The Beautiful Artisans of India

Artisans of India the color of life!

The beauty of an artwork made by hand is a completely different experience compared to that of buying something ready-made by a machine. Each piece is unique and has its own style. These people found in the outskirts of the cities in India are the masterminds behind the beautiful and unique art pieces kept in your house.

Since industrialization craftsmen are alienated from their raw materials because of the increased raw material prices. They face diverse obstacles to survive alike as tradition does. Lack of alternatives make occasionally the artisans to maintain their trade work without whatsoever succeed profit.  Through our humble voice, we pay tribute to these people who work behind the scenes and make these beautiful things they produce with their craftsmanship.

Yosuf traveled to the outskirt of New Delhi to meet the Artisans and describe below:

The Essence of Himroo in Aurangabad
A visit to Aurangabad made me realize what I was really missing out on. A venue filled with the essence of natural beauty and a rich heritage leaves you with fond memories of the place. One of the things I loved about Aurangabad was the Himroo shawls and clothing. A fabric prepared by mixing silk with cotton, Himroo is one of the exotic delights from Aurangabad. The word Himroo has been derived from the Persian word, Him-ruh which literally translates to ‘similar.’ Himroo which is woven with pure gold and silver threads in olden days was meant for the royal families. Himroo uses Persian designs, which is characteristic and different in appearance. The unique style of Himroo has a great appeal to the buyers. Himroo is also woven near Delhi Gate.

Interacting with the local scholars made me get enlightened about Himroo’s association with the reign of Mohammad Tughlaq, whose shifting of capital from Delhi to Daulatabad brought a group of weavers and craftsmen with it. The weavers started their own industry which aimed at producing designer pieces of clothing and artifacts, which in a way, gave rise to himroo.

Experiencing the Art of Painters and Weavers in Jammu & Kashmir
Traveling to Jammu & Kashmir always brings something new every time you pay a visit to this wonderful state. Basali is a town in the foot-hills of Shivalik Mountains in the Kathua district of Jammu.  According to well-known Dr. Herman Glots, ‘’Basali painting are among the great achievements by Indians.’’ Their central inspiration is Vaishnavism; the themes have been taken from the epics and the Puranas. The different themes of the paintings are religious secular, historical, contemporary and literary. Basali painting is said to have been described as poems in colors. The paintings have a strong appeal with their blazing colors, lines, vibrant symbols, and distinctive features. View more in website http://www.jkhandicrafts.com/

Moreover, Silk Kashmiri shawls are also hand-woven beauties. Because of the cold weather, most of the locals weave shawls to keep themselves warm. It became a huge tourist destination and foreigners now take back Kashmiri shawls as souvenirs to remember the cold place. Kashmiri shawls are made up of Kashmiri silk, remotely only available in Jammu Kashmir.

Having a Bollywood song named after it, The famous Pashmina clothing needs no introduction. With its origin traced to Ladakh with a group of weaver-community, knows as Changpa, the Pashmina has customers not only in India but all over the world.

Glass Art in Delhi
Glass in Delhi is cut and shaped by hand by workers who bruise their hands to feed their families. These cut and shaped glass pieces are then stuck on multiple objects, such as tables, chairs, pots, bowls, spoons, etc. The shop that these people work at is humid and because the glass has been shaped by hand, the hands of the workers are cut deep, and most of them go home with bruises. Though these pieces are beautiful and sold at a very high price, the wage of these workers is hardly enough to cook a meal. These people behind the scenes aren’t recognized but only those who sell the pieces.

The Evergreen Bamboo Art
Bamboo art is another creative way by which people make a living. Bamboo is highly cultivated in all of India, not far behind from China. There are around 136 different species of Bamboo. The items made out of Bamboo in India are, chairs, tables,  baskets, swings, mats, etc. little girls in villages also make tiny dolls and designed ornaments out of leftover Bamboo. Rajasthan is a vibrant and colorful city, rich with culture and art. The clothes made of out of Rajasthani materials are not only heavy but are heavy which the embroidery and glass pieces that are hand-woven into the materials. The tread is made out of gold and silver; the glass pieces are shaped and cut by hand. The beauty that you feel after putting a Ghagrah is the beautiful artwork made by the local people of Rajasthan.

Craftsmanship in South India
Coming to the beautiful south of India, the craftsmen, like Bamboo, make coconut leaf baskets, coconut rind spoons and enjoy coconut in every dish they make. Hand-loom industries are also a big part of the industries in Kerala. Silk, cotton, chiffon are woven into beautiful sarees, used during weddings and important functions. A lot of baskets and other equipment used for work are made out of coir or rope. Wood is also used in the form of craftsmanship in India. Art on wood usually used to say stories or even simply used as a showpiece. Even carpenters in Kerala carve unique and beautiful designs onto furniture used in homes. Showpieces in houses also may have religious carvings as well. Teak and Timber woods are used mainly for these purposes.

Ajrakh Block Painting in Gujarat
You would find Ajrakhpur near Kutch in Gujarat which is home to the art of Ajrakh block painting as enticed fabric lovers from around the world. The pieces or fabric have first died with colors derived from indigo, Henna, turmeric, pomegranate, iron and even mud. These pieces then undergo washing, after which they print beautiful patterns on it using hand-carved wooden blocks. This activity is carried out by the Khatri community for over three thousand years, and the art has been passed on by fathers to their sons. Sadly many artisans were killed or had their shops destroyed due to the devastating earthquake of 2001. (https://www.directcreate.com)

Other famous Works
Here are a few remote Indian villages that create some of the world’s most exquisite handicrafts. Kanchipuram is known for its beautiful temple village. The major attraction is the Kanchipuram pattu saree. The artisans make sarees in their local machines. These sarees are beautifully made and are low priced. Sualkuchi is a census town in Kamrup district in the Indian state of Assam and has a major production of silk and Assam specialty, Muga.

Muga is a golden variety of silk that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. It is located above 25km from the town of Guwahati and is particularly famous for its Muga silk. 

Anyone who travels with an interest in art and culture must visit Raghurajpur – an art and craft artist village. It is located approximately 12 km from Puri. People suggest to spend at least two hours there but to be careful about the price of the products. Bhuj is a village with wonderful handicrafts and textiles. There is a set of Indian prints, and wonderful, charming and friendly people say traveler Sarmistha.  The whole of Kutch is a very good shopping destination for handicraft lovers. 

Shilpgram near Udaipur is best in December is situated 3km west Udaipur near the Havala village. There are 26 traditional village houses from Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, some with glittering mirrored interiors and craft exhibits. Thriuchijadi is a tribal hamlet that is home to the Kota tribe with a long-standing legacy of traditional clay pottery. What makes this particular strain unique is that only the women of the tribe are engaged in this craft which they have learned from their mothers are grandmothers. 

only the women of the tribe are engaged in this craft which they have learned from their mothers are grandmothers

Pattamadai, is a rustic village tucked away in the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu. Where Pattu Pais, a kind of mat with multiple colors are woven skillfully. The Muslim community in the village has been engaged in this for generations. It is an elaborate method which involves drying the tall Korai grass, soaking it in water to increase flexibility and finally dying these for the weaving process.

Assam’s Sarthebari village is fully engaged in bell metal crafts. The artisans who are known as Kahar or Orja still use ancient techniques and tools required for burning and shaping the metal into utensils. Kitchen utensils like plates and water pots are also handcrafted by the local villagers.
http://www.abhijna-emuseum.com/exhibition/sarthebari-bell-metal-industry-assam/ 

These beautiful works are to be remembered not for their price but for their beauty that is hand-woven and the people who work hard behind it. Those hands with marks and bruises are to be kept on a high pedestal for their hard work and should be recognized for the work they do.

Those hands with marks and bruises are to be kept on a high pedestal for their hard work and should be recognized for the work they do

Author Yosuf Mirza is a solution-focused, meticulous, and result oriented Certified Digital Marketing Professional with over 3 years of a successful career in Digital Marketing with proven results. Yosuf is mostly known as an SEO Master is putting all efforts to keep that tag. Marketing is his passion and besides his actual work is a real rising star in reportage. Very friendly and a so kind person with excellent communication skills. 

enjoy darlings

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