Thesis Statement

Deccan sultanates is referred to the five late medieval Indian kingdoms ruled by Muslim

dynasties. Bidar fort holds the historical importance with brilliant infrastructure located in the

city of Bidar in Karnataka. It is one of the most favorite tourist spots in the state. Bidri art

primarily sprouted from Hyderabad. The name bidri is derived from an ancient and renowned

place called Bidar. Bidri jewellery box is mainly made up of Zinc and Copper alloy which are

used as a base metal and the surface is designed with pure silver inlay work. The process of

making this versatile jewellery box a bit technical to understand with lots of mesmerizing facts.

In 14th century, during the rule of the Bahamani, Bidri jewellery and the Bidri artwork was

originated. Some Persian artists brought this in India. Bidri artwork and jewellery box is known

as the symbol of wealth. Is it really the symbol of wealth?

Visual Description

Bidri jewellery box is premium metalwork, mostly a handicraft in Bidar. This well-

known handicraft was actually brought by Persian artists between 14th and 15th Century. This

special and unique artwork is a blend of Persian, Turkish and Arabic alongside the mix of local

styles. Looking closely at the Bidri jewellery box results in the visual representation of the

inlaying silver or gold on pure metal black. The metal which is used is mainly a blackened alloy

of Zinc and Copper. It is inlaid with really thin sheets of pure Silver. This made the whole

jewellery box more aesthetic and captured attention of those who love and appreciate such

quality artwork. There are lots of surprising factors related to the creation of Bidri jewellery and

artworks. In about 800 degree F, Bidri products are melted and then created. A craftsman designs

his art by hand. They mostly use a tool which is known as a stylus. Then the art is inlaid by using
silver wires. It is a continuous process. This may take a few days in a row. The hard work and

dedication in making a Bidri jewellery box or any Bidri product deserves a round of applaud

with heartfelt appreciation. Do they use any special or secret element to finalize the product? As

it was mentioned before that making a Bidri artwork deserves appreciation and there are lots of

underlying factors that have been used since the inception of the Bidri handicrafts. These factors

without any doubt left everyone thinking about the versatility of the renowned Bidri products

once again. Finishing and giving a special touch to a Bidri handicraft is done by a unique kind of

soil. Which is collected from a very old Bidar fort. It is said that the fort is about 300 year old.

The fort is in such condition that sunlight or rainfall nothing touches the ground. This soil is

boiled and is mixed to the product. It is used to help the silver wires that are used in the product

to stand out against the blackened surface eventually creating a sparkling picture. Every single

Bidri product looks shiny and smooth. It’s because after finishing all the steps, the product is

rubbed with coconut oil. This is what that makes it smooth as well as shiny, which is obviously

eye catching and makes it even appealing. No wonder why Bidri is one of its kind !

Visual Analysis

The name Bidri is originated from the region of Bidar. It’s fusion of local style alongside

ancient Arabic and Persian style. The making of Bidri product is an eight step process. The steps

including molding, smoothening, engraving, buffing, oxidizing. Each Bidri jewellery box is

made in such way that makes these boxes stylish at the same time classic. There are various

shapes of boxes available. The mind blowing boxes can be used for various purposes including

storing precious ornament or gifting someone special on an occasion or just buying it as a

collectible. The texture and colors of the boxes have made them worldwide appealing and

acceptable. Anyone would admit that it is eye-catching and alluring. It is made up of an alloy of
zinc and copper metals. Presence of zinc makes it deep black. By looking at the art of Bidri

jewellery boxes and other handicrafts and artworks, it can be seen lots of different and unique

styles. Flowers, leaves, various geometric designs, different human figure, stylized poppy plants

and so on. Are there any different designs apart from these? Yes there are. As the Bidri artwork

is exported worldwide, in some countries there is a huge demand for the design of Persian roses

and various passages from the Holy Quran in the Arabic scripts. All designs depict the versatility

of this fascinating piece of artwork. Where the designers and workers put their hardest effort by

mapping, drawing and using the right elements to make such a masterpiece.

One of the main elements that is used mainly for finishing and special touches in Bidri products

is a unique kind of soil. This soil has a great value and thought to be a very special soil. It is

derived from an old Bidar fort which is approximately 300 year old. Speaking of such ancient

fort, it such a place where neither sunlight nor rainfall ever touches the ground. How much

authentic and necessary it is to use such elements? Do they make any difference? I strongly

support using this element. It helps silver wires used in the product standing out against the

blackened surface and it creates a glittering picture by making it smooth and shiny. Not only it is

increasing the artifact value but also exporting such distinguishable product brings lots of money

thus increase the economy of the country. The mighty Bidri product has also managed to gain the

Geographical Indications (GI) registry.

Conclusion

A perfect blend of different styles and proper implementation of various ingredients have

made Bidri artwork appealing, eye-catching, and alluring and appreciated worldwide making it
the symbol of wealth. The versatility of this ancient yet classic artwork have risen to the throne

of success giving a rise to the country’s economy.

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