Professional Documents
Culture Documents
SOUTH INDIA
Andhra Pradesh
Hyderabad
1
–
Paagadu
bandhu
–
yarn
tie
resist
dyeing
(ikat)
*
Ikat
was
initially
woven
in
Chirala,
a
coastal
town
in
Prakasam
district,
which
had
a
flourishing
market
in
the
19th
century
for
telia
rumal
or
square
cotton
cloths
produced
for
the
Arab
market
and
exported
to
the
Middle
East,
Africa
and
Burma.
*
Weaving
is
a
full
time
activity,
often
the
entire
family
being
involved
in
the
craft.
Simple
geometric
designs,
multicoloured
patterns,
stripes
and
chevron
forms
are
dominant
patterns.
*
Pochampalli
in
silk
saris
of
both
single
and
double
ikat,
Puttapaka
in
fine
cotton
and
silk
sari
and
yardages.
Machlipatnam
1
–
Block
Making
*
Dye
painted
fabrics
from
the
Coromandel
Coast
referred
to
as
Machilipatnam
paintings,
were
renowned
export
goods
made
for
Europe
and
Iran
during
the
16th
to
17th
centuries.
The
fabrics
were
referred
to
as
kalamkari
as
earlier
the
mordant
was
painted
with
a
kalam,
pen.
*
Blocks
were
made
from
seasoned
teak
wood
and
designs
carved
in
relief
by
skilled
artisans
in
Machilipatnam.
2 – Telia Rumal
*
The
telia
rumal,
chowkas,
square,
Asia
rumal,
indicate
the
cloth
with
patterns
created
by
an
exacting
process
of
tying
and
dyeing
the
threads
prior
to
weaving.
*
Telia
is
derived
from
the
use
of
tel,
oil,
that
is
used
to
soften
the
yarn
in
preparation
for
dyeing,
and
rumal
means
a
handkerchief.
*
The
telia
rumal
has
a
square
format
enclosed
by
red
broad
borders.
Within
this
concentric
structure,
are
featured
geometric
and
figurative
designs
in
single
and
double
ikat
techniques
in
black,
red
and
white.
*
The
rectangular
telia
dupatta
was
used
as
a
veil
by
Muslim
women
and
as
a
sari
by
Hindu
women.
3 – Leather Puppets
* Leather puppets of Andhra are large and made from translucent goat skin.
*
The
details
are
painted
in
bright
colours
and
perforations
are
added.
They
are
used
as
shadow
puppets.
*
Their
original
occupation
was
agriculture
and
fishing.
Episodes
from
the
epics
of
Ramayana
and
Mahabharata
are
the
popular
themes
selected.
Chittor
*
Kalamkari
refers
to
the
mordant
painted
and
dyeing
traditions
done
with
a
kalam,
pen.
A
unique
form
of
resist
painting,
kalamkari
is
a
part
of
a
tradition
of
figurative
and
narrative
paintings
used
in
temples.
* The dyeing used metallic salts called mordants to bind the dye to the cotton fibres.
*
The
process
of
kalamkari
is
long
drawn
and
consists
of
eighteen
stages
done
over
a
period
of
sixty
days.
*
Traditional
themes
are
depicted
from
the
epics
or
Puranas,
stories
of
gods.
2
–
Bronze
Casting
*
Clusters
for
bronze
casting
in
Andhra
are
located
in
the
belt
between
Tirupati
and
Chittoor.
*
Dornakambala
is
known
for
its
miniature
idols
which
are
mass
produced
and
sold
at
pilgrim
centres.
Tiruchanur
and
Chittoor
clusters
are
known
for
lost
wax
casting
in
bronze.
*
The
craft
is
strictly
governed
by
the
canons
of
iconography
and
iconometry.
They
are
well
versed
in
many
south
Indian
sculptural
styles
such
as
Hoysala,
Chola
and
Vijayanagara
styles.
Being
a
traditional
craft,
the
products
are
religious
in
character.
Tamil Nadu
Kanniyakumari
*
Kanniyakumari
town
is
the
southernmost
tip
of
India
which
is
at
the
confluence
of
the
Bay
of
Bengal,
Indian
Ocean
and
the
Arabian
Sea.
*
Palm
grows
profusely
in
the
region
and
fibre
from
its
leaves
used
in
basketry
and
packaging,
has
been
developed
into
a
sustainable
craft.
*
Products
-‐
Dowry
baskets,
Winnowing
trays,
Hand
fans,
Rattles,
Pouches,
Storage
basket,
Bags,
Bins,
Boxes,
Ball
rattles,
Bowls,
Nesting
boxes,
Coasters,
Dishes,
Trays,
Christmas
decorations,
Hats,
Purses.
*
Grass
pai,
mats,
made
from
finely
split
korai
(Tamil)
or
kora
(Malayalam)
woven
in
Pattamadai,
are
refered
to
as
pattu:
the
fine
splits
rendering
them
as
smooth
as
pattu,
silk.
*
The
processing
of
kora
grass
in
the
water
of
Tampraparani
and
the
fine
splitting
of
the
grass
have
made
the
mats
of
Pattamadai
famous.
Soft,
pliable
kora
mats
are
only
woven
in
Pattamadai
as
the
water
of
Tampraparani
River
helps
to
soften
the
kora
grass
and
make
finer
splits.
* Products – Mats, Table mats, Wall hangings, Bags, Coasters, Hand fans, Folding mats.
Auroville
1 – Handmade Paper
* The grades of paper vary from thin to very thick drawing paper.
*
Every
sheet
of
paper
is
an
individual
work
of
art
and
varies
both
in
shade
and
design.
The
unique
feature
of
these
products
is
the
decoration
done
using
tiny,
delicate-‐looking
pressed
flowers
and
leaves
which
are
grown
in-‐house,
by
gardens
maintained
by
the
craft
units
themselves.
2 – Leather Work
*
Auroville
leather
units
are
famous
for
their
bags
made
of
leather,
cotton
or
crochet
fabric.
The
designs
come
in
a
very
wide
range
and
the
craftsmanship
is
excellent.
* The leather bags are machine and hand-‐stitched using black nylon thread.
*
Embossed
leather
is
the
chief
design
feature
of
these
products.
Braiding
leather
for
the
handles
and
finishing
of
edges
is
another
special
feature.
Maduri
* Tie and dye or sungadi in Madurai is practiced mainly by the Saurashtra community.
*
Sungadi
refers
to
the
patterning
of
fine
cotton
saris
woven
with
a
narrow
zari
border
by
pulli
katturadhu
(tie-‐resist)
and
katta
katradhu
(clamp
resist)
dyeing,
wherein
selected
parts
of
the
cloth
are
bound
with
thread
and
resisted
from
receiving
dye.
*
The
border
and
the
cross
border,
called
pallu,
are
resisted
by
clamping
those
portions
between
wooden
strips.
Kannur
*
A
three-‐dimensional
sculpture
in
motion,
the
entire
costume
shows
the
influence
of
the
region’s
sculptural
art
forms.
Lightweight
materials
such
as
the
wood
from
the
areca
nutpalm
and
bamboo
are
used
in
the
construction
of
the
frame
of
the
most
significant
accessory,
the
mudi,
headgear,
as
well
as
for
the
lower
garments.
*
Kathakali
–
is
the
colourful
dance
drama
of
Kerala,
traditionally
represented
local
narratives
of
the
exploits
of
various
deities
and
demons.
*
The
dance
form
is
characterized
by
its
use
of
stylized,
exaggerated
facial
expressions
and
body
movements
as
well
as
the
elaborate
costumes,
ornaments
and
the
carved
wooden
headgear.
*
While
the
inner
front
portion
of
the
kiritam
(headgear)
is
made
of
cane
in
order
to
ensure
a
good
fitting,
the
body
of
the
kiritam
is
carved
from
the
durable
kumizhu
wood.
WEST
Gujarat
Kachchh
*
Bhunga,
the
circular
huts
prevalent
throughout
Kachchh,
are
made
of
clay
alone
or
bamboo
chips
plastered
with
lipan,
a
mixture
of
clay
alone
and
dung,
and
have
wood
based
thatched
roofs.
*
The
lipan
on
the
walls,
partitions,
doorways,
lintels,
niches,
and
floors
of
the
bhunga
sport
elaborate
bas
relief
decorations
that
consist
of
okli—textures
created
by
the
impressions
of
fingers
and
palms—and
sculpted
forms
that
are
inlaid
with
mirrors.
2 – Kachchhi Embroidery
*
3 – Rogan Painting
*
Rogani
kaam,
now
practiced
in
the
village
of
Nirona
by
a
single
family,
is
an
unusual
surface
embellishment
technique
that
involves
painting
fabrics
with
a
thick
paste
obtained
from
castor
oil.
* This paste is developed by purifying castor oil and mixing the desired colour into it.
*
A
kalam
or
an
iron
stick
is
used
to
draw
the
outline
of
the
desired
form
on
a
fabric;
the
fabric
thus
painted
upon
is
then
pressed
against
another
fabric
or
a
folded
section
of
the
same
fabric
in
order
to
achieve
a
mirror
image
of
the
initially
drawn
outline.
*
Products
-‐
Ghagara(skirt
fabric),
Ochad
(covering),
Masar
(scarf),
Toran
(door
hangings),
Pillow
covers,
Wall
hangings,
Cushion
covers,
Bed
covers,
Bags.
*
The
term
bandhani
refers
to
the
technique
of
creating
patterned
textiles
by
resisting
parts
of
a
fabric
by
tying
knots
on
it
before
it
is
dyed.
*
The
Kachchhi
bandhani,
traditionally
practiced
by
the
Khatri
community,
is
renowned
for
its
extremely
fine
dots
and
sophisticated
sense
of
composition.
*Products
–
Odhani,
Abha,
Rumal,
Sari,
Yardage,
Stoles,
Shawls,
Salwar
and
kameez.
5
–
Applique
*
Katab
,
the
Kachchhi
name
for
both
direct
and
reverse
appliqué,
traditionally
involved
the
recycling
of
old
pieces
of
cloth
through
patchwork.
*
Squares
called
chitkis,
triangular
pieces
and
rectangular
strips
are
sewn
together
in
several
compositions
to
construct
fabrics
sufficiently
large
for
use
as
quilts,
canopies,
hangings
and
long
decorative
friezes.
*
Products
-‐
Quilts,
Cushions,
Bags,Pouches,
Bedspreads,Cushion
covers,
Wedding
mask
veil,
Toran
–
door
hangings,
Bullock
cart
covers,
Camel
saddles.
6
–
Ajrakh
Printing
*
Printed
on
both
sides
in
the
dominant
shades
of
indigo
and
madder,
and
characterized
by
their
use
of
mordanting
and
multiple
dyeing
techniques,
the
ajrakh
textiles
derive
their
name
from
the
Arabic
word
azrak,
meaning
blue.
*
The
richly
printed
surface
of
ajrakh
fabrics
is
achieved
through
a
highly
evolved
process
of
scouring,
mordanting,
printing,
lime
resist
printing,
multiple
dyeing
in
indigo
and
majistha
(red)
and
washing.
*
Dyed
and
printed
with
vegetable
and
mineral
colours,
the
properties
of
the
cloth
exceed
the
merely
aesthetic;
the
colours
of
the
ajrakh
are
believed
to
be
such
that
they
are
cooling
in
the
heat
and
warming
in
the
cold.
*
Products
–
Turbans,
Shawls,
Lungis
–
men’s
sarong,
Odhani
–
veil,
Charpai
cover,
Curtains,
Floor
spreads,
Bed
covers.
7
–
Bell
Making
*
The
entire
family
is
involved
in
the
craft
process
with
the
male
members
performing
the
critical
tasks
of
shaping
the
bell
and
setting
the
sound
with
the
aid
of
an
instrument.
*
The
sound
that
emanates
from
each
bell
essentially
depends
on
three
factors:
the
shape
and
size
of
the
body;
the
size,
thickness
and
shape
of
the
wooden
strip
hanging
with
the
bell;
and
the
form
and
curvature
of
the
bottom
rim
of
the
bell.
Ahmedabad
1
–
Mata
ni
pachedi
*
The
pachedi
have
a
distinct
visual
identity
that
is
developed
through
the
use
of
strong
bold
forms
and
re-‐enforced
bythe
application
of
stark
colours—blood
red,
black
and
white.
The
central
feature
of
the
shrine
cloth
is
invariably
the
commanding
presence
of
the
mother
goddess;
the
goddess
is
believed
to
have
a
hundred
forms
and
is
consequently
depicted
in
each
of
these
along
with
the
appropriate
iconographic
details
and
attributes.
2
–
Patola
weaving
*
Patola,
the
textiles
woven
of
selectively
dyed
warp
and
weft
threads
are
characterized
by
their
distinctive
geometric,
floral
and
figurative
double
ikat
patterns.
Of
these,
the
textiles
with
geometric
patterns
and
tiger
and
elephant
motifs.
*
The
warp
and
weft
threads
of
the
patola
are
tied
separately
with
cotton
thread
and
then
dipped
in
colour
so
that
only
the
open
threads
may
absorb
the
dye.
The
dyeing
is
done
according
to
the
design
requirements.
3
–
Mashru
weaving
*
The
term
mashru
refers
to
a
mixed
fabric
that
was
woven
with
a
silk
warp
and
cotton
weft
textile
and
was
used
by
Muslim
men
who
were
prohibited
by
a
hadith,
rule,
to
wear
pure
silk
fabric.
*The
satin
weave
used
in
the
fabric’s
construction
gives
it
a
luxurious
sheen,
an
appearance
further
augmented
in
textiles
with
multicoloured
stripes
of
ikat
or
tie-‐resist-‐
dyed
yarns.
Vadodra
1
–
Sankheda
furniture
*
Sankheda
furniture
derives
its
name
from
the
monopoly
on
lac-‐coated
turned
wood
furniture.
*
The
tin-‐painted
patterns
change
colour
once
heated
and
lined
with
lac.
Due
to
the
limitations
imposed
by
the
technique
and
the
materials
used,
the
finished
products
have
a
fixed
range
of
colours
of
which
the
combination
of
brown
and
orange
is
perhaps
the
most
common.
2
–
Pithora
Painting
*
Among
the
Rathwa
Bhils,
a
tribal
community
of
Gujarat,
it
is
common
practice
to
install
a
deity
in
the
house
in
the
form
of
a
ritual
wall
painting.
*
These
painted
deities
preside
over
all
auspicious
celebrations
in
the
family
from
their
vantage
point
on
a
sacred
enclosure
on
the
wall
between
the
courtyard
and
the
kitchen.
*
The
act
of
painting
the
wall
is
a
ritual
comprising
narration,
singing
and
drumming,
activities
in
which
the
whole
community
participates.
Maharashtra
Mumbai
1
–
Warli
painting
*
The
Warli
tribe,
living
in
Thane
district,
are
known
for
the
sacred
pictographs
they
paint
on
the
walls
of
their
modest
huts
during
wedding
rituals.
*
Rice
paste
and
straw
was
smeared
on
the
walls
as
base
and
motifs
inspired
from
their
life,
nature,
epics,
legends,
local
incidents
and
tales
painted
on
it
with
a
brush
made
of
twigs.
*
The
visual
energy
of
the
Warli
painting
is
attained
through
line
drawings
of
multitudes
of
tiny
human
forms
engaged
in
hunting,
dancing
or
cultivating
land,
colour
is
not
the
main
criteria.