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Indian Handicrafts

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When travelling to a new place, shopping for souvenirs and handicrafts is very important. After all, we want to take a little piece of the place back home , so that we are reminded of our wonderful travel experience .India’s home accessories and handicrafts are really world class. The cultural and ethnic diversity of this country has produced the most stunning handicraft pieces . Handicrafts in wood, marble, brass, bronze and papiermache are some wonderfully crafted pieces that you are likely to find only in India. The brass and bronze sculptures and prayer items are typically found in South India. Inlaid marble and wood tables are found in Rajasthan. Painted wooden chairs & colourful bird hangings are popular in Gujarat. Many of the handicrafts are symbolically associated with local deities such as Lord Ganesha. You will also find the pride of Indian fauna such as peacocks, elephants, tigers and horses finding their way into handicraft item deisgns. Bamboo and coir products are sturdy and make a great addition to any home. Quilts from Jaipur and carpets from Kashmir add a royal look to any room. A true souvenir like a Madhubani painting or a terracotta mukhas( MASKS) would make your India travel experience memorable. Take a look at the exhaustive list of handicrafts available in India.

APPLIQUE WORK Applique’, which is a French term, is a technique by which the decorative effect is obtained by superposing patches of coloured fabrics on a base fabric, the edges of the patches being sewn in some form . It is distinct from what is known as patch work in which small pieces of cut fabrics are usually joined side by side to make a large piece of fabric .

BAGRU PRINTS Bagru prints are done on off-white, ivory white or beige background. The main colors used in Bagru printing are black, red and maroon. Apart from these base colors, natural vegetable dyes are used to add colorful patterns and designs.

BAMBOO CRAFT Bamboo that is abundantly produced in the State of Madhya Pradesh is used to produce a wide range of products like fishing traps, hunting tools and baskets and lamps.

BHADOHI WOVEN BASKETRY Bhadohi baskets are made with sarpat grass that grows wild near water bodies in Uttar Predesh. These baskets can be used for storing household items.

BLUE POTTERY Blue Pottery making is widely recognized as a traditional craft of Jaipur . The name comes from the eye-catching blue(Indigo) dye used to colour the pottery. The raw materials like quartz powder, MultaniMitti (fuller’s earth ),scrap glass, borax ,gum and water are used to make the dough for Blue Pottery. No clay is used. Some of this pottery is semi-transparent and mostly decorated with animal and bird motifs.

BRASS HANDICRAFT Brass is an alloy made of copper and zinc. Brass has a bright gold-like appearance and is used to make items for decorative purposes.

BRONZE HANDICRAFT On the other hand ,bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin ,although it could contain a variety of alloys of copper as well. Bronze has a dull finish .Bronze statues are famous in Tamil Nadu . Swamimalai, a little town just 8 kms from Thanjavur,(Tanjore) has a heritage of bronze making dating back to the Chola period. Bronze statues are made by the lost wax method. When the mould is empty, the hot liquid metal is poured into it through a funnel, so that the bronze fills up the figure inside the mould.

CAMEL BONE ART The work involves hand crafting the bone of the camel into desired shapes with fine instruments and then drawing and painting on them with great care and perfection. Lockets, bracelets, necklaces, key chains and other decorative items are all made from camel bone and are carved by hand.

COIR PRODUCTS They are used to create eco friendly items like coir mattresses, floor furnishings, mats and other colorful articles. Coir is a natural fibre extracted from the husk of coconut. Technically, coir is the fibrous material found between the hard, internal shell and the outer coat of a coconut.Coir product manufacturing is an important part of the cottage industry in Kerala. Calicut and Kollam are two places that produce coir products.

DURRIES Durries are the flat woven rugs that are used as carpets on the floor . Durries are very widely used for sitting on the floor during religious or political gatherings. They come in numerous designs and patterns. Designs of flora and fauna are commonly used. These durries are weaved on ‘adda’, an elementary loom. Though chemical colors are used at present, in earlier times, natural colors extracted from henna, walnut bark and turmeric were used.They are made in Rajasthan, Punjab and several other Indian States.

DHOKRA ART DHOKRA art work which is a traditional craft of Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and parts of West Bngal , is basically metal made up of an alloy of brass, nickel and zinc ,upon which the processes of hollow-casting and lost wax are carried out .

METAL WORK Metal work is another traditional craft of Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and parts of West Bengal. The metal is worked upon with the conventional techniques of heating, hammering, twisting, and cooling. The entire process is completed by one person, who is the artist, designer and blacksmith, all rolled into one.

JAIPURI QUILTS Jaipuri quilts or Razai are characterized by their incredible feather-weight lightness, softness and warmth. These colourful ,fluffy, hand-made Indian quilts are a specialty of Jaipur.

JUTE CRAFT Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. Production is concentrated mostly in the Indian States of Assam, Bihar, West Bengal and Bangladesh. The jute fiber comes from the stem and ribbon (outer skin) of the jute plant .Items like lampshades, bags and floor mats are common jute products.

KASHMIRI CARPETS Kashmir carpets are handmade, hand-knotted, and are primarily made in pure wool, pure silk and occasionally wool and silk blends. They are available in wide-ranging colors, designs and sizes. Akin to the famed Persian (Iranian origin) carpets, the Kashmiri carpets and rugs are considered to be investments for life.Kashmiri rugs are primarily made in Srinagar , the capital ,although a significant part of the production also comes from rural Kashmir.

KASHMIRI EMBROIDERY The embroidery of Kashmir, called kasida, is world-famous. Eaborate in detail and execution, the kasida patterns are freely drawn by the naqqash (artist) mostly from memory. The finest kasida work, particularly the ones embroidered on shawls or saris, has no ‘wrong’ side. This embroidery can be seen on bags, screens and cushion covers.

KOLHAPURI CHAPPALS Kolhapuri Chappals, or Kolhapuris as they are commonly referred to , are a style of open-toed, T-strap sandal which originated from Kolhapur, a southern district in the state of Maharashtra. They are hand-crafted in leather which is locally tanned using vegetable dyes. Besides introducing colours in the classic Kolhapuris, designers have started including intricate embroidery and sequins work on them as well.

KOLHAPUR RURAL PAINTINGS The Warli tribe is known for the sacred pictographs that they paint on the walls of their huts during wedding rituals. Rice paste and straw is smeared on the walls as base and motifs inspired from their life, nature, epics, legends, local incidents and tales are painted on it with a brush made of twigs.

KUTCH EMBROIDERY Kutch work embroidery (also known as Kachchhi embroidery) is the embroidery style from the Kutch and Saurashtra regions of Gujarat. It is characterised by the use of vibrant color threads, mirrors and beads in intricate sews. It is usually done on cotton or silk fabric.

LACQUER WARE Lacquer is a natural plastic. Ernakulam, in Kerala produces some of the best Lacquer Ware.

MARBLE Rajasthan is also known for marble work. Makrana, in Rajasthan ,is famous for its white marble . The Taj Mahal was built from Makrana marble. It is used to make several products like statues of elephants and deities as well as boxes and trays. Once the design is drawn on the marble, gold leaf is pasted on it with adhesive. The surface is then painted with enamel colour that enhances the visual appeal of the product.

MADHUBANI PAINTINGS Madhubani painting is done with fingers, twigs, brushes, nib-pens, and matchsticks, using natural dyes and pigments, and is characterized by eye-catching geometrical patterns. These paintings do not have an empty space in between.

METAL ETCHING Taking inspiration from the carvings of Khajuraho’s ancient temples, craftsmen draw images directly on the metal vessels. Abstract floral motifs, gods and goddesses, animal figures and the famous erotic sculptures of the temples are brought down from the three dimensional statues and reliefs in the stone temples to beautiful illustrations on the metal.

MIRROR INLAY Pietra dura , called parchin kari in South Asia, is a term for the inlay technique of using cut and fitted, highly polished colored stones to create images. It is considered a decorative art. Many different colored stones, semiprecious and even precious stones are used with marble . The Taj Mahal is the finest example of marble inlay work The craftsmen first make a real scale fair draft of the design on paper and stick it on a wooden plank. Then, by use of diamond cutting tools, the colorful pieces are cut to acquire the required shapes.

MIRROR WORK Mirror -work is a type of embroidery work which comprises attaching small pieces of mirrors to a fabric. This embroidery is done on duppatas, suits and handicrafts.

MUKHA( Mask) Bordhuvan village in the Nangaon district of Assam is the birthplace of the craft of mask making, popularly known as ‘Mukha’. The traditional Assamese masks are made from a variety of materials, ranging from terracotta and bamboo to wood, pith and metals, all of which are freely available in the State .

MINIATURE PAINTINGS The miniature paintings were initially done on palm leaves and later the work was done on paper. The Rajasthani school of miniature painting started in the 16th century. The principal centres of this art were Udiapur, Jaipur, Jodhpur , Bikaner and Ajmer. Subjects of miniature paintings are Krishan Lila (sports of Krishna), Raga Raginis(Musical melodies), Nayika Bheda (different classes of heroines and Ritu Chitra(seasons).

PAPIER MACHE This unique craft involves the use of paper pulp for creating beautiful artifacts which are then painted by expert craftsmen. The traditional Kashmiri method of making papier mache starts with waste paper which is soaked in water for several days until it disintegrates. The excess water is drained, an adhesive is added and the papier-mache applied to a form or sculpted into shape. It is used to manufacture small painted boxes, trays and other items for decorative purposes.

PATTACHITRA Raghurajpur, a small village on the banks of the river Bhargabi near Puri, is a haven of Pattachitra, the cloth paintings of Orissa, and has attracted the attention of the world as a Heritage village. While the men folk and the boys work on the paintings, the women are busy preparing the canvas, boiling the gum or powdering the pigments in a mortar. These paintings are based on Hindu mythology .All colours used in the paintings are natural. Pattachitra are also the only paintings that replace the idols of Gods and are regarded with the same reverence.

PUPPETS Kathputli means a puppet which is made entirely from wood covered with cotton cloth and tied with a metal wire which acts as string. Katputhli is also the name of the town in Rajasthan where these puppets are made. Some scholars believe the Kathputli art tradition is more than a thousand years old. One finds its reference in Rajasthani folk tales, ballads and sometimes even in folk songs.

SANGANERI WORK Sanganeri is a hand-block printing technique originating from Sanganer in Rajasthan. Delicate patterns and lines with vibrant colored designs are the defining factor for this kind of printing technique.

SHEESHAM Sheesham is essentially a type of rosewood. It is sourced from the Dalbergia Sissoo species of trees which is more commonly known as Indian Rosewood. Sheesham or Shisham has become famous internationally as a premier timber species of rosewood. It is commonly used for making furniture, especially cabinets.

SILVER FILIGREE Twisted silver wire is the raw material for this work and the articles have a trellis-like appearance of jali (perforated stone or latticed screen ) which endows them with a rare charm. Thin strips of fine silver are twisted into zig-zag patterns and loops .The strips and fine silver are then deftly soldered. Leaves, flowers, trees, animals, and birds are prominent designs. Cuttack, in the eastern Indian State of Odisha, is well known for its traditional filigree work, which is known as tarakasi in the Oriya language .

SOAPSTONE Soapstone is typically gray, bluish, green or brown in color. It is largely composed of the mineral talc and is thus rich in magnesium. Because it is composed primarily of talc, it is usually very soft. Its name is derived from its “soapy” feel and softness. The Inuit and the Africans often used soapstone for traditional carvings. Some Native American tribes also used soapstone to make bowls and cooking slabs. In India soapstone is used for making coasters, boxes and sculpture with inlaid designs.

TANJORE PAINTINGS The Paintings of Tanjore(Thanjavur)in Tamil Nadu are world famous .A Tanjore painting is generally made on a canvas pasted over a plank of wood (Jackfruit or teak) with Arabic gum. The canvas is then evenly coated with a paste of French chalk (gopi) or powdered limestone .The artist then draws or traces a pattern using a stencil. Gold leaves and gems of varied hues are inlaid in selected areas like pillars, arches, thrones, dresses, of the pattern or sketch. Finally, colours are applied on the remaining areas to complete the painting.

TERRACOTTA Terracotta, ( Italian: “baked earth” )a type of earthenware, is a clay-based unglazed or glazed ceramic, where the fired body is porous.It is typically used to make vessels ,flower pots, bricks, as also terracotta army figurines. In addition ,artisans in India have traditionally made extensive use of terracotta for making creative figurines such as replicas of animals and human forms.

VEGETABLE DYE PRINTING Vegetable dye printing is a form of hand printing or block printing normally done on cotton or other eco-friendly fabric using only vegetable dyes or natural colours.

WALNUT WOOD CARVING Walnut woodcarving was introduced in Kashmir in the 15th century. Walnut wood has an inherit sheen which surfaces on its own when polished with wax or lacquer.

WOOD CARVING This ancient art of carving animals and birds, gods and mythical creatures on the doors, balconies, pillars and brackets of houses is one of the many crafts that Gujarat takes pride in. Today, many craftsmen still engage in the art of carving solid wood to create ornamented furniture.

The above content comprises both original material as well material sourced from a range of internet sites.