Madhya Pradesh Arts & Crafts

In this land of wonderful and contrasting variety, handicrafts lend a touch of mystique - a charm unique to Madhya Pradesh. They radiate an aura, exhibit hereditary skills, whisper painstaking craftsmanship and evoke an urgent desire to learn more about the land and its colourful people.

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.

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
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.

Apart from Sironj, Jhabua, Jabalpur and Shahdol are leading centres of durrie weaving in Madhya Pradesh.
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.

Folk Paintings
Folk paintings of Madhya Pradesh, specially the wall paintings of Bundelkhand, 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.

Iron Craft
In the interiors of Madhya Pradesh villages, the craftspersons practise traditional skills and techniques to craft iron in myriad inimitable forms. Keeping pace with changing times and tastes of buyers, today craftspersons 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 fibres. 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, Indore and Gwalior. The items include hanging lamps, baskets, flower vases, swings, hammocks, purses, table mats and footwear etc.

Metal Craft
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, lamps, rice measure bowls animal figurines 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.

Papier Mache
Papier Mache, a craft practised since time immemorial, finds expression in varied forms. In Madhya Pradesh, the main centre for papier mache is Ujjain, but it is also practised in Gwalior, Bhopal and Ratlam. 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 Carvings
India's stone carving tradition is perhaps one of the richest in the world. Each region has a distinct style. Gwalior specialises in jalli (lattice) work, Jabalpur and Tikamgarh in decorative items such as statues of animals and human figures.
Terracotta
The terracotta products of each region in Madhya Pradesh have their own identity and distinctiveness.The art of moulding terracotta in Madhya Pradesh shows a mature ability, the pantheon being even more varied and localised. 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 are incomparable in simplicity. The lifesize images of human forms are among the finest examples of Bundelkhand terracotta.

Textiles
The textiles of Madhya Pradesh are a part of the rich heritage of India. Hand block printing is among the important crafts of Madhya Pradesh.Madhya Pradesh is famous for its delicate weaves in Chanderi and Maheshwari sarees.
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 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 practised 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.