Top11 MADE IN INDIA Handicrafts & Clothing

Saluting the weavers & Craftspersons of India –Lets celebrate India’s  75TH Republic Day by promoting  Made in India  clothing & Handicrafts.The diversity of  Indian Handicrafts & textiles  is stunning. Each Indian State has a historical tradition of weaving textiles and creating crafts from locally available products.Thus, India has a very interesting ,diverse & wide range of locally produced products. We have showcased some of the unique Textile & crafts from 11 Indian States in this blog.

1. Indian HandiCraft and Textile of Bihar- 

● Madhubani Painting

Mithila art,also known as Madhubani painting is a 2500-year-old Indian art form. It has its origins in the Mithila region of Bihar and Nepal.Mithila is the place of birth of Sita ,the wife of Lord Ram from the Ramayana

This art form was practised on freshly plastered floor & walls in mud houses. Today, they are hugely popular paintings on canvas.

Colourful portrayals of tales from the Ramayana, marriage processions, and flora & fauna of this region are the prominent subjects  of the paintings.Madhubani is done using twigs or fingers and natural dyes are used in the paintings.The eyes of humans or animals are given a lot of prominence in Madhubani art. Further, there is no empty space in the painting.

● Tussar Silks

Tussar silk is produced from the larve of silkworms.  India is the 2nd largest producer of this silk in Bhagalpur,the State of Bihar.It is a coarse silk in golden colour. It is invariable dyed in several colours later.

2. Indian HandiCraft and Textile of Rajasthan

● Blue Pottery in Rajasthan

This form of pottery is of Turko-Persian in origin. Blue colour is  the predominant colour used in this form of pottery & hence the name blue pottery.Cobalt is used to make the blue dye.It has close similarity to Islamic pottery. Further, it was introduced to India by the Turkish invaders.

Bandhani (Tie-dye dress materials) & Leheriya

What are Bandhej/ Bandhini?

Bandhini  fabrics and sarees are popular dotted sarees in Rajasthan. The fabrics are tied with a thread at identified spots & then dyed in the desired colours.This creates a unique pattern with white dots. Crepe silk, satin & cotton fabrics are the fabrics  used to create this kind of prints .

Leheriya

The word leheriya  means wave like patterns. Sarees & fabrics with wave like patterns  in chiffon, georgette and cotton are very popular & fashionable. Skirts & scarves in Leheriya are available in bright & modern colours.

Kotputhli toys/Puppets 

They are are local puppets. Kings & queens, prince & princesses make these toys colourful & interesting. That is how the tradition of storytelling evolved . This is a popular form of entertainment in  the villages of Rajasthan.

3. Craft and Textile of Gujarat

Mirror work

Tiny mirrors are attached  to colourfully embroidered fabrics to create a stunning effect.In addition, they are used on dresses, tops, Salwar suits, blouses . Further, they can also be used on furnishings & fabrics.

Patola (Patterned textiles/sarees)

What are Patola sarees

Silk sarees from Patan in Gujarat are known as Patola sarees.The wonderful patterns on the silk are created using the resist dyeing technique method.It is called double ikkat. As a matter of fact, the fabrics are woven in this beautiful fashion and are not printed. Patola sarees are soft,silky& very colorful.

4.  Indian handicrafts of Odisha

Silver Filigree Work

Imagine when silver is twisted into thin strips & crafted in beautiful shapes. That is silver filigree Jewellery, artefacts are made with silver filigree. The metals are at first beaten down & flattenned & tehn cut into thin strips . They are then crafted into shapes.
Silver Filigree is created when twisted threads of silver are soldered on to the surface. For instance, filigree involves kneading, twisting and melding of metals like gold and silver. Further, this delicate kind of metalwork is achieved after long hours of diligent work by committed artisans.

Pattachitra

What is Pattachitra?

Firstly, the word ‘Pattachitra’ is sourced from two Sanskrit words: ‘patta’ (canvas) and ‘chitra (picture). Synonymous with Odisha, Pattachitra thus refers to a painting done on canvas. It was in a scroll form  and is inspired by the local deities such as Lord Jaganath & others. Lord Krishna is worshipped in the form of Lord Jaganath in the State of Odisha. The paintings are colourful & tell a tale from mythology.

Pattachitra artists from Odisha’s State Emporiums CP Raghurajpur village boast a breath-taking collection of this ancient art form. The village is popularly known as the ‘heritage village’ for unique and varied range of crafts being carried out there.

A skilled artisan is able to carve a splendid, flawless Pattachitra  painting only after years of practice. It takes from around 5-15 days to even several months to complete a single piece, depending upon details involved as well as size of the paintings.

5.Crafts and Textile of TamilNadu

Brass Handicrafts in India

Firstly, brass is an alloy composed of copper and zinc and  is known for its hardness. It has a dull gold like sheen. In addition, it is used extensively for making items for worship such as lamps, deities and decorative items.

In addition, it is also used to make bearings, locks, & plumbing essentials.Brass is also used in some musical instruments.

Furthermore, brass lamps and brass deities are very popular in South India. As a result, the temple bells and huge temple lamps are made of brass. Brass artefacts are one of the best Handicrafts in India. Moradabad in UP is also very famous for brass items.

Kanjivaram sarees

Kanchipuram /Kancheepuram

The town of Kanchipuram is about 70 Kms from Chennai.Kancheepuram or Kanjivaram is a small temple town in the State of Tamil Nadu in South India. It was the capital city during the reign of the Pallavas.Kanchipuram or Kanjivaram is also  popular for its eponymous sarees.The heavy colourful silk sarees are magnificent  and without a parallel in the world.

6.  Indian HandiCrafts and Textile of Karnatka

Wood Carving

Firstly, did you know this timeless art goes as far back as ancient Egypt era? The best example to cite is a statue of a man displayed in the Museum of Cairo in Egypt. It possibly dates back to 4,000 BC . Wood carving is an ancient art.The state of Karnataka is famous for rosewood & Sandalwood carving.

Mysore Silk

What is Mysore Silk

These  sarees  are very soft silk as compared to the stiff  & thick Kanjivaram silk. They are less expensive than the Heavy Kanjivaram sarees and they are light weight sarees. The sarees come in rich colours and have zari borders.

7.Craft and Textile of Kolkata

Terracotta /Clay Dolls

Terracotta: Word Origin

Firstly, the word “terracotta” means “baked earth ”. Above all, terracotta refers to the clay based earthenware. Further, it is cheap, versatile& durable. Clay is baked to an orcher or red colour. In other words, this is not glazed pottery.It has been used for building bricks, tiles,sarcophagus & more. The latter was decorated with figures & paintings.

Kantha Embroidery

It  is a simple embroidery technique popular in the states of West Bengal  in India and in Bangladesh. However, unlike Chikankari embroidery which is predominantly in white colour, kantha embroidery is done in colourful threads.It is also  known as Kantha stitch. Motifs of beautiful flowers and delicate creepers and animals are used in this form of embroidery.

Textiles -Jamdani sarees

As a matter of fact,fine cotton handloom sarees are Tant sarees from Bengal. Jamdani is also an  intricate Persian origin work that is incorporated in the sarees. Thus, they are outstandingly beautiful sarees. Jamdani is also done on muslin, which is a light weight & transparent fabric.They mostly come in pastel shades .

 8.Craft and Textile of Jammu&Kashmir

Papier Mache  

●Pashmina

What is a Pashmina shawl

The soft Kashmiri shawl is made from special wool found in Kashmir.But, Cashmere is a softer wool.However, Pasmina could have some silk mixture too. It is a very soft & lighter texture of wool.it is ideally used in shawls .

9. Indian HandiCraft and Textile of Uttar Pradesh

If you have visited the Taj Mahal, you would probably be aware of the beautiful frescos & designs on the walls. The  white marble is chipped and  designed with grooves ,cuttings & spaces. Coloured glass is placed into it. This is mirror inlay work.It is also known as glass inlay work or Thikri. The outstanding designs & patterns that it creates are simply spectacular.

●Textile– Chikankari

As a matter of fact, is a a very distinct embroidery work from Uttar Pradesh. The embroidery is done using white colour threads on the reverse side similar to Kantha work. This creates shaded patterns on the frontside  of the fabric. In other words, this  kind of work is a speciality from the State of Uttar Pradesh.

Banrasi Sarees

 

The most exquisite sarees from India are the Banarasi sarees.

The city of Varanasi or Banares is best known for these silk sarees of outstanding quality. The colourful silk threads are interwoven with silver & gold threads to craft fabrics & sarees are unmatched quality.

10.Craft and Textiles of Assam

●Mukha

Mukha- These are  face masks from Assam depicting demons, dragons & characters from Ramayana. This craft originated from the river island of Majuli . This island is surrounded by the river Brahmaputra. The masks or Mukha are extensively used in  mythological plays . The maks add more authenticity  when playing the charcarters of lord Ram, Ravan  & the monkey god Hanuman.

●Textile– Mugga Silk

The Assamese silk sarees  are known as Muga silk. They are lustrous, shiny & very light to wear. It is one of the rarest  & strongest silk threads.

11. Craft and Textile of Madhya Pradesh

●Dhokra 

This is a specialised craft and is known for its simplcity & strong form . Brass is the basic raw material that is used.Animals such a s, peacocks, elephants,horses  and human forms are important part of the product range.Dhokra art is predominantly practised by the Dokra Dammar tribes Madhy Pradesh, Orissa & West Bengal.

●Chanderi

There is a lot of history is associated with this fabric.  The Chanderi fabric originated in the 13th century in a town also called Chanderi.It is a popular fabric lending itself to be made into  sarees, salwars, lehengas and more. It is transparent & light .

It was on 26th January 1950 when the Constitution of India came into effect.

Republic Day is celebrated to commemorate  that date . This day is celebrated with pomp & splendour in Delhi & in other State Capitals of India.

There are parades by the armed forces-Army,Military & Navy to showcase India’s Defence capabilities .All the 29 States & the Union Territories showcase their cultural& social heritage .

Read Our Blog –
11 EPONYMOUS SILK SAREES FROM INDIAN STATES