Rajasthan, being the largest producer of handicraft items in India can decor you as well as your homes with the radiance of its crafts. Markets in Jodhpur, Jaipur, Udaipur, Pushkar, Bundi, Shekhawati, introduce you to the efforts of the village craftsmen whose toil create wonder. The traditional haats (bazaars) showcase hand-craft items made of wood, leather, ivory, lac, glass, marble, silver, gold and mud itself. The conventional use of colours in paintings and dyes, drawn from vegetables, minerals and insects reminds us of our age old heritage and its harmony with nature. Along with memories, why don’t you carry few articles to retain the flavour of Rajasthan? The lattice wood furniture, miniature gemstone paintings, intrinsically carved deities, authentic jewelleries and beautiful dress materials, blue pottery, Jaipuri Rajais (quills), carpets and durries, Mojaris or Juttis (footwear) and Marionette style puppets are items which enshrine the identity of the land. Textile- More than an industry, textile has resumed its place as a ‘tradition’. The block prints, tie and dye prints, Bagru prints, Sanganer prints, Zari embroidery, and the fabulous Bandhani form of cloth decoration sourced from places like Jodhpur, Pali, Jaipur, Udaipur and Nathdwara, offers variations and vibrancy into the desert landscape. The spell of colour mesmerizes everyone visiting a market in this glorious land. With the availability of raw materials and trained labour, Rajasthan has emerged as a promising textile hub.

Jewellery

Native crafts of kundan, meenakari and filigree hold the ethnic aura and can blend into your contemporary look. Gold, silver and metal jewels adorning your hands, neck, forehead, ears, nose, anklets, feet and waist, bequeath poise and elegance. Lac bangles keep the auspiciousness of the culture. Variegated designs uphold the workmanship. The dashes of relic over the shimmer of ornaments depict the magic of incredibility bestowed upon this part of India. If you are eager to be bejewelled with glittering gems, Rajasthan is a place to visit!

Pottery

Rajasthan pottery has a long lineage with fragments found in Kalibanga of Harrapan Civilization dating back to the 2500 BC. Jaipur’s famous ‘Blue Pottery’ industry brings forth different household items which you should not miss shopping for. Worth mentioning is Molela village, near Udaipur, famous for its terracotta plagues of votive images.

You can reach out the best deals of Rajasthani handicraft in fairs held in Shilpgram, situated 3 kilometres west of Udaipur, near Havala village, which is a Rural Arts and Crafts Complex exhibiting the lifestyles of the people. The pageant of weaving, embroidery, bead work, mirror-work and wood work, is an experience which shall augment your sight-seeing.

The grandiloquent history of this land of kings cannot be completed without the touch of soil and sweat embedded in every heart of commoners. From the pierce of needles while embroidering, to the pierce of a nose-ring, from the cut of a sculptor to the paint of a potter, from the chime of bangles to the rhythm of puppets, all seems unforgettable once you pay a visit to Rajasthan.