The trends are changing nowadays and people are moving towards modernisation. Gone are the days when people used brass and copper vessels for cooking. Now steel and aluminium vessels are widely being used. But this does not deter Bharat Lal, Proprietor; Mahaveer & Brothers, who deal in all kinds of brass and copper utensils. The shop is situated on AS Char Street which is near B.V.K. Iyengar Road in the busy Majestic area. There are about 15 - 20 shops in this area which deal exclusively in copper and brass vessels.

According to him the number of customers are decreasing, as the plastic revolution and the aluminum have become a big boom and have been fast replacing all kinds of other accessories. People consider metal to be very heavy and think it to be out of fashion. Today's housewives consider it a problem cleaning them.

"Even though the business is declining we have to carry on as this is the only business we know," says Bharath Lal depressed.

His grandfather, Mr Bhimaji, started this business 65 years ago and then it passed on to two generations. The shop deals in both retail and wholesale and has varieties of brass and copperwares like the big pots, drums, boilers, temple articles, etc.

"Earlier the rates were high and the profits margin were good but now it is not so," says Bharath Lal.

His customers are usually from the middle class families in the city and from the rural places. The business is at its peak in the month of November and December, and also during the season of marriage when people visit this place for big drums and vessels used for cooking and pooja purposes. They do not rent out vessels for any occasion.

"Copper is more in demand when compared to brass as it is considered that food cooked in it is good for health and it is light," says Bharath Lal.

They get their stocks from Tiruppur, Chennai and Poona who are the main dealers for these kinds of metals.

The vessels are rated on their weight and the labour involved in making it. The drums and pots are priced between Rs 120 and Rs 180, the metal lamps range from Rs. 160 to Rs. 2000 and the boilers range from Rs 400 to 1200 depending upon its capacity.

They underake repair works and buffing for the metal vessels also.

Address:
Mahaveer & Brothers
#5, (old 139) Arcot Srinivasa Char Street
Bangalore - 560 053
Ph: 2877356

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