Handmade, in small batches only. Our first collection, Dhaatu aur Diwali, arrives before Diwali. Join the waitlist
House of Himachal
Hand-hammered pital and kansa thalis, bowls and glasses laid on a white cloth with hibiscus and oleander
Shop ThaapDiscover Dhaatu aur Diwali
An engraved brass jug of oleander held against a pink sky

Thaap

 Handwoven shawls hung side by side

Taana

 A hand reaching into a basket of oranges

Taaza

Hammered, handpicked
and handed down

thaap: the strike of a hammer on metal. Every piece begins with one.

Hammered pital thaliHammered pital thali Kansa thaliKansa thali BaltoiBaltoi Engraved jugEngraved jug
Shop all pitalShop all kansa

What's the occasion?

For the Diwali puja
For a new home
For the wedding
For the family feast

Gifts are about the person

Tell us who it is for: a bride, a new home, a Diwali table, a team of forty. We will help you choose, engrave and pack a piece in pital or kansa that suits them.

Write to the gifting desk

Dhaatu aur Diwali

An engraved brass glass of pink oleander on a white cloth, photographed outdoors in daylight

Shown as it is

Every photo here is ours: shot in daylight, no studio, no retouching. We polish the metal, not the pictures.

“When I first shared these pieces on my stories, so many of you asked where to find them. Thaap is my answer.”

Neha, founder

From the journal

Stories about the metals, the makers and the table.

The three meanings of thaap

A hammer on metal, a hand on a drum, a handprint on a wall. Why we chose a word that holds all three.

Read the story

What is a baltoi?

The round-bellied brass pot every Himachali dham is cooked in, and why it has a seam around its belly.

Read the story

Pital or kansa?

Two metals that look alike on a shelf and behave differently at the table. How to tell them apart.

Read the story
Hand-hammeredMade by hand in Himachal
Shown as it isUnretouched photos
Shipping across IndiaPacked with care
Small batchesFew pieces, made well

Get on the list

Be the first to know when Dhaatu aur Diwali opens, and when Taana and Taaza follow.

Thaap

Pital and kansa, hand-hammered in the hills. Made for the everyday table, meant to be handed down.

An engraved brass jug of oleander held up against a pink evening sky

Dhaatu aur Diwali

Our first collection. Every piece is hammered, turned and finished by hand, so each one is slightly different.

Join the waitlist

Shop by category

Shot on a phone, in daylight, exactly as it is. We polish the metal, not the pictures.

Hammered pital thali

Hammered pital thali

Pital

Price at launch
Kansa thali

Kansa thali

Kansa

Price at launch
Hammered katori

Hammered katori

Pital

Price at launch
Small baltoi

Small baltoi

Pital

Price at launch
Engraved glasses, pair

Engraved glasses, pair

Pital

Price at launch
Tall engraved glass

Tall engraved glass

Pital

Price at launch
Baltoi

Baltoi

Pital

Price at launch
Baltoi set of three

Baltoi set of three

Pital

Price at launch
Engraved jug

Engraved jug

Pital

Price at launch
Candle stand

Candle stand

Pital

Price at launch

Two golds

Everything we make is one of two metals.

A hammered pital thali

Pital

Brass: copper and zinc

Warm and yellow. Traditionally for cooking and serving, with cooking vessels lined in kalai.

A polished kansa thali

Kansa

Bell metal: copper and tin

Softer and rose-toned. Traditionally for eating and drinking. Tap it and it rings like a temple bell.

Rings of hammer marks inside a bowl

From sheet to vessel

  1. 1

    A flat sheet

    Every piece starts as a plain sheet of pital or kansa, cut to size in the workshop.

  2. 2

    Heat and hammer

    The metal is heated and beaten over an anvil, strike after strike, until it curves into shape.

  3. 3

    Turn and finish

    It is turned, joined and polished by hand. The hammer marks stay, so no two pieces are the same.

Care and questions

How do I clean pital?

Wash with mild soap and dry straight away. When it dulls, rub with lemon and salt or tamarind, rinse and dry. It will shine again.

How do I care for kansa?

Wash by hand with a soft cloth and dry at once. Avoid the dishwasher and harsh scrubbers. A little ash or tamarind brings back the glow.

Can I cook sour food in pital?

Only in vessels lined with kalai (tin). We will mark which pieces are kalai-lined and when the lining may need renewing.

Why does each piece look slightly different?

Every piece is hammered by hand. The marks, the tone and the size vary a little from piece to piece. That is how you know a person made it.

Why do your photos look so simple?

Because we would rather you see the real piece than a perfect picture. We photograph everything ourselves, in daylight, without edits, so the thali that arrives at your door looks exactly like the one you chose.

When does Dhaatu aur Diwali open?

Before Diwali. Join the waitlist and we will write to you before the collection opens.

Be first to Thaap

Leave your details and we will write to you before Dhaatu aur Diwali opens.

Taana

taana, noun: the warp, the long threads that hold every cloth together. Handwoven shawls and woollens from the valleys of Himachal. Coming soon.

Five handwoven shawls in red, teal, rust, ivory and peach hung side by sideComing soon

What we are gathering

  • Kullu shawlsGeometric borders woven on handlooms in the Kullu valley.
  • Kinnauri shawlsDense, intricate patterns from Kinnaur.
  • PattuThick handwoven wool for the coldest months.
  • Knitted woollensSocks, gloves and caps, knitted by hand.

Hear when Taana opens

Tell us you are interested and we will write when the first pieces are ready.

Taaza

taaza, adjective: fresh; just made, just picked. Pickles, masalas and produce from Himachali kitchens, made in small batches. Coming soon.

A hand reaching into a woven basket of orangesComing soon

What we are gathering

  • PicklesLingdi, chukh and seasonal pickles from home kitchens.
  • Dham masalasSpice blends for cooking a Himachali dham at home.
  • Seasonal fruitApples, apricots and more, only in season.
  • Hill produceRajmah, red rice, walnuts and honey.

Hear when Taaza opens

Tell us you are interested and we will write when the first batches are ready.

About us

House of Himachal is a home for what the hills make: the metal, the cloth and the kitchen.

Neha walking by a lake in the hills

A note from the founder

When I first shared these pieces on my stories, so many of you asked where to find them. Thaap is my answer: pital and kansa made by hand in the hills, for the homes we are building now.

Neha, founder · @storieswithneha

What we hold to

Made by hand

We work with makers who shape each piece themselves. The marks of the hand stay on every piece.

From the hills

We choose at the source: the workshop, the loom and the kitchen. What you buy comes from Himachal.

Made to last

Pital and kansa outlive trends. We make things to be used every day and handed down.

Shown as it is

No studio, no filters, no retouching. We polish the metal, not the pictures, so what you see is exactly what arrives.

A brass and kansa table set on a white cloth by a lake

One house, three doors

Thaap is the first. Taana and Taaza will follow, each chosen with the same care and from the same hills.

Explore Thaap

Journal

Stories about the metals, the makers and the table.

The three meanings of thaap

A hammer on metal, a hand on a drum, a handprint on a wall. Why we chose a word that holds all three.

Read the story

What is a baltoi?

The round-bellied brass pot every Himachali dham is cooked in, and why it has a seam around its belly.

Read the story

Pital or kansa?

Two metals that look alike on a shelf and behave differently at the table. How to tell them apart.

Read the story
Back to the journal

The three meanings of thaap

In Hindi and the Pahari languages of the hills, thaap is a sound before it is a word.

It is the strike of a hammer on metal, the sound that fills a metalworker's workshop from morning to evening. It is the beat of a hand on a dholak at a wedding. And it is the haldi handprint pressed on a wall when a new home is blessed.

We chose a name that holds all three: the craft, the celebration and the blessing. Every piece we make begins with the first, and we hope it finds its way to the other two in your home.

Join the waitlist
Back to the journal

What is a baltoi?

If you have eaten at a Himachali dham, you have tasted food from a baltoi, even if you never saw one.

It is a round-bellied brass pot with a narrow neck and a flared mouth, big enough to cook rajmah or madra for a whole village. The botis, the traditional dham cooks, tend them over wood fires through the day.

Look closely and you will see a line around its belly. A baltoi is made in two halves, hammered separately and joined by hand. That seam is the maker's signature.

Join the waitlist
Back to the journal

Pital or kansa?

They look alike on a shelf. They are not the same.

Pital, or brass, is copper and zinc: warm and yellow, traditionally used to cook and serve. Cooking vessels are lined with kalai, a thin coat of tin, for sour food.

Kansa, or bell metal, is copper and tin: softer and rose-toned, traditionally used to eat and drink from. The easiest test is to tap it. Kansa rings longer and clearer, like a temple bell, because bells are made from the same family of metal.

Join the waitlist

Shipping

We ship across India. Every piece is packed by hand, wrapped to protect the metal, and sent with tracking.

Dispatch

In-stock pieces leave us within [NUMBER] working days of your order. Custom and engraved pieces take [NUMBER] working days to make before dispatch.

Delivery

Most orders arrive within [NUMBER] to [NUMBER] working days of dispatch, depending on your pin code. You will receive a tracking link by email or WhatsApp.

Shipping charges

[Free shipping on orders above ₹NUMBER / A flat fee of ₹NUMBER per order.] Charges are shown at checkout before you pay.

Cash on delivery

[Available / Not available] for orders up to ₹[NUMBER].

Returns and refunds

Every piece is hand-hammered, so small variations in shape, tone and hammer marks are part of the craft, not a defect.

Damaged in transit

If a piece arrives damaged, write to us within [NUMBER] days of delivery with photos of the piece and the packaging. We will replace it or refund you in full.

Returns

Unused pieces in their original packaging can be returned within [NUMBER] days of delivery. Custom and engraved pieces cannot be returned unless they arrive damaged.

Refunds

Approved refunds are made to your original payment method within [NUMBER] working days of us receiving the return. Cash-on-delivery orders are refunded by bank transfer.

Cancellations

You can cancel an order before it is dispatched for a full refund. Custom pieces cannot be cancelled once work has begun.

Privacy

We collect only what we need to take and deliver your order: your name, contact details, delivery address and order history.

How we use it

To process and ship your order, to reply to you, and, if you agree, to tell you about new collections. We never sell your information.

Payments

Payments are processed securely by our payment partner. We do not see or store your card or bank details.

Your choices

You can ask us to update or delete your information, or unsubscribe from our messages, at any time by writing to houseofhimachal@gmail.com.

Terms of use

These terms apply to purchases from House of Himachal, run by [LEGAL BUSINESS NAME], [REGISTERED ADDRESS].

Products

Our pieces are handmade. Sizes, weights and finishes may vary slightly from the photos and descriptions.

Prices

All prices are in Indian rupees and include applicable taxes unless stated otherwise. We may change prices at any time, but not after you have placed an order.

Orders

An order is confirmed when payment is received, or for cash on delivery, when we confirm it with you. We may cancel an order if a piece is unavailable, and will refund you in full.

Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of India. Any disputes fall under the courts of [CITY].

Contact us

We would love to hear from you, whether it is about an order, a gift or a custom piece.

Email

houseofhimachal@gmail.com

Phone and WhatsApp

[PHONE NUMBER], [DAYS AND HOURS]

Instagram

@thaapbyhoh and @thehouseofhimachal

Registered address

[LEGAL BUSINESS NAME]
[REGISTERED ADDRESS]

Join the waitlist

Tell us what you are interested in and how to reach you. We will write before each collection opens.