Rajasthan is a “land of culture and heritage” known for its lovely nature, desert, historical monuments, wildlife sanctuaries, and lovely handicrafts. The craftsmanship of art is exclusive and marvellous in Rajasthan. The handicrafts of Rajasthan are inspired by Rajputs and Mughals. It depicts royalty in designs by its workmanship. People devote their time to exploring these fabulous handicrafts of Rajasthan. People from different countries always have an urge to know more about Rajasthani handicrafts, art, and tradition.

To know about some of the famous handicrafts of Rajasthan, read the below article

BANDHANI

 Rajasthan is a land of various colours that can be seen in its garments and dress-ups. The most famous handicraft of Rajasthan is Bhandhni- additionally referred to as “Bhandhej”. It’s a tie and dye methodology that is found in Rajasthan. Bandhani’s works are also found in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. In this art, cotton cloth is tied with thread at various parts of the cloth. Then it is dipped into a hot colour dye bucket to give it a specific colour. Bandhani or bhandhej handicraft of Rajasthan is found on sarees, suits, bed sheets, turbans, and many more clothes. It is an art done by locals living in rural areas. Earlier folks of Rajasthan use to wear bhandej on special occasions, women used to wear lehenga, chuni, and sarees and men use to wear the turban, angrakha of bandhej but nowadays it’s a trend. People love to wear bandhani sarees and other dress materials on all occasions. It is done in various styles like dots, lehriya, strips, squares, Mothra, ekdali, and shikari.

KATPUTLI

Katputlis are basically wooden head dolls used to entertain the people. They are dressed like local people. It is a unique handicraft of Rajasthan made by the local people. Katputli handicraft is a traditional art that is in use since the era of kings. At the time of kings, the local singers used to narrate the stories through Katputlis in Rajgharanas. Nowadays still dolls are played on the streets of Rajasthan describing the stories of kings and queens.

BLOCK PRINTING

Block printing is another famous handicraft of Rajasthan that is done by the people of Rajasthan. Block printing handicraft was invented by China. This ancient art form is prevailing in India since the 18th century. Block printing is done with the help of wooden blocks which is carved by craftsmen of Rajasthan. Block printing is a technique to print images or designs on fabric. Craftsman/artist dips the carved block into the required color and imprints the design on fabric or textile. In Rajasthan handicrafts, you can find block printing from lampshades to bedsheets, sarees to chunis, etc. These days you can find block printing in home décor items and can be used for temporary tattoo making.

BLUE POTTERY

Blue Pottery is also a beautiful and aesthetic handicraft of Rajasthan and the most famous pottery form all over the world. This art is unique because of its texture, shine, and vibrant use of colors. Previously it was done on the vase, but now it can be found on crockery and home décor items. It is named blue color as blue color is formed from the oxide of cobalt.

The clay used in blue pottery is a mixture of marble powder, borax powder, Multani mitti, powdered glass, gum, and water. It is totally a handmade craft. It needs to be handled carefully as these articles are very delicate. if proper handling is done, it can survive for a long. Not only Indians, but people of other countries also admire this handicraft of Rajasthan. The beautiful combination of blue with white makes it an exclusive artifact. Jaipur and Udaipur are the cities in Rajasthan where you can find this beautiful handicraft.

MARBLE HANDICRAFTS OF RAJASTHAN

JAIPUR- The capital of Rajasthan is a house of marvelous art and handicrafts. Marble handicrafts are one of the royal arts you can find in Rajasthan. Makrana city is famous for marble art. All marble handicrafts are crafted by craftsmen using a simple tool call chaini, hatodi (hammer). After carving, gold foil, meenakari, and Kundan work is done on the marble to make it more beautiful. Marble artifacts can be seen in royal palaces and historical monuments of Rajasthan. Today, the marble handicrafts of Rajasthan are part of home décor, offices, and hotels. A vase, wall hanging, home décor, pots lampshades, tiles anything can be found in this handicraft of Rajasthan.

CAMEL LEATHER HANDICRAFTS OF RAJASTHAN

Rajasthan is famous for deserts and camels. It is a famous destination for camel safari. Rajasthan has one of the biggest camel breeding and research center is in Bikaner city which is famous for camel hair, camel skin, and milk. There is a community called darpangas who are specialized in crafting bags, shoes, home décor, drums from the camel skin. These Camel leather handicrafts of Rajasthan are very popular in India and countries abroad.

LAC BANGLES

Lac bangles are a beautiful accessory that is loved and worn by women in their hands. Rajasthan is one of the biggest manufactures of lac bangles. Lac bangles are made from a Lac-producing insect called Lucifer Lacca. This handicraft of Rajasthan consumes a lot of time and hard work.  Meenakari, stonework, or pearl work is done over the bangles to make the bangle look more royal and attractive. Lac bangles price varies according to the work done over its finishing. Lac bangles are crafted by local craftsmen of Rajasthan by their hands. Lac bangles come in different colors, designs, and shapes but mirror look bangles are the most famous lac bangles in Rajasthan. The antique and glittery look of lac bangles steals the hearts of women.

WOODEN HANDICRAFTS OF RAJASTHAN

 In India, two states Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh are famous for their wooden craftsmanship. Wooden handicrafts of Rajasthan can be found in Jodhpur,  Kishangarh, and Shekhawati. The color combination of wooden handicrafts of Rajasthan makes it look different from other wooden crafts done in other states. Furniture like Table, choki, chair, sofas made from wood gives traditional look in home décor. Lac work is also done on wooden furniture to give it an antique look. Wooden handicrafts of Rajasthan are a bit expensive than other wooden handicrafts due to their unique and royal look.

Rajasthan handicraft is a perfect balance of traditional ethos and modern values and this balance is created by the artists of Rajasthan. The handicrafts of Rajasthan are not admired in India only but cherished around the world. There are many other handicrafts also present in Rajasthan which are growing on large-scale like gold and silver jewelry, shoe handicraft, etc.