Arts and Crafts of Madhya Pradesh

Is Madhya Pradesh rich in arts and crafts?

Apart from the lush forests, exuberant festivity, blissful solitude and magnificent monuments, this state located in the central part of the country of India is known for its rich tradition and culture, which gets reflected from the different works of art and craft. Handicrafts in Madhya Pradesh portray painstaking craftsmanship and hereditary skills of the inhabitants as well as add a unique charm to the state's culture. Those artistic pieces of crafts work include woven cotton or silk sarees, fabrics with block prints, stuffed toys, floor coverings, bamboo work, cane work, jute work, woodcraft, iron craft, stone craft, metal craft, terracotta, zari work, folk paintings, ornaments, dolls and papier mache.

Most famous forms of arts and crafts of Madhya Pradesh

The state of Madhya Pradesh has got numerous forms of handicrafts as mentioned earlier. However, some of the most popular among them are as follows:

1. Bamboo and Cane Work: Bamboo and cane, a significant part of the rural life, is hugely used to manufacture utility articles like baskets, fishing traps, agricultural implements, hunting tools and many more. The community manufacturing and selling these handcrafted items in weekly bazaars are called as Basod or Basor. The tribal communities of Baiga, Gond and Korku are involved in this craft as well. The skilled craftsmen of the areas like Balaghat, Bastar, Chhattisgarh, Mandla, Shahdol and Seoni have harmonized their traditional techniques and knowledge to prepare new designed crafted goods to meet the modern requirements.
   
   
2. Dolls: Cute dolls made of small pieces of cloth are one of the interesting handicrafts of this state of central India. Bhopal, Gwalior and Jhabua are the main regions of this craft. Even one of the craftswoman of Gwalior, Battobai gained international fame for her doll craft.
   
   
3. Floor Coverings: The skilled craftsperson's of Madhya Pradesh prepare the following kinds of floor coverings:
   
   
4. Carpets: Gwalior is known for carpet weaving since Mughal era. Mandla and Shahdol joined this world of craft later. Apart from being masters of carpet weaving, the craftsperson's of these areas excel in dyeing. Knotted carpets require emphasis on patterns. Vibrant woolen carpets with geometric and floral designs are an important crafted product. These designs are a blend of ancestral motifs and modern taste.
   
   
5. Durries: This is a kind of thick floor covering made of cotton, which is mainly manufactured in Sironj, Jabalpur, Jhabua, Raigarh and Shahdol. Woolen durries are available though. Durries are mostly prepared by rural women using the 'Punja' technique. Designed in bold patterns, these bright colored floor coverings have become a part of contemporary home decor.
• Folk Paintings: This form of art of Madhya Pradesh has mainly gained its fame from the areas of Bundelkhand, Chhattisgarh, Malwa, Gondwana and Nimar. These paintings reflect the socio-cultural life of the areas. Paintings of local festivals are made of home-made colors by women. However, Bundelkhand has got a group of professional painters known as Chiteras. Painters of Chhattisgarh use mud plaster as the base of their paintings, on which patterns are engraved by fingers. This process is famously known as "Lipai". Women belonging to the Badi community of this region are famous for making tattoo. The tribal community of the Bhilala and Bhils usually paints myths, which is famous as Pithora paintings. The Malwa, Tanwarghar and Nimar regions are known for Mandana floor and wall paintings. The specialty of this painting is that drawings are made with white color on a base made out of a mixture of cow dung and red clay.
  
  
• Iron Craft: Craftsmen from the interiors of the state use iron to create inimitable forms of crafts. Bhatra, Dhruva, Gond and Muria tribes offer gifts like iron made horses, trishuls etc. to God post their wish fulfillment. A traditional custom even includes gifting carved "Deeyas" on the wedding of daughters. Besides tribal statues, they prepare iron goods like candle stands, furniture, lattice, lamps and several other kinds of decorative items.
  
  
• Jute Works: Jute, the second cheapest textile fiber is widely used for packaging industrial and agricultural products. Apart from its coarse character and heavy texture, the natural color increases its unique charm. Jute items like baskets, hanging lamps, flower vases, hammocks, swings, purses, footwear, table mats etc. are some of the major jute works of Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore and Raipur.
  
  
• Metal Craft: The metal works of the state is unique in workmanship and concept. Matching the modern necessities and artistic tastes, Madhya Pradesh's crafts persons create some unparallel piece of metal craft. Bastar metal sculptures, Bundelkhand's ornament boxes, Sarguja's lamps and Raigarh's animal figurines and bowls to measure rice are some of the famous form of Madhya Pradesh metal craft.
  
  
• Ornaments: This state's folk jewelry is one of the most highly artistic and distinctive forms of craft. Styles vary from one cultural region to another. The area of Chhattisgarh is known for its varied bronze, silver, gold as well as mixed metal jewelry. Jhabua, Sheopur-Kalan and Tikamgarh are some of the other renowned places of ornament craft in Madhya Pradesh. Tribal costumes include jewelry made of cowries, beads and feathers. Each of the technique used in ornament crafting involve a specialized craftsperson, who belongs to a family using that particular technique for the past 3 to 4 generations.
  
  
• Papier Mache: This is a special form of Madhya Pradesh art and craft. Ujjain, Bhopal, Gwalior and Ratlam are the most significant papier mache centres. The community of Nagvanshi is engaged in this craft. Some of the examples of traditional items of papier mache crafts are vases and varied figurines. Craftsmen from Gwalior and Bhopal even create handcrafted birds, animals, decorative pieces and statues. Presently they are even trying to manufacture papier mache furniture and decorative pottery.
  
  
• Stone Carving: Stone carving is one of the oldest form of art and crafts of Madhya Pradesh. Stone sculptures of Khajuraho, Vidisha's rock-cut temples and the monuments in Gwalior and Orchha prove the prevalence of stone carvings during the historical times. Every region of this state has got their unique and distinct style. Lattice (Jaal) work is the specialty of Gwalior whereas, Tikamgarh and Jabalpur specializes in decorative pieces of work like animals and human statues. The region of Bastar creates memorial stone pillars as well as statues of gods and goddesses of the tribal communities.
  
  
• Stuffed Toys: This is a well known leather craft in Madhya Pradesh. Attractive forms of casually painted and skillfully crafted leather made stuffed toys are specialty of the districts of Bilaspur, Dewas, Gwalior and Indore. However, these regions are even involved in making leather items like bags, jutties, musk, shoes and many more. In addition to these, Dewas and Indore make leather garments.
  
  
• Terracotta: Pottery, which symbolizes primitive craftsmanship, is one of the significant Madhya Pradesh art and craft. Pattern of the terracotta products vary from one region to another. Rural areas of the state are known for terracotta figures of animals like elephants, horses, serpents and birds. Bastar, Bundelkhand and Raigarh are some of the famous areas working on terracotta crafts. Nowadays, we even get colored terracotta goods. Raigarh's decorative tiles used for roofs are very famous.
  
  
• Textile Weaving: The skilled weavers of the state are known for weaving varied kinds of textiles. Bedspreads, garments, curtain materials and tablecloths are some of the beautiful forms of textiles weaved in Tarapur and Umedpura. Nandana prints are one of the most famous traditional prints. Chanderi and Maheshwari are some of the well known saris in the country. Woven Tussar silk sarees and dress materials, which are even known as Kosa silk is the specialty of the Devangan community of Champa and Raigarh.
  
  
• Woodcraft: Beautifully embellished wooden lintels, ceilings and doors prove the glory of woodcraft in Madhya Pradesh. The skilled craftsmen of Bastar, Bundelkhand, Chattisgarh, Malwa, Nimar, Rewa and Sheopur-Kalan are known for their wood works of masks, doors, pipes, sculptures, window frames etc. They use wood of dhudi, kikar, sal, shish and teak to create varied painted woodcrafts like boxes, bedposts, toys, flower vases and cradle-posts.
  
  
• Zari Embroidery: Practiced mainly in Bhopal, Indore and Gwalior, this handicraft in Madhya Pradesh dates back to 300 years. Traditional Zari work is mostly found in sarees and dress materials. Presently, modern styled zari purses, bags, jutties or slippers and tea cozies have come into existence.

Last Updated on : 15^th March 2013