Arts and Crafts of Barmer
Barmer in Rajasthan is well known for
its handicrafts. All over Rajasthan and around the country, Barmer’s
exceptional woodcarvings, carpets, hand printed fabrics, embroidered
textiles, and undeniably its simple and friendly people transform the
Thar into what's popularly known as the most colourful desert in the
world. It is also recognized for its hand painted fabrics locally
called ajrakh, block printing, embroidered textiles, carpets and and
of late for its intricately carved wooden furniture.
¤ Wood Carving
The woodcarving traditions of Barmer in Rajisthan share their
similarities with those of Jaisalmer in Rajisthan and Saurashtra in
Gujarat. This carpentry and carving community locally known as Mistris
converted simple motifs of camels, elephants, flowers, parrots, horses
and other geometrical patterns into a vivid and imaginative mix. These
skills, though earlier used extensively in architecture for carved
pillars, jharokhas (bay windows with a little balcony) and archways
have now shifted focus to intricately carved ethnic and European style
furniture. This switchover, caused due to the demands of the market
and the need for survival, has now flourished into another art form.
¤ Hand Cloth Painting
Barmer is also famous for its hand painted cloth. It specializes in
the exquisitely rich red and blue ajrakh cloth (ajrakh comes from the
Arabic word 'azrak' for the colour blue.) This cloth has a long and
complex printing process of vigorous beating, successive dipping and
polishing sessions. The finest ajrakh is a variety which is printed on
both sides. It is worn on special occasions by both Muslim and Hindu
leather workers of the Meghwal caste. A garment most women wear in
Barmer and all over Rajasthan is the odhani (long scarf), which is
locally also called the chundri which literally means a fabric of
dotted pattern. Another speciality of Barmer is its exquisitely
crafted carpets. |
