South Asia

Caps (bhadgaunle topi)

Bhadgaunle topi, kalo topi or taka topi, as it is called in Newari, is mainly produced in Bhaktapur district. Locals have been producing the...

Bamboo Container (Pyang)

Pyang, which means bamboo container in Newari language, is made from bamboo shoots harvested between mid-December to mid-February when they are raw.  This product is...

Thundu Kunaa (mat making)

Thundu kunaa is a hand woven mat. In the local language, the art of weaving this mat is called thundu kunaa viyun. The craft...

Liyelaa jehun (lacquer)

Lacquer work is locally known as liyelaa jehun or laa jehun. Maldives had trade connections with China even during ancient times, and it is...

Wood Craft

During earlier times before modernisation, local hardwoods such as the coconut tree were used to create a variety of items that range from simple...

Kasabu viyun (embroidery)

Kasabu boavalhu is the elaborate neckline of the Maldivian traditional dress dhivehi libaas. The embroidery technique used for making this neckline is called kasabu...

Usta kaam (painting on camel leather)

The Usta community were part of the great migration of artist and craftspeople to the courts of the great Mughals. Later invited to settle...

Wild silk weaving

The use of silk for weaving in India can be traced back to the third millennia BCE. While domesticated mulberry silk was introduced into...

Tilla juttis (the traditional footwear of Punjab)

Climate, ethnicity, gender, age, status and other factors have influenced the diverse footwear traditions across India. Shoe-making is an oral and hereditary tradition. It...

Thewa jeweled objects of glass and gold

Thewa jeweled objects that are created by fusing filigreed gold sheets with glass are crafted by members of the Soni Hindu jeweller caste in...

Handloom weaving

The skill of the handloom weavers is visible not only in museums and collections all over the world, but in everyday life and practice...

Terracotta plaques of Molela, Rajasthan

The terracotta plaques made in Molela, a small village in Rajasthan, mark it as an important hub on the terracotta map of India. Here...