Western Indian Crafts - Informative & researched article on Western Indian Crafts
  Indianetzone: Largest Free Encyclopedia of India with thousand of articles Indian Crafts


in  
Art & Culture | Entertainment | Health | Reference | Sports | Society | Travel
Forum  | RSS Feeds  | Free E-magazine
Indian Crafts : Indian Embroidery l Crafts of Indian States l Crafts of Union Territories of India l Types of Indian Crafts l Craft l Indian Craft l Indian Tribal Crafts l Indian Durries l Crafts of North eastern India l Indian Handicraft Associations l Indian Carpets
Home > Art & Culture > Indian Crafts > Crafts of Indian States > Western Indian Crafts
Western Indian Crafts
The crafts of Western India have passed on from generation to generation and speak of the artistic sensibilities.

The crafts of Western India bear ample testimony to the rich cultural heritage of the region.

Embroidery is a common craft of the region. Saurastra and Kutch region of Gujarat is known for lavish embroidery. The famous embroideries of Gujarat are kathi, heer, abhala that is mirror embroidery and appliqué work. Crochet lace work is famous in Jamnagar of Gujarat. The state is also well known for Bandhani, which is the craft of tie and dye. Jamnagar, Anjar and Bhuj are famous centers for this craft. Crochet and embroidery has a traditional mark in Goa. Rajasthan also has a distinct style of embroidery. The locals of Jaisalmer have a beautiful range of embroidery with every variety of stitch. The pichwai of Nathdwara and gota work are some exclusive embroidery of Rajasthan.

Maharastra is famous for Paithani saris Handloom is another craft of the region and each state specializes in weaving some kinds of saris. Maharastra is famous for Paithani saris, which has a magnificent pallu woven in brightly coloured rosettes and birds. The tussar silk produced in Maharastra is called kosa silk. Some varieties of kosa silk produced here are motha choukada, lahan choukada, gunja salai, teen dhari choukada and rasta choukada. Masuriya is a rare cotton fabric woven in Rajasthan, which has a lovely texture. Himrro is another type of brocaded material where the jala design is made. The jala design consists of intricate geometrical designs like circle, octagons, ovals, ellipses, and diamonds, flowers like rose, lotus, jasmine. Gujarat is known for tanchoi fabric, which has bright base colours like blue, purple, green or red. Patola is a colourful saree, which has a figured body and a subtle merging of one shade in another.

Pottery, which is a traditional craft, has developed in to a full-fledged industry, which produces utility and decorative items. In Gujarat, Kutch and Saurastra are known for beautiful earthenware in attractive shapes and designs. In Saurastra a special type of clay is available which is called gopichandan. An item made of gopichandan has glossy finish. The pottery of Goa has a style of its own with its deep rich red and velvety surface. Although pottery is made all over Goa, Borde and Bicholim are two famous centers of earthenware. Rajasthan produces a variety of pottery like; Bikaner is noted for its painted pottery, Pokhran for its pottery with geometrical patterns and Alwar for its kagzi pottery. The blue pottery of Jaipur is also very famous.

Woodcarvings find a special place in the crafts of the western region. The woodcarvings of Gujarat have mostly floral and geometrical designs. The woodcarvings of Goa are an aesthetic blend of Portuguese and Indian cultures and the designs are primarily floral, animal and human figures. Pipar and Bhari Sajanpur in Pali district is known for producing thin bowls from rohida wood.

Kolaphuri chappal Some of the crafts, which deserve a special mention, are the jadau and kundan jewellry from Jaipur where uncut precious gems are set in to twenty-four carat gold. Maharastra is famous for leather chappals called Kolaphuri chappals.

The tradition of craft has evolved through generations and still the quest for innovation and invention continues to give each craft a contemporary look.

(Last Updated on : 25/11/2008)
  More on Crafts of Indian States...
 
Crafts of Andhra Pradesh Crafts of Arunachal Pradesh Crafts of Assam
Crafts of Chattisgarh Crafts of Bihar Crafts of Goa
Crafts of Gujarat Crafts of Haryana Crafts of Himachal Pradesh
Crafts of Jharkhand Crafts of Karnataka Crafts of Kerala
Crafts of Maharashtra Crafts of Madhya Pradesh Crafts of Manipur
Crafts of Meghalaya Crafts of Mizoram Crafts of Nagaland
Crafts of Orissa Crafts of Punjab Crafts of Rajasthan
Crafts of Sikkim Crafts of Tamil Nadu Crafts of Tripura
Crafts of Uttar Pradesh Crafts of Uttaranchal Crafts of West Bengal
Crafts of Jammu and Kashmir Crafts of North India Crafts of South Indian States
Central Indian Crafts East Indian Crafts Western Indian Crafts
Crafts of Kerala Crafts of Kashmir  
Recently Updated Articles in Indian Crafts
  • Lac Crafts of Karnataka
    Lac Crafts of Karnataka are known for the lacquered wood items prepared with proper care and artistry.
  •  
  • Embroidery of Punjab
    Embroidery of Punjab has a distinguishable character and the items mirror the exemplary artistry.
  •  
  • Embroidery of Himachal Pradesh
    Embroidery of Himachal Pradesh has a rich cultural heritage that is displayed in the creations.
  •  
  • Embroidery of West Bengal
    Embroidery of West Bengal represents the traditional heritage of this East Indian state.
  •  
E-mail this Article | Post a Comment
Free E-magazine
Subscribe to Free
E-Magazine on Indian Crafts

 
Western Indian Crafts - Informative & researched article on Western Indian Crafts
Sitemap
Contact Us   |   RSS Feeds
Copyright © 2008 Jupiter Infomedia Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved including the right to reproduce the contents in whole or in part in any form or medium without the express written permission of Jupiter Infomedia Pvt. Ltd.