India has a great tradition in arts and crafts like its culture and heritage. Wide range of Indian crafts reflects the richness of Indian ethnic art and culture which can be meaningfully understood only through a comprehensive study of the social, cultural and religious contexts of Indian arts and handicrafts. One of the oldest civilizations in the world, India has same heritage in its handicrafts which resemble the diversity of Indian culture. The references of Indian crafts can be found in many epics and mytholo
gical works many centuries back (Indus Valley Civilization – 3000 BC to 1700 BC).The Indian craft tradition emerged in the early days of Indian culture 5000 years back. In the beginning, it whirled around religious value, day to day needs of common man and royalty. The incalculable artistic and ethnic assortment has enabled a fusion of motifs, techniques and crafts to increase on this land. Each state of India has its own tradition and legacy of handicrafts. From pottery, metal craft, woodcraft, stone works, gems and jewelry, textiles, leatherwork to mesmerizing paintings and awe- inspiring sculptures and statues - India has perfected almost all the arts and handicrafts known to humanity. Browse through the kaleidoscopic colors of Indian craft and feel the spirit of India in its handicrafts and collectible treasures. The following are the major crafts produced in India and popular not only in India but also all over the world.
WOOD CRAFT
Wood carving is an ancient craft practiced in India long before stone sculpture, which itself dates back to ancient times. It is the artistic practice of shaping and decorating wooden objects. India is famous for wooden handicrafts. Wood has been crafted to form various utilitarian and decorative handicrafts items
The most common varieties used to make Indian handicrafts are rosewood, teak, sal, oak, mango, ebony and mahogany sandalwood, sheesham and walnut. These are used in producing fine pieces of furniture and decorative items.
There has been a complete revival of the traditional and antique wood craft, owning to its uniqueness. Indian artisans are experimenting with designs to create a blend of traditional and modern woodcraft.
COCONUT CRAFT
Wide range of decorative and utility crafts made in coconut shell and wood. These include Bowls, vases, candle holders, teapots, wine cups, finger bowls, ice-cream cups, saucers, pen and pencil stands, hukkas, lampshades, fruit dishes, table lamps, finger bowls, roses, and more.
CARPET WEAVING
Carpets used for floor covering is famous for their aesthetically perfect designs and colours. Each region developed a distinct style of carpet weaving. In the hilly and mountainous regions of India, from Ladakh through Darjeeling and Sikkim to Manipur, carpets are made of pure wool in glowing colours.
IVORY CRAFT
Ivory engraving and carving is a medium of artistic expression from time immemorial. Ivory ranked among the topmost products sought from India by kings and courtiers of foreign countries in ancient times.
BATIK CLOTHES
Batik is one of the textured art form from India famous for attractive contrast colour schemes. The charm of batik lies in each piece being individualistic and a fresh creation. It is an art wherein parts of cloth are covered with wax to make it dye resistant, and the other areas are dyed, to create colored and uncolored areas on the same piece.
CHINDI DHURRIES
Chindi Dhurries of beautiful patterns available in both traditional and modern types.The durries were woven on the horizontal devices, placed on the floor. The width of the device could be changed as per the size of durrie.
DHOKRA
Dhokra art is one of the earliest known methods of non-ferrous metal casting known to human civilization.This art style is speciality of semi tribal communities of central India located in Madhya Pradesh,West Bengal,Orissa
COMB CRAFT
The art of comb-making and hairdressing is said to have existed at least 4,000 years ago. The designs on combs are same as jali designs of stone.
BRASSWARE
Indian brassware is popular all over the world. Sheets of brass are transformed into marvelous objects of art. Metal engraving is an ancient craft, which finds reference in the vedas.
BELL METAL
Bell metal is a hard alloy used for making bells. Bell metals are used to produce variety of items both for utility and aesthetic purposes. Indian Bell metal work is distinguished by ornate and sophisticated designs, finesse and finish.
PHULKARI
Phulkari is an art of decorating shawls, dupatas with embroidered floral motifs. It is all about use of darn stitch on the wrong side of coarse cotton cloth with colored silken thread.
IKAT FABRICS
Ikat ,known as tie and dye textile design, where forms are deliberately feathered so that their edges appear hazy and fragile. This effect is achieved by the use of very fine count yarn, tied and dyed in very small sets
PATOLA WEAVING
Patolas are one of the most beautiful products of the Indian handloom and among the most colourful of ancient Indian Textiles. There is a variety of designs of leaf and flower and geometrical patterns .
SHOLAPITHA CRAFT
Sholapitha craft which is unique to Bengal involves making figurines of deities, mythological characters and also toys from shola, a plant which gives this light spongy material.
COTTON FABRICS
Cotton fabrics, the pearl of Indian weaving, is one of the important weaving material and popular because of the soft twist imparted by the hand, maintains the hairiness of the yarn to an extent, which gives maximum comfort.The fabrics like Maheswari, Jamdani, Gharchola,Sambalpuri, Venkatagiri ,Paithani, Tanda sarees produced from cotton are famous for their intricate designs.
EMBROIDERY
Embroidery is the art of decorating fabric or other materials with designs stitched in strands of thread or yarn using a needle. Embroidery designs are classified according to its use of the underlying foundation fabric. Most popular embroidery designs are Bead Embroidery, Chikan Embroidery, Crochet Embroidery, Kantha Embroidery, Kasuti Embroidery etc.
GLASS CRAFT
Glass as a strong and non-reactive material is used extensively by people. The duality in its nature gives it a kind of impressive charm; it could be opaque or transparent, clear or colored and strong but delicate. Decorative designs on the glass products are created just by the fusion of variety of glasses. Articles produced from gass beads include necklaces, earrings, rings, belts, bands of necklaces, head bands, mostly of white, red and black colour, worn by women.
STONE CRAFT
Stone craft is a major handicraft of Indian people. Exquisite figures on stone are carved in relief with details engraved in fine lines. The art of stone carving in India had reached dizzy heights of excellence perfected through centuries of disciplined efforts of artisans.It is evident from the numerous temples and monuments scattered all over India.
SHAWL
Shawl an extremely simple item of clothing,are worn for added warmth.It is famous for cotton and staple fibre.Indian Shawls particularly of Nagas and woolen shawls of Kashmir, Uttaranchal and other Northern states are popular for their designs and warmth.
APPLIQUE
Applique is a decorative work in whiten piece of cloth which is sewn or fixed one to another. It is a technique by which the decorative effect is obtained by superposing patches of coloured fabrics on a plain basic fabric.The applique is mostly applied in Orissa, Rajasthan, Punjab, in India giving rise to some of the most beautiful Indian fabric art, exhaust bed spreads, lampshades, wall hangings and many more.
LAC CRAFT
Lac , a kind of resin, is used most profusely widely for turning out attractive ornaments, toys, combs , jewellery, etc. Lacquer craft is the application of lacquer on wood in pleasing shades to create a distinctive appeal. This craft produced a large variety of decorative as well as utility items.
HORN AND BONE CRAFT
Horn and Bone crafts of Orissa are mystical and awe-inspiring, richly textured and finely fashioned. The articles are superb for their lively appearance; dynamism and animation vie with the real objects of nature. These items are available in widest spectrum of items like combs, pen stands, cigar pipes, decorative figures. Paralakhemundi and Cuttack are famous for horn and bone craft items.
BIDRI
Bidri craft is an unique kind of art form originated from Bidar in Karnataka.The basic material of bidri ware is an alloy of zinc and a small proportion of other non-ferrous metals.The designs are usually taken from the historical fort at Bidar and the frescoes in the Ajanta caves.
BAMBOO AND CANE CRAFT
The making of bamboo and cane products is perhaps the most universal of all the crafts.It is practiced as a household industry in many states.Common house hold materials like sieve, beer mug, winnowing pan, waterpot, small baskets and hats with colourful design and motif are made out of Bamboo.
LEATHER CRAFT
The art of leathercraft is one that has been handed down through countless generations of humans.The importance of leather is still seen today in the sheer number of everyday items like footwear, bags, purses, shoes and shoe, garments etc that are still made from this durable and fashionable material.The state of Uttar Pradesh is an important source for finished leather and leather products.
MEENAKARI
The art of decorating metal with enameling is known as Meenakari. Silver and Gold is used as a base for meenakari..
SITALPATI
Sitalpati are cool mats popular for aesthetic in design.Sitalpati mats are crafted from the marantra dichotoma or mutra reed.The usual motifs used in the mats are creepers, trees, animals, birds, geometrical designs and stylish human forms.
PAPER CRAFT
The tradition of the paper craft in India is fairly old.The paper with its various varieties and wide range of colours offers a very colourful choice to the craftsmen. The combination of various kinds of papers in different forms and styles make paper craft one of the best crafts of India.
PAPIER MACHE
This Unique craft developed during the Mughul Period is famous for their beauty in designs and excellence. Papier-mâché articles are made of waste paper applied in layers and pressed together on wooden modules. The products include animals and birds particularly cocks, parrots and pigeons papier - mache folk products especially bowl are pleasing.
SIKKI GRASS CRAFT
The Sikki grass is attractive for its tall and lush and with a lovely golden shade. Sikki grass dyed in red, blue, black and gold is imaginatively wrought into a variety of articles such as baskets and boxes, human figures, replicas of gods and goddesses, toys, animals, birds and models of chariots and temples.
SHELL CRAFT
Shells are the most colorful and fascinating objects known to man other than Gems since time immemorial. The ornaments made out of shells are favourite with people from all stratas of Society.
MASKS
Masks depict the alternative self of man and help in projections of cultural, religious and spiritual thinking. Masks, connected with rituals , are used to project the celestial beings and Demons in dramas.
HAND BLOCK PRINTING
Hand-block printing is an inseparable part of cultural heritage of Rajasthan. The process of hand block printing is very intricate and interesting.
HIMROO
The fascinating fabric from Maharashtra, is an extra-weft, figured fabric with a solid ground of satin or twill.It is decorated with figurative motifs and manufactured ordinarily from cotton and viscose rayon yarn on a cotton ground.
TILLA JUTTIS
Tilla Juttis is sewn out of locally cured leather and then ornamented with silk, metal embroidery, beads and designs done in appliqué with thin leather pieces of different colours. The designs are extremely delicate and the colours used are vivid ones.
SCREW PINE
crew pine weaving of mats is one of the oldest crafts practised by women in Kerala. The leaves for this mat are taken from the sword-shaped thorny screw-pine plant. The Mats were once the favourite of sailors who used to employ them as sails for ships.
SANGANERI PRINTS
The Sanganeri block prints usually consist of floral motif. Basic colors are scarlet, black and brown. But now, with increasing technology and use of synthetic dyes, unusual combinations of scarlet and pink, purple and orange, turquoise and green are gaining market demand.
BANDHANI
The term "bandhani" derives its name from the Hindi word Bandhan which means tying up. Bandhani work involves tying and dyeing of pieces of cotton or silk cloth. The main colours used in Bandhani are yellow, red, green and black.
PATACHITRA
The folk painting of Orissa exhibit the use of strong lines and brilliant colors on religious themes. The Patachitra paintings have a basic resemblance to the old murals of Kalinga region dating back to 5th century.
STRAW CRAFT
Fascinating styles of greeting cards and wall plaques are creating by a dedicated team of craftsmen using natural rice straw as the medium of craft.
