Rajasthan is very well known for its royalty and deserts and it is more celebrated for its absolutely wonderful craftsmanship because every singular nook and corner of this north western state resonates with those simple yet amazing stories of artisans who have turned this dry desert into a magical land for everyone with their hard work, dedication and promise to their craft. Everything is available in the state of Rajasthan from intricate jewelry and breathtaking textiles and sturdy metal work. It verifies that if a craftsman has soul, the excellent craftsmanship of Rajasthan will flourish and reign, no matter what.
The Astounding Ornaments and Gems
When it comes to the excellent craftsmanship of Rajasthan, its capital city is known as the jewelry capital of our country because Jaipur is a place where the best jewelry has been created for centuries. In fact, Kundan jewelry was first created in Jaipur and now people all over the world adorn themselves in it. Gems are cut and polished with extreme expertise over here. The Meenakari work started in this state during the rule of the Mughals and even the Rajput rulers promoted it to a great extent. When it comes to the excellent craftsmanship of Rajasthan, Kundan jewelry is one of their best creations. It is created by using highly refined gold foil. In this gold foil, gemstones are expertly set in very intricate designs that are attractive in nature. They pieces almost gleam with royal grandeur. When it arises to Meenakari work, it refers to inlay metallic surfaces with vivacious colors in order to yield flowery or symmetrical designs. Individuals frequently buy a blend of these two crafts that result in the most delicate jewelry.
Bagru and Sanganer
The tradition and method of textile block printing began in the villages of Bagru and Sanganer. These villages have been working on the art of block printing for more than three hundred years and they are the masters of this crafts. The entire process of block printing is manual because they use hand carved wooden block to stamp very beautiful floral patterns onto textile fabric. They only do this with vegetable dyes that have been taken from natural ingredients like indigo, pomegranate peels, madder root etc. Bagru is known for earthy block prints while Sanganer focusses on more detailed block prints.
Block printing is one of the most sustainable forms of art and it is more famous than ever now because customers want something that is very good for the environment. Every craftsman has to take each block, align it by hand and as they go from a singular print to multiple prints, the design keeps getting more detailed and visually striking. Every layers adds more and more beauty to the overall design. Other than being used for kurtis, saris and dupattas; they are also used for home furnishings in the form of cushion covers and bedsheets etc.
The Art of Glaze
One of the best crafts of Rajasthan is its blue pottery. This is a kind of pottery that does not require any clay. It is expertly created from a combination of quartz, glass and Multani mitti. This was introduced during the reign of Sawai Ram Singh II when the persian artists had come to pay a visit to Jaipur. Therefore, the visible geometric designs on this pottery represent Mughal motifs and the color of turquoise brings a scent of coolness in the arid atmosphere.
In conclusion, the excellent craftsmanship of Rajasthan deserves a huge amount of recognition, as it continues to prosper. Even in the arid conditions of the state, the people devoutly devote themselves to their work and the result pays off, as it should.
Author
Shreeja Mukherjee