Sculpture and Crafts of India
Crafts of India: Mahatma Gandhi passionately believed craftspeople would play a vital role in independence.
Jewellery Metalwork: Indian crafts people had knowledge of metalworking from early times using iron, tin, and copper for tools pans and cooking ware.
Gold and silver were used to make exquisite jewellery, bronze was used for statues.
Enamelling is popular for jewellery, daggers and vases; metal was hollowed out and inlaid with enamel then fired in a kiln.
Indians love their jewellery and adorn themselves with all types. Some is symbolic, as in gold representing life and purity.
Preferences range from inlaid gemstones in Hyderabad to Orissa pearl pieces to heavy silver pieces worn in Rajasthan to delicate gold pieces in the South.
Traditionally the only wealth a woman had was her jewels, so she was given many presents before her marriage.
Textiles: Indians love colour and it comes as no surprise the textiles are vibrant and decorative
Different methods are used such as stitching designs onto make wall hangings and canopies, embroidery for wedding dresses and home decoration, block printing, tie dye, painting, and specifically woven brocades.
Pottery: The earliest dated crafts of India were pots, bowls, and figures of goddesses.
Each village have its own potters and its usually a family affair with their particular designs and techniques passed down to the next generation.
This an ongoing business as pots are thinly made and are replaced often especially for festivals and special occasions.
Decorative pots, elegant vases, incense burners and plates for the wealthy were made by specialist craftsmen.
Religious offerings of the peoples request to the gods are made in special forms such as a farmer offering a cow figure to improve his milk supply or human form to help with sickness.
Life-size sculptures of soldiers and horses line pathways to the temple to protect the people from evil.
Painted plaques of gods are taken to the temples, acts of worship performed with them then taken home.
Terracotta tiles with scenes showing the Hindu epics poems are used for roofs of temples.
Wood carving: Traditional woodcarvers made religious statues. However this has progressed to luxury items such as ornate wooden chests, furniture and statuettes.
Wooden houses with carved doors, window frames and balconies were done by the village carpenter who was of the higher echelon of society.
Northern India produces carvings inlaid with ivory, tortoise shell, and horn, mother of pearl or silver.
