Explanation:

The earliest use of copper in Uttarakhand can be traced back to the 16th century when the Chandravanshi clan of Rajasthan came to the Champawat region of the Himalayas – the area which is presently known as Uttarakhand. The coppersmiths of Rajasthan were a part of the royal retinue who were brought to this new region to mint the coins for the royal treasury. A number of these coppersmiths slowly migrated to other regions of Uttarakhand such as Almora and Bageshwar where they continued their craft. With the passage of time, the Chandravanshi Kings were ousted and the Gorkhas assumed power. Around 1816, the British imposed a ban on mining copper in the hilly states which is why the tamta craftsmen resorted to using the scrap copper by melting them and moulding them to create regular household articles.

The craft of copperwares is prominent in three districts of the state- Pithoragarh, Bageshwar and Almora where the local craftsmen still produce a variety of beautiful copper artefacts. Tamtas is the name given to the copper craftsmen in the Kumaon region. In the old city of Almora one can still see vestiges of the Tamta Mohalla which used to be and still is the dwelling place of the coppersmiths. Even today some of the most gifted coppersmiths of Almora work in the famous Tamta Mohalla.