108 Portraits of Indian Crafts

108 Portraits of Indian Crafts
The living crafts heritage of India is symbolic of the plural culture and diversity of the country. From the simplest forms of pottery thrown on the wheel to the complex double weaves of ikat from Paithan in Maharashtra, the canvas of Indian crafts is magnificent. Even though it is a primarily male dominated tradition, there are some crafts which are created only by women as in lepai or floor drawings and the doll-making for the Gangaur Festival in Rajasthan. The long and continuous journey of Indian crafts over the years has brought in more gender inclusion. Embroidery, weaving and traditional painting has seen a lot of women joining the sector.

From seashells to lacquer, grass, fibre, metal, stone, clay and wood, the range of materials used and experimented with is vast and depends on the material culture of the region. Seldom is any material left untouched.

The author presents a superb selection, from hand-knotted kaleen, kundan jewellery and bell metal to the equally fascinating yet less famous Aranmula kannadi or cast metal mirrors, ganjifa cards and ritual masks. Enhanced with colourful visuals and a peppering of delightful myths, the book attempts to provide an insight into the creative genius of the Indian craftsperson.

This book is a part of the 108 Portraits of Indian Culture and Heritage series of 14 titles which presents an encyclopaedic view of India’s immeasurable traditional knowledge, each tracing the development and history of a unique discipline. The books are on Indian Traditional Art, Modern and Contemporary Art, Music, Dance, Sculpture, Architecture, Objects, Food, Printmaking, Design, Vernacular and Indigenous Art, Textile, Crafts and Photography