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GUJARAT
STATE HANDICRAFTS
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Throughout the seventeenth century, Gujarat was
probably the most important centre for fine commercial embroidery
in the world. In the present day, the world's richest source of
folk embroidery is found in the belt comprising Kutch and Saurashtra
up through northern Gujarat to western Rajasthan and the Thar Parkar
district of Sind in Pakistan.
Marriage costumes, wall hangings, quilts, cradle
clothes and animal trappings are embroidered, appliqued, decorated
with beadwork and embellished with mirrors, sequins, buttons and
shells. Each caste passes on unchanged from generation to generation
its own distinct designs, colours and range of stitches which, together
with the cut of their garments and their own particular tie-and-dye
and block-printed designs, form the major visual part of a caste's
cultural identity.
Rabari tribal women of Gujarat have traditionally
embroidered their dowry consisting of clothing and house hold items.
Although these women are married off at a young age, they stay with
their parents until the embroidery is finished. This could take
years. Each woman embroiders the same traditional design with only
slight variations.
The tradition of manual embroidery is still prevalent
in the developing city of Bhavnagar and its surrounding villages.
A lot of encouragement is given to the craftsmen of Bhavnagar by
the people of the city as well as the social institutions in the
city. There are a lot of shops in the main market which are exclusively
dealing in handicrafts.
State Info
HandicraftsHistoryTravel
AgentsFestivals
CitiesPlaces
of worship
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