Craft

Indian craft and Jewellary

Craft began with man's attempt to make tools to make his life easier. It went on to an attempt to improve on the natural resources available to him. As basic needs were met,craft became an expression of creativity,a record of the times and a celebration of faith Art that reflects daily life, implements created out of natural substances available in plenty,artifacts fashioned out of bio-degradable materials be he ever so simple,the most humble rural Indian artisan embodies the new sensibility.One that lives in harmony with its surroundings, and creates no unnecessary toxic wastes

Metal Crafts

Silver filigree work – A network of thin silver wires of varying thickness is fashioned into o rnamental chariots,cutlery,tableware and jewellery.Orissa is famous for its silver filigree work.

Bidriware – In which silver inlay work is done against dark metal backgrounds.Andhra Pradesh is known for its bidriware

Dokra Casting – In which bell metal, an alloy of copper and tin with the soft tint of dull gold, is cast into a variety of shapes, especially those of animals and gods. The tribes of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Orissa, all in central India , produce exquisite dokra work

Brassware - embellished with fine hand-engraving is used to make a variety of religious vessels and lamps. Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh,is a big center for brassware and electroplated white metalLacquering and Colourful Enamelling done on brassware,In Rajasthan, produces beautiful bowls,plates, boxes and frames

Copperware – decorated with calligraphy and floral designs,is used for water storage and drinking vessels,esp ecially in Himachal Pradesh,Uttaranchal and Kerala

Bronzeware - from South India ,is used for statues(Shiva's tandava dance is,perhaps,the most reco gnizable)and mirrors
Gold Plating – of the domes and inner spaces of holy places,like the Golden Temple in Amritsar

StoneWork

vessels,furniture, spiritual icons,buildings,sculptures.Indian craftsmen don't just sculpt stone figures but also carve great masses of rock.As with metalcraft,stoneworkers hold a relatively higher position in the hierarchy of artisans because of the permanence of the material they work with.Stone carvings are seen at their best in a host of 11 th to 14 th century temples:Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh, 11 th century),Konarak(Orissa, 13 th century),Mt Abu(Rajasthan,12 th century).

Stonework can be seen in

Red sandstone heritage monuments of Delhi and Agra
Divine images in the sanctum sanctorum of temples
Ornate doorways, bas reliefs and icons of temples
Lattice screens of marble in the temples and palaces of Gujarat and Rajasthan
Elaborately carved balconies made of pale pink sandstone in Jaipur
Grinding stones made of granite
Chapatti rolling boards and spice bowls made of marble
Granite stone utensils for storage and cooking in Tamil Nadu
Agate-like Gorara soapstone of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar , used for religious deities, decorative lamps, candle stands and animal forms

Pottery

Organic,malleable,cool–is there any more tactile resource for the hands of a creative person than Mother Earth?Take any ancient civilization and it would have left its mark in the form of shards of clay and earthernware artifacts.India is no exception,and this oldest and simplest of crafts has developed here too.For mille nnia, almost every state in India has had clusters of potter communities to provide the vessels,religious images, toys and roof tiles the people need.Pottery (clay moulded on a potter's wheel) and terracotta (clay moulded freehand) are found in almost every state of India which has red clay.Look out for

Terracotta images created in Vishnupur in West Bengal
Terracotta horses, spiritually significant to varying degrees,made in Bankura( West Bengal )Dharbanga(Bihar)and Gorakhpur(Uttar Pradesh)
Terracotta tiles (there are temples made of them at Azamgarh and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh)
Lustrous black pottery of Azamgarh,used to make cups and saucers,waterpots,flower pots,jars
Khurja Pottery of Rajasthan,a comparatively crude blue pottery that developed during the Mughal Sultanate
Terracotta horses,elephants and toys

Jhajaris,surahis and ghadas – all waterpots which keep drinking water pleasantly cool

Woodwork

India 's hugely varied climate and topography allow an enormous variety of trees to bloom,and these have inspired craftsmen working with myriad media to give expression to their creativity. The many elegant shapes and forms of trees have inspired weavers, stone carvers,handblock printers and painters,and are often the subject of wall panels, carpets and textile prints. Tribals, who live in the forests, believe that trees are the abode of friendly spirits and guardians. Each region has crafting skills that make use of whatever local wood is available: walnut, teak, pine, rosewood, sandalwood, ebony, willow,mango and more.Decorative timberwork is widespread.The carpenter is considered to be fairly senior in the hierarchy of artisans

Simple kitchen implements –rolling pins,ladles,serving bowls
Furniture – settees,swings,beds, desks,chairs,chests
Toys – rattles, spinning tops,educational toys,animals
Carved blocks for hand printing textiles
Bangles
Wooden balconies
Carved Doors,columns,beams,pillars,brackets,screens
Photoframes

Painting

In India,art does not wait for a canvas.Rock faces,caves,the wall or floor,a palm even,or even a palm … all function as a canvas for expression.Vibrant dyes extracted from natural sources (flow ers, leaves, berries, wood, even soot) are used for colours, and implements include thin sticks stripped from long grasses and brushes made of bird's feathers, squirrel hair and bamboo. Folk art,in particular,is an unabashed paean to color,inevitably linked to the forgotten art of story telling.Folk art traditions include

Kalamkari (literally “pen work”) from Andhra Pradesh – Painting with a pen made from a bamboo sliver wound at one end with wool and dyed with a natural black ink made from jaggery,rust ed iron filings and water.Subjects include the epics,trees, fruits,flowers,birds

Warli from Maharashtra – Paintings of triangular white figures with stick-like hands and legs, engaged in carrying grain, dancing, traveling to market, or tending to domestic chores. Done in white rice paste on the cowdung and mud plastered walls of huts, their new

Patachitra from West Bengal and (especially) Orissa – Etchings done in strips on palm-leaf, paper or silk, depicting stories from poems or the epics (each strip is one incident). As the artists unroll the paintings, they sing, entertaining the villagers.

Mithila from Bihar – Painted on the walls of homes, they evolved out of the religious, social and natural themes that affected people. Mithila paintings now available on cloth scrolls or on thick paper

Thanjavoor glass painting – Which depicts mythological subjects in bright colors and remarkable gold leaf work

The temple and monastery paintings in Tamil Nadu and Andhra as well as the murals at the Padmanabhapuram Palace in Kerala reflect their regional skills. The Rathva tribals of Gujarat and the Bhilala tribals of Madhya Pradesh

Jewellery

Indians love jewellery, and we have an unbroken heritage of jewellery spanning at least 5000 years.Ancient seals,sculptures and mural paintings in temples reveal figures with a minimum of clothing but plenty of jewellery. An abundance of natural resources (precious metals, precious and semi-precious stones, ivory, pearls, sandalwood), royal patronage, and the need for liquid wealth have just fuelled the demand. Jewellery is worn as a talisman, a symbol and for adornment, and there's something for just about every part of the body. Jewellery is made not just for humans, but for the Gods and animals too. Traditionally, households have invested at least a portion of their savings in jewellery, and Indian artisans are skilled in making up exquisite gem-set pieces. Whether your tastes run to chunky silver or delicate filigree work, you are sure to something. The best thing about Indian jewellery? It is not only for the rich. Look out for ornaments made from shells, beads, glass, jute, bone, seeds wood, lac, terracotta,coral,gun metal,and more.

Nath ,nosering.Varies from a small diamond stud to large, heavy,studded pieces supported by an attached chain that is hooked into the hair or headgear. You can opt for a version that can be clipped on and does not require piercing
Payal , anklet . Are traditionally thin and delicate, and never made from gold, which, being considered sacred, is seldom worn below the hip.Look for the beaded versions made from crystals, semi-precious stones and seashells
Rudrakshamala , the Hindu Rosary, used as an aide to meditation.Ideally it has 50 beads which correspond to the number of characters in the Sanskrit alphabet
Baazubandh,ornaments for the upper arm. Consist of 1-3 parts,hinged together
Bichhiya,toering.S mall circular bands made of silver.Worn by married women,in pairs, on the second toe of each foot.

Mangalsutra , a necklace of tiny, black beads with a centrally attached gold pendant. Worn by married women only, it is not removed until the wearer becomes a widow.
Kanghi , decorative combs. Crafted from silver, wood and bamboo
Kurta buttons. Make a nice alternative to regular buttons and look as good on shirts and tunics as they do on kurtas A navratna ornament, crafted from 9 precious stones. Like an amulet, it is believed to be possessed of great defensive and therapeutic powers