Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Punjab, Haryana,Delhi and Rajasthan, with Kashmir’s style ofkashidakari or hand embroidery beautifullyshowcased in the form of shawls, garments,bags and cushion covers.

Central covers Uttaranchal and Uttar Pradesh withgulabi meenakari jewellery(pink enameling) artof Varanasi, artificial jewellery and Chikankari aswell as bone carving crafts from Lucknow andAgra. Delhi NCR artisans have showcased handprinted textiles, embroidered and crochettedgoods as well as miscellaneous items.

Western region’s Gujarat, Maharashtra, MadhyaPradesh and Chattisgarh have jewellery in brass,glass beads, meenakari & kundan, alongsidepurses and belts, leather bags and wallets fromMadhya Pradesh; tone, copper, white oxide andGerman silver jewellery and Kalamkari handicraftsfrom Gujarat; and a selection in dhokra craftmanifestations from Chattisgarh.

North East region comprises artisans from Assam,Nagaland, Arunchal Pradesh, Manipur,Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim and Tripura. FromNagaland, there is typical Naga jewellery madeof stone, plastic, bones and beads with a rangecomprising necklaces, bracelets, belts andtraditional adornments like Tubi and Pokutu.

July 2015&12th11th

Organizer: Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts Venue: India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida Expressway

Special Supplement

I am happy tolearn that EPCHis organising theBuyer SellerMeet.

Handicraftartefacts areproduced by our

artisan spread all over the countryfrom Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Kutchto Cachar. The event will provide anopportunity for showcasing the richhandicraft items of our country. Thiswill help in promotion of handicraftand generation of employment on alarge scale in rural areas in generaland for women in particular andmake the development inclusive.

Sanjay Kumar PandaSecretary, Ministry of Textiles,Govt. of India

This is expected to see a gathering of exporters,artisans, NGOs, SHGs & Cooperative Societies.The product range showcased here comprisehandicrafts, gifts, fashion jewellery and fashionaccessories, decoratives, home textiles, imitationjewellery, bags, footwear, scarves stoles & shawls,pottery, bell metal products, mud mirror wallhangings, etc. Among participants are primaryproducers from clusters in Uttarakhand,Jharkhand, Bareilly, Bhuj, Lucknow and Srinagar.

With focus on regional craft pockets and clusters,this Connect Programme brings in primaryproducers, i.e. artisans and crafts persons fromsix regions of India - North comprising J&K,

Naga textile crafts represented are handloomproducts, wool cotton, shawls and cotton bags.Assam is represented by artisans specialising incane & bamboo jewellery, silver and goldjewellery. Eastern region with Bengal, Jharkhand,Orissa and Bihar has terracotta, clay, dhokra,metal, Victorian, jute, thread, fish scales, paddygrain, paper, coconut shell and wood jewellerybesides fancy ladies bags, scarves & stoles.

South India with Andhra Pradesh, Telengana,Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Pondicherry andGoa is represented by crafts persons adept atjewellery, terracotta craft, paper craft, textiles andembroidered Toda tribal shawls.

EPCH has taken an initiative to organize aConnect Programme to bring together primaryproducers and exporters at an exclusive BuyerSeller Meet. Being put together to facilitate directinteraction between the two groups, this is anequally potential opportunity for both sides toreach out and benefit. Secretary Textiles, Mr. S KPanda, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Govt. ofIndia, has kindly consented to inaugurate theprogramme in the presence of guest of honour,Mr. Samir K Biswas, Development Commissioner(Handicrafts) and representatives from StateCorporations, exporters, artisans and membersof the industry.

connect programme to give national & international

exposure to untapped products & producers

I am glad toknow thatkeeping in viewincreasing demandfor new andinnovativehandicraftsproducts in the

global market, this year specialemphasis is being laid on enhancing thecapabilities of primary producers toshowcase their wide variety of new andnovelty products.

Samir K BiswasDevelopment Commissioner (Handicrafts)Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India

This Connect Programme would also see

participation from over 25 State Corporations.

They are Central Cottage Industries Corporation

India Ltd.; Andhra Pradesh Handicrafts Dev.

Corpn. Ltd .; Assam Govt. Mkt. Ltd.; Bihar State

Small Ind. Corpn. Ltd.; Chhattisgarh Handicrafts

Development Board; Delhi State Ind. Dev. Corpn.

Ltd.; Gujarat State Handloom & Handicrafts

Development Corporation; Goa Handicrafts Rural

& Small Scale Industrial Dev. Corpn. Ltd.;

Himachal Pradesh HC & HL Dev. Corpn. Ltd.;

Handicrafts & Handloom Export Corpn. Ltd.;

J & K Handicrafts Dev. Corpn. Ltd.; Handicrafts

Dev. Corpn. Ltd of Kerala; Karnataka State

Handicrafts Dev. Corpn. Ltd.; M.P. Laghu Udyog

Nigam Ltd.; M.P. Hastashilp Vikas Nigam Ltd.;

Maharashtra Small Scale Ind. Dev. Corpn. Ltd.;

Manipur HC & HL Dev. Corpn,. Ltd.; Mizoram

HC & HL Dev. Corpn. Ltd.; North Eastern HC &

HL Dev. Corpn. Ltd.; Nagaland HC & HL Dev.

Corpn Ltd.; Orissa State Co-opt. HC Dev. Corpn.

Ltd.; Punjab Small Ind.& Export Corpn. Ltd.;

Rajasthan Small Ind. Corpn Ltd.; Tamil Nadu

Handicrafts Dev. Corpn. Ltd.; Tripura HC &HL

Dev. Corpn. Ltd.; U.P. Handicrafts Development

and Marketing Corporation Ltd.; Uttranchal

Handloom & Handicrafts Development Council;

Uttaranchal Bamboo and Fiber Development

Board; and West Bengal HC Dev. Corpn. Ltd.

EPCH and NCDPD, as part of the Ministry of Textiles’ Integrated Development and Promotion of Handicraftsfor the benefit of SC/ST artisans would work together in various craft pockets of Uttarakhand andJharkhand to identify potential crafts, train and nurture crafts persons and further help them in all areas,starting with design & skill development, raw material procurement, standardization & quality of finishedproducts, marketing strategy, export documentation and finally introduce them to a platform wherethey can sell to exporters who have a ready overseas market. These crafts persons would also be guidedand assisted to participate in international trade shows in India and overseas where they can also seekmarketing and selling propositions, directly with buyers.

Among Uttarakhand’s traditional crafts, Aipan is a Kumaoni folf art that expresses the sanctity of thecreative imagination of hilly tribes. The motifs of Aipan are used in shawls & stoles, home decor, tablemats, bags, etc. This state in North India boastsof Ringaal-a bamboo species of tropical variety that is used for making baskets, mats and home utility products. Adding a new look to traditionalcrafts made from jute and hemp, Rambaans crafts like bags, purses and decoratives from this state have developed a good market demand. Among

woolen crafts, making of carpets, shawls and stoles are practiced in many cities of the statelike Almora, Nainital, Chamoli, etc. Candle craft and exquisite woodwork(drift wood products,pine bark carving, etc.) here, is part of the cottage industry. Besides, Uttarakhand is home toover 40 kinds of natural fibres that are used to make a wide range of innovative products. Artforms like copper craft, block printing, wooden bead making, zari work, pottery and jewellerymaking are also practiced here.

Jharkhand, rich in its tribal heritage is known for its woodcraft, bamboo craft, terracotta,pottery, tribal ornaments, lac bangles, stone carving and painting arts - Pyatkar of Singhbhum,Jado-patia of Dumka and Sohrai & Kohbar painting of Hazaribagh. Jharkhand is also rich inartisans proficient in textile crafts like kantha stitching, zardozi, satin stitching, applique andtie & dye. Due to abundant availability of jute, products like bags, folders, bags and utilityitems are manufactured here. Other crafts include papier machie, leather craft, candles andorganic home products.

Rich Crafts from Uttarakhand and Jharkhandto be tuned for international markets

NER brings in Tribal Aesthetics,Eastern Region brings in Folk Artand Nature InspirationsAmong participants from the North easternRegion, Kevi Nakhro from the Western Angami

tribe in Nagaland is happy to be a part of thisplatform and looks forward to benefit from this.His stall exhibits shawls, scarves, traditionaljewellery such as brass bangles, Naga beadsbangles, neckwears, etc. What sets them apartare the striking colour combinations. Accessoriessuch as mobile phone pouches made oftraditional Naga handloom cloth are also ondisplay. This collection, the artisan says, is a resultof community effort as the entire villagecollectively works to prepare orders for marketsand buyers.

Aditi Chakraborty, a young designer from WestBengal, who took up designing for passion this

very January, shares, she is inspired by folktraditions from all over the country. Her collectionof terracotta jewellery has bright and colourfuldesigns borrowed from the Chitara tradition ofKarnataka to Orali from Gujarat to Dobra fromWest Bengal and Madhubani from Bihar. She alsodabbles in abstract designs designed especiallyfor teenagers, in the tradition of Indo Westernjewellery. Her raw material of natural paint andartificial clay is procured from Kolkata. She alsopaints some of her pieces on Ccnvas, imbibingthe best of the cultural traditions. This is the firstthat she is exhibiting her collection at such aplatform and is majorly excited at this opportunity.She is also keenly observing the work of othersaround her. Another designer from Kolkata,Chetali Roy, working mainly with bamboo andcane, is fond of transforming her raw materialto beautiful necklaces and earrings. Hercollection also includes select imitation jewellerysince she feels they are in demand. She is trying

This meet willgive utmostopportunity tothe exportingcommunity tosource directlyfrom theprimary

producers of different regions ofIndia and mega clusters of Bareilly,Lucknow, Bhuj and Jammu &Kashmir to ensure market linkages.I convey my good wishes to allparticipants of the Meet.

Dinesh KumarChairman, EPCH

EPCH isresponsible fordeveloping andpromotingexports ofvarious types ofhandcraftedproducts India.

In this connection, in order to createdirect market linkages betweenproducers & procurers, EPCH for thefirst time has initiated and conductinga special Buyers Seller Meet ofprimary producers with exporters.The objective is to ensure that properrepresentation from a mega clustersof Bareilly, Lucknow, Bhuj, Jammu &Kashmir and six regions of thecountry is available for sourcing.

Rakesh KumarExecutive Director, EPCHand Director, Mega Cluster Mission

to innovate while employing techniques that shelearnt from her father. She has a market base inBangalore and Mumbai, this being her first suchparticipation.

Exquisite Needlecraft from J&KAnmol Self Help Group, specialists in sozni andchain stitch Kashmiri kashidakari is representedby Aijaz Ahmed Sheikh. They are artisans fromBaramulla in Jammu & Kashmir and have broughtin Pashmina shawls, apparel and table cloths.

The shawls represent variety in needlework. Allthe products here are self-crafted right fromthread to fabric and the it takes around 5 monthsand sometimes 1 year for completion. Thethreads are also handmade by using looms. Theraw materials used i.e cotton comes from Ladakh.For them this program will play a significant roleto increase their business as up till now they havebeen only catering the local wholesalers anddealers and never had the platform to engagedirectly with retailers or exporters.

Bareilly and Agra bring in Zariand Jewellery

Aman Vaish from Aasman Development Society,Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, says, they deal inpractically all types of zari items like suits, sarees,dupttas, purses and caps. The raw material usedfor the product in line is Dana, Sartan (fabric),moti and Kasab. For making the products theworkers are brought from local villages andprovided requisite training. They are already

working with have buyers from Australia, USAand do not sell in the local market because oflack of demand.

Meenakshi from Agra in Uttar Pradesh has ondisplay, women’s jewellery like toe rings, earrings,necklaces, etc. She is quite surprised at the scopeof this platform and looks forward to learn a lotfrom her interactions with exporters and visitorshere.

Gujarat ushers in Festive CheerAhmedabad’s Chetan Kumar Soni’s family hasbeen immersed in the tradition of creatingjewellery such as necklaces, jhumkas,kamarbandhs and other embellishments designedespecially for festive occasions such as Dandiya,Marriages or Dance parties. His usescopper and brass as raw material forhis jewellery and his designs imbibethe festive opulence which is sorepresentative of Indian traditions andespecially the Dandiya costume. Hesays European buyers generally prefer

Artisans get multi dimensional exposure atthe Connect Platform. They interact and getenquiries from exporters, e-commerce andretailers as well as overseas buyers. They are alsousing this opportunity to interact withco-participants.

necklaces which aren’t heavy and are on a blackbase rather than golden or silver which is whathe exports to non-resident Indian customersgenerally. He says girls especially love thedecorative aspect of his collection, which addsto the festive cheer.

Daksha from Bhuj too has a wide range ofproducts Kamarbandhs, earrings, bangles, bajubandh, etc. all inspired by traditional "Kacchi tribalJewellery". The designs are inspired from naturalscenes of villages and real life surroundings. Thisis an art that a girl learns right from the age of 5so that by the time she gets married, sheaccumulates as part of her wedding trousseau.

Somabhai Buddhilal fromKhambat in Gujarat has gotalong exquisite agate stonejewellery. He shares, “we areinvolved in the entire processof procuring to production tillfinishing of the products.” Thisinvolves oiling, crafting anddrilling. The raw material usedare agate stones that areprocured from sea, mountainsand earth. The distinguishingaspect in the product are theunique cuttings and carvingsthat were made with delicatehand drilling. Somabhai sharesthat his district has around 7to 8 clusters. They have aworkshop and from there theysell the finished products,

TribalJewellery

India’s tribes have an indigenous style ofjewellery making, using easily available rawmaterials such as clay, bone, stone, woodand others. Each tribe has kept its uniquestyle of jewellery intact even now. The originalformat of jewellery design has been preservedby ethnic tribals. This kind of jewellery madeof bone, wood, clay, shells and crude metal,is not only attractive, but also holds a distinctrustic and earthy charm.

BanjaraBanjaraBanjaraBanjaraBanjara - This nomadic tribe of Rajasthan isknown for its colourful heavy jewellery.Beautiful ornaments and belts that areembellished with shells, metal-mesh, coins,beads and chains are among major art worksby this tribe that offers a huge collection ofearrings, bracelets, bangles, amulets, anklets,hairpins and necklaces.

BastarBastarBastarBastarBastar - The tribes of Bastar (Madhya Pradesh)make jewellery out of grass, beads and cane.Traditional ornaments made of silver, wood,glass, peacock feathers, copper and wildflowers are also popular. Necklaces made ofone-rupee coins are also worn by the Bastarwomen.

Arunachal PradeshArunachal PradeshArunachal PradeshArunachal PradeshArunachal Pradesh - The tr ibes inArunachal Pradesh make jewellery from caneand bamboo. They also adorn metal coinnecklaces and waistbands of leather, studdedwith stones. These tribes use brass, bone,ivory, silver and gold in their jewellery too. Inaddition, colourful beads, blue feathers ofbirds, green wings of beetles are used to makeornaments. Karka Gallong women wear heavyiron rings that are coiled several times, whileWanchos make earrings of glass beads, wildseeds, cane, bamboo and reed. The peopleof Khasi, Jaintia and Garo tribes have typicalsense of jewelry art. Thick red coral beadnecklaces of the Khasis and Jaintias and thinfluted stems of glass, strung by fine thread,of the Garo tribe are interesting jewelleryitems.

Bhutia Bhutia Bhutia Bhutia Bhutia - The Bhutia’s of Sikkim use gold,silver, coral, turquoise and zee stone. TheBhutia tribe is Sikkimese of Tibetan ancestryand they live along the right arm of the Indiansubcontinent. Bhutia jewelry is unlike mosttraditional Indian jewelry even though it isjust as old. It is heavily influenced by Tibetanand Chinese jewellery and has some originsin ancient Persian superstition.

Mashru WeavingThe weaving of Mashru fabric is an

old tradition in India and was a popular

trading textile to the Ottoman empire

and Gulf countries. It is a craft from

Gujarat’s Patan district, where the fabric is woven in vibrantcolours from silk and cotton threads, in a satin weave, with

silk on the outer face of the piece, and cotton worn close to

the body. This technique is used by women in some Kutchi

communities in Gujarat to stitch garments for their dowry.

Blending the opulence of silk and the comfort of cotton, this

fabric in its multicoloured stripes and ikat patterns has beena favourite among many connoisseurs. Mashru is not just a

luxurious fabric, it also has a very practical utility. While the

silk on the outer surface has a beautiful, glossy appearance,

the cotton yarns in the back soak up sweat and keep the

wearer cool in the hot climate of the deserts.

directly to retailers and distributors. They are quiteexcited about this program and look forward tothe response to some of the products designedby students of NIFT, Gujarat.

Maharashtra goes Indo-Westernon demand

Sushma Meshram from Nagpur, Maharashtra,took to designing quite late in life, looking formore meaning after her kids had grown up. Notsatisfied with her life as a housewife, she taughtherself how to design and now specializes inIndo-Western artificial jewellery. She callscollection funky and colourful. Visitors to herstall seem to like the versatility of her collectionand tried them on. She says, this participationand platform will encourage her to innovate moreand price her collection competitively in future.She feels Nagpur is rather isolated and henceshe is looking forward to learn from the talentand inspiration around her at the ConnectProgram.

Tribal Needlecraft from Nilgiris,Tamil NaduA stall dedicated to textile handicrafts with warmshawls, luggage tags, key chains, coin pursesand patches of sleeves which can be sewn ontoany dress stands as an elegant representation ofToda tribal women, a pastoral tribe from theNilgiris, Tamil Nadu. Shalom Welfare Society, that

Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh is a namesynonymous with zari & zardozi,embroidered suits, lehngas, sarees andcushions embellished with zarkan, reshamwork, kundan work, dabka and patch work.It is also know for terracotta, rugs & dhurries,wood carving and cane & bamboo crafts.

Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradeshand it has always been a multicultural city.Chikankari, a popular embroidery craft fromthis city is part of a 400-year-old traditionand is practiced till date in Lucknow’sAminabad, Malihabad, Chinhat, Moulvighanjand Thakurghanj.

Bhuj is a colourfuland culturally richregion in Gujarat,known for itsnotable mudarchitecture and amedley of crafttraditions &e x q u i s i t ehandicrafts. Thecrafts here madefrom leather, wood, bell metal and textilesare deeply integrated into the lifestyle of thecommunities who practice and utilize them.Exclusive to this place are hand embellishedwoven works, patola sarees, wall hangingswith intricate patch work, rogan and rewaripaintings as well as bed covers with tie &dye patterns. Rogan is the technique ofpainting on fabric, crafted from thick brightlycoloured paint made with castor seed oil. Atroom temperature, the paint is carefullytwisted into motifs and images using a metalrod that never comes in contact with thefabric. Next, the artisan folds his designs intoa blank fabric, thereby printing its mirrorimage. In effect it is a very basic form ofprinting, yet intricate.

Artistry and skill of hand-made artifacts ofJammu and Kashmir (J&K) continue to receiveworld-wide acclaim. Some of their popularhandicrafts are shawls, embellished withvarious kinds of needlework like crewel, sozniand chain stitch, carpets, papier machie,wood carving, walnut wood crafts, namdasand gabba rugs, basketry, copperware andkhatumbandh - an art of making ceiling, bytilling small pieces of wood (preferably walnutor deodar wood) into each other ingeometrical patterns.

Mega Clusters -Bareilly, Lucknow,Bhuj and J&K

has organised this display shares that they workwith 150 women of the Toda tribe who live inthe Nilgiri Reserve Forest Area. Interestingly, thepattern of embroidery is a gift of Scandinaviancolonizers which has stays alive among the Todastill date, while the tradition has died out in itscountry of origin. The tribe people have kept italive and boast of producing embroidery patcheswith each design being unique. The Welfare

Society represented here by Sheela has helpedthem venture into smaller products likeaccessories and belts to be able to produce morevariety, to sell more and to bring the artisansmore profit and encouragement. The raw materialfor the shawls and other handicrafts is obtainedfrom the plains, however, weavers go and procureit from farmers directly, engaging them in thetradition as well. Sheela has taken the work ofthese talented artisans to other exhibitions but isglad to have been invited by EPCH for theConnect Program. She humbly talks of howsacred these clothes and embroidery patterns areto the Toda tribe, now reduced to a number of100-1500 persons only.

Golden Fringes from KeralaKerala’s Sujamol's stall catches attention withits dull gold brilliance and with the variety of hercollection. Sujamol is not only a designer butalso acts in movies, finding both professions keyto her creative expression. Her collection istraditional, borrowing inspiration from Kerala andTamil Nadu. She has brought along totallyhandmade necklaces, anklets, rings and earrings.The necklaces have intricately carved figurinesfrom Indian mythology such as Mahalakshmi and

Vishnu. She has also created anklets in the KinginiMala(Kerala gold ornament) tradition, while hernecklaces are characteristically temple necklacesfrom Tamil Nadu.

Design ExperimentsDesign consultant, Susan Mantosh is not justlooking for material to buy but is also looking tocollaborate with artisans. Her daughter has a stallhere, which showcases opulent pearl necklaces.Susan brings in material from all parts of theworld, with pearls from China being her favouritefor their elegance. She owns several stores across

the country and likes to work on innovativedesigns with local artisans, while alsoexperimenting with raw material from across thecountry. She has been exploring all the stalls andhas already struck up deals with severalparticipants. She has worked with weavers fromBengal, Gujarat and Odisha. She experiments withtextiles and stones to create grand necklaces inher signature style. She exports to a shop in Parisas well. She believes that the artisans must feelinspired to create better and should be providedwith a platform like the EPCH Connect Program.

Chikankari Embroidery CraftThis is a subtle form of embroidery, white on white or tone on tone,

in which minute and delicate stitches stand out as textural contrasts,

shadows and traceries. Some stitches are worked from the back andsome from the front. The fabric used is fine, and traditionally muslin.

After cutting the fabric in required length, the designs are traced on

the marked areas with blocks of a variety of shapes, sizes and forms. The block is dipped in

a dye, which is mixed with glue and is soaked in cloth pads. The block is then printed on the

desired area of the design. The embroiderer uses these printed outlines as a pattern and

guide. These designs are embroidered by various stitches. The stitches used for chikankari areonly that applied in regular embroidery. Tapichi (stem stitch ), Bukhara (inverted stem stitch),

are some of the popular stitches. No hooks or frames are used while embroidering. The

ingenuity of chikankari, the art of surface ornamentation lies in deploying up to thirty-five

stitches to embroider the floral, geometrical, animal patterns.

R. K. SrivastavaExecutive Director,NCDPD and Director,Mega Cluster Mission

Jewellery in India has seen an unbroken traditionof over 8,000 years. Such is the skill of Indianjewellery artisans that the flora, fauna, prints,patterns and hues of nature in different seasons,inspired them to create adornments symbolizingthe beauty of nature around them. With theflourishing of various traditions in the manyregions of India, the story of handcrafted Indianjewellery is a beautiful process of artisticimagination and fine craftsmanship.

Among India’s traditional regional charms, in thenorth east, Assamese tribals patronize silverjewellery but others use mostly gold items. Thepatterns are extremely beautiful and they arefinely polished. The Thuria earring, which has amost distinctive design of its own in the form ofa lotus with a heavy stem, is a common item,made of gold and studded with rubies.

North India is famous for a special form ofjewellery called meenakari combined withthe Kundan technique. Very delicate stuff aredeveloped using these techniques. First, a basicform of the jewellery is created with hollowspaces allowed for the stones to be inserted. Thenthe Meenakar fills it with lac and engraves delicatedesigns on it. Lines are engraved to hold differentcolours. Then the other colours are applied andfired until both the sides are enameled properly.Then the Kundan worker places the stones intheir respective area. The piece is then polished

with a leather cloth. Different types of jewel itemsare prepared by this method and Jaipur is themain center specialized in this technique. Thisart is also practiced in Delhi, Lucknow andVaranasi.

Punjab has hair ornaments that are different fromthe other parts of the country. Here the Tikka isflat and circular with small pendants hanging in

the front of the Tikka. In Himachal Pradesh’s Kuluregion, the Pipal Patra made out of silver pipalleaves fastened to an enameled piece of silver iscommonly worn by the womenfolk. Here necklaces are formed outof large metal plates, which areengraved with traditional designsand filled with green and yellowenamel. The nose ornaments of thisarea are highly specialized. Thelarge sized nath and boulakdesigns of single leaf are specialsof this region.

Kashmir, differs a lot from the otherregions in jewellery. The mostimportant designs here are for theear ornaments. These are known

a beautiful amalgam of varied traditions

Regional Jewellery Craft in India

KundankariJewelleryIn this technique,

the gemstones are

set within solid walls of gold. Kundan

jewellery features precious gems on one side

and meenakari work on another. Today,

semi-precious stones are also used. Thistechnique comes from the North Western

states of Gujarat and Rajasthan. This jewelry

involves the process of embellishing pearls

and precious stones in a frame of gold string.

Bead Work JewelleryVaranasi in Uttar Pradesh is

famous for its glass beads madefrom fused glass rods, while

Purdilpur is famous for black glass

beads. Mathura is renowned for stringing glass and

wooden beads in necklaces together with rudraksha

(sacred seeds associated to Lord Shiva) and tulsi (basil) in

a variety of interesting combinations. Firozabad has a richselection of fragile and delicate lightweight glass beads

alongside its treasure of glass bangles.

as Kan Balle or Jhumka normally worn by theMuslim women on both the sides of their head.Then comes the common Zululand, a neck jewelitem. Engraving and cut works are the importanttechniques usedhere.

With their grounding in rich traditional crafts that today may not manifest in their purest

form, they nevertheless help the industry to form, adapt and meet the needs of global

demands. At the same time, regional jewellery making skills change many forms with

inheritance from one generation to another. With the original techniques & skills in

place, artisans are adapting to modernistic tastes and using alternate material.

Among states of the Western region, silverjewellery of Gujarat echoes the cultural as wellas the creative sensibility of the inhabitants.Ethnical range of ornaments designed and wornby the indigenous communities in the state areprevalently admired for the assortment of designsand the sturdy vigor in style. Enthused by theglory of nature, the motifs or patterns

of each and every piece of jewellery reflect theflora and fauna of the environs it is created in.Adding a few permutations and combinationssilversmiths of Gujarat create collections ofjewellery establishing and confirming explicitlythe cultural identity of each community.

Distinctive forms of ornamentation varyregionally within the state, though alwaysmaintaining stylistic uniformity and variabilityalong with articulating traditional ethos. Thedesign vocabulary of the jewellervaries based on the topographyand social milieu of the wearer.Robust forms with minimaldetails are fashioned to withstanddaily wear and tear whereasdelicate filigreed variety is createdfor occasional display ofopulence.

In East India’s state, WestBengal, silver and gold jewelleryare popular. Delicate filigree workis practiced here. Tara Kanta andPan Kanta are some of the finest

Filigree JewelleryFiligree work is done on silver and involves lots of

precision and technicality, added with great amount

of patience and an eye for minute details. Filigreejewellery is mainly popular in Odisha and Andhra

Pradesh. As procedure goes, first pure silver is made into very thin wires,

by passing it through a wire drawing machine or by hammering. After

this, the two thinnest wires are heated and wound around a rotating

wheel machine, known as “Charkha”. They are then flattened again, to

make it as a single wire. This wire is bent in different ways, to give itmany different forms and shapes.

pieces ofjewellery, whichare meant for thehair. The TaraKantas are pinsmade in theform of flowersand stars. ThePan Kanta is abetel leafo r n a m e n t ,which is fixed atthe center of thehair bun.

I n O d i s h a ,another eastern

state, the dominant technique employed is thatof granulation and filigree. Both gold and silverare patronized. Mainly arm jewels, necklaces,nose rings and anklets are worn. Finest designsare available for the nose rings. Maurpankhi, oneof the designs is shaped like a peacock with openfeathers and the whole thing is prepared

according to thegranulation andfiligree techniqueS a m p a n g i i sanother nose ring,which is of thestylized pagodatype from whichhangs delicatelyworked chains

each ending in asmall pipal leaf.Another peculiarjewel item of thisarea is theBank worn on the

forearm. This is formed of stiffchains brought together byadjustable links of flowers.Sambalpur is famous for brassjewellery. Delicately worked bangles in differentpatterns are worn too.

In South India, wearing of silver jewellery is mostlyassociated with the tribals and the rest wear gold.The Chettinad (in Tamil Nadu) jewellery made ofuncut rubies is one

Pachchikam JewelleryIn comparison with Rajasthan’sKundan work, Gujarat’s

Pachchikam has crude look, is

pretty fragile and is made from

silver. In the process of making Pachchikam, the stone is

inserted in a silver case, the edge of which is pressed

onto the stone with the finger and then grooves are filedon it. A closer look shows a setting, which is crude in its

execution, but it is in this quality that its charm lies.

Temple JewelleryThese are designs in solid goldjewellery and have their roots in

Southern states of India, like

Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Dominant designs include use of paisley motifs, rice

grains, the cobra’s hood, melon and cucumber seeds.Jewellery items like pendants, bracelets, belts and

brooches based on temple jewellery are very popular

amongst women, during auspicious times.

of the finest. The Addigai is an important neckitem also made of uncut rubies set in gold.Mangai Malai, a long necklace made of mangoshaped pieces studded with uncut rubies anddiamonds is another specialty of this area. TheThalli, a necklace, which is worn during marriage,also has various patterns according to thecommunity of the couple. Kerala has a richvariety of gold designs but precious stones arevery rarely used. Necklaces are available in variousshapes and designs. The Garuda necklace isfamous here.

Today, Indian jewellery is celebrated all over theworld for its variety and intricate craftsmanship.Indeed, every part of this country has its individualand unique style of creating and decoratingornaments. As much as India has been popularfor its precious jewellery for years, today it alsomarks a fashion statement globally. It has carveda niche in the world fashion jewellery industrywith its sheer diversity and an ever evolvingnature.

Bead & MetalJewelleryThe enamel workers of Kangra,

Chamba, Mandi and Kullu in the

Northern State of Himanchal Pradesh are very popularfor their exquisite chunky bead and metal jewellery. Very

popular from this region are necklaces known as

Chandanhaars(a bunch of long silver chains linked by

engraved or enameled silver plaques), chokers called

Ketch(made of silver beads and triangular plaques) and

the collar-like Hansel, besides heavy anklets, bangles andsilver bracelets(Karee). Also made here are ornaments

studded with semi-precious stones like coral, turquoise,

amber and mother-of-pearl.

RajasthanRajasthanRajasthanRajasthanRajasthan is recognized for fabric colourationand embellishment, decorative painting andpuppetry skills. In the process of fabriccolouration, woven fabrics are treated by methodssuch as tie-dyeing,resist dyeing anddirect application.The dupatta(longstole) worn bywomen show thepopularity ofdyeing. Fabricdyeing belongs tothe Chippa caste of Rajasthan. Once dyed, thefabrics are embellished with mirror embroideryand wooden beading. The trend of mirrorembroidery is also visible on dupattas in Punjab,known as the phulkari.

Gujarat’sGujarat’sGujarat’sGujarat’sGujarat’s Kutchi embroidery is done by tribalsof Rabari, Muthwa, Jat and Pakoneran tribes. Silkthread is used tocreate exquisite andintricate pieces ofartwork in forms ofbags, jackets, andpatchwork/bordersready to be stitchedon apparel. In thisstate, the art of Kalamkari is equally appealingand unique. It is a method of painting naturaldyes onto cotton or silk fabric with a bamboopen or kalam. Kalamkari in Gujarat differs fromthat done elsewhere because of its central theme-the Godess or Mataji and hence owning its nameMata Ni Pachedi. This is done with a handheldpen using colours extracted from vegetables,flowers, herbs and other natural source likemadder and alum for red, henna for orange,pomegranate and mango extracts for yellow,indigo for blue, iron and molasses for black andso on. The Mata Ni Pacchedi and Mata NiChadarvo cloths are offered to the mother

goddesses especially during Navratri. The handpainted imagery displays the Mata as central,dominating figure, brandishing a weapon toward off the purveyors of evil. Accompanyingimagery is taken from narratives of religiousepics.

Worked by the peasant women of PunjabPunjabPunjabPunjabPunjab,Phulkari odhanis or wraps are intricately woveninto the cultural life of the high-spirited, hardworking people ofthe region. Theunique feature of thecraft is that it involvesthe use of only onestitch - the simpledarn. The stitches areworked on thewrong side of the cloth with silk thread called‘pat’ in Punjabi, to produce a smooth silken sheenon the surface. The predominant colours ofwhite, yellow, orange, red, green and magentaare arranged to give a stunning kaleidoscopeeffect. All kinds of human and animal figuresare worked on rare “sanchi’ Phulkaris, which arehighly prized by connoisseurs of art. In the morecommon Phulkaris, floral motifs and geometricdesigns produce a rich mosaic-like impression.

Chamba in Himachal PradeshHimachal PradeshHimachal PradeshHimachal PradeshHimachal Pradesh is famous forthe Pahari and Kangra styles of miniaturepaintings. They are traced on fine unbleachedcotton or silk fabric which is mostly white oroff-white in colourand fine double satinstitch is applied tocreate exquisitehand embroideredpanels. Otherstitches used arestem, buttonhole.The speciality is that the art piece is reversible inthat they are finely finished on both sides of thecloth and are reversible.

KashmirKashmirKashmirKashmirKashmir is known for its shawls - shahtoosh,pashmina and wool,embroidered andembellished. Sozniembroidery isgenerally used alongthe bordersof shawls. Motifs,usually abstractdesigns or stylized paisleys and flowers areworked in one or two, and occasionally threesubdued colours. Needlework is often done soskillfully that the motif appears on both sides ofthe shawl, each side having a different colourscheme and no trace of the stitch. The secondtype of embroidery is chain stitch. Be it withwool, silk or cotton thread, it is done by a hookor aari, rather than a needle. The intrinsic worthof each piece lies in the sizes of the stitches andthe yarn used. Tiny stitches are used to cover theentire area of the item, unlike needlework whichonly covers a small part. Crewel work is a typeof chain stitch generally done on whitebackground. A key characteristic of crewel workis the motifs do not cover the entire surface, andthe background is not embroidered upon. Crewelis done on thick material popularly used forpurses and usually carries flowing floral andclimbing designs. Tilla dozi is gold or silverythread embroidery which is placed on women’sgarments traditionally used at the time ofweddings.

The Kanthaembroidery ofBengalBengalBengalBengalBengal elaboratesillustrations of epic& folk stories andreligious motifs,worked in running,stem, herringbone, satin and split stitches.

The north-east north-east north-east north-east north-east of India is like a variegated patch-work quilt. A multiplicity of tribes and tribal

magical weaves and needlecraft maintaintheir stronghold through generations

Textile Crafts in India

Textile crafts and embroidery traditions in India

are diverse, influenced by history, religion and

prevalent customs and throughout centuries,

these crafts have been embedded as well-

guarded philosophies within rural

communities as well as grassroot artisans.

groups each withits own distinctculture inhabit thisregion. Weaving ispracticed alike byall tribal groups inA r u n a c h a lP r a d e s h ,

Nagaland, Manipur and in the valley of Assam.It is the women who are the real clothiers of thisregion. Whether it be the Monpas andSherdukpens of Kameng, the Mishmis andKhamtis of Lohit or the wives of the Wanchoochieftains of Tirap in Arunachal Pradesh, or anyof the Naga tribes, or even the Assamese in theplains, it is the women who weave unlike therest of India, where men predominate theweaving profession. The weaving in the hilly partsof this region differs from other Indian states inthat the loin-loom is used here as opposed tothe larger fly-shuttle, throw-shuttle and pit-loomsused in Assam and in the southern states of India.

The colours originally used in the traditional tribalclothes were white, black, red and blue. In somecases, the designs are highly sophisticated whileothers depend on a combination of colour forartistic effect although the pattern may consistof a series of parallel lines only.

In BiharBiharBiharBiharBihar, Sujaniembroidery, once ahousehold recyclingdevice, is now anexpressive art formfor the women whocreate it. Theembroiderers outlineand fill motifs in a circular manner with colouredquilting stitches, while covering the backgroundwith white stitching. The circularstitching creates a dimensional distortionwhich renders a unique surface character. Apartfrom the straight-running long stitches, Sujanialso features intricate geometric patterns andmotifs.

OdishaOdishaOdishaOdishaOdisha is known for its handlooms in ikat.Embroidery is illustrated in the form of appliquework. Its silk ikat weaves are created by anintricate process called the “bandha” in whichwarp and weft threads are tie-dyed to produce

the pattern on theloom while weaving.Typical design motifsinclude rows of birdsand animals, fish,seashells, rudrakshbeads and templespires. Sambalpur,

Berhampur, Mayurbhanj and Nuapatna producea striking range in tassar silk with a brilliance,glaze and texture that is unmatched. The rare silkfabric produced at Nuapatna in Cuttack districtembellished with verses from the Gitagovinda isused to dress the idols at the Jagannath Temple.Odisha‘s traditional appliqué art is used to maketextile craft.

LucknowLucknowLucknowLucknowLucknow in Uttar Pradesh is famous forChikankari that is traditionally done on muslin.The stitches used are back stitch and herringbone,made on a tracedpattern on thereverse side. Theherringbone filledon the reverseappears as ashadow work witha thin outline onthe right side. This work is now done on a vareityof materials in all colour combinations. This isused in cotton purses, bags and stoles & scarves.Luckhnow’s zardozi is a process of using metallic-bound threads to sew embellishment on tovarious fabrics. Along with the threads, otheropulent embellishments such as sequins, beads,precious and semi-precious stones and pearls arealso sewn on. Cities like Hyderabad, Delhi, Agra,Kashmir, Kolkata, Varanasi and Farrukkbad arealso known as Zardozi specialty regions.

Karnataka’sKarnataka’sKarnataka’sKarnataka’sKarnataka’s Kasuti embroidery has designsdependent on the texture of the cloth, as workingon the embroidery involves counting of threads.Four distinct stitches are practised in the craftwith symbolic motifs of court life and templeceremonials. Traditionally, the needle work isdone by the women of the region for theirpersonal use, on hand-woven saris. ‘Irkali’ sarisas they are called arewoven with 9-10inches of warpthread left loose atthe pallav end. Thecraftsmen uses theseextra threads to workthe embroidery, thecolours for the work being taken from the baseitself. This craft is also used to embellish purses,bags and accessories.

From TTTTTamil Naduamil Naduamil Naduamil Naduamil Nadu, a rich tribal needlecraft comesfrom the pastoral Toda tribe of the Nilgiris. Todawomen embroider the ‘poothkulli’ or long wrapworn in Greek fashion by both men and womenof the tribe. The base material, normally whitein colour, is hand woven in single width and theembroidery is done by counting of threads. Widebands in red and black are woven at the end ofthe 9 yard long‘poothkulli’. Theembroidery isworked on thereverse of thecloth to producea rich, embossedeffect on thesurface. Thegeometric motifs, merging as they do with thewoven bands are often mistaken for wovenpatterns. The women do not refer to a stitchingpattern as we do for creating cross stitch designs.Out of practice, they create the design on thecloth without tracing the pattern or referring toa book. The finished cloth is reversible.

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