Rajasthani Handicrafts

Rajasthani Handicrafts

Sculpture Art in Rajasthan

• Sculpture Art in Rajasthan started from Maurya Period.
• Different areas in Rajasthan are famous for Different Color Stones. A state that has so many varieties of stones is bound to have progressive sculpture art.
• Different Stones:
  • Dungarpur – Green Black
  • Dhoplur – Red
  • Bharatpur – Pink
  • Makrana – White
  • Jodhpur – Badami/Brown/Buff
  • Rajsamand – White with tint of Black
  • Jalore – Granite
  • Kota – Slate
• Sangmarmar
  • Sculpture art of Sangmarmar Stone – Jaipur
  • Meenakari on Sangmarmar stone – Jaipur
  • Picchikari on Sangmarmar stone- Bhilwara
  • Sagmarmar mines – Makrana
• Stone Scuplture
  • Sompura Caste people of Dungarpur & Talwara(In Banswara)

Terracotta:

• Teracota essentially means baked earth.
• Molela near Nathdwara is especially famous for its Teracota toys.
• Harji Village in Jalore famous for Terracotta Horses
• Nagaur district – Banuravta Village

Blue Pottery:

• Origin – First developed by Mongol artisans who combined Chinese glazing technology with Persian decorative arts.
• With Turks & Mughals conquests came to India
• Rajasthan – Jaipur is famous.
• Started in Rajasthan – Raja Man Singh I reign
• Credit for development goes to – Sawai Ram Singh II (1835-80).
• However by 1950, Blue Pottery vanished. Post Independence, redeveloped through efforts of Kripal Singh Shekhawat.
• His efforts were recognized by GOI, received Padamshri (1974).

Ivory Works ( Haathi dant)

• Items include: Jewellery, Powder boxes, jewellery boxes, cufflinks, lamps, artistic decorations, idols of gods and goddess, brooches.
• Udaipur – most famous.
• Jodhpur – Black, green & Red strips bangles.

 

Meenakari:

• Jaipur is famous worldwide for Meenakari on Jewellary.
• Meenakari Art was imported from Lahore for first time under reign of Man Singh I (1589-1614)
• Nathdwara is also famous
• Raitwali area of Kota – Meenakari is done on glass
• Bikaner & Pratapgarh also has significant skills

Usta Art

• Golden Meenakari work on Camel leather is known as Usta Art.
• The art was developed by Padam Shri Hissayamuddin Usta from Bikaner.
• Camel hide training Center in Bikaner is an institution for Usta Art.

Lac Works

• Famous: Jaipur & Jodhpur
• Sawai madhopur, Laxmangarh (Sikar), Indragarh (Bundi) – Lac work on Wooden toys.
• Jaipur, Hindon, Karauli – Lac bangles.

Mat & Carpet Works:

• Jaipur and Tonk are famous
• Cotton & Wool are used for making fabric
• For better quality and strong mattress the thread & knots used for making fabric should be very fine(thin).
• Carpets are also manufactured in Jaipur & Bikaner jails.
• Salawas Village of Jodhpur is famous for carpets
• While carpet manufacturing is enthusiastically followed in Jodhpur, Nagaur, Tonk, Barmer, Bhilwara, Shahpura, Kekari & Malpura.

Textile:

• Gota Work:
  • Jaipur & Khandala (Sikar) are famous
• Zari Work
  • Jaipur
• Kota Doria
  • Kota Doria is a fabric with unique blend of cotton and silk in a square check pattern.
  • The checked pattern is termed as ‘khat’
  • The silk provides the shine while the cotton provides strength to the fabric.
  • Craft originated in Mysore and then shifted to Kaithun Village near Kota. Hence, the Saris came to be known as Kota-Mansuria.
• Jaipuri Quilt (Rajai)
  • Specialty: Very Low Weight but high Insulating (very warm).
• Applique Work:

  

  • In this art different pieces of cloth are fixed together.
  • The interesting colour, shape and pattern combinations against contrasting background catch the eye.
• Hand-block prints:
  • Bagru Print, Jaipur
    • This print is similar to Sanganeri print but while Sanganeri print has white field, Bagru prints have green fields.
    • Only Natural colors are used in Bagru Prints
  • Alijarin (Ajrak) Print, Barmer
    • Mostly red and blue colors are used for printing
• Tie and dye:
  • Bandani, Batik, Mothra, Ekdali, Shikari, Cheent.
  • Bandhej, Jaipur
    • Cloth is tied and then colored and when the knot is opened different designs appear on cloth.
  • Jhajam (Carpets)
    • Printed in Chittor are famous.
  • Lehriya – Jaipur
  • Chunri – Jodhpur
  • Dabu Print

    

    • Akola Village in Chittorgarh is famous for Dabu Prints
    • In Dabu, particular portion of cloth where color is not required, that portion is pressed with Loi or Lugadi. This same material lui or lugadi is called as Dabu as it is pressed on part of cloth where is not required.
    • Apart from skills, Akola also has suitable conditions including water, Soil, natural vegetation that favors printing
    • Dabu Prints from Akola include Bedsheets, Cloth, Chundari, and Fantiyan.
    • In different areas of Rajasthan, different materials are used as Dabu
      • Sawai madhopur – Wax is used as Dabu
      • Baltora – Soil/Mud is used as Dabu
      • Bagru & Sanganer – Bighan made from wheet is used as Dabu
  • Sanganeri Print – Sanganer
    
    • Done on Lattha or Malmal clothes.
    • Post printing, clothes are washed in river
    • Aminshah Nalla has been traditionally associated with this print and use of only Red and black color is seen.
    • Munna Lal Goyal made Sanganeri prints famous worldwide.

Badaley

• In Jodhpur, metal utensils used for drinking water have a layer of cloth or leather wrapped around them. These are called as Badaley.
• They are provided with beautiful designs & colors.

Thewa Art

• Thewa art is minute painting on glass using gold.
• Glass used is colored Belgium glass.
• Different colors are used to make it attractive
• The art is limited to Pratapgarh

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