Handicrafts of Rajasthan

At a glance

1. 1First GI: Kota Doria was Rajasthan's first GI.
2. 22023 batch: Udaipur Koftgari, Bikaner Kashidakari, Jodhpur Bandhej, Bikaner Usta Kala and Nathdwara Pichhwai were certified together in 2023.
3. 3Resist dyeing: the dye is kept off either by tying the cloth (bandhej, leheriya, mothda) or by printing a mud paste called dabu on it (Akola, Bagru).

Main crafts

• Blue potteryBlue-painted glazed warePlaceJaipurMade of and howDough of quartz powder, powdered glass, multani mitti and gum, painted mostly in blue and glazedRememberKripal Singh Shekhawat, the 'Shilpguru', made it known worldwide; by tradition it reached Jaipur under Sawai Ram Singh II (1835–80)
• Molela terracottaVotive clay plaquesPlaceMolela village, Rajsamand districtMade of and howKumhar potters shape relief plaques of folk deities by hand, without mouldsRememberTribal devotees buy them as votive plaques
• Pokaran potteryPale pink potteryPlacePokaran, Jaisalmer districtMade of and howFinely ground local clay that fires to a light pink, almost white colourRememberEveryday ware such as pots, surahis and diyas
• ThewaGold on glassPlacePratapgarhMade of and howHand-cut gold foil fused onto coloured glassRememberPractised only by the men of the Raj Soni familyFull notes →
• Meenakari and kundanEnamel and gem-settingPlaceJaipurMade of and howMeenakari: coloured enamel on engraved gold or silver · kundan: gems set in goldRememberBy tradition Man Singh I of Amer brought meenakars from Lahore
• TarkashiSilver-wire jewelleryPlaceNathdwaraMade of and howSilver jewellery made of very fine metal wires
• Koftgari (koftgiri)Wire inlay on ironPlaceUdaipur; also ChittorgarhMade of and howGold or silver wire inlaid on iron or steel, mainly on weapons
• Makrana marbleQuarry townPlaceMakrana (then Nagaur district, now Didwana-Kuchaman)Made of and howWhite marble from the town's quarriesRememberUsed in the Taj Mahal
• BandhejTie-dyePlaceJodhpur; Sikar (Shekhawati)Made of and howCloth tied in small knots, then dyed; the chunari is its best-loved formRememberJodhpur's chunari: bright, lasting colours and fine tiesFull notes →
• Leheriya and mothdaStriped tie-dyePlaceLeheriya: Jaipur · mothda: JodhpurMade of and howRolled, tied cloth dyed in diagonal stripes; in mothda the stripes crossFull notes →
• Bagru printMud-resist block printPlaceBagru, near JaipurMade of and howHand-block printing by Chhipa printers, with a mud resist (dabu)RememberRed and black (syah-bagar) designs on a muted (matiya) groundFull notes →
• Sanganeri printFine floral printPlaceSanganer, near JaipurMade of and howFine hand-block printing by Chhipa printersRememberDelicate floral buti on a white groundFull notes →
• AjrakhTwo-sided printPlaceBarmerMade of and howRed and blue geometric designs printed on both sides of the clothRememberThe designs look like Turkish tilesFull notes →
• Dabu of AkolaMud-resist villagePlaceAkola, Chittorgarh districtMade of and howBlock printing with a mud resist, on a large scaleRememberKnown as 'Chhipon ka Akola'Full notes →
• Kota Doria (masuria)Square-check weavePlaceKaithun near Kota; also villages of Kota, Bundi and Baran districtsMade of and howLight cotton-and-silk cloth woven in small square checks (khat) on pit loomsFull notes →
• DurriesWoven rugsPlaceSalawas, near JodhpurMade of and howFlat-woven floor rugs
• NamdaFelted wool rugPlaceTonkMade of and howWool that is beaten, layered and pressed into felt, not wovenRememberDecorated with appliqué and embroidery
• GotaMetal-ribbon trimPlaceKhandela, Sikar districtMade of and howA ribbon of badla (metal thread) woven on a cotton warp and stitched onto clothRememberWide gota is lappa, the narrow one lappi
• KashidakariMirror embroideryPlaceBikanerMade of and howDense embroidery with mirror workRememberMade mainly by the women of the Meghwal community
• Usta artGold on camel hidePlaceBikanerMade of and howGold work raised in relief (manoti) and painted over (naqqashi), on camel-hide articles, walls and ceilingsRememberSeen in Junagarh fort's Anup Mahal, Phool Mahal and Karan Mahal
• Lac workLac banglesPlaceJaipurMade of and howBangles shaped from lac and set with beads and stonesRememberMade by the Manihar community
• MojariLeather footwearPlaceJodhpurMade of and howEmbroidered leather footwearRememberGI registered in 2026
• KavadPortable wooden shrinePlaceBassi, Chittorgarh district

GI-registered crafts

The logos of Kota Doria, Blue Pottery, Molela Clay Work and Kathputlis are registered as separate GIs. Phulkari is one GI shared by Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Sojat Mehndi and Nagori Ashwagandha (agricultural) and Bikaneri Bhujia (foodstuff) are Rajasthan GIs too, but not crafts.

Padma Shri craftspeople

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