India
Hand-block printing in Bagh, Madhya Pradesh
It is hard to pinpoint an exact period for the advent of block-printing in India. The discovery of of mordant-dyed cotton fragments and the...
Ganjifa playing cards
Legend has it that playing cards were introduced to the Indian subcontinent by invading armies in the seventh century. However the first mention of...
Embroidery
Archaeological finds in the ancient cities of the Indus Valley have unearthed bronze needles, indicating the existence of sewing skills as early as c...
Dhokra for Metal casting
The excavation of the bronze statuette of the Dancing Girl at the Indus Valley site (2300 – 1750 BCE) is evidence of an ancient...
Danke-ka-kaam of Udaipur, Rajasthan
In the kaarkhanas or workshops in Udaipur, Rajasthan, an unusual form of glittering ornamentation called danke-ka-kaam is embroidered onto textiles. The danka are small...
Chundan vallam (the Snake Boats of Kerala)
The coastline of Kerala extends over five hundred and eighty kilometers. An internal network of forty-four rivers and innumerable backwater canals boats have been...
Chhau masks of East India
Masks were considered an intrinsic part of the performing arts. Chapters on masks were included in the Sanskrit treatise on the dramatic arts, Natya...
Chamba rumal Embroidery
In the erstwhile princely Pahari hill states of Chamba, Kangra and Basohli, women embroidered themes that mirrored the style and composition of the courtly...
Banjara Embroidery
Dress has long been a marker of identity in india and none more so than the embroideries and dress that distinguish the Banjara tribals....
Bandhini, bandhej, sungadi (tie and dye crafts)
Mural paintings on the rock cut cave monasteries at Ajanta (second to fifth centuries CE) depict figures clothed in speckled textiles. These are evidence...