Handicraft generally refers to the activities by which craftsmen prepare different creative things on their own. It does not involve machining processes. Dive into the exciting realm of Indian Handicraft through this article.
Most of the Indian states have their own handicraft culture. In fact, Craftsmen of India do not only consider it as a source of their livelihood. For many of them, it is the inherited art that they get from their ancestors.
I have listed here five of the most famous handicrafts of India from different states. After reading this article, you will surely have a much wider knowledge about Indian handicrafts.
Types of Indian Handicraft
Glass Arts
Glass arts refers to the art of making different objects from glass using hands or hand- tools. Thses crafts are one of the most famous handicrafts of India.
We get signs of glass crafts also from the great Hindu epic, Mahabharata. Mughals were also fond of glass art. Sheesh Mahal is also one of the best examples of Mughal period glassware art.
At present, Hyderabad city of Southern India is also popular for glass art. Glass bangles are an integral part of Indian traditional ornaments. Glass beads of India are also famous throughout the world.
Benaras of Uttar Pradesh is especially popular for its glass beads. India is a popular location for tourists for its handmade glass chandeliers, glass sculptures, and glass painting. Firozabad city of Uttar Pradesh is popular for the glass bangles industry.
Pottery
Pottery in the Indian subcontinent was popular throughout the world. The Indus valley civilization also witnessed the great art of ancient pottery.
The terracotta figures and pottery of the Indus valley were unique and even India has a rich culture in pottery.
For instance, All of the “Deeya” of different shapes and designs at the Diwali festival is the best example of Indian pottery. Different states of India are popular for their distinct culture of pottery.
Some of the best examples of Indian pottery are Karnataka’s Bridiware, West Bengal’s terracotta pottery, Uttar Pradesh Black clay pottery, and Gujarat’s khavda pottery. The blue pottery of Jaipur has also got a GI tag for its uniqueness.
Kangra pottery of Himachal Pradesh is also popular for its wonderful pottery. Also some of the cities of India are particular locations where every year thousands of visitors visit to enjoy its pottery.
For instance ,Khurja in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh is popular for its pottery. Indian pottery has different varieties due to difference in its decoration and type of sand.
Textile Handicrafts
The textile handicraft industry of India is growing rapidly. It has witnessed an exponential growth in production since independence. The main locations of the textile handicrafts industry in India are villages and towns. In addition, it is the source of the livelihood for many villages of India.
The various examples of Indian textile handicraft industry in India are cashmere shawl, pashmina shawl, banarasi silk saris, paithani sarees, and gara saris. India is also a major producer of silk. Majority of the silk is produced in West Bengal and Bihar.
The Maheswari sarees of MP are popular throughout the world. These sarees have a unique design and are wearable from both of the sides. In Manipur of India , women generally wear ‘Fanek'( a traditional shawl ).
It is decorated with dark colours. The chickenkari design of Uttar Pradesh and Phulkari design of Punjab are also popular for their unique craftwork.
Leather Handicraft
In the ancient time , the foreskins of tiger and deer were first choice for making leather objects. However, at present time , foreskin of camel is preferred to make these objects.
There are also clues that in Mughal period , there was the tradition of Leather crafting . However, the biodegradable nature of leather makes it difficult to trace it. Also, the biggest market of leather in India, is in Rajasthan . At present time, leather objects like shoes, bags and purse are highly demanding in markets.
Jaipur and Jodhpur cities of Rajasthan have a unit identity of Leather industry. In addition, Kanpur of UP is also famous location for it. Also, Maharashtra is popular for its special “Kolhapuri Chappals”.
Most of the craftsman of leather industry are from rural areas.
Wooden Handicraft
According to the total area, India has a large forest reservoir. And it also gave an advantage to its skilled wooden craftsman.
Furniture is one of the most essential things , made by by wood. Kashmir is one of the most famous wood crafting location of India.
The skilled craftsman of Kashmir are expert in making houseboats and wooden houses. Gujarat is also a major center of wooden crafting. The states with easy reach to forests have more potential in wood crafting artwork.
Nirmal Painting of Telangana, Khatamaband woodcraft of Jammu and Kashmir, Mobile shrine of Punjab and Sankheda Furniture of Gujarat are some of the popular examples of Indian wooden- crafting.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/axiGtO48_KE?feature=oembedWooden carving for beginners!
Stone Cutting
From the ancient times, the stone arts in India were more popular in comparison to the others. There was the demand of skilled men and expertise artists to make great architectures and sculptures.
The best artworks of stone- crafting can be seen in southern-India. The best examples of stone arts are the caves of Ajanta and Ellora.
So after analysing all the major types of Handicrafts in india, you can conclude that different regions of India have their own unique identity of handicraft.
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