Bastar Naav Wrought Iron Tribal Boat

The rivers that thread through Bastar, Chhattisgarh have always been central to tribal life, the boat a recurring motif in the region's visual language long before it appeared in its iron craft. Lohshilp artisans from the Lohar community hammer this naav (boat) from raw iron rods heated over fire, the form emerging one blow at a time. What you hold is both object and abbreviated story.

Bastar's Lohshilp tradition began with utility, tools for farming, implements for hunting, and evolved over generations into an artisanal form language entirely its own. This iron boat comes from that lineage. Forged by hand from raw iron rods, it carries the visible marks of its making: slight variations in line, a surface that reads as textured rather than smooth, mass that surprises you when you pick it up.

Set it on a shelf or a low table where it can be seen at close range. It rewards looking. The iron will take on a richer, darker tone over time, the way all honest materials do when they live in a house long enough.

Lohshilp Wrought Iron Craft · Handcrafted & Hand-Hammered · Bastar, Chhattisgarh · Iron

Care Instructions

• Dust with a dry, soft cloth.
• Do not immerse in water.
• Polish brass figurines occasionally with a brass-cleaning cloth.
• Iron figurines: apply a light coat of mineral oil to prevent rust.