This land of different cultures and traditions has rooted its presence as a giant in the world for quite a long time as a host to a rich heritage of handicrafts. The country has been honed generation after generation, making such incredible artefacts out of it, symbolising the unique cultural identity of their respective regions.
From intricate textiles to minute pottery, Indian handicrafts make beautiful items and are rich in history and heritage. Every Indian state has different kinds of crafts that most enthusiasts worldwide cherish. Let’s look at some of the famous handicrafts from different Indian states.
12 Famous Handicrafts from Different Indian States
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Pashmina Shawls – Jammu & Kashmir
Perhaps the most famous Indian craft item is the Pashmina shawl, which is generally spun up in the cold climes of Jammu and Kashmir. These shawls are made from quality wool obtained from the Changthangi goat and, therefore, exhibit the requisites of softness, warmth, and rich embroidery. It takes many months to weave a Pashmina shawl that is hand-spun, hand-woven and then hand-embroidered. Pashmina has become synonymous with luxury around the world. It is referred to as the ‘soft gold’ of Kashmir.
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Chikankari – Uttar Pradesh
Chikankari is an extremely old embroidery technique harnessed from the ancient city of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh. Introduced by the Mughal Empress Noor Jahan, this subtle yet intricate hand embroidery has since remained one of the finest expressions of Indian craftsmanship. It is mostly done on lightweight fabrics such as muslin and cotton and sometimes on chiffon, with thick white threads used to create floral patterns. Today, Chikankari is utilised in many fabrics and textile product lines, while classical and modern fusion trends go hand in hand.
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Bandhani – Gujarat and Rajasthan
Bandhani is the other name for Bandhej, a tie-dye technique in textiles practised mainly in Gujarat and Rajasthan. In this craft, the mini portions of the fabric are tied up with strings and then dipped in colour to give impressions. Each dot on the fabric is a bound area that resists the colour and gives out beautiful patterns. Bandhani makes sarees, turbans, and dupattas for special occasions, particularly during ceremonial events and fairs in western India.
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Dokra – West Bengal and Odisha
Dokra is the traditional metal casting technique tribals in West Bengal, Odisha, and parts of Eastern India use. This craft has a history dating to over 4,000 years and is one of the world’s oldest forms of metal casting. Dokra artisans are known for their lost-wax casting technique for unique figurines, jewellery, and utensils. Characterised by their simplicity and raw aesthetic appeal, Dokra objects have no pomp; instead, animals, tribal deities, and everyday life begin to introduce India’s rural traditions.
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Blue Pottery – Rajasthan
Rajasthan, particularly Jaipur, boasts an iconic and stunning example of blue pottery. The art of Persia, brought into India by Mughal artisans, is unique. It uses quartz instead of clay, giving it this exclusive blue colour through cobalt oxide, with all varieties of floral and geometric designs. From vases to plates and tiles to decorative art pieces, blue pottery has become the iconic symbol of Rajasthani craftsmanship.
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Warli Painting – Maharashtra
Warli painting is a tribal art form practised by the Warli tribe of Maharashtra. This art, dating back to 2500 BC, is a simplistic yet evocative form of painting using basic geometric shapes like circles, triangles, and squares. This wall painting was traditionally created using white rice paste on mud walls. These are everyday life scenarios, natural and celebration scenes for which Warli paintings were in vogue. Today, Warli has moved into canvas, paper, and textiles amid a rustic setting and a more minimalist appeal.
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Phulkari – Punjab
The boldness of the colours and the vibrant style of the state of Punjab can easily be attributed to the embroidery style of Phulkari, characterised by its intense, colourful and intricate patterns. The word’s translation is “flower work,” which is embroidery motifs of flowers onto cloth using brightly coloured threads. What was traditionally created by women in the village for important events like weddings and festivals? It was mainly on shawls or dupattas, but nowadays, Phulkari designs can be found on sarees, dresses, and home decor, which makes this craft a favourite across India.
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Madhubani Painting – Bihar
The Madhubani or Mithila painting is a very famous piece of art in Bihar. It’s a traditional folk art done by women using fingers, twigs, and brushes in the Mithila region. Its primary characteristic would be vibrant colours and intricate patterns depicting Hindu gods, nature, and mythological events. In the context of this ancient craft, the use of natural dyes and pigments coupled with the symbolic motifs of fish, birds, and flowers add to the cultural richness. Today, Madhubani paintings find intense demand in India and overseas.
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Tanjore Painting – Tamil Nadu
Tanjore painting is another distinguished form of South Indian art, which evolved in Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. Tanjore paintings are known for their rich colours, richness at the surface, and compact composition, wherein gold foils have added opulence to the paintings of gods and goddesses. This art form flourished during the reign of the Chola dynasty and forms a part of South India’s cultural legacy. The art pieces are sacred and inauspicious and can be used as ornamentation or even religious idols.
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Pattachitra – Odisha
In Odisha, there is a state of artistic intricacies with Pattachitra paintings on cloth. The term ‘Pattachitra’ is derived from the two Sanskrit words ‘patta’, which means cloth, and ‘chitra’, meaning painting. Many pictures of religious themes, particularly the stories of Lord Jagannath and those of Ramayana and Mahabharata epics, have also been captured through these paintings. Characterised by fine detailing, rich colours and mythological narratives, the art form of Pattachitra is a word born out of the legacy of generations. It continues to flourish in the present day.
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Kalamkari – Andhra Pradesh
In textile art with a block-printed or painted ornamentation from Andhra Pradesh, Kalamkari literally means ‘pen craft’. The art concerns the creation of minute design drawings with the help of a bamboo stick or a pen dipped in natural dyes. There are several traditional Kalamkari designs, which involve mythological stories, floral patterns, and border designs. This craft form is characterised by accuracy and this broad labour; it takes several weeks or months to make every piece of cloth.
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Terracotta – West Bengal
Terracotta art is widely found in West Bengal, especially the one from the village of Bishnupur. Terracotta is described as ‘baked earth,’ with clay used in every manner possible to create figurines, temples, jewellery, and household items. Beads of glittering light on the terracotta sculptures-studded temple panels of Bishnupur have adored those brilliant Bengali artisans. This earthy-rough art has been a part of Bengali culture for decades and still survives as an artistic feature.
Indian handicrafts epitome the country’s cultural diversity and rich artistic heritage. Be it the exquisite Pashmina shawls of Kashmir or the intricate Tanjore paintings of Tamil Nadu, each region in India has its particular craze that dates back to tradition. On one hand, handicrafts add grandeur and vibrancy to everyday life. On the other hand, they form a quintessential part of preserving India’s cultural history. The more globalisation spreads, the more multifold the demand for Indian handicrafts has been, ensuring that such age-old art forms continue to bloom for quite a long time.
