‘India is a paradise of handicrafts for art lovers‘
India is famous for its diverse language, culture, and art around the world. Indian handicrafts have been recognized worldwide because of their beautiful traditional, regional designs and heritage craftwork, with a colorful history of 5000 years. The handicrafts industry in India endorses regional art and craftsmanship in domestic and global markets, which incorporate around 7 million artisans, including females and 70,000 exporting houses.
From Punjabi embroidery to Lucknow’s chicken Kari, Kashmiri pashmina to Gujarati embroidery, Rajasthani inlay marble work to Assam’s pottery, and Madhubani paintings from Bihar identified each art form for its ethnicity. At the same time, Tamil Nadu and Delhi were acknowledged for their handmade jewelry and hand-crafted artwork. The Indian history of arts and handicrafts is versatile, irrepressible, and very ancient.
Here are the most famous forms of handicrafts that will charm any fan of good-quality crafts are as follows:
1–Marble Inlay Handicrafts
This art form comes from Italy (famous as PIETRA DURA), made for emperors in the resplendent Mughal courts in India. This process involves carefully cutting and engraving marble shapes by hand. It is created by a preset floral, or geometrical design pattern engrave on the marble slab. After that, semi-precious stone or small colored marble pieces are cut finely to fit precisely and slithery into these grooves. Marble inlay handicraft items like tabletops, pots, different kinds of home decor items are usually famous in Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur. Apart from marble, inlay works are also done on metal and wood or other materials.
2–Wooden Work
The northern states of India have a rich tradition of woodwork from centuries that is an important segment of the country’s old handicraft culture.
- Punjab has been acclaimed for its ornate floral pattern astounding wooden furniture.
- The unique Kashmiri artifact made from walnut trees is famous too.
- Chhattisgarh is known for its historic wooden crafts like doors, window frames, and sculptures.
- Jharkhand is notable for wooden toys.
- The woodcraft of Goa is an aesthetic blend of Portuguese and Indian cultures.
- Different types of cutlery, dainty boxes, and paper knives in various designs used to make in Andra Pradesh
- Madurai has magnificent rosewood carvings.
- Karnataka and Kerala are famously etched with beautiful designs of elephants, goddess images, flowers, creepers, birds, and animals on rosewood and sandalwood to make utility and decorative items.
3–Leather Handicraft
India is distinguished worldwide for its leather products. Madhya Pradesh is famous for its red-painted leathercraft, embroidered showpieces, and decorative statues .‘Shantiniketan Embossed Leathercraft is renowned for traditional design craftwork. The most famous of all these leathercrafts are the footwear like Mojiris, Nagra, Kohlapuri Chappal, Tilli Jutti, which come from different parts of the country – Maharastra, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Kanpur, Punjab, Haryana, Tamil Nadu.
4–Clay & Pottery
Clay & Pottery is the most primitive widespread form of decorative arts. It is the first handmade, fabricated material ever created by humans, which prevails in India since the Indus Valley Civilisation. The traditional potter is called “Kumhaars.” Besides Terracotta, North India is known for different kinds of pottery designs, ranging from colors like redware in Himachal Pradesh, grey ware and blackware in Uttar Pradesh.
The famous Painted pottery of Bikaner and Blue pottery of Jaipur(Rajasthan), Pokhran’s geometrical patterns pottery, and Kagzi pottery of Alwar also have mentionable impressions.
Assam’s Dhubri village has terracotta handicrafts that imprint figurines of ancient religious symbols on artifacts, toys, dolls, pots, vases, etc. Baragarh in Odisha, Khurda, Keonjhar, and Koraput districts have attracted widespread admiration for the creation of terracotta ware.
Besides, Krishnanagar in West Bengal has a multitude of forms, shapes, and sizes Lucknow, and Pune even prepares clay crafts. Clay lamps, earthen vessels, flower pots, decorative items, and Animal figurines of bulls, elephants, horses, and other products are molded in strong, natural forms. The look of the product is usually kept natural and painted over with vibrant artificial colors.
5–Textile Handicraft
The industry of Textile Handicrafts in India represents the cultural value and luxuriance of the Indian legacy and tradition. India’s textile handcrafts industry has observed notable growth mainly in urban and rural areas over the last few years, which provides employment opportunities to many people, primarily the weaker sections of society.
The artwork from the Textile handicrafts industry in India explicitly signifies the heritage of every state, such as-.
- Batik from Ujjain, MP
- Dabu from Rajasthan
- Patan Patola from Gujarat
- Banarasi Silk from Banaras
- Bagh Prints from Bagh, MP
- Indigo from Akola and Bagru
- Kalamkari from Machlipatnam
- Kesh Fabric from West Bengal
- Kanchipuram from Tamil Nadu
- Lucknowi Chikan from Lucknow, UP
- Chanderi Fabrics from Chanderi, MP
- Mysore Silk from Mysore, Karnataka
- Kantha from Rajasthan & West Bengal
- Bagh Prints from Bagh, Madhya Pradesh
- Ikat from Pochampally, Baghalpur & Sambalpur
India is the center of the Textile handicraft industry, which has grown as one of the primary profit producers in the last few years and plays a significant role in the economic development of India. The various schemes started by the Indian government to further boost the Textile Handicrafts industry in India are:
- Gandhi Shilp Bazaar Scheme
- Export Promotion Scheme
- Technical and Design Up-gradation Scheme
- Credit Guarantee Scheme
- Support & Marketing Services Scheme
- Baba Sahab Ambedkar Hastshilp Yojna
6– Jute Handicraft
India is a significant center of handicrafts, and people worldwide visit the jute handicrafts exhibitions to buy magnificent work of craftsmen. Jute craftsmen hold a worldwide position in the field of jute handicrafts. The major leading jute handicraft producer in India are West Bengal, Assam, and Bihar, Orissa.
It is cheap, eco-friendly, 100% natural, and biodegradable, which keeps the environment safe & clean.
The broad range of jute crafts items includes handbags, office stationeries, bangles, pots, rugs, carpets, footwear, wine bottle bags, carry bags, baskets, footwear, wall-hangings, coasters, lampshades, decorative items and showpieces, and much more. These artifacts are available in vibrant colors giving many appealing choices to customers to decore their homes, offices, restaurants, and hotels.
7– Pashmina shawls
Pashmina shawls are luxury handmade shawls made from very fine cashmere wool from Changthangi goat. It is transported from Srinagar (Kashmir) to all over the world. It is very soft and warm and has beautiful vibrant colors and elegant embroidery on it.
Authorized Handicraft Shops by Indian Government:
- Dilli Haat in Delhi
- Kala Madhyam in Bangalore
- MESH in Hyderabad and Delhi
- Khazana in Taj Group of Hotels
- Ekamra Haat in Bhubaneshwar
- Rajasthali in Jaipur
So next time, whenever you visit any city of India, buy their local artistic products, which will surely make your home and life even more decorative and colorful.
Each region of India provides unique handicrafts that fascinate the world. The tradition of craft has evolved through generations by innovation and invention that gives each craft a contemporary look and protects the Indian heritage and culture.
Edited by Prakriti Arora
