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 Bamboo
& Cane
Bamboo & Cane occupy
an important place in rural life: utility articles such as agricultural
implements, fishing traps, hunting tools and baskets are made
of bamboo. In Madhya Pradesh these are generally made by a community
called Basor or Basod, who sell them in weekly markets. Shahdol,
Balaghat, Mandla and Seoni regions of Madhya Pradesh are main
bamboo producing centres apart from Chhattisgarh and Bastar. Here
the artisans have skillfully harmonized their age old knowledge
and techniques with new designs, to meet modern market demands.
The Gond, Baiga and Korku tribal communities are highly skilled
in the craft of bamboo
 Dolls
Cute little dolls
made out of small cloth pieces are produced in Gwalior, Bhopal
and Jhabua. The work of Battobai, a craftswoman from Gwalior has
achieved international fame. The dolls made here are interesting
pieces of work, influenced by different cultures and traditions
of India mirroring the diversity and uniqueness of the country
Floor coverings
(a) Durries
The floor coverings
of Madhya Pradesh consist mainly of durries and carpets in a rich
variety of designs. A durrie, essentially a thick cotton woven
fabric, is meant for spreading on the floor, and is made all over
Madhya Pradesh, especially near Sironj. The basic technique of
weaving a durrie in its most primitive form, can be seen in rural
areas. The more universal durries are made by women in their homes,
in the 'Punja' technique. They are usually in bold patterns and
bright colours with folk designs. Apart from Sironj, Jhabua, Raigarh,
Jabalpur and Shahdol are leading centres of durrie weaving in
Madhya Pradesh. Cotton and woollen punja durries, handwoven in
various colours are designed to suit traditional as well as modern
home decor. Patterns are generally based on kiln designs, geometric
traditional motifs & animal and human figures.
(b) Carpets
Since the Mughal
times, Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh has carved a niche for itself
in the weaving of carpets. Later on, weaving also began in the
Shahdol & Mandla belt. The carpet weavers of Madhya Pradesh are
undisputed masters of not only weaving carpets but dyeing also.
The colouring was earlier done by means of natural dyes, but presently
it is being done with synthetic dyes as well. Pattern is an integral
part of knotted carpets and traditional patterns have continued
with varying combinations since the last 200 years. Woollen carpets
are available in vibrant colours with both floral and geometric
designs. The weavers have used their ingenuity to transform traditional
motifs into modern designs; drawing from the treasury of ancestral
motifs: trees and flowers in carefully blended colours.
Folk Paintings
Throughout different
periods of history, we find a definite established tradition of
painting on various objects, particularly on intimate objects
of everyday use, floors and walls; and in almost every instance
the depiction being associated with some ritual.
Folk paintings
of Madhya Pradesh, specially the wall paintings of Bundelkhand,
Chhattisgarh, Gondwana, Nimar and Malwa are living expressions
of people, intrinsically linked with the socio-cultural ambiance
of the area. They are not mere decorations but also spontaneous
outpourings of religious devotions.
The paintings,
based on local festivals like Karwa Chauth, Deepawali, Ahoi Ashtami,
Nag Panchmi, Sanjhi etc. are usually done by women using simple
home made colours.
In Bundelkhand,
painting is usually done by a caste of professional painters called
Chiteras. In the paintings of Chhattisgarh, mud plaster base is
used, over which linear patterns are etched with fingers: the
process is called 'Lipai'. The women of the Rajwar community are
specialists in 'Lipai', whereas Pando & Satnami communities make
linear designs similar to a woven fabric. Chhatisgarh is also
the home of the art of tattoo which is done by women of Badi community.
The tattoo patterns are complex and beautiful and have immense
potential of being further modified and incorporated into designer
prints.
The Bhils and Bhilala
tribes of Madhya Pradesh paint myths related to creation called
Pithora paintings. Horses, elephants, tigers, birds, gods, men
and objects of daily life are painted in bright multicoloured
hues. In the Gondwana region, unmatched creative vision has been
shown by the Gond and the Pardhan tribes who have impressed audiences
at exhibitions in Japan, France, Australia and other countries.
The Malwa, Nimar
and Tanwarghar regions of Madhya Pradesh are known for their Mandana
wall and floor painting traditions. Red clay and cow dung mixture
is used as base material to plaster the surface against which
white drawings stand out in contrast. Peacocks, cats, lions, goojari,
bawari, swastik and chowk are some motifs of this style.
 Iron
Craft
The tradition of
iron craft in Madhya Pradesh has been passed down from generation
to generation and stands unmatched in skill and creativity. In
the interiors of Madhya Pradesh's villages, the craftsperson's
practice traditional skills and techniques to craft iron in myriad
inimitable forms. Iron crafting begins with obtaining iron ore
from local mines which the ironsmiths mould into various shapes
and forms. Gond, Muria, Bhatra, Dhruva tribals, practice the tradition
of offering horses, swings, trishuls etc. made out of iron, to
gods on fulfillment of their wishes. There is also a custom of
gifting to daughters exquisitely carved "Deeyas" on their wedding.
Keeping pace with changing times and tastes of buyers, today craftsperson's
produce various objects : birds, carved deeyas, candle stands,
lattice, furniture, lamps and decorative items, each piece an
object 'd' art enabling the craft to reach its zenith. Tribal
statues have come to occupy a very special place in modern day
interior decoration and tribal artisans have won the recognition
they so rightly deserve.
Jute
Next to cotton,
jute is the cheapest and most important of all textile fibers.
It is used extensively in manufacturing different types of packaging
material for agricultural and industrial products. Its coarse
character has a unique charm while natural colour, heavy texture
and twilly kind of body typify its earthiness. Jute handicrafts
are available at Bhopal, Raipur, Indore and Gwalior. The items
include hanging lamps, baskets, flower vases, swings, hammocks,
purses, table mats and footwear etc
 Metalcraft
Emerging from the
fogs of time, steadfast with centuries of changeless tradition,
yet keeping tune with contemporary styles, the Metal Craft of
Madhya Pradesh stands apart, in concept and workmanship alike.
Metal ornaments boxes of Bundelkhand, lamps of Sarguja, rice measure
bowls animal figurines of Raigarh, sculptures of Bastar are a
few examples of the ingenuity of craftspersons of Madhya Pradesh.
These metal images invested with peculiar indigenous socio- religous
history are considered auspicious.
 Ornaments
The folk jewellery
of Madhya Pradesh is most distinctive, highly artistic, elaborate
and varied. The various cultural regions have their own distinct
styles. Jewellery from Chhattisgarh is available in a variety
of gold, silver, bronze and mixed metal. Other major centres for
folk ornaments are Tikamgarh, Jhabua and Sheopur-Kalan. Ornaments
made of beads, cowries and feathers are part of tribal costumes.
Tribal metalsmiths often fashion ornaments by the age old process
of cire perdue casting, or lost wax process. For each technique,
there is a specialised craftsperson whose family has been practicing
this hereditary craft for over three to four generations. The
rural and tribal women folk of Malwa, Nimar and Bastar regions
are exceptionally fond of ornaments, and both men and women wear
ornaments.
 Papier
Mache
Papier Mache, a
craft practiced since time immemorial, finds expression in varied
forms. In Madhya Pradesh, the main centre for papier mache is
Ujjain, but it is also practiced in Gwalior, Bhopal and Ratlam
also. The Nagvanshi community, which makes mud toys and dolls,
is also engaged in making of papier mache articles. The traditional
expression of this craft was creation of ornate articles like
vases, figurines and icons. Today, craftspersons in Bhopal and
Gwalior make statues, birds, animals and decorative panels. In
Ujjain, the craft of papier mache brings to life different kinds
of splendidly crafted birds with the artisans using natural colours
to create exact replicas of living birds. Presently, the craftspersons
are also experimenting with ways of creating decorative pottery
and furniture in papier mache.
 Stone
Carving
India's stone carving
tradition is perhaps one of the richest in the world. Guilds of
masons and stone carvers have existed since the 7th century B.C.
A system of apprenticeship was initially prevalent. Later skills
were handed down as family lore, from father to son. The famous
rock cut temples of Vidisha, the sculptured stone temples of Khajuraho,
the monuments of Orchha and Gwalior, all stand testimony to the
excellence and originality of the stone carvers of Madhya Pradesh.
Each region has a distinct style. Gwalior specializes in jail
(lattice) work, Jabalpur and Tikamgarh in decorative items such
as statues of animals and human figures and Bastar in icons of
tribal gods and goddesses and memorial pillars.
 Stuffed
Leather Toys
Delightful looking
in various forms, skillfully crafted and gaily painted, the stuffed
leather toys of Madhya Pradesh are a very attractive. Leather
work has been practiced since a number of years in Madhya Pradesh.
Craftspersons in Gwalior, Indore, Dewas and Bilaspur specialize
in making leather shoes, jutties, leather bags, mushk etc. With
time the craft has evolved and given rise to new products. Today,
Indore and Dewas are making leather garments & Gwalior is making
shoes on a big scale.
 Terracotta
Pottery has been
called the lyric of handicrafts. It symbolises man's first attempt
at craftmanship. The colours of terracotta articles and figures
vary from pink, red, brown to light and dark grey. The terra-cotta
products of each region in Madhya Pradesh have their own identity
and distinctiveness. The art of moulding terra-cotta in Madhya
Pradesh shows a mature ability, the pantheon being even more varied
and localized. In the rural areas, it is common to see terracotta
animal figures placed under trees and in shrines made by potters.
The famous traditional statues of elephants, serpents, birds and
horses from Bastar are incomparable in simplicity. Similarly the
decorative roof tiles and rukha padki of Raigarh have no equal.
The life-size images of human forms are among the finest examples
of Bundelkhand terra-cotta.
 Woodcraft
The art of wood
carving has flourished in many parts of Madhya Pradesh, and the
beautifully embellished wooden ceilings, doors and lintels with
finely carved designs are silent testimonials of its glory. The
wood carvers of Madhya Pradesh, with great sensitivity and skill
transform different varieties of wood such as shish, teak, dhudi,
sal and kikar into works of art. Besides the famous wooden memorials,
the craftspersons of Bastar and Chattisgarh, Malwa, Nimar and
Bundelkhand, Sheopur-Kalan, and Rewa also make pipes, masks, doors,
window frames and sculptures. Madhya Pradesh also offers a variety
of painted and lacquered woodcraft items such as toys, boxes,
bedposts, cradleposts and flower vases. The major centres of this
art are Gwalior, Sheopur-Kalan (Morena), Rewa and Budhni (Raisen).
 Zari
Work
The craft of Zari
work is concentrated in Bhopal, which is famous for its exquisite
craftsmanship. Also practiced in Gwalior and Indore, its origin
can be traced back to 300 years. Today traditional articles have
been replaced by modern purses, bags, tea cozies, and "jutties"
or slippers.
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