Kolhapuri Chappal - leather footwear

Kolhapuri chappals are handcrafted leather footwear originally made in Kolhapur by the chamar community for daily wear. No nails are used in the making and the chappals are made completely out of buffalo hide with fine goat leather used for the plaited designs. The chappals are available in natural tan, deep maroon, mustard yellow, and dark brown colour. They come in a variety of designs and are decorated with leather braids and zari cords.

Wooden toys, Sawantwadi

Wooden toys are made in Sawantwadi by turning or carving mango wood. Originally they were created by the chitari or chitrakars. After turning seasoned mango wood, lac mixed with colours is applied to the finished surface. Toys are also made by cutting different profiles, which are later assembled into the completed product. The cutout pieces are finished by sanding, painted, and assembled.

Silver ware, Hupari, Kolhapur

Silver artifacts like incense sticks and lamps, are used an integral part of Maharashtrian religious ceremonies. Untreated silver is first melted and set in molds of the required shape. These artifacts are embossed with intricate designs. Parts of the products are made separately and then soldered together. Finally the item is polished either matt or gloss with a brush using a soapnut powder solution. Hupari in Kolhapur district is well known for this craft.

Terracotta and pottery

Clay objects for domestic and rituals are made in Aurangabad and Ahmednagar. One such special product are the clay bulls for children used during the festival of Pola - a festival when bulls are worshipped and decorated. The potters also make the tandoor, a traditional earthen stove, which is made with a flat base and then built up with coiled layers before being fired.

Copper and brass ware

Copper and brass utensils are made by hammering metal sheets and creating different forms. The lota is made by joining together a bowl-shaped base and the bell-shaped upper part. Saltwater is used during the welding process to provided a red tinge.

Metal embossing

This technique creates embossed motifs and designs in sheet metal like silver, gold, copper, brass, and aluminum. The sheet of metal is placed on liquefied tar after the heated tar solidifies and cools. The design is drawn on the sheet. An etching tool is used to create the outline on the surface of the sheet while a dulling tool presses down the portion that is not to be highlighted. The embossed portion is given shape by a chipping tool. Once the embossing is complete, the pitch is reheated to remove the embossed sheet which is cleaned in diluted sulphuric acid and washed with soapnut solution. The sheet is wiped, brushed, and polished.

Ambadi- sisal craft

Sisal (Agave Sisalana) is a cactus whose fibre was used to make rope. The fibre extracted from cactus leaves, is cleaned, dyed, braided, and stitched together to produce a range of products that are strong and water-resistant. The braids are coiled and stitched together or stitched from edge to edge.

The Warli painting

The Warli tribe from the Thane district, paint sacred pictographs on the walls of their huts during wedding rituals. Rice paste and straw are applied on the wall and used as the base. Motifs inspired from life, depicting nature, epics, legends, local incidents, and tales painted on the walls. The base is coloured and the drawings are in white, painted with a brush made of twigs. The human figures are a combination of lines and triangles drawn in various activities such as working, dancing, cultivating land.

Basket Weaving

The men in Nagaland weave the most intricate and beautiful baskets to carry agricultural produce. Though woven baskets are readily available in Nagaland, the intricate baskets made for carrying produce are difficult to find as men weave them in their spare time.

Handlooms Weaving

Women weave unique and intricate designs in cotton and wool on small looms. Traditionally fabric was woven into shawls or garments. Today varied items such as table runners mats, napkins and cushion covers are available.

Wood Carving

In Nagaland large pieces of wood, sometimes logs are roughly carved producing dynamic pieces of wood sculpture. Traditionally wood was used to carve figures, iconic symbols such as the Mithun horns, gateways and doors. These all had symbolic meanings. Today wood carving is commonly used for furniture wall plaques.

Spears

Spears are made out of metals combined with a wood shaft. They are made for hunting are beautifully decorated in traditional colours of red, black, off white.

Batik prints

Batik, the ancient wax-dyeing handloom art form, is native to Indonesia and was promoted in Bengal by Rabindranath Tagore. Batik print units were set up in Viswabharati University where local village folks, artistes were trained. The batik print of Bengal, particularly of Shantiniketan, Bolpur has been used in all kinds fabric; such as a Batik printed silk/cotton saree, handkerchiefs, blouse pieces, home furnishing or leather handcrafts. ‘Shantiniketani Batik’ is now a household name.
The fabric is waxed before being dyed in rich colours from vegetable dyes. Molten wax filled in a bowl is pressed on the fabric with a Tjanting or Kalamkari pen. Designs etched on wooden blocks, are mounted on a screen, and then pressed on the fabric. This technique is popularly known as screen printing. Batik designs are creative and inspired by nature and motifs. After the designs are waxed, the coloration process begins. Colours seep through cracks in the wax and create designs which are unique to batik. In the final stage, the fabric is carefully de-waxed using boiling water. Batik printing in Bengal is continually evolving and experimented with.

By Aditi Chakraborty

Beaten Silver Work

Beaten silver work in Bengal is used to create silver cutlery sets, bowls, silver containers, vermillion cases and many other item. Silver sheets are beaten with hammers, chisels and files are used to produce fine detailing and intricate curvature. The material used is silver and brass in a ratio of 16:7. After completion they are hand polished.

By Aditi Chakraborty

Beaten Silver, Darjeeling

Beaten silver objects of Darjeeling, Sikkim and Kalimpong are way different from their Kolkata counterparts. The artefacts here are made of wood. Then silver embossed sheets are fitted onto them to give a luxurious finishing. Also, these objects show a deep veneration for traditional Tibetan religious symbols, designs and motifs such as ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’, Tashi Takgye, the lotus and the wheel of life. Be it the very famous Nepalese ‘kukris’ (knives), bells, flutes, butter lamps or utensils for religious usage; it is religion which is the abiding theme in this beaten silver craft.
The craftsmen mostly reside in clusters in and around Kalimpong and also in Tibetan Refugee Centres. They beat the silver with skilful hands into thin fine sheets and then fine engraving is worked into the silver which include religious motifs. Tools like hammers, chisels and files are used in the process. The knowledge and craftsmanship re passed on from generation to generation by the craftsmen. Bronze is also used with the silver mix to make containers and tea kettles with beautiful long necks

Konglan boots can be seen in the markets of the hilly areas of Darjeeling and Kalimpong. These are knee-length high flanked boots, colourfully stitched with semi-precious pieces of fabrics/leather. The boots are made of mostly sheep and yak leather, precious local silken material ‘khochen’ and sometimes heavy woollen cloth. Tibetans and the Bhutias wore these boots while taking out their animals for grazing and walking miles in the cold over rugged mountainous terrains. The shoemakers are mostly from Bhutia community concentrated around the Kalimpong hills. They craft these boots both for regular use and for the Bhutanese and Tibetan people who wear Konglan knee boots during special religious occasions. On the upper side of these boots is intricate silk thread work on fine brocade pieces brought from China. Hand braided belts tie the boots on the upper portion which is usually left open. The inner side has fur lining. The women wear somba boots, which are much more elaborate and ornate. The same boot can be worn on either feet.

Lac coated toys

Lac-coated toys also known locally as ‘lakkharputul’, are still made across certain districts of West Bengal. Once abundantly produced, these dolls/figurines can still be found in Midnapore’s Paschimsai and Khoroi villages. Men and women of the Sankhakar community especially practise this craft.

These figurines have pointed features; the nose being the most remarkable. They are brightly coloured and are given desired shapes in moulds. These handmade terracotta dolls are roasted in clay ovens before getting brightly painted with lac colours. The reverse side of each figurine is painted with black colour. Horses, tortoises, a multitude of gods and goddesses deriving from mythical tales and folk traditions are the principal outcomes of this unique craft. In villages, the childless mothers are seen offering the lac-coated figurine of Sashthi to the deity of fertility by the same name.

Patachitra: Pata Tradition of Bengal

In the remote villages of Midnapur and Purulia the Chitrakaras, alias Patuas, alias Pata shilpis narrate tales from folklores and popular mythical traditions with paint brushes dipped in natural dyes on vertical, single quadrangular and horizontal sheets of paper; commonly known as scrolls. The patuas carry these scrolls to nearby villages, local fairs and sing from the stories depicted on these scrolls. Old clothes and chart papers are used as scrolls. History, myths and contemporary sagas are brought alive with paint brushes dyed in vegetable/water colors. Patas have beautiful stylistic elements and cover a range from Santhal tradition to mythical narratives and popular folk arts. These can be 2-3 feet wide and long - multiple chitras painted in a serial with the story unfolding in the scroll, one chitra after another.

Thangka Paintings, Darjeeling

Thangka painting in both Darjeeling and Sikkim, originated in Nepal in the 11^th century and was assimilated by the Tibetans before it evolved in a significant way. These paintings are central to the worship and meditation in Buddhism. Historically, practising Lamas were Thangka painters who were rigorously trained and had a deep understanding of Buddhist religion and scriptures. Today any artist who has been trained under strict guidance of the monasteries can paint thangkas, provided they adhere to the strict guidelines and values of Buddhism.
The wide canvas strung to wooden frame used for Thangka painting is prepared by applying glue and distemper solution and is rubbed multiple times with porcelain to bring about a uniform texture. The painter then draws the central god figure (eg. Bodhisattwa, Rin-Po-Che) on iconographic grids with other components with a pencil. He outlines the characters with fine brushes before filing in bright vivid colours. The colour of the deity has great importance in Buddhist religion and earlier only natural pigments were used. Acrylic paint has replaced natural colours now. Red, Blue and bright yellow intricately designed rich brocade silks are used for framing the paintings which stay covered with yellow silk curtains before they are mounted on the wall for worshipping or meditational purposes.