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A handicraft shop in Delhi-India.Handicraft, more precisely expressed as artisan

ic handicraft, sometimes also called artisanry, is a type of work where useful a
nd decorative devices are made completely by hand or by using only simple tools.
It is a traditional main sector of craft. Usually the term is applied to tradit
ional means of making goods. The individual artisanship of the items is a paramo
unt criterion, such items often have cultural and/or religious significance. Ite
ms made by mass production or machines are not handicraft goods.
Usually, what distinguishes the term handicraft from the frequently used categor
y arts and crafts is a matter of intent: handicraft items are intended to be use
d, worn, etc, having a purpose beyond simple decoration. Handicraft goods are ge
nerally considered more traditional work, in traditional non-industrial and tran
sitional societies created as a somewhat more necessary part of daily life (in c
omparison to industrial societies), while arts and crafts implies more of a hobb
y pursuit and a demonstration/perfection of a creative technique. In Britain in
the late C19, however, the Arts and Crafts Movement was not a matter of hobbies,
but of creating useful as well as creative work for people, using natural mater
ials and traditional techniques. In practical terms, the categories have a great
deal of overlap.
The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view
of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk p
age. (August 2010)
Contents [hide]
1 History of Indian handicrafts
1.1 Vedic Age
1.2 State Empires
1.3 Post Mauryan Age
1.4 Gupta Age
1.5 Medieval India
2 List of handicraft trades
3 See also
[edit] History of Indian handicraftsThe history of Indian handicrafts is an old
saga. To peep in to the traces of Indian handicrafts we need to go back almost 5
000 years. The first references to Indian handicrafts can be found from the Indu
s Valley Civilization (3000 B.C.-1700 B.C.). The craft tradition in India has re
volved around religious beliefs, local needs of the commoners, as well as the sp
ecial needs of the patrons and royalty, along with an eye for foreign and domest
ic trade. These craft traditions have withstood the ravages of time and numerous
foreign invasions and continue to flourish till date owing to the assimilative
nature of Indian culture and broadmindedness of the handicraftsmen to accept and
use new ideas.
The Indus valley civilization had a rich craft tradition as well as a high degre
e of technical excellence in the field of pottery making, sculpture (metal, ston
e and terracotta), jewelry, weaving etc. A lot of material information from exca
vations at Harappa, Mohen-jo-daro etc. substantiate the craft tradition of the I
ndus valley civilization. The craftsmen not only catered to all the local needs
but surplus items were sent to ancient Arabian cultures via ancient sea routes.
[edit] Vedic AgeThe Indus Valley Civilization was followed by the Vedic age (150
0 B.C.), when the Vedas were written. There are numerous references in the Vedas
on artisans involved in pottery, weaving, wood crafting etc. The Rig Veda in pa
rticular refers to a variety of pottery made from clay, wood and metal. It also
refers to weavers and weaving.
[edit] State EmpiresThe concept of state was ushered by the rise of the Mauryan
Empire in the 3rd century B.C. It is said that during the time of Ashoka 84,000
stupas were built in India, including the world famous Sanchi Stupa, which has b
eautiful stone carving and relief work done on it. Numerous sculptures from Bhar
hut, Mathura, Amravati, Vaishali, Sanchi etc show female figures adorned with an
array of jewelry, which continues to inspire contemporary jewelry making. The i
ron pillars of Vaishali (Bihar) and Delhi, created during the time of Emperor As
hoka, are a marvel in the field of metallurgy.
[edit] Post Mauryan AgeThe period between 1st century B.C. and 1st century A.D.
was a period of political turmoil as a result of foreign invasions from central
Asia. The impact of these intrusions can be seen in the Buddhist sculptures from
Taxila, Begram, Bamiyan, Swat valley etc (all from the present day Pakistani No
rth West Frontier province) which show a high degree of Greek influence. The dep
iction of Buddha, having curly hair and wearing draperies, until date is the res
ult of this Greek influence. The sculpture of the Kushan king Kanishka from this
period depicting him wearing leather boots and a heavy warm coat amply reflects
the influence of the central Asian Culture on Indian craftsmanship. Jewelry, sc
ulpture, textile making, leather products, metal working etc. were the main hand
icrafts that inherited these foreign influences and assimilated them in accordan
ce with the Indian milieu.
[edit] Gupta AgeThe Gupta (AD 320-647) age is referred to as the classical perio
d in Indian history. The points in the field of craft include the rock cut templ
es of Ellora and the Ajanta murals. These murals give us a realistic view of the
lifestyle of that time. The craftsmen of this period, under royal patronage exc
elled in jewelry making, woodcarving, sculpture, stone carving and weaving.
[edit] Medieval IndiaThe Medieval period of Indian history in the context of han
dicrafts showed a marked shift from north India to the Deccan and southern parts
of the country, though the handicraftsmen under the Delhi Sultanate period flou
rished in the field of pottery, weaving, wood carving, metal working, jewelry et
c. The contribution of the Cholas and the Vijaynagar Empire in the field of bron
ze sculpture, silk weaving, jewelry, temple carving is beyond parallel. The fine
example of stone carving from central India can be seen in the form of the Khaj
uraho Temples, built by the Chandelas. Rich and ornate wood and stone carving ca
n be found in medieval temple of Jagannath at Puri in Orissa.
[edit] List of handicraft tradesHandicrafts include:
Assemblage collage in three dimensions
Beadwork
Bone carving buffalo, camel, elephant bone carving.
Cabinet making
Chip carving
Collage possibly involving seeds, fabric, paper, photographs and/or found object
s
Crochet
Embossed aluminum or silver
Gardening
Buffalo horn carving, Rhino horn carving.
Knitting
Lathart
Marquetry
Metalwork
Mosaic
Needlework
Pottery and Ceramics
Pressed flower craft uses real flowers and leaves
Puppetry
Quilting - also reference Quilt and Art quilts
Saddlemaking
Scale model
Sewing
Shoemaking
Spinning
Stained glass
Wood burning
Wood carving
Woodturning
Woodworking
[edit] See also Look up handicraft in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Artisan
Arts and crafts
List of acronyms used in arts and crafts
Rural crafts
[hide]v?·?d?·?eDecorative arts, handicrafts, arts and crafts
Textile Banner-making · Canvas work · Cross-stitch · Crocheting · Curve stitching · Embroi
dery · Felting · Friendship bracelet · Knitting · Lace-making · Lucet · Macrame · Millinery
edlepoint · needlework · Patchwork · Quilting · Ribbon embroidery · Rug hooking · Rug makin
· Sewing · Shoemaking · Spinning (textiles) · String art · Tapestry · Tatting · Tie-dye ·
ng
Paper Bookbinding · Calligraphy · Cardmaking · Card Modelling · Collage · Decoupage · Embos
ing · Iris folding · Marbling · Origami · Kirigami · Paper toys · Papercraft · Papier-mâché
ooking · Stamping · Wallpaper
Wood Cabinet making · Carpentry · Chip carving · Ébéniste · Fretwork · Intarsia · Marquetry
burning · Wood carving · Woodturning
Ceramic Azulejo · Bone china · Cameo glass · Earthenware · Glassware · Porcelain · Pottery
tained glass · Stoneware
Metal Jewellery · Silversmithing
Other Assemblage · Beadwork · Bone carving · Doll making · Dollhouse · Egg decorating · Eng
aved gems · Hardstone carving · Lathart · Lapidary · Leatherworking · Miniatures · Microm
saic · Mosaic · Pietra dura · Pressed flower craft · Scrimshaw · Straw marquetry
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Kashmir Handicrafts
Kashmir, the state of India is a country of rich and diverse tradition, beauty,
nature, festivals, colors, fragrances, languages and religions, therefore Kashmi
ri traditional handicrafts promises everything - beauty, dignity, form and style
. The majestic appeal of Kashmiri arts and crafts lies in its exclusivity and my
stical tone which leaves people mesmerized.

Shawls

Kashmiri shawls are made from three fibers they are wool, Pashmina and Shahtoosh
,which is the most famous ring shawl.

Carpets
 Carpets are hand woven and knotted they are not machine made. Finishing of the
artwork & material makes carpet expensive.

Wood Work

Wood work is done on walnut and Chinar wood, has a fine texture and smooth grain
patterns.

Silk

Carpets are hand woven and knotted they are not machine made. Finishing of the
artwork & material makes carpet expensive.

Silverware

The work known as naqash is an ancient arts of Kashmir determines the price of the
object, as does the weight.

Papier Mache

Carpets are hand woven and knotted they are not machine made. Finishing of the
artwork & material makes carpet expensive.
Global recession hits Kashmir's cottage industry
Showkat A. Motta, OneWorld South Asia
09 March 2009
Cottage industry in India s Jammu and Kashmir is under severe pressure due to ongo
ing global economic crisis. The state government has assured that all measures w
ill be taken to ensure the welfare of weavers, artisans and small entrepreneurs.
Srinagar: Gloom has descended on thousands of Kashmiri artisans in the wake of e
conomic meltdown that is threatening many a major economy of the world.
Reports say there has been a sharp decline in export of the Valley s exquisite han
dicrafts in the past few months.
Worst hit is the centuries-old hand knotted carpet industry, which employs over
100,000 weavers and annually fetches an estimated Rs 800 crore (Rs 8 billion).
The sale of carpets dropped to Rs 500 crore in 2008. And the industry players fo
recast that the figure would hardly cross Rs 200 crore this year.
Manzoor Wangnoo, 55, is one of the leading carpet exporters from the Valley, who
se clientele includes US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the King of Thai
land. He terms the economic recession a tsunami which will sweep away Kashmir's c
arpet industry.
The exports are down by more than 50%. Forget the US and Europe, even in India th
e customers have disappeared. We are in a shock, Wangnoo told OneWorld South Asia
.
But I m more worried about thousands of weavers, dyers and washer men associated wi
th the industry. I have no good news for them and their families, says Wangoo who
owns a chain of showrooms in Srinagar and New Delhi.
Wagnoo s worry is justified. About 25,000 carpet weaving looms are spread across t
he Valley. Alone in Srinagar, the state s summer capital, 20,000 people are involv
ed in post-production stage of the carpets. But many weavers have already downed
shutters in old part of Srinagar, a carpet manufacturing hub, and switched over
to other jobs for livelihood.
One of them is Muhammad Ashraf Butt, 42, who learned carpet weaving from his fat
her three decades ago. In between, he says, there were ups and downs in the trad
e, which however, failed to deter him from carrying on.
But I had to close my three-room loom in November last year as orders had complet
ely dried up. I ve opened a grocery store, Butt said. Somebody told me thousands of
people are being laid off in the US and other parts of the world every day. Who
would buy luxurious items like carpets in such a situation?
Persian origin
Kashmir's carpet industry is believed to have its origin in Persia (present day
Iran). A Sufi saint, Syed Mir Ali Hamdani, who travelled to the Valley in late 1
4th century with many followers some of whom were skilled artisans, introduced i
t, along with Islam.
The industry later flourished during the Mughal rule in Kashmir in 16th and 17th
centuries. The carpets are famous because of their intricate designs and durabi
lity. They are made either from silk or from wool, or sometimes a combination of
both, and the price ranges from Rs 10,000 to Rs 10 lakh.
The global fame of Kashmiri carpets is also because of two things they are handm
ade, never machine made, and they re always knotted, never tufted. The depiction o
f the tree of life is the recurring motif that is found on silk carpets. Other t
hemes are: natural beauty of Kashmir, birds and animal motifs.
The production of a carpet is a protracted process, which can stretch up to two
years. It begins with cultivation and dyeing of silk or wool, deciding the patte
rn of the carpet, and weaving.
Post-weaving process involves washing, trimming and alignment. The person who de
signs a carpet is called Nakaash, while the weaver and the person who does the d
yeing are called Kaleenbaf and Ranger, respectively.
Turmoil hit
Kashmiri handicrafts, including carpets and shawls, were the mainstay of Kashmir
's economy till 1989 when tourists stopped coming to the Valley after the erupti
on of anti-India insurgency. The major markets for these handicrafts were the US
, UK, UAE, Japan, Germany and Canada.
Emergence of cheap carpets from China on the international market and 9/11 attac
ks also hit the exports badly. In 2000, for example, the carpet exports earned m
ore than Rs 600 crore. The sales went down to Rs 300 crore in 2001 following the
attacks in the US.
The Kashmir government, busy with political turmoil, allegedly made little effor
ts to salvage the industry. There was even no check on the vested interests that
used spurious material in carpet manufacturing and brought a bad name to the ent
ire industry, said Muhammad Maqbool Bisati, another leading carpet exporter.
Two years ago the government established Indian Institute of Carpet Technology i
n Srinagar to blend the traditional art of carpet designing with modern digital
technology. Besides, Value Added Tax (VAT) was abolished for the trade in carpet
s.
Government should do more, demands Wangnoo. We managed to run the industry in these
years despite the rising production cost. But after the recession tsunami, it l
ooks improbable to carry on. The recession could prove the last nail in the carp
et industry s coffin if government doesn t intervene.
Government promise
The Kashmir government has, meanwhile, decided to initiate tough measures to pre
vent job losses in the handicrafts sector.
Minister for finance, law and parliamentary affairs Abdur Rahim Rather told the
state Assembly this week government will ensure that the employment opportunitie
s for the weavers, artisans and small entrepreneurs are not affected because of
the economic slump.
He said special plans to lend support to cottage, micro, mini and small enterpri
ses engaged in handicrafts and other such sectors would be formulated to give fi
llip to growth in these vocations and creation of more jobs.

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Jammu & Kashmir Handicrafts

Jammu & Kashmir Handicrafts is a combination of vibrant hand-made articles that

have become a cultural identity for the state. Having an exclusive mastery over
the special items like the carpets, baskets, wall hangings and others, the handi
crafts industry of Jammu & Kashmir is a flourishing sector which employs quite a
lot of the tribal as well as general folks of the valley.
The art of papier mache is an age-old form of handicrafts in Jammu & Kashmir. Th
e basic ingredients of papier mache includes adhesive, paints and paper. Bronze
and gold colors are commonly found on the various articles that are made through
this art. While the original gold painted items are quite expensive, there are
numerous low-cost replicas too that are available in the local markets of Jammu
& Kashmir.
Carpets forms a major part of the handicrafts sector of the state. Woven with wo
ol or silk yarns, these knotted carpets reflects the creative exuberance of Pers
ian craftsmen who first brought the art form to the valley.
On the white cotton textures crewel embroidery spells its magic well. This handi
craft of Jammu & Kashmir is frequently seen in the beautiful wall hangings of di
fferent sizes and shapes. Basketry is another unique handicraft type of the stat
e of Jammu & Kashmir which mostly uses the skin of willow trees that are found i
n abundance in the valley.
Namdas which is yet another interesting version of the carpet handicraft industr
y of Jammu & Kashmir state is stitched with both cotton and wool yarns. The fasc
inating designs of the namdas are made through chain stitching techniques.
Last but not the least, the Pashmina shawls of Jammu & Kashmir have a huge deman
d in both the national and international markets due to their vibrant motifs and
outstanding stitching variations.
Silks and tweeks, pherans, walnut wood and copper and silverware are some other
manifestations of the handicrafts of the valley.
Jammu & Kashmir Handicrafts is real symbol of the marvelous creative industry of
the state which has been manned some of the highly-dedicated and expert craftsm
en.
Link to Jammu & Kashmir Handicrafts is given below:
Carpets
Namdas
Papier Mache
Chain Stitch and Crewel Furnishings
Silks and Tweeks
Pherans
Shawls
Basketry
Walnut Wood
Copper and Silverware

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Industries, Handicrafts, Export and Import
Industrial complexes have been established at Rangreth, Khunmoh and Doabagh in K
ashmir where the units for the manufacture of TV sets, radios, electronic clocks
, stablizers, tape recorders, jewels for watches, joinery articles, automobile b
atteries, oxygen etc. have been set up.
Small Scale Industries
There has been a remarkable increase in small-scale industrial units all over Ja
mmu and Kashmir in recent years. These units manufacture food products, beverage
s, machinery parts, plastic goods, chemicals, drugs, paper products and automobi
le equipment.
Handicrafts
In Kashmir, with its severe winter when climate conditions are semi-arctic, craf
tsmen utilize their lesiure as well as creative intelligence in creating artifac
ts of exquisite beauty. Princely patronage encourged these handicrafts from earl
y times till these products, light in weight and rich in art, found a big market
in India and abroad. The State Government has set up many training centres for
coaching young boys and girls in traditional arts and crafts. As a result there
has been a wide dispersal of handicrafts throughout the State.
Kashmir is known for the following handicrafts throughout the world:
1. The art of making carpets is a gift of caravans coming into the valley from C
entral Asia. In the time of Zain-ul-abdin Badshah, this art was greatly develope
d by imported skill and royal patronage. The Europeans also took a keen interest
in it. It resulted in the establishment of more than 15 well known factories wi
th about 350 looms weaving carpets. Finest wool obtained from pashmina goats and
marino sheep is used in these factories. Cotton yarn is, however, imported from
Amritsar.
2. Namdas are made of wool of inferior quality and old woollen blankets are used
for making gabbas. The art of felting wool into namdas has come from Yarkand. N
amdas and gabbas are embroidered with thread, which gives colour, beauty and str
ength to them. This cottage industry is concentrated in Anantnag, Rainawari and
Baramula.
3. Lois (woollen blankets) of Shopian and Bandipore are well known. Hand-woven b
lankets of Rainawari are also durable and warm.Woollen pattus, tweeds, and worst
ed are manufactured in many hand and power looms established in and around Srina
gar.
4. The Kangri making is a cottage industry concentrated in the areas on the bank
s of Wullar lake near Watlab and at Tsrar and Botingo villages.

Wicker-work and basket making are arts common to Kashmir and Jammu.
Kashmir is known for its wicker willow. Wicker is used for making baskets, boxes
, lamp-shades, curtain rings, trays, chairs, tables, and cycle baskets etc. Srin
agar, Harwan, Shalabug, Hazartbal, and Sowra are the centres of its production.
The cultivation of wicker willow is the monopoly of the State .
5. Papier Mache is a monoply of Kashmir. Pulp and paper are shaped into a variat
y of decorative articles and colorful designs are painted on them. The goods pre
pared are mostly boxes, table lamps, toilet sets, jewellery boxes and other arti
cles of decoration. Srinagar, Rainawari and Anantnag are famous for this cottage
industry.

A papier mache replica of a samovar.

A rich display of papier mache in a Srinagar shop.

6. Pashmina shawl industry is an old industry of Kashmir. Pashmina wool used to
come from Tibet via Ladakh but since the invasion of China in 1962 and closing o
f the Leh Yarkand route, Pashmina shawl and carpet industries have been affected
greatly. Now the raw material comes from Ladakh only. Moreover the water of riv
er Jhelum is most suitablefor washing pashmina wool. Best pashmina shawl is know
n as ring shawl, a shawl that can pass through a wedding-ring.

Embroidering a shawl with Kashmiri motifs.

7. Silverware and imitation jewellery. Silver-smiths, engravers and polishers wo
rk to make beautiful silverware articles like teasets, tumblers, boxes, trays, s
oap cases, toilet cases, and other articles of decoration. This work requires sk
ill and craft. Engraving is a speciality of the Kashmiri engravers. Kashmir purc
hases about one lakh tolas of silver a year for this cottage industry. There are
about 80 units of imitation jewellery at Srinagar. They prepare rings, cuff-lin
ks, bangles, broaches, braclets, ear rings and tops etc.The raw material con- si
sts of jade, cayz, pashm, tiger-gold, pheros, bakarmohar, cat's eyes and various
types of glass chatons and beads.

A range of carved furniture and papier mache objects d'art.

A display of souvenirs and furniture made of walnut wood.

Large Industrial Units
1. Superior quality woollen cloth, tweeds, blankets and suiting-cloth etc. are m
anufactured in a factory run by the state Government. The factory was originally
established by Sh. A. K. Wattal. It has an annual turnover of goods worth rupee
s 60 lakhs. Besides, there are many other private wollen Mills in Srinagar and A
nantnag.
2. Raven Craft factory is situated at a distance of about 6 Kms. from Srinagar w
hich makes jams, juices, squashes, sauces and pickles etc.
3. A brick and tile factory is installed near Pompore and is a Government concer
n. It manufactures about 15 thousand tiles and five thousand fire-proof bricks d
aily.
4. Government Cement Factory is established at Wuyan (Srinagar). It produces abo
ut 60 tons of cement daily.
5. Silk manufacture is the oldest industry of the State which involves the produ
ction of raw silk and silk fabrics. Silk worms are raised on mulberry leaves as
a cottage industry both in Jammu and Kashmir provinces.
6. H.M.T. Comany has recently started a very large watch factory at Zainakot (So
pore) in collaboration with the State Government.
7. Government Spinning Mills, Noshera (Srinagar) manufactures ruffel and knittin
g yarn to be used in the other local factories for the manufacture of woollen cl
oth and knitwear.
Geography of Jammu and Kashmir State