Crafts – Page 4 – Global InCH- International Journal of Intangible Cultural Heritage

The craft of weaving wool is a characteristic of the hills of Uttarakhand, initiated by the women of the villages. This craft has become indivisible from the lives of the natives, the Bhotias and the Gadvalis, even though the craft only took roots in the region just 3-4 generations back. Earlier a few nomadic tribes undertook the task of weaving woolen carpets, however now many more people have taken to the craft, and are weaving a variety of products. Many organizations have set about the task of teaching weaving and setting up looms to help the craft prosper. When talking about the craft, woolen carpets of the Bhotia are the most famous and the oldest form of the craft. Bhotias are a Tibetan nomadic tribe in Uttarakhand. Their winter months are spent in Dhunda, in an effort to obtain wool and weave fabrics while the summer months are spent in Harsil, growing beans, potatoes, apples and almonds. The charge of rearing sheep and procuring and preparing the wool is taken up by the tribe itself. September to October is considered to be the business time. Traditionally yarn is spun on the spinning wheel or the Charkha, after which it is ready to be knitted or woven. Two types of looms are taken in to use while weaving. For the coarser wool an upright loom is used while for finer wool the pit loom is used. Knitting, done with a pair of needles has attained a different level of fabric construction altogether with the motifs transforming into three dimensional textures. Sheep wool is often mixed with rabbit hair to attain extra softness, shimmer and whiteness to the weave. Once the fabric is made, it is washed and brushed to give a felt like effect. As a result of the blending of white and black wool in definite ratios, before spinning of the yarn, different shades of grey in the woolen fabrics area naturally obtained. Tibetan motifs which have a higher demand, has replaced the traditional Bhotia designs. The designs can be characterized by two broad categories, stylized geometric motifs and the floral and dragon designs exhibiting a Chinese influence. While many carpets are woven from memory, typically the design is followed by looking at the reverse of a finished carpet or from a colour graph. Bhotias sell their woolen products at annual fairs at Bageshwar, Jaulgibi and Thal. The Tibetan carpets have a popular international market too. Popular products made the Bhotias are knitted Kangsuk (socks), Saai (cap), Laakshu (glove), mufflers and woven suit lengths, shawls, dan (carpet), stoles, dumkar (banket) and paagad (belts).

In the high altitudes of Himachal Pradesh, sheep and goat rearing is a very common occupation for many villagers who are involved in blanket-weaving and felting. The Giabong and Kulu valleys are the main areas for gudma, the local name for a fleecy, soft, and heavy blanket which is woven by the local villagers in natural colours and finished with a warm red or black trimming. Mattresses locally called kharchas are made of woollen yarn derived from goat's hair. Numdha, a craft fairly new to Himachal Pradesh involves felting the wool and ornamenting it with colourful embroidery threads. The carpets of Himachal are rich and captivating in design and durable in texture. Dragons borrowed from the neighbouring country of China and the Hindu swastikas are popular motifs which get incorporated in these carpets. Many Tibetan craftspersons are engaged in weaving woollen carpets in the villages of Bhuppur, Puruwala, Sataun, and Kamsan in the Paonta block of Sirmur district. The cold climate in the hills in this region makes the carpet an item of daily use. The patterns woven are mainly geometric and blocks of colour are used in the patterns. Threads of ground colours are used; they are cut off when a new motif or design has to be introduced. The weaving is a combination of cotton and wool and it is done by women. Bhutias are traditional weavers who make common bedside carpets called duns with 60 knots to a square inch. Asans, with squares to sit on, are also made. The motifs are inspired from alpana or rangoli designs drawn on the floor during festive occasions and they are geometric or floral. Mythical Tibetan birds called dak, jira, dragons, lions, and the god of lightning are common motifs. The Central Asian influence can be seen in the presence of the famous key and swastika designs. Chali is a coarse carpet found in Lahaul which is a remote mountainous area in the far north. Kinnaur in Himachal pradesh is noted for its fine weave. The residue wool left after the material for pashmina shawls has been taken is used to weave a rough yarn called sheli from which carpets --- called karcha, chuktu, and chugdan --- are made. Black and white carpets are woven from a mixture of sheli and bakratha, another kind of goat's wool Thobis are black and grey carpets made from goat's hair at Pangi in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. The motifs found on these carpets are the trishul (trident), the swastika, and an eight-pointed design made of a combination of a diamond and a concentric circle. Although wool carpets are predominant in the region, a wide range of cotton dhurries are also made. The main colours used are red or blue, and the design comprises usually of stripes. Weavers of Sirmur use pit-looms. Varying effects are produced by using yarn of differing thicknesses, thin for the warp and thick for the weft.

Carved and turned wood work is widely practiced across several regions in Punjab.Products like chairs, peg tables in Hoshiarpur, containers called singhardaani in Jalandhar, low stools called peedi, wooden slippers called khadavan, butter churners, rolling pinks, wooden handles for tava, chairs, tables, beds and screens in Batala. Tools such as chisel, file, tool sharpener, saws, clippers, planers and drills are required for the crafting process.

The Bhutanese do carving extensively in wood, slate or stone, for making items such as printing blocks for religious texts, masks, furniture, altars, and the slate images adorning many shrines and altars. Carving, however, is not confined to wood stone and slate only - some of the most exquisite and rare carving of images of deities has been done on rhino horns and ivory and adorns various temples.

WOOD CARVING Common to every structure are the intricate decorations - woodcarvings and brightly coloured patterns. The interiors of dzongs, monasteries, houses and other buildings are decorated with the most beautiful carved and painted wall panels, pillars, and ceilings. These beautiful hand carvings are further worked upon by painting them in vibrant colours to make them look even more attractive. GN Mehra in his book, Bhutan land of the Peaceful dragon, says, "Timber, which is found abundantly in the country, is used lavishly for windows, doors, stairs, balconies, columns, beams, other structural members and for elaborate decorative cornices. It is this lavish and delicate use of timber in indigenous Bhutanese architecture that is mainly responsible for its very elegant and unique appearance and character." Murals and carvings of Lord Buddha and various other deities adorn the walls and altars of temples and shrines. The "Mandala", a geometric design of tantric import, is a popular feature in most temples. Windows and doors are also normally painted giving the houses a very festive appearance. Floral, animal and religious motifs are mainly used as themes for the colourful paintings the most common of which are the druk (dragon), dorje, Tashi - Tagye, or eight auspicious signs, and various legendary animals. Bright traditional colours are used with the outlines usually in a lighter shade.

FURNITURE AND DECORATIVE ITEMS The craftsmen use hard, semi-hard and soft wood to prepare functional and decorative products, hand carved and usually painted. Carved panels are also found on Bhutanese tables and other items of furniture such as cabinets, low divans, partition screens, mirror-frames and jewellery boxes. Most beautiful wood carving found on small folding tables called chodrums that are nearly always painted. Wooden sculptures are usually made of blue pine or walnut, as they are soft and therefore very good for carving. The products could be decorative items like dragons, masks, eight lucky signs, etc.

MASKS AND WOODEN ITEMS The Bhutanese make masks in wood, papier-mâché or clay to represent mythological characters and the masks represent both real and mythical animals. They are available in different sizes, painted or unpainted. These masks are used in the sacred, religious, masked dances in which large numbers of human characters, animals or gods or mythological figures are depicted with the help of masks. Animal masks are also popular as decorative items and are fashioned from one piece of semi hard wood and painted with mineral colour paints. WOOD PRINTING BLOCKS FOR RELIGIOUS TEXT The text of religious books is either written by a calligrapher or printed by xylography. Xylography entails carving the text in reverse on a wooden board, coating the plank with ink and then pressing a sheet of paper on to it with a roller; the printed text appears on the page the right way around. It is possible to see some of these books, printing boards and paper at the National Library in Thimphu, collection of 9,000 printing boards.

WOOD PRINTING BLOCKS FOR RELIGIOUS TEXT ON PRAYER FLAGS Like the blocks used in xylography, traditionally the carver used to make the blocks to print the prayer flags. The blocks are carved in reverse so that when printed with ink they are correctly printed. Flags are now being printed in India and other places and sold ready made. more on prayer flags STONE SCULPTURE In Bhutan sculpture in stone was not as popular as stone is difficult to carve. This medium was mostly utilised in carving out bas-relief used for the outer walls of chhortens and monasteries, and generally depicted the portraits of the Siddhas, images of Tara, Avlokiteshwara and Guru Rimpoche. It was also used for cooking utensil in Bhutan, but has become very scarce.

SLATE-CARVING Slate carving, an ancient Chinese art, was once done extensively in Bhutan to represent religious figures and deities. The carving used to be done on slate panels of approximately 40 X 30 cm and consisted of images of deities and inscriptions of mantras. These carved slate panels formerly adorned the exterior of temples and monasteries, and were also set into walls of chortens. Some fine specimens of this art can be seen in Simtokha dzong. Mining of stone and slate is being done in the Wangdi Phodrang Distt. While slate is easy to carve it is also heavier and more expensive than stone. This art form is now receiving the patronage of the Royal family.

PRODUCTS Slate carvings to represent religious figures and deities Wood: Chodrum: elegant folding table traditionally used as a portable unit. The three sides are carved and painted -with dragons, flowers etc.. Dramnyen The Bhutanese guitar has an external scroll with an elaborate dragon design. The long fingerboard is usually decorated with auspicious signs accented with gold paint. Strings are of silk/nylon the sound box f one hollowed wooden section and the sound board of specially treated goat skin. Darts (Khuru) and Targets (Bha) Khuru is a popular game in Bhutan, resembling the game of darts except for the setting up of targets. For khuru, two targets are set apart at a distance of one's choice. It is played between two teams on the basis of the best of three of five games of five, seven, eleven, fifteen, twenty-one or twenty five points depending upon the number of players. The darts are made from wood and feather. Altar (Chhoesham) A variety of designs exist, each embellished with exquisitely painted traditional motifs. Lute (Dranyen) Wood & gaot skin The Bhutanese lute has an elaborate dragon design. The long fingered board is usually decorated with auspicious signs in bright colours. The hollowed wooden section is covered with treated goat skin, and nylon strings are fastened to it. It is used by Bhutanese singers on every occasion.

Drum and Drum Stick In Bhutan, drums are usually made of wood and inscribed with various prescribed mystic charms to ward off evil spells. They are covered on both sides with goatskin. The stick for beating the drum is made from the wood of a tree called rushing while its handle is embellished with metal.These drums are used for all religious ceremonies and found in temples, monasteries and homes in Bhutan. Masks Masks are used in Bhutan for dances during festivals held at auspicious places and times, and they represent both real and mythical animals. They are fashioned from one piece of semi-hard wood, ususally pinewood, and brightly painted with mineral pigments. Stone Pots and Utensils Cooking utensils in Bhutan were often made of stone but today have become very rare.

In Nepal, though the terracotta tradition goes back more than three millennium, the introduction of glazes and the porcelain craft is relatively new. Unlike other countries in South Asia, earthenware products were rarely used for cooking or for eating; metal was always the material of choice in Nepal.

THE NEW PRODUCT RANGE With the technique of lead-free glazing being introduced, an expanding product line of useful and decorative items, along with a whole new range of crockery items, are now available for both the local and export market. Nepalese potters now produce a variety of quality ceramic products. The new range of products includes contemporary tableware and household utility items. Unusual glazes and pottery resembling stoneware - all lead free and of food grade standard - are now available. Recently, efforts have also been made to produce porcelain products utilising kaolin found in different parts of Nepal. CRAFT LOCATION The location of both the ceramic and porcelain craft is in the Kathmandu Valley itself.

Products ranging from blankets, rugs, storage bags and saddle bags are produced under the challi craft. The required tools are ground loom, shuttle, spindle, needle and scissors.

Althought embroidered through Himachal the embroidery is associated specifically with Chamba owing to the patronage by rulers of the area. Traditionally, the Chamba rumals were embroidered on square pieces of fabric that were used to cover offerings of food, gifts, offerings to a deity, gifts exchanged between the families of the bride and the groom and other purposes. Chamba rumals have been called 'paintings in embroidery' due to the theme being similar to those painted on miniatures. Practiced by women from all strata of Pahari society, the embroidery style differed between the folk and the court styles. The style developed by the court, embroidered by the women of the upper classes and the royalty has now come to be exclusively related to the craft. Though some themes were similar all else differed as artists trained in the Pahari miniature tradition often rendered the base drawing on which the embroidery was done, often providing the color palette too, for upper class women to follow. Themes centered on the depiction of the God Krishna and his devotees. They included scenes from the Raaslila, Raasmandal , the Ashtanayika, Godhuli - literally the'hour of cowdust' when Krishna and his cowherd friends bringing the cows back at dusk and other themes, While the folk tradition used vibrant colours the court tradition used subdued, coordinated shades. Traditionally, the Chamba rumals were embroidered on square pieces of handspun and handwoven unbleached fine mulmul cloth The embroidery was done using untwisted silk yarn in a double satin stitch technique known as dorukha, where both sides of the embroidered cloth were identical. The embroidery yarn and stitch is similar to the Phulkari embroideries of Punjab. Court themes included other subjects relating to the lives of the embroiders and often derived from the wall paintings of the Rang Mahal of Chamba and the Pahari miniature tradition including the royal hunts, the game of dice - chaupad. Products embroidered now include caps, hand held fans, blouses, dress material, table and household linen etc. There has been a revival of this tradition with the Delhi Crafts Council working to create pieces based on the court tradition.

HISTORY & TRADITION: MINIATURE ART IN CHAMBA The history of the Chamba rumal is linked with that of the rulers of Chamba, with the craft supposed to have come into its own during the reign of Raja Umed Singh of Chamba (1748-68), who patronised miniature artists who had fled from the Mughal courts. After the death of the Mughal Emperor Aurungzeb in 1707, the Mughal court went into decline. Ineffectual rulers and a swiftly fragmenting centre also mean a swift dissipation of the cultural patronage that the Mughals had been renowned for. Artists fled the Mughal courts, seeking shelter and patronage in the courts of regional powers that gained prominence as Mughal power at the centre declined. Thus it came to be that the Chamba king Raja Umed Singh offered patronage to miniature artists from the Mughal courts. This patronage continued under Umed Singh's successors Raj Singh (1764-94) and Charat Singh (1794-1808).

Even before the exodus of the artists from the Mughal court, Chamba was not unfamiliar with miniature painting. Though the pahari rajas were independent rulers, they were under a larger canopy of Mughal suzerainity that allowed a flow of ideas and techniques from the Mughal court. The sensibility of the pahari miniature - considered the inspiration for artistic, design, and aesthetic expression of the Chamba rumal - was proof of this cultural interaction. The rumals are prolific in the depiction of the wall paintings on the Rang Mahal (Painted Palace), started by Raja Umad Singh of Chamba (1748-68). PROCESS, TECHNIQUE, & RAW MATERIALS The traditional Chamba rumal was an embroidered piece of cloth, most often in a square format (hence the term rumal or handkerchief), but also occasionally in oblong formats used during auspicious or ritualistically important occasions to cover ceremonial presentation trays with gifts and offerings. Pahari miniature paintings in existence confirm this by depicting, in several kinds of situations/occasions, gifts covered with embroidered rumals. The rumal was used on a host of occasions: among others, to cover gifts being exchanged between the families of the bride and groom; to cover offerings to gods during religious ceremonies and rituals; and as decorative covers for ceremonial trays bearing gifts to rulers and other high officials.

1. PROCESS The process of creating a Chamba rumal involved the following steps.

The visualisation of the theme to be embroidered.
The outlining of the initial drawing in charcoal by a trained miniature artist.
The predetermination of a colour palette to be used while embroidering the rumal.
The actual embroidering of the rumal by the elite women along the designs sketched in charcoal by miniature artists.

2. CLOTH, THREADS & STITCHES The fabric used to make the Chamba rumal was hand-spun or hand-woven unbleached thin muslin or malmal. The thread used for the embroidery was untwisted silken yarn, which, in the do-rukha stitch used in Chamba embroidery, has a three-dimensional effect, creating tones of light and shade. This untwisted silk thread - usually made in Sialkot, Amritsar, and Ludhiana - was the same as that used in the Phulkari embroidery of the Punjab.

The stitch used in embroidering the Chamba rumal was the do-rukha, a double satin stitch, which, as its name implies, can be viewed from two (do) sides or aspects (rukh). The stitch is carried both backward and forward and covers both sides of the cloth, effecting a smooth finish that is flat and looks like colours filled into a miniature painting. No knots are visible, and the embroidered rumal can be viewed from both sides. It thus becomes reversible. A simple stem stitch using black silk thread is used to outline the figures. Other stitches like the cross stitch, the button-hole stitch, the long and short stitch, and the herring-bone stitch, as well as pattern darning, were also used occasionally.

3. THE SUBJECT MATTER There is a strong link between pahari paintings and the embroidery on the rumals. The subject of the embroideries ranged from religious themes, embodying the strong Vaishnava fervour in the pahari regions, to themes from the great epics, the Ramayana, and the Mahabharata. Krishna as an incarnation of Vishnu, and the raaslila or tales from his life formed the core of several depictions: the blue god, Krishna surrounded by his gopis, godhuli (the hour of cowdust, with Krishna and his cow-herd friends bringing home the cows); the Radha-Krishna dalliance, and Rukmini Haran (the abduction of Rukmini) are among the popular themes. A range of everyday scenes, from court scenes and royal hunts (shikar), to depictions of the popular dice game of chaupad can be found on the rumals. Wedding processions are also depicted. The figures are made with painstaking care and the costumes and ornaments decorated minutely in the style of classical miniature paintings. Colourful floral and animal motifs - peacocks, snakes, horses, and elephants among others - are often interspersed among the main pictorial elements. The borders of the rumals are almost always a combination of floral and geometrical, usually depicting floral patterns within geometrical settings like parallel lines and squares. The borders are created as a frame for the central picture, and serve to enhance it. Each rumal is a colourful creation, even though the elite version of the rumal is more subtle in its colour combinations than the more primitive and bold juxtapositions found in the folk style, which commonly use pink, yellow, lemon, purple and green.

DECLINE & REVIVAL The loss of courtly patronage from the early twentieth century onwards led to a distinct decline in the elite Chamba rumal, leaving only its folk version alive. However, the Delhi Crafts Council is working actively to revive the rumal. As part of this attemp, the Delhi Crafts Council - in March 2002 - started a small centre in Chamba, for training in the art of Chamba embroidery and the production of Chamba rumals. The Council has also organised and supported a six-week exhibition which displayed the work of seven women artisans - a collection of 13 rumals that were reproductions of ancient counterparts housed in museums in Chamba, Delhi, Calcutta and Ahmedabad. Among the 'revival embroideries' were the following:

Ganesha: The mythical Hindu god with the head of an elephant is represented with the main figure 'placed under a scalloped arch, with a green-leaved tree serving as an umbrella'. (Original rumal in the Indian Museum, Kolkata.)
Shikar: Representing a pastime common to royalty and feudal lords, shikar depictions represent ' a lively scene of movement', with details that include the 'variety of prey, the different weapons used, variegated colours for the animals [and the foliage] as well as the patterns of [the] dresses [worn by] the hunters'. (Original rumal in the Indian Museum, Kolkata.)
Godhuli: Literally, 'the hour of cow-dust', this refers to a rural scene: the cloud of dust that is raised when the cows return home at dusk. Often Krishna and his cow-herd friends are depicted bringing back the cows, a picturisation made more colourful by depictions of women watching, birds flying, nad fish swimming in the water. (Original rumal in the Calico Museum, Ahmedabad.)
Radha-Krishna: The depiction of Radha and Krishna on a pavilion is extremely colourful. The pavilion is two-tiered: Radha and Krishna, with attendants are on the first pavilion, while music and other activities are taking place on the ground floor. Depictions of trees, peacocks, and birds indicate that the pavilion is in the garden. (Original rumal in the National Museum, New Delhi.)
Raasmandala with Lakshmi-Narayana
The raasmandala or the various raaslilas of Krishna are popular subjects, especially as they combine colour, activity, and movement. In the rumal that depicts the Raasmandala with Lakshmi-Narayana, a 'four armed Vishnu and Lakshmi are seated on a double-petalled lotus, flanked by adoring monkeys). Around them dance five blue-skinned Krishnas, interspersed with five gopis. There is a 'male drummer in the forefront', and 'women musicians in ecah corner'. 'The spaces are interspersed with beautiful flowering shrubs and peacocks' in vibrant colours. (Original rumal in the Indian Museum, Kolkata.)
Parijata Hara: Parijata or kalpa-vriksha, the boon-giving tree, was 'one of the treasures churned out of the ocean' in the great samudra-mathan (samudra = ocean; manthan = to churn). The tree was taken by the God of war (and rain), Indra, for his garden. The story depicted by the rumal is that of the theft (haran = abduction/theft) of the tree by Krishna, and the ensuing fight in the heavens between Indra ('seated on his white elephant') and Krishna ('seated on Garuda'). (Original rumal in the Crafts Museum, New Delhi.)
Jagannatha: This depicts the divine triad of the Jagannath temple at Puri (Odisha) - Jagannath, Subhadra, and Balaram - with bowls of offerings placed before them. 'The first floor enshrines the crowned figure of Krishna along with Radha. (Original rumal in the Bhuri Singh Museum, Chamba.)
Chaupad: This is a representation of the game of Chaupad or dice that was popular in the Chamba area The X-shaped base on which the game was played is depicted in detail; [f ]our couples, smoking hukkas (pipes) are shown playing the game.' (Original rumal in the Bhuri Singh Museum, Chamba.)
Ashtanayika: Representing the popular subject of 'nayika-bheda' (various moods of the nayika), this has 'eight drum-shaped panels in two rows'. Each cell depicts the nayika in a distinct mood and in varied surroundings. The moods are depicted through expressions, gestures, and through surrounding motifs, including the peacock and doves. (Original rumal in the Bhuri Singh Museum, Chamba.)

RESOURCE BASES & LINKS 1. IMPORTANT PIECES

So far, the oldest dated rumal is a 16th century creation that is supposed to have been embroidered by Bebe Nanki, the sister of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith in India. This is now preserved in the Sikh shrine in Gurdaspur in Punjab.
A rumal depicting the battle of Kurukshetra - from the Indian epic Mahabharata - is to be found at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. This oblong piece is supposed to have been presented by Raja Gopal Singh of Chamba to the British in 1833.

2. COLLECTIONS

Bhuri Singh Museum, Chamba (Himachal Pradesh, India)
Crafts Museum, New Delhi (Delhi, India)
Government Museum, Shimla (Himachal Pradesh, India)
Indian Museum, Kolkata (West Bengal, India)
National Museum, New Delhi (Delhi, India)
Victoria & Albert Museum, London (United Kingdom)

3. INFORMATION

Textual & Photographic Material on the rumal is available with the Delhi Crafts Council.

Champa Silk Saree are peculiar to the state of Chattisgarh. The saree is developed from wild tussar silk (Antheraea mylitta). Since the texture of the yarn is rough, the saree too has a rough texture. The patterning is done with contrasting extra weft yarns on jacquard looms. The designs are inspired by tribal motifs. The product range developed out of tussar silk includes a wide range of sarees, dress materials, stoles, dupattas and home furnishings.

The gossamer-like chanderi derives its name from ancient town of Chanderi in Guna district of Madhya Pradesh. The fine chanderi has been compared with the fine Dhaka/Dacca muslin (which could pass through a ring).

Traditionally, the chanderi had a silk warp and cotton weft, with zari ornamentation, enamelled in soft tones, woven into the pallu/pallav (end-piece), kinara (border), and body of the sari. In the last few decades, silk has replaced the cotton weft to a large degree. The designs are produced by the extra warp and weft techniques. Three shuttles are used for weaving the border. Types of Chanderi saris:

	FIELD	BORDER	END-PIECE
Lightest Muslin	Plain	Very narrow border of complementary-warp zari	Few narrow zari bands, or one single wider band.
Common Chanderi	Buttis appear in the field	Broader borders in supplementary-warp zari, with coloured supplementary-warp silk embellishments woven into small, repeat geometrical or floral designs	Border elements repeated twice, often with narrow woven lines and buttis. Minakari [inlay] effect most common in this.
Do Chashmee Two Streams (NO LONGER MADE)		Wide borders with brightly-coloured supplementary-warp silk in a satin weave upon which were supplementary bands of white geometric patterns. (In some saris the borders were reversible).	Relatively insignificant: with either two narrow or one wide band of zari or coloured silk woven in

(Details sourced from Lynton & Singh, 1995: p. 149.) Colour was introduced into chanderi weaving about 50 years ago. Till then only white saris were woven, which were then washed in saffron to give them their characteristic golden hue and fragrance. Flowers were also used for dyeing these saris into soft pastel colours. Now the saris are available in a range of light and dark colours with and without the gold borders and buttis. Plain colours are also woven, usually to be used as a base for printing, embroidery and other embellishments. The quintessential colours now are light pastels; embellishments emphasising intricate gold borders and jewel like buttis are characteristic of the chanderi.

The main centres for this craft are Cuttack in Odisha and Karim Nagar in Andhra Pradesh. Traditionally the ingots were beaten on an anvil and elongated into long wire by passing them through a steel plate with apertures of different wire gauges. Each filigree jewellery piece actually combines several component parts.The space within the frame is filled with the main ribs of the pattern which is usually a creeper or flower, forming itself into small frames of circles, flower petals, and the like. Karim Nagar in Andhra Pradesh has long been noted for its silver filigree work. This traditional craft requires delicate workmanship. The products made include ashtrays, boxes, cigarette cases, trays, bowls, spoons, pill boxes, jewellery, buttons, paandans,, and perfume containers in the shape of peacocks, parrots, or fish. The jewellery made here has twisted silver wire as the base material; the articles have a lacy, trellis-like appearance which gives them a rare charm. Two or three wires are wound together after heating and then bent into various shapes to get patterns. The components are fixed together by a special method in which small square strips of an alloy of copper and silver known as tankam are spread to make the entire design, and then placed on the furnace. When well heated, dry paddy husk is sprinkled on it; this bursts into flames and melts the tankam pieces. The molten tankam penetrates into crevices and ensures the firm binding of the small pieces that comprise the whole. The block is then cooled in cold water. The smaller articles are directly moulded into various designs. For larger articles, smaller ones are made and pieced together. The main ribs are first fixed and the interstices are filled in with delicate tendrils or circular pieces which gives the article its special character. Karim Nagar has its own unique patterns and the elaboration in filigree is according to the pattern. A design with a high level of traceries is known as the Karim Nagar design. This is visible mainly in the perfume containers made in Karim Nagar, a product for which the place is famous.

Sarkanda plant grown abundantly in the green state of Haryana during the season of winter it gets dried up, is harvested and is then put to creative usage by the local folk. The dried main stalk is harvested and creatively used to produce collection of products. The thicker parts are used to make stools and furniture while the outer skin is used as thatch. The tuli, top half and the leafy covering, moonj is made into baskets Changeri is one of the many moonj grass products which are popularly made by local women folk. It is a traditional shallow basket made by coiling technique and often with a lid. Besides the Changeri they make the large boiya roti/bread basket, that may or may not have a lid but nonetheless keep hot rotis dry and fresh due to its moisture absorbing walls. A variation of the changeri is the Sindhora a pear shaped basket that is bound with naulai or wheat stalk. These baskets are decorated with gota/shiny ribbons, colored threads, date palm and patera leaves. The women also make hand fans to keep the heat away and the indhi, used as a support base for carrying water pots on the head are also made of sarkanda as these form part of the bride's dowry and are highly decorated with colourful fabric and yarns and embellished with bead and shell tassels

These world famous wooden toys and carvings, dating back to the beginning of the 20th century, are produced at Channapatna, a small town near Bangalore in Karnataka. The lacquerware toys and dolls are made in different colours and are greatly appreciated by people both in India and abroad. The raw material is “hale”, a very soft and lightweight wood which is grown near Channapatna. About a century ago, there were very few types of lacquerware products and these had a crude finish. Later, the craft was refined and improved with the use of a metal turned lathe which produced lacquerware products with distinctive brightness by substituting lithopone for sulphur in the manufacture of colour.

Charakku, the king of vessels, is one of the largest cooking vessels to be cast by man. It is made of bell-metal, an alloy of copper and tin, and has a most attractive surface with an old gold tint that does not tarnish and needs no tinning. The moosaris, one of the six categories of kammalas, are the traditional metalsmiths of Charakku. They trace their origin to Vishwakarma, the deity of all craftspeople. They use the cire perdue or lost wax method of casting. Elaborate rituals and the propitiation of the gods traditionally accompany the casting. These high cauldrons/charakkus have a diameter of almost five feet and are wide and shallow. They have handles on either side for ease of lifting. These vessels are used on ceremonial occasions to prepare payasam in large quantities. The process of making the clay mould is so elaborate and laborious and the outcome of the solid metal mould so dependent on precise and careful handling of both the mould and the molten metal that special prayers and rituals are conducted to ensure a perfect result. Smaller items like lamps and small vessels are also crafted by the artisans.

This is an ancient craft - chariots have been used for ritual processions during many of the festivals that are celebrated with great fervour and intensity in Nepal. These include, among others, the Janabala dyo procession in March, the Bsket Jatra in April, and the Rato Machendranath Jatra in May.

The art of Chau mask making is around 150 years old. This began during the reign of King Madan Mohan Singh Deo of Baghmundi in Charida district of Purulia, West Bengal. These masks were used in Chau dance, which is a martial art and involves vigorous movements. Charida village home to chau mask makers is in Purulia district which is a part of Chota Nagpur Plateau. Making of Chau Masks: Paper pulp and clay are used for making these masks. The materials of making masks are collected locally. Adornments are done with feathers and beads. Tools like Thapi, a small wooden tool is used fro finishing and brushes are used for colouring the masks. The masks are elaborate and and ornamental. They usually depict mythological figures like goddess Durga, Ganesh and demons. They also depict lions, tigers, deers, monkey, peacock etc. Today these masks are made in small size to be used as home souvenirs and decorative objects.

Chendamangalam is a village of handloom weavers in the Ernakulam district of Kerala. The basic raw materials used for the weaving of Chendamangalam Dhoties are a fine count cotton yarn and “kasavu” (zari).The speciality of the dhoti lies in preparation of the warp threads through street sizing. After sizing, the warp threads become almost round and uniform in shape, giving the dhoti a very clean surface without any protruding fibres on it. Borders are patterned with “kasavu”(zari).