 8, who is studying in United School and a newborn. Though Tamrakar would be glad if his children continued with the profession, they are too young to commit to anything yet.
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