Rajasthan Art and Handicraft

 

THEWA  ART

  • The art of setting gold on glass is known as Thewa Art. Thewa is a rare and distinct skill of Rajasthani Rajsonia of Pratapgarh. Necklace sets,pillboxes,photoframes,pendent,earings are main products.

 

SANDAL WOOD CARVING

  • Based on ivory crafts shifted to sandalwood items. Beautiful carved work and wonderful finishing makesd this craft worldwide popular. Gods,Ambabadi,Elephant,Chess pieces and Jewellary items are main product. This craft is practiced in Jaipur and Churu.

 

TIE & DYE

  • Bandhani is the local name for the Tie & Dye process. It is a resics technique. Parts of fabric remain un-dyed because they are covered by “Tied Threads” and knots before dying. Cotton,Silk,Chiffon,Sarees,dress materials and bed covers are made at Jaipur,Churu,Jodhpur and Sikar. Tradition based items are worn on the particular occasions and a particular group of ladies and by no other one. Gents turbans are made in different designs and colours.

 

 

 

TEXTILES HAND BLOCK PRINTING

  • Various techniques of printing and dying are used in the textiles of Rajasthan. Eco-friendly dye stuffs and chemicals are used. The printings are named on the basis of their practicing towns.
  1. a) Dabu Textiles Hand Block Printing – Dabu is the local name for the racist print process,mud,racist paste is applied by hand,using wooden blocks to seal the fabric from the effect of further treatment. This type of printing is done in Bagru,Baotra and Akola mainly.
  2. b) Bagru – Fabous for its alizarinered,ironblack,oval,beigethecharacteristics of this type of painting. Very often the ground is dyed in indigo blue,green and black.
  3. c) Azrak Print – Traditonally the products were by Sindhi muslims as loongies and headgears, in the indigo blue and aligrine red colours are used.
  4. d) Sanganer – Exclusive and fine printing is in subdued colours were patronized by royalty. It has a large export market tioday. Screen printing fast taking over. However,Sanganer prints for royal use had a distinctive fineness. Motifs are based on flowers, which were not necessarily native.

 

TOYS & DOLLS

  • The Rajasthani toys &dolls,puppets are more popular. They are printed in colours to add to their attractiveness and charm for the children. There attractive dresses make them more charmful. Material in making these items are stuffed cotton,wood and paper machie. Jaipur and Jodhpur are main production centers.

 

LAC BANGLES & DECORATIVE ITEMS

  • Lac items are mainly based on tradition like Bangles in different designs, other decorative articles are images of God &Goddesses,KKings& Queens and different kind of birds and animals. These are decorated with glass beeds. Main production center is Jaipur.

 

 

KOFTKARI

  • Koftkari is a craft of silver wire inlay in a iron plate,swordhandle,shields. This craft is now a lesser known one and practiced by a very few craftsman at Jaipur and Ajmer.

 

MOTHER OF PEARLS

  • Pieces of sea shells are stucked together around wood to form a mosaic like outer layer. This art is also been done on bone and brass items. The craft is practiced in Jodhpur.

 

CAMEL HIDE

  • The art of pure gold and stone colours, on camel leather,vessels is known as camel hide. This craft is practiced at Jodhpur and Bikaner.

 

EMBROIDERY

  • Little shiny mirrors and embroidering beautiful skirts,jackets,Wall hangings and cushion covers etc. traditional Rajasthani motifs and heart warmingcolours are blended well in these master pieces. Jaisalmer,Barmer and Jodhpur are the main production centers.

 

IRON CRAFT

  • Practiced in Jaisalmer&Tillonia by way of twisting iron wires and cutting the sheets. Main products are animal figures and decorative kitchenware stands and corners. Good potential for exports.

 

 

WOOD CARVING

  • This craft is practiced in Jaisalmer,Barmer,Jodhpur and Jaipur. Finest quality of carving is made on furniture, windows,partitions,beds and sofas. The seasoned wood is used, so these products are quite sturdy and long lasting. Painting on wooden furniture is done at Krishangarh and Ajmer.

 

LACQUARE WARE

  • The richly painted lacquered furniture of Rajasthan is an instant crowd puller. The vibrant colours,the shiny gloss and the basic rounded forms of lacquered designing/setting.

 

JEWELLARY

Rajasthan has a rich culture of kundan (Precious Stone with Emeralds), gold and silver jewellery. Both men &women worn jewellery. Gem cutting,polishing and setting in Jaipur are renowned the worl wide. The art of Meenakari (Enameling) dates back to early 17th Century. Meenakari is often combined with Gems cutting jewellery. hewa art of Pratapgarh is well guarded secret of Rajasthani families. Thewa art of Pratapgarh is well guarded secret of Rajasthani families.

It consists of delicate gold leaf work embedded into glass or enamel framed with silver or gold. Silver has always been a popular metal for Jewellery – also in Rajasthan where it is very often combined with village rituals and faith.

TERRACOTA

Look for decorative clay work at the main centers. The terracotta images and voitives of Molela near Udaipur,are made for the tribal and villages. January is its peak season. Beautiful terracotta horses for religious offerings, 2.5 ft. in heaght are made in Jallore,Ahora districts. Terracotta toys of BU(Nagaur District) and Merta are popular articles in local fairs. Pottery is made all over Rajasthan. Centers – Alwar,Bharatpur,Jaipur,Bikaner,Dausa& Kota etc.

 

LEATHER

Leather products are rich in design and display,highskill,majris or jutties(Leather Shoes) for local needs and some embroidered with silk threads, applique or bead work. Camel hide increasingly popular because it is soft and flexible,embroidered hand bags,coinpurses,belt and pouches, seats and back rest of chairs. Bikaner is known for its beautiful gesso work on camel hide,lampshades,traditional flasks and perfume bottles are painted in bright colours and gold,using a special technique. Membrophonic instruments – Dholak,Tabla etc. are made by the Dabgar community using camel hide. Look for them in almost every major towns. Centers – Jaipur,Ajmer,Bharatpur,SikarSawaimadhopur etc.

 

PAPER MACIE

The combination of aesthetic with frugality and utility is no where more evident than in simple village life. Decorative shelves and containers of paper mache is highly evolved craft in West Rajasthan. Made out of waste paper and clay, the big containers or kothis are light and lasting, decorated with pieces of glass paint and relief work. Today paper machine is a commercial craft – marriages,decorations,pops and back drops for Jhankis (Festive Occasions) are made at Jaipur,Bharatpur and Ajmer,Palai (District Tonk) has a unit for making furniture out of PapierMachie.

 

BLUE ART POTTERY

The Persian art of glazed blue pottery found its way to Jaipur via the Moghul courts. Later the art was revived with the help of Master Craftsman Kripal Singh Shekhawat,who continues to add and design and colours to it. Jaipur,SanganermMahalan and Neota are known for blue pottery. Specially notable are the painted tiles,vases,bowls,soap dishes and door knobs.

 

METAL CRAFT

Damascening, Lac colouring,Enameling, Engraving, Inlay, punching and casting – all techniques are known and practiced in Rajasthan, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur are the main centers for metal craft.

Swords and shields, essential for rituals, Jaipur, Udaipur and Sirohi are the main centers to damascening in which gold or silver wire is hammered into grooves chiseled out on an iton or steel surface. Koftakari, a lesser work, where silver or gold is simply stuck on the ground. Metal field is a craft at Jaipur, Ajmer and Pushkar.

Jaipur is known for its engraved, laqered or enameled brassware for decorative purposes. Jodhpur is a very big centre for metal craft today mainly for handicrafted iron. Also known for its aluminium shields and trophies.

 

STONE/MARBLE WORK

Rocks of various hues have provided raw material not only for Rajasthan’s unique architecture but also for the Taj Mehal, Agra and RashtrapatiBhawan at Delhi. The art of Jail or trellis work converts stones into lace. Pillers, Jali work and stone carving for buildings is a living craft in Rajasthan and craftsmen are specially commissioned for work outside. This is also an export item in Jaisalmer. Known for marble idons in many temples in North India, Khazane-Walon-ka-rasta in Jaipur is the centre for this flourishing craft.

Carved marble bowls, vases, plates decorated with meenakari are emerging trend in the market Jaisalmer, Nagaur, Sirohi, Udaipur, Nathdwara etc.

 

Rajasthani Costumes and jewellery

Costumes of Rajasthan can basically be classified as Paridhan,which is a lower garment and achhadan which is an upper garment.Pag as an headgear is a symbol of noble and still practiced as an integral part of rajasthani culture.

Various Traditional Dresses are:-

  1. Potia
  2. Dhoti
  3. Bandha
  4. Angrakhi
  5. Bugatari
  6. Pachewara
  7. Khol
  8. Dabla
  9. Lahariya
  10. Chera
  11. Chundari
  12. Ekdali
  13. Tikunti
  14. Chaubandi
  15. Satbandhi
  16. Dhamak
  17. Jalidar
  18. Beldar

Various orinaments and jewellery are:-

  • Earings:-Kundan,Patti,Surliya
  • Necklace:-Kanthi,Muttar mala,Bara,Hasli,Pachlari,Timania,Jalaro
  • Armlet:- Bajuband, Takya,Butta
  • Finger:-Mudrika,Binti,Hathpan and Damna
  • Forehead:-Borla,Fini, tika,Mangtika,Sankali
  • Nose: Laung,nath,Vesar
  • Wriest: Nagri, Gajra, Dasthana,Bangandi,Gokharu,Tagardi
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