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The Heritage Sandook (THS) - Bringing you arts and crafts from across India

Kalighat painting Kalighat painting or Kalighat P

Kalighat painting

Kalighat painting or Kalighat Pat originated in the 19th century in West Bengal, India, in the vicinity of Kalighat Kali Temple, Kalighat, Calcutta, India, and from being items of souvenir taken by the visitors to the Kali temple, the paintings over a period of time developed as a distinct school of Indian painting.

Painted mostly on mill-made paper with flowing brushwork and bold dyes (often homemade).

In what was dubbed the “Oriental school” of Kalighat painting, predominant themes shone a spotlight on religious figures and scenes from sacred texts, from goddesses Durga and Lakshmi, to the characters of Rama and Sita in the ancient epic poem of Ramayana.

The alternate discipline of Kalighat painting, known as the “Occidental school,” included pieces that depicted ordinary people engaging in everyday life or captured the changes taking place in Kolkata at the time. The artworks commented on social evils such as crime, or expressed support for the Indian independence movement through illustrations of the likes of Tipu Sultan or Rani Lakshmibai .

Kalighat paintings were often a joint effort by a group of artists – usually from the same family. So while some members ground ingredients to create homemade dyes, others drew outlines of the figures, filled in the hues, or added the final touches in the form of motifs and background designs. These were then typically brought to be sold in the city.

#kalighatpainting #paintings #indianart #theheritagesandook #india #kolkata #westbengal

Himachali cap is a distinctive headdress associate

Himachali cap is a distinctive headdress associated with Himachal Pradesh's culture.

There are different types of Himachali Caps — Bushahri , Kulluwi , Kinnauri and Lahuli. These differ in their designs. People from specific areas have their own Topis.

People in Himachal generally wear Topi as traditional attire in marriages , religious functions , fairs and other local events.

The Himachali cap was historically related to Kinnaur and reached other parts of Himachal Pradesh via princely Bushahr state and Kullu. The Himachali cap is usually made of wool, and the shape is typically round or boat shape.

The cap usually is accessorized with either a brooch, peacock feathers, marigold flowers or pretty tassles of dried flowers of the Himalayan Brahma Kamal (Lotus of Lord Brahma).

The Himachali caps have a flat felt head with upturned brims that have a muslin covering and come in multiple colours. However, the greens or the crimson/deep red have over a period of time caught political connotations. The former while has become now the Congress symbol, the deep red, the BJP colour.
#himachalpradesh #paharitopi #kinnauri_topi #theheritagesandook #indianheritage #cap #traditionalheaddress #paharicap

Phulkari (Punjabi: ਫੁਲਕਾਰੀ) refers t

Phulkari (Punjabi: ਫੁਲਕਾਰੀ) refers to the folk embroidery of the Punjab. Although Phulkari means floral work, the designs include not only flowers but also cover motifs and geometrical shapes.The main characteristics of Phulkari embroidery are use of darn stitch on the wrong side of coarse cotton cloth with coloured silken thread.

Traditionally, women would embroider Phulkaris without using stencils. Pal (1960) states that women would clean their courtyards and invite friends and family to ceremonially begin the process of embroidering a Phulkari. Folk songs would be sung on this occasion. "Ih Phulkari Meri Maan Ne Kadhi/ Is Noo Ghut Ghut Japhiyan Paawan" (This Phulkari was embroidered by my mother, I embrace it warmly). Folk songs like these are indicative of the emotional attachment the girl had to the Phulkari embroidered by her mother or grandmother, or aunts.

In the past, as soon as a girl was born, mothers and grandmothers would start embroidering Baghs and Phulkaris, which were to be given away at the time of marriage.
The hallmark of Phulkari is, making innumerable patterns by using long and short darn stitches. There were no pattern books and embroidery was worked entirely from the reverse of the fabric. The designs were not traced. Techniques and patterns were not documented but transmitted from word of mouth and each regional group was identified with the style of embroidery or design.

There are different theories about the origin of Phulkari. One such belief is that this embroidery was prevalent in different parts of the country as far back as the 7th century CE but survived only in Punjab. Motifs similar to the ones found in Phulkari are also found in Kashida of Bihar and some of the embroideries of Rajasthan. In Harishcharitra, the biography of the Emperor Harshavardhana (590-647 CE), the last ruler of great ancient Indian Vardhana empire, the seventh-century chronicler Bana wrote, "Some people were embroidering flowers and leaves on the cloth from the reverse side," which is a technical description of Phulkari embroidery.
#phulkari #punjab #indianheritage #indianart #embroidery #theheritagesandook

Chikankari Chikankari one of the most traditional

Chikankari
Chikankari one of the most traditional embroidery styles from Lucknow is believed to be introduced by Nur Jehan, Mughal emperor Jahangir's wife in India. The very word "Chikankari" means embroidery which is delicate and shadow work type of embroidery. There are mentions about the chikankari work by the famous Greek traveler, Megasthenes as early as 3rd century BC who described about the floral work on muslin clothes used by the Indians. Apart from the story of Nur Jehan there are other stories related to the history of chikankari embroidery work in India. A traveler when passing through a village in Lucknow due to thirsty stopped over and requested a peasant for water to quench his thirst. The traveler was very much impressed by the hospitality shown towards him by the peasant and having nothing to give to the peasant, the traveler taught him the art of Chikankari, which would ensure that he would never remain hungry in life.
The evolution and development of chikankari work has lot of version associated to it for according to few the word Chikankari has been derived from a Persian word Chakin or Chakeen, which means creating delicate patterns on a fabric. Few others explain that it is a distorted version of Chikeen or Siquin, a coin valuing Rs 4 for which the work was sold. There are also beliefs which state that the word chikankari actually originated from East.
#chikankari #lucknow #uttarpradesh #indianart #theheritagesandook #incredibleindia #heritageart #handmade #traditionalart

Conceived 700 years ago, Sakhtasazi is a type of p

Conceived 700 years ago, Sakhtasazi is a type of papier mâché that involves moulding raw paper pulp into aesthetically pleasing objects. This Kashmiri art form, while similar to the well-known papier mâché techniques, involves the unique style of beating the object into shape. The result is a smooth-surfaced, colourful artifact. Sadly, this ancient technique is at risk. With only about 40 artists still practicing this craft, Sakhtasazi is struggling to remain relevant.
The paper (any uncoated kind is acceptable) is loosened in water and then ground to create small bits for use. While the grinding is traditionally done by mortar and pestle, a machine now simplifies the process. Then one must refine the paper bits by sorting out the longer pieces by hand. This is done to avoid any air gaps in the final product. Don’t worry tree-huggers, these pieces are then reused for later projects. Handmade-glue made with rice flour is then added to the concoction to create a dough-like consistency. A sheet of paper is attached to a base and then coated with the pulp. Finally, it is beaten into shape with an unwrinkled surface and dried.
Article : https://www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/explore/story/70256/sakhtasazi-workshop-why-is-this-kashmiri-paper-mache-craft-at-risk

#heritageart #indianheritage -#sakhtasaazi #papermache #jammukashmir #indianart #heritagesandook #incredibleindia

Phanek-Innaphi is the traditional dress of Manipur

Phanek-Innaphi is the traditional dress of Manipuri women and is called Phanek (Sarong, or a wraparound skirt) and Innaphi (Shawl, or literally translates into wrap for the upper body).
The phanek is the ethnic sarong worn by Manipuri women and is broadly of two types – the meitei phanek and the tribal phanek. The Phanek is usually worn as a mini saree with a blouse and an upper cloth. They are mostly hand woven and are available only in block colors or stripes. The Innaphi has delicate floral designs on it and is worn like a dupatta.
The traditional Manipuri attires make an integral part of the Manipuri lifestyle which prioritizes on the functionality and comfort factors. The beauty of the traditional Manipuri dresses lies in its simplicity. The creative way in which patterns and designs are used on these garments accounts for their immense popularity worldwide.

The valley Imphal which is the capital of the state is mainly populated by people who follows Hindu Religion and Sanamahi. The hill areas are populated by different types of tribes such as Kukis and Nagas. Citizens of Manipur are well-known as Meitei. The Innaphis worn by Meitei resemble the wrap around skirt. Innaphi used to be consisted of a thick and coarse textured fabric that lacked its aesthetic beauty. It was usually made of the bark of creepers known as Uriphi. Slowly and gradually it was later substituted with cotton and silk.
#manipur #manipurdress #phanek #innaphi #theheritagesandook #heritagedressing #traditionaldress

Kundan is a traditional form of Indian gemstone je

Kundan is a traditional form of Indian gemstone jewellery involving a gem set with a gold foil between the stones and its mount, usually for elaborate necklaces. The method is believed to have originated in the royal courts of Rajasthan and Gujarat.
The word kundan means highly refined gold, and a highly refined and pure form of molten gold is used. The city of Jaipur in Rajasthan has traditionally been the centre for Kundan jewellery in India.
Kundan started off in Rajasthan Royal court and then flourished under royal patronage during the Mughal era.
Kundan jewellery is created by setting carefully shaped, uncut diamonds and polished multicoloured gemstones into an exquisitely designed pure gold or faux metal base.The elaborate process begins with the skeletal framework called Ghaat. Thereafter, the Paadh procedure takes place, during which wax is poured onto the framework and moulded according to the design. Following this is the Khudai process, when the stones or uncut gems are fit into the framework. Meenakari then involves enameling to define the design details. Next, the Pakai process involves gold foils that hold the gems onto the framework; these are cold soldered using burnishing techniques. Finally, the gems are polished using the Chillai process

#kundanjewellery #theheritagesandook #heritageart #rajasthan #jaipur #incredibleindia #indiatourism

Something quirky ! Rewa in MP is famous for two th

Something quirky !
Rewa in MP is famous for two things - The white tiger and betel nut toys.
The art has been practiced by the Kunder family for 3 generations.
The art is said to have started when the royal families demanded that the betel nuts for their pan be cut into various design.Over time they started experimenting with artwork and the art evolved to its present state.It all started when the patriarch of the family gifted a sindoor box made of betel nut to maharaja Gulab singh in 1942.
Currently , the most sought after statues are of Ganesha and Lakshmi , which people buy for gifting purpose.
#rewa #supariart #heritageart #mptourism #madhyapradeshtourism #incredibleindia #quirky #handicrafts

Tanjore paintings or Thanjavur paintings has its o

Tanjore paintings or Thanjavur paintings has its origins in Tanjore, Tamil Nadu. The paintings are decorated with precious or semi-precious stones, cut glasses and trimmed with gold leaf. The most popular subject explored in Tanjore art include Gods and Goddesses while birds, flowers and animals are other recurring themes. The paintings are intricately handmade using traditional techniques and the beauty of this art lies in the fact that the shine and glean of the gold leaves used in these artworks last forever.
The art form draws its immediate resources and inspiration from way back about 1600 AD, a period when the Nayakas of Thanjavur under the suzerainty of the Vijayanagara Rayas encouraged art—chiefly, classical dance and music—as well as literature, both in Telugu and Tamil and painting of chiefly Hindu religious subjects in temples. It is distinguished by its famous gold coating. However, it can safely be surmised that Thanjavur painting, as we know it now, originated in the Maratha court of Thanjavur (1676–1855). In Thanjavur paintings one can see the influence of Deccani, Vijayanagar, Maratha and even European or Company styles of painting.
#heritageart #tanjore #tanjore #indianart #india #indiantourism #tamilnadutourism #art #painting

Gond art is a form of painting from folk and triba

Gond art is a form of painting from folk and tribal art that is practiced by one of the largest tribes in India – the Gond. The work of Gond artists is rooted in their folk tales and culture, and thus story-telling is a strong element of every painting.
The Gond, are the largest Adivasi Community in India. They are Dravidian and their origin can be traced to the pre-Aryan era. They refer to themselves as Koi or Koiture. Their language is related to Telugu and other Dravidian languages. The Gond people have a belief that viewing a good image begets good luck and they decorate their walls and the floor of their houses with traditional tattoos and motifs. Gond paintings have also been used by the Gond people as a way to record their history.
Gond paintings can be described as ‘on line work’. Art is created out of carefully drawn lines. Lines are used in such a way to convey a sense of movement to still images. Dots and dashes are added to impart a greater sense of movement and increase the amount of detail. Another very striking facet of Gond paintings is the use of bright vivid colours such as white, red, blue and yellow. The paints are usually derived naturally from objects such as charcoal, coloured soil, plant sap, mud, flowers, leaves and even cow dung. That said, due to the scarcity of natural colours.

#gondart #mptourism #incredibleindia #heritage #heritageart #india #tribal #art

The term coconut dates back to the 16th century. I

The term coconut dates back to the 16th century. It derives from the Spanish and Portuguese word coco, meaning "a grin", "a monkey face" respectively, since there is a slight resemblance to a human face or a monkey head because of the three tiny indents on the hairy shell of the fruit.
Brass broidered coconut shell craft of Kerala is the craft of making beautifully carved and brass broidered products like cups, flower vases, snuff boxes, nut bowls, powder boxes and spoons using coconut shells as practiced by the artisans of Kerala in India. The brass embellishments are believed to have been the influence of Arabia and the remnants of their commercial enterprises in Kerala. The highly gifted artisans carve out magnificent handicrafts with edge tools designed for the purpose.

#handicrafts #keralatourism #coconutshellcraft #indiatourism #indiasouveniers #traditionalcrafts

A Kashmir rug is a hand-knotted oriental rug from

A Kashmir rug is a hand-knotted oriental rug from Kashmir which is associated with Kashmiri handicrafts. Kashmir rugs or carpets have intricate designs that are primarily oriental, floral style in a range of colors, sizes and quality.The rugs are primarily made using pure wool, pure silk and occasionally wool and silk blends.
The origin of hand knotted carpets locally known as "Kal baffi" dates back to 15th century after which it progressively attained the high degree of perfection. It is said that Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin brought carpet weavers from Persia and central Asia in to Kashmir to train the local inhabitants.
Designs and patterns in Kashmir carpets continue to be predominantly inspired by classical Persian and Central - Asia rugs. Thus Kashmir has been creating Kashan and Kirman, Tabriz and Isfahan, Meshed and Bokhara with such superb artistry that these can compare with the best in the regions of their origin.
The making of a Kashmiri carpet is a pure art and its quality depends on the number of knots. It is usually handmade and hand knotted and is made of pure wool or pure silk whereas a low quality carpet may be a blend of wool, rayon and silk. The silk carpet is usually woven with mulberry silk and its quality is tested based on the number of knots it has, for 600-900 knots per square inch ranks a very high quality and durability. It takes at least 8 to 10 months for weaving of an intricate and a good quality carpet.
#kashmir #kashmircarpets #heritage #indiancrafts #india #indiantourism #handicraft #carpets

Meenakari is an age old art form of decorating met

Meenakari is an age old art form of decorating metal with colored enamel. It is reputed for its excellent designs and beautiful colour combinations. The artisans who practice this art form are called ‘Meenakars’. Meenakari is a Persian art of colouring the surface of metals by fusing brilliant colours. The art was brought to Varanasi by Persian enamellists around early 17th century during the Mughal era. Mina is the feminine form of “Minoo” in Persian, meaning heaven. Mina refers to the azure colour of heaven.

Introduced in Rajasthan by Raja Mansingh of Amer, this Persian craft was originally used to create designs on the back of traditional polki jewellery.
One of the most complex crafts, the process of Meenakari remains the same as it was 500 years ago! Even today, a Meenakari artefact goes through the same assembly line of craftsmen as it used to go through hundreds of years ago. The process starts with the designer (naquash), then goes to the goldsmith (sonar). It is then passed on to the engraver (kalamkar) who engraves the design, then the enamelist (meenakar) applies the colour. The artefact then goes to the polisher (ghotnawala), then the stone-setter (jadia), and finally it goes to the stringer (patua) for the final touches.

Once the colour is embedded in the jewellery and it is polished, the piece is cleaned with a bit of lemon and tamarind so that it can retain its colour. The colours used to create this enamel art are metal oxides, mixed with a dash of powdered glass. These mixtures do not reveal the actual colours until the product is fired in the furnace.

#meenakari #jaipur #rajasthan #rajasthanijewellery #heritage #india #indiantourism #crafts #craftsofindia #heritagecrafts

Rogan printing, or rogan painting, is an art of cl

Rogan printing, or rogan painting, is an art of cloth printing practiced in the Kutch District of Gujarat, India. In this craft, paint made from boiled oil and vegetable dyes is laid down on fabric using either a metal block (printing) or a stylus (painting). The craft nearly died out in the late 20th century, with rogan painting being practiced by only two families in same village.
The Rogan art of painting is over four hundred years old . The traditional Rogan flower motifs and designs speak of a Persian influence and the word Rogan itself means oil-based in Persian. The process of applying this oil-based paint to fabric began among the Khatris, a Muslim community who came to India from Sindh, Pakistan.
The Khatri community residing in Nirona village in Gujarat are expert artisans, practising this art form from ages. The artisans donot go through any formal training, but, the expertise is passed on from generation to generation.
#rogan #roganart #nironavillage #gujarattourism #gujarat #india #craftsofindia #crafts #heritage

Madhubani painting is one of the many famous India

Madhubani painting is one of the many famous Indian art forms. As it is practiced in the Mithila region of Bihar and Nepal, it is called Mithila or Madhubani art. Often characterized by complex geometrical patterns, these paintings are known for representing ritual content for particular occasions, including festivals, religious rituals, etc.
The colors used in Madhubani paintings are usually derived from plants and other natural sources. These colors are often bright and pigments like lampblack and ochre are used to create black and brown respectively. Instead of contemporary brushes, objects like twigs, matchsticks and even fingers are used to create the paintings. There are rarely any blank spaces in these paintings. If there’s a border, it is embellished with geometric and floral patterns.
A 2500-year-old folk art, the history of Madhubani paintings is said to date back to the time of Ramayana, when king Janaka asked an artist to capture his daughter Sita’s wedding to prince Rama.
#madhubanipainting #heritageart #india #bihartourism #indiatourism #indianart

Bidriware is a metal handicraft from Bidar. It was

Bidriware is a metal handicraft from Bidar. It was developed in the 14th century C.E. during the rule of the Bahamani Sultans.The term 'Bidriware' originates from the township of Bidar, which is still the chief centre for the manufacture of the unique metalware.Due to its striking inlay artwork, Bidriware is an important export handicraft of India and is prized as a symbol of wealth. The metal used is a blackened alloy of zinc and copper inlaid with thin sheets of pure silver.
Bidriware was first practised in ancient Persia and then it was brought to India by Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti’s followers. The art form developed due to a mix of Persian and Arabic cultures and after the fusion with local style, a new and unique style of its own was created.
Bidriware is an eight-stage process. Those are moulding, smoothening by file and the process of designing by chisels. It is then followed by engraving using chisel and hammer where pure silver inlaying is done. It is subjected to smoothening again, followed by buffing and finally oxidising by making use of soil and ammonium chloride.
This native art form has also gained the Geographical Indications (GI) registry.
#geographicalindications #bidriware #heritage #heritagecrafts #karnataka #heritagesandook #india

Pashmina is a fine type of cashmere wool. The text

Pashmina is a fine type of cashmere wool. The textiles made from it were first woven in Kashmir.The name comes from Persian: پشمینه‎ / pašmina, meaning "made from wool".Pashmina came to be known as 'cashmere' in the West because Europeans first encountered this fibre in Kashmir.
Woolen shawls made in Kashmir are mentioned in Afghan texts between the 3rd century BC and the 11th century AD.
Pashmina crafts were introduced by Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani who, as tradition has it, arrived to Kashmir from Persia along with 700 craftsmen.
Pashmina fibres are finer and thinner (12–15 microns) than generic cashmere fibre (15–19 microns)and therefore ideal for making lightweight apparel like fine scarves. As the fibre diameter is very low, pashmina has to be hand-processed and woven into products such as shawls, scarves, wraps, throws, stoles, etc.

#kashmir #cashmere #pashmina #india #indiancraft #textileart #heritage

Kalamkari is an ancient style of hand painting don

Kalamkari is an ancient style of hand painting done on cotton or silk fabric with a tamarind pen, using natural dyes. The word Kalamkari is derived from a Persian word where ‘kalam‘ means pen and ‘kari‘ refers to craftsmanship. This art involves 23 tedious steps of dyeing, bleaching, hand painting, block printing, starching, cleaning and more. Motifs drawn in Kalamkari spans from flowers, peacock, paisleys to divine characters of Hindu epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana.
This colorful art dates back to more than 3000 B.C. According to the historians, fabric samples depicting Kalamkari art was found at the archeological sites of Mohenjo-daro.
Till today, many families in Andhra Pradesh continue to practice this art and this has served as the prime source of livelihood for them, over the generations.

Cotton fabric used for Kalamkari is first treated with a solution of cow dung and bleach. After keeping the fabric in this solution for hours, the fabric gets a uniform off-white color. After this, the cotton fabric is immersed in a mixture of buffalo milk and Myrobalans. This avoids smudging of dyes in the fabric when it is painted with natural dyes. Later, the fabric is washed under running water to get rid of the odor of buffalo milk. The fabric likewise, is washed twenty times and dried under the sun. Once the fabric is ready for painting, artists sketch motifs and designs on the fabric. Post this, the Kalamkari artists prepare dyes using natural sources to fill colors within the drawings.

#kalamkari #andhrapradesh #heritage #india #indiancraft #textileart #ancientcraft #andhrapradeshtourism

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