ABSTRACT: India has a great tradition of embroidery and different regions have distinctive styles of fine embroidery on cotton, silk and wool fabric. From coverlets to garments, these embroideries have lots of charm and attraction. Of all the regions of the country, the most artistic and picturesque embroidery comes from the Chamba state. It is […]
The seventeenth century rectangular hanging created in Coromandel coast that reached the museum of France is a significant example of kalamkari. It is preserved in the French city of Mulhouse at the Musee de l’impression sur etoffes de Mulhouse! This hand painted kalamkari is decorated with vibrant colours and bold line work with an amazing […]
National Museum, New Delhi has a few exquisitely carved ivory objects in its collection. One of them is beautifully carved five feet long ivory tusk illustrating the important life events of Lord Buddha in forty-three small circular roundels (fig. 44). First twenty-five roundels illustrate the story of Buddha’s birth to his enlightenment and next eighteen […]
A debate has always existed about the role of museums in the representation of traditional art and craft. There are those that think museums detach craft from its true functionality, placing it behind glass casings and removing it from the grasp of the viewer. And there are those that view museums as preservers of crafts […]
It has now been a little over a year since I returned from India and started writing Postmark America. I remember the sensation I felt last year as fall set in and I was embraced by the warmth, tradition and spirit of autumn in America’s Northeast. During this time of year people often pause to reminisce about their […]
Should India’s traditional handcrafters occupy an elevated space in people’s minds or should they remain on the pavements, bazaars, haats, and perhaps marginally in malls, to be looked at as poor street cousins of India’s other cultural practitioners? Sixty years after three important Akademis were set up to promote cultural arts that come under the […]