Handicrafts of Gujarat

Gujarat has a very rich heritage of handicrafts. The handicrafts of Gujarat are very unique. These handicrafts have been given a fillip by the government and some private individuals. Craftsmen and women who left their villages to work as stone crushers for the living have been brought back to practise their traditional arts. Their products can be seen and purchased in emporiums in Gujarat, Delhi and Mumbai. The excavations at the Harappan sites in Gujarat at Lothal, Rangpur, Rozdi etc. have brought to light some of the very ancient handicraft articles. Gujarat also has a rich tradition of embroidery, leather work, bandhani and hand-block printing. Gujarat is also known for the famous and unique Kutch embroidery.

embroidery such as Chalak, Salama, Kangari, Tiki, Ring and Katori for motifying in the Kinkhab and the Zari border weaving, laces, caps, turbans, sarees, and blouse pieces. The Tanchoi or silk brocade is woven on silk cloth and decorated with the designs of birds, animals, leaves, fruits etc. The cloth is used for costly sarees, blouses and tapestry. The Kinkhab or the Indian brocade is woven on the silk with gold and silver threads. Surat is also known for the Kinkhab gold brocades.

Dyeing
Dyeing is a hereditary art. In the past cloth was dyed in colours extracted from trees and flowers. The Sarkhei suburb of Ahmedabad was one of the indigo manufacturing and exporting centres. The Bandhani, tie and dye variety of saree is a very popular women's wear. It involves an intricate process of tying knots on the fine white fabric, which is dipped in colours. The hues of deeper shades are used over the previous ones to form the coloured background of the cloth.

Cloth printing
Cloth printing is a complicated and specialised job. It is done with engraved wooden blocks and screens. Certain craftsman are doing the work of printing different varieties which are locally called Chundadi, Patola, Plain Gala, Lehria, Bandhani, Pomcha, Nagaria. Household utility and decorative materials such as table cloths, bed covers, curtains, tapestries, hand bags and carpets are also prepared by this type of printing process. The hand-painted cloth is available in traditional black, red, maroon and ochre colors and is also inexpensive. The tie-and-dye fabrics are known all over the world for their variety and excellent colors. Temple curtains popularly known as Mat-no-Chandarvo is another type of printing work. The Vahari-Harijan families of Ahmedabad were engaged in this type of printing. It is prepared in the old process and depicts goddess Durga seated on the throne or on the back of a tiger and surrounded by her devotees.

Wood carving
Wood carving is an ancient art of the state which has attained very high standard of technical skill. Some of the best examples of wood-carvings are found in temples and houses in many parts of Gujarat. The wood carvers produce life-like figures of animals, artistic objects of every-day use such as tea pots, table lamps, stools and toys for children. Mahuva and Idar are famous for their lacquer toys. Sankheda in Baroda district is known for its lacquer work. The work is done on country-wood which gives darker shades. The coating is done with fine lac. Women folk of Saurashtra prepare idols, toys, ash-trays, toilet-boxes, lamp-stands and flower-pots from the pulp of rags, banana stumps and bamboos. Artistic Jars, water-pots and other utility articled are prepared from clay.

wire-work, carving etc. The folk jewellery of excellent designs, characteristic of each village and each community is a typical art of Gujarat. The silver craft is a specialty of Kutch, in which light embossing is done on thin silver plates and is enhanced by etching and scrapping. Attardanis, Gulsbdanis, Flower-vases, trays, jewellery boxes, powder boxes, ash trays and cigarette boxes are some of the articles of silver craft. Agate is a semi-transparent mineral composed of quartz in different colours and found in river beds. The raw stones are processed by heating, chiselling, surfacing, polishing and drilling before they are turned into artistic articles such as ear-rings, necklaces, studs, bowls, and trays. The industry is located in Cambay.