In pictures: Lost Wax

Metal casting using wax and clay is an art (and technology) that has been practiced and perfected over 5,000 years. At first, artisans buy candle wax in bulk and make statues out of them. Then they cover the wax statue in clay. Later, the wax is melted at high temperature, creating a hollow, which is then filled with metal. In Dhamrai of Manikganj, artists around this time of the year devote their time to making idols for Durga Puja