Silver blocks or the waste silver strips of the required weight are melted in terracotta pots (for small quantity) and crucible (for big quantity) with charcoal and coal locally called as bhatti (melting). It is usually preferred to be done in the early morning to avoid the heat during the day especially in afternoon. Generally small quantity (30kgs) of silver is melted in terracotta pots. Casting frames are coated with groundnut oil to which the molten material is poured and allowed to set in the form of rods. Silver rods are immersed in water and placed in the rolling machine to form strips of silver and silver wire (thar) for design cutting process. Soot machines (locally called) are also used to make thin long rods and filed to square, round and rectangle shapes. As per the required designs the strips and wires are passed through the press tool machine to obtain the required design and pattern on silver.
The designs are joined by soldering as per the number of strings and beads of different shapes arranged in metal tray on a layer of wood ash. The parts of the silver jewellery are placed to each other with the help of a frame and holder (plucker) to keep the parts together which is locally referred to as the Chaadi process. Further, the two parts of the pattern of designs of the payal (string & beads) are joined by adding the flux (soldered material) in between by coating with the soldering material made by heating a gola (mixture) of borax, nav-sagar with water and copper sulphate. After all the parts are arranged, the material is heated through a flame torch (burner) at about 700 degree which is generally referred to as Jaali process.
During the Jalli process the material turns blacker and payals are rough polished in a drum contains soap nut solution, fiber balls and water for about half an hour to obtain a sliver finish. Only on the required parts of the ornament it is colored with enamels locally called as meena color which is usually brought from Agra. After each color is applied on the ornament it is dried absolutely in the bhatti (drying using electric bulbs) made by the artisan, then the next color is applied on it and dried. The silver products are further polished in the electroplating vibrator to give the final finish.
