During the past few centuries metal has become the predominate medium for producing religious sculpture in the Himalayas.

Metal is shaped primarily by way of hollow or lost-wax casting and embossing, also known as repoussé. Both these methods thrive in Nepal, where craftsmen have formed workshops that specialize in these techniques and cater to Hindu and Buddhist patrons. The choice of creating an image by casting versus embossing is often an economic one. Given that casting requires more metal, large images and architectural decorations are usually made by embossing.