5 traditional handicrafts that are unique to India
India, being a culturally rich nation, harbors diverse traditional handicrafts which mirror the heritage of their respective states. These artistic treasures sustain the livelihoods of numerous rural citizens across the country, preserving their crafts for ages and wooing souls that appreciate beauty of all kinds. Here are five unique handicrafts you should invest in if you fancy collecting exquisite items.
Dokra or Dhokra
Dokra, a lost-wax metal casting technique, dates back to ancient times. Notably, the dancing girl figurine found in Mohenjo-Daro is one of the earliest examples. The Dhokra Damar tribes, skilled metalsmiths from Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, and Odisha, lend their name to this craft which is now widespread in India. Bastar Dokra from Chhattisgarh and Adilabad Dokra from Telangana, have geographical indicator tags.
Pashmina shawls
Made from a fine type of cashmere wool, Pashmina is exclusively crafted and hand processed in the valleys of Kashmir and represents the heritage of the region. The craftsmen and women in Kashmir combine the process of combing, pinning, weaving, and finishing to make the shawls. It takes about 180 hours to complete each Pashmina shawl. Srinagar is the center of pashmina fabric production.
Phulkari
An exclusive embroidery technique from the region of Punjab and Haryana, phulkari refers to floral work that is mostly used to make head scarves and shawls. The embroidery is done using a darn stitch combining complex designs on the wrong side of a coarse cotton cloth called khaddar with white or yellow silk floss. The embroidery is started from the fabric's center called chashm-e-bulbul.
Tarakasi
Tarakasi is a type of silver filigree work from Cuttack, Odisha. This centuries-old art form requires artisans to melt silver alloy in a small clay pot which is put into a bucket full of hot coals. The silver is turned into wires which are then strung, twisted, and shaped into various designs by the artists. The art is awaiting the geographical indication tag.
Warli art
Warli art is an ancient tribal art that originated in Maharashtra over 2500-3000 years back. Tribal people from the North Sahyadri Range and Palghar district in Maharashtra are credited with creating this exquisite art. Warli art paintings involve simple sketches featuring geometrical shapes like triangles, circles, and squares. The shapes highlight natural features like trees, mountains, the sun, and the moon.
