Globally recognised as a princely state in India, Udaipur is a district situated in the Indian state of Rajasthan. As a historic capital of the Mewar kingdom in the former Rajputana Agency, it was Maharana Udai Singh of the Sisodia clan of Rajputs who founded the city of Udaipur in 1559 AD. Popular as an impressive tourist destination, Udaipur is known for its rich history, scenic beauty and the Rajputana-era palaces.
One of the prime attractions of Udaipur is the Shilpgram. Inaugurated by Rajiv Gandhi in 1989, it is basically a rural arts and crafts complex that is situated in the west 3km from Udaipur, near Hawala village. Spread over a whopping terrain of 7-acres of land, Shilpgram is surrounded by the very well-known Aravali mountain range. The main purpose of setting up Shilpgram is to increase the knowledge and awareness of the rural arts and crafts for the younger generation. The centre witnesses several workshops specially conducted for children who are interested in learning arts, crafts, music and theatre. Serving as an excellent platform for the amalgamation of rural and urban artists, Udaipur’s Shilpgram is dedicated to promote modern potters, visual artists, urban ceramists and designers.
Getting There
Address: Shilpgram- The craft village, Rani Road, Udaipur- 312605.
Phone Number: 8511068969, 0294 243 1304
- Distance from Udaipur airport – About 26 kilometres
- Distance from Udaipur City Railway Station- 8 kilometres
- Distance from City Palace – 10 kilometres
Visitors can conveniently reach Shilpgram via the regular buses, auto-rickshaws, tongas and taxis from the Udaipur city. While a majority of people prefer walking or cycling out to reach Shilpgram, a regular return autorickshaw trip that includes a 30 minute stop from the old Udaipur city would cost you a marginal price of Rs 250. The best time to visit Shilpgram is during the month of November and December when the Shilpgram Festival is being organised. Held from 21 December to 31 December every year, the Shilpgram Festival has the Shilpgram Fair as one of its vital components. A viable destination for the embroideries, handicrafts and hand woven clothes, the Shilpgram Mela/Fair is specially held to motivate the visual artists, urban potters and the designers of Rajasthan.
Layout of Shilpgram
The Shilpgram complex comprises an open Amphitheatre with a total seating capacity of approximately 8000 people. Also, there are huts built by each member state of the West Zone. These huts are central to the Indian culture and have several household articles like textile, decorative objects, metal items, terracotta etc. featured with them-offering a life-like glimpse of people and their unique assets. In addition to Udaipur’s own huts, Shilpgram also houses seven representative huts from Gujarat, five from Goa and another five from the vast state of Maharashtra.
Major Attractions
- Shilpdarshan- As a continuing activity at Shilpgram, Shilpdarshan has the artisans and craftsmen in attendance. These performers are regularly invited for impressive exhibition of their skills and talent. They are also offered a unique flexibility to sell their work and charge a good price for the same.Initiated with the sole aim of encouraging rural artisans and craftsmen, Shilpdarshan is a must-attend for every visitor of Shilpgram.
- Shilpgram Crafts Mela- As an ideal destination for craft lovers, the Shilpgram Crafts Mela allows you to try out numerous forms of handicrafts like apparels, accessories, interior decoration stuff etc. Eye-catching items at the Crafts Mela include the camel leather stuff and the hand woven garments.
- Crafts Bazar- Also known as ‘Haat’, the Crafts Bazaar is the place where the tourists/visitors can go ahead with purchasing traditional crafts belonging to a particular zone. At the Crafts Bazaar, you can find a good strength of craftsmen who are invited for showcasing their work and selling the same at the Shilpgram.
- Shilpi Restaurant- Located next to Shilpgram, this is a restaurant that serves mouth-watering cuisines including Indian, Chinese and Continental. With a marginal admission fee of Rs 100, the Shilpi Restaurant offers you the flexibility of choosing between vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. The in-house swimming pool is a major delight to the visitors.
Facilities
As a perfect site for Arts and Crafts fair in Udaipur, Shilpgram is an interesting place to visit if you want to dig deeper into the secrets of India’s rich history, culture and tradition. The puppet shows held at Shilpgram make it a perfect place for kids. Plus, there are artisans selling their hand-made paintings at fair prices. The Crafts Village has an in-house local market which has a huge collection of different kinds of handicrafts handmade by the villagers. Additionally, the Shilpgram-based Dhaba offers you yummy local Rajasthani food at affordable prices. You can even avail the flexibility of wearing local Rajasthani clothes for getting clicked by the camera. Last but not the least, the fun-filled and exciting camel rides would turn to be absolutely memorable.
Visitor Information
Shilpgram is open on all seven days of the week.
Timings: 11.00 hrs – 19.00 hrs
Entry Fee: Foreigners Rs. 25/-, Adult Rs. 15/-, Child Rs. 7/-
The popular Haat Bazaar at Shilpgram is open for public from 12:00pm everyday.
