Rajasthan and its rich legacy of art and craft
If you are an art lover and loves to add glamour through intricate handcrafts at your home and in style, then Rajasthan is a one-stop destination for you. Rajasthani handmade crafts are aesthetic as well as simple. From Blue pottery, intricate miniature paintings to traditional glittery jewelry, the craftsmanship of Rajasthani artists depict the diverse shades of Rajasthan designed by well-experienced and accomplished artisans.. Therefore, let’s peep into the world of handmade crafts of Rajasthan and discover creative, eye–catching paintings or art that will spoil you for sure.
Handicrafts and Traditional paintings of Rajasthan
Enrich with magnificent palaces and artwork, Rajasthan provides the finest combination of simplicity, beauty, and utility. Above all, Rajasthani artists utilize the materials, mould them, and customizes the intricate pieces as per the demand. This well-detailing work reflects the archive of Rajputana and Mughal Gharana.
Blue Pottery
The long-lasting list of Rajasthani handmade crafts is incomplete without the Blue Pottery. Blue Pottery is one of the most celebrated crafts of Rajasthan. Additionally, to enhance the beauty of Blue Pottery, special elements stone-like Ground quartz stones become a savior. It is also available in the market in diverse forms like jugs, saucers, glasses, flower vases, and jewelry boxes. What makes it stand out is the lively blue and sparkling golden motifs of flora and fauna.
Where to Buy: Kripal Kumbh, Kuber Handicraft, Jawahar Kala Kendra
Attend our masterclass: Wonders of the Jaipur Blue Pottery with Gopal Saini
Gems and Jewelry
In this segment, we will be focussing on:
Bold and vibrant Lac Bangles
Popular Contemporary yet ethnic lac bangles are available in versatile parts of handmade crafts of Rajasthan. Moreover, it is carved out of lacquer which is extracted from semi-solid gluey Tachardia laccacan. Local bazaars of Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Udaipur are full of bold and exuberant color choices such as Red, Orange, Additionally, it involves artistic designs which add semi-precious stones like beads, gem, and mirror to give a superb look.
Where to Buy: M.I. Road, Bapu Bazaar, Tripolia Bazaar, Chaura Rasta, Badi Chaupar
Attend our Masterclass: Jingling World of Lac Colors of Rajasthan with Avaz Mohammed
Exquisite Thewa Jewelry
It is an exceptional craft of jewels that includes the embossing of delicately gold sheet work on molten glass. The Mughal era played a prominent part in its discovery as initial footprints can be found in that time.
Where to Buy: Pratagarh, Jaipur, Udaipur, Ajmer
Textile:
Rajasthan’s modern city Jaipur is a home of rich textiles that are here to stay and are evergrowing. These textile art are handwoven by artists. Artists generally use traditional techniques like block printing to give different styles. These blocks are dipped into an array of sassy hues such as icy blue, lush greens that is overwhelming. Besides this, Bandhani sarees, Odhnis, shawls, scarves, and turban are some of the tie and dye patterns that produce vibrant and intricate patterns on fabrics.
Where to Buy: Tripolia Bazaar, M.I. Road, Kishanpol Bazaar, Sanganer Village, Jauhari Bazar, Nehru Bazar
Paintings
Bani Thani: Indian Mona Lisa
As the name suggests Bani Thani was a legendary beauty. Nihal Chand an Indian poet and singer painted her miniature painting to highlight the portray of the lady with elegance and grace. Hence, it is frequently compared with the Mona Lisa’s portrait.
This painting describes the decked lady-Bani Thani, who was a natural beauty with gifted singer, and poet from Kishangarh in Sawant Singh’s ruling era. Above all, her portrait was a significant inspiration to describe the elegance and beauty of goddess Radha. The paintings of Bani Thani encompassed everything from Sringara rasa or romantic love with glowing and powerful borders, stylized lotus-looking eyes, arch eyebrows, and pointy chin, and enchanting layers of jewelry.
Other Famous Handmade Crafts of Rajsathan
Carpet and Durries
Iconic and simple, Rajasthani carpets add charm to homes through its intricate weaving traditions. Moreover, artists sit together and create interesting and beautiful patterns with the blend of some geometric patterns with colorful hues.
Wooden Art
Quintessential wooden furniture with intricate and miniature motifs of peacocks and royal durbar gives an essence of royalty at home. Places for instance Barmar, Kishangarh, and Shekhawati regions of Rajasthan are the biggest markets to peep into the diversity of furniture. Therefore, to give opulent look to your home, wooden furniture is carved from rosewood and sandelwood.
Puppetry aka Kathputlis
If you ever visited the local villages of Rajasthan, then you must be familiar with fairs where the artists tell the folklores and tana- bana through Rajasthani puppets shows. These are so appealing since it carves out from woods, painted in vibrant hues, and dress in traditional Rajasthani outfits. String puppets are very much in Rajasthan. Besides this, Rajasthan’s city Udaipur is known as the oldest center of manufacturing these puppets. Currently, Jaipur’s Kathputli Nagar is the biggest market of puppets any city can ever have.
Attend our masterclass: Learn the Art of Kathputli with Papu Bhat
Famous Artists that breathe life in these Handmade Crafts of Rajasthan
Handmade crafts of Rajasthan are incomplete without these artists who gave and still giving the taste of romantic work that is priceless.
Kripal Singh Shekhawat: Blue pottery:
Kripal Singh Shekhawat is the father of Blue Pottery. His efforts to rejuvenate the Blue pottery and ceramics work can be seen today. Additionally, his craftmanship- the traditional paintings that are bold and delicate at the same time are famous among generations. It is being taken forward by his wife and children to keep his work lives in the hearts of his admirers.
Nathu Ji Son: Thewa Jewellery: The foundation of Raj-Soni dated back about 400 years when their ancestor Nathu Lal Soni, a goldsmith began Thewa Art in 1707 that caught the eyes of King Sumant Singh, who later given Nathu Soni’s family a jagir titled Rajsoni. After that, his legacy has been taken forward, and there are top players of diverse, luxurious, and premium quality of Thewa, Minakari collections, Thewa Diamond Jewellery, and many more.
In conclusion, the handmade crafts of Rajasthan are outstanding and stand out with eccentric taste, art, designs, and exuberant hues.
Follow Rajasthan Studio on Instagram for more amazing art and travel content. Reach out to us on email at contact[at]rajasthanstudio[dot]com. This blog is curated by Rajasthan Studio and written by Prachi Batra.
