EXOTIC HANDICRAFTS OF KACHCHH
Main Crafts: Embriodery, Printing.
Prime Art Centre: Bhuj.
If arid, harsh desert lands propagate the most wonderful
craft traditions in the country, Kachchh
is a living testimony to it. It is like man trying to compensate for
nature's neglect. In the midst of the innumerable chores of daily
existence the women folk set aside a few hours for embroidering the most
vibrant, fine and varied collection of embroidery in the country.
PAINITING
WITH NEEDLES :
If any one deserves the credit of adding, a touch of exotic colour to the
monochromatic desert scapes of the Rann of Kachchh and the arid semi
desert scrubby grasslands of Banni, it is the embroiderers. The embroidery
of Kachchh is very picturesque and has the quality of jewellery.
An inexplicable bond weaves nature and the Kachchhi together. Using
simple materials the craftsmen create objects of great beauty, filling
their lives and the bleak surroundings with infinite beauty. Kachchh is
known for its distinctive traditional crafts, from embroidery to
jewellery-making and carving.
The Kachchhi crafts however range from block printing on textiles,
bandhni of the khatris,
to the exquisite beadwork of Rabari women. Some of the villages and
communities have specialised for generation in certain crafts and thereby
create masterpieces that delight a connoisseur.
A few of them are the Sodha embroidery from Loriya village, Patch work of
Bhirandiyara, the extremely detailed Mochi embroidery, the Rabari
embroidery from Nana Nakhatrana, the leather creations by Meghwal
artisans, the very famous silver work on precious metals of Bhuj and
Anjar, besides traditional wood and lacquer work and Rogan, the extremely
fine lacquer work on cloth produced by the artisans of Chobari and Nirona
villages. Dhordo is known for its wood-carving.
EMBROIDERY: A BRILLIANT SKILL 
Kachchh owes much of its fame today to
its embroidery. Much of the most colourful in Gujarati embroidery belongs
to Kachchh. With a needle for a paintbrush, the Kachchhi woman gives
expression to her creativity and proclaims her oneness with nature by
churning out beautifully embroidered pieces.
The folk embroidery of Kachchh is an ongoing and dynamic tradition. The
most interesting aspect of the whole process is that needlework and
embroidery traditions are preserved and propagated by almost every
community, caste and sub- group in Kachchh.
The finest needlework today comes from the many communities living in the
Banni tract of Kachchh district. The women of different communities in
Kachchh have their distinct styles, the most distinctive being that of the
Rabari community of Kachchh. The finest
example of their applique work can be seen on the decorative hanging which
covers the entrance of houses in Kachchh
EMBROIDERY IN LEATHER:
It is a common art form of the Kachchh region of Gujarat.
The northern villages of Dhordo, Khavda and Hodko are home to the few
remaining communities of leather embroiderers who soak hide in a solution
of water, latex and lime in an underground earthen pot before stitching it
with flower, peacock and fish motifs. The finished bags, fans, horse
belts, wallets, cushion covers and mirror frames are sold in villages all
through the region. 
AJRAKH: A UNIQUE PRINTING METHOD
Khavda is one of the last villages to continue the printing method known
as 'ajrakh'. Cloth is dyed with natural pigments in a lengthy process
similar to batik, but instead of wax, a mixture of lime and gum is used to
resist the dye in certain parts of the cloth when new colours are added.
TERRACOTTA:
Women in Khavda paint terracotta pots with dusky whites, reds and blacks,
using cotton rags and brushes made from bamboo leaves.
ROGAN PAINTING:
Rogan painting is now practised only in Biber in northern
Kachchh. Hand-pounded castor oil is
turned into coloured dyes by a complex process, which are then used to
decorate cushion covers, bedspreads and curtains with simple geometric
patterns.
BELL CHIMES:
Craftsmen also make melodic bells coated in intricate designs of copper
and brass, which were once used for communication among shepherds.
SILVER JEWELLERY & ENGRAVING:
Silver
jewellery is common, featuring in most traditional Kachchhi costumes. The
anklets, earrings, nose-rings, bangles and necklaces are similar to those
seen in Rajasthan
, since much of it is made by the Ahir and Rabari communities who live in
both areas. In Kachchh, the silver is
mixed with zinc to make it more malleable, and converted into wires and
sheets. The main centres for silver are Anjar, Bhuj,
Mandiri and Mundra.
Kachchhi silver engraving is a dwindling art form, practised mainly in
Bhuj. Molten silver is poured into a mould, and, when dry, engraved by
gentle taps with fine, sharp tools and small hammers. The final products,
such as trays, pots, cups, pens and picture frames, are smoothed down and
polished in an acid solution.
BANDHANI
The most common form of cloth printing is 'bandhani', or 'tie-&-dye',
practised in most villages, but concentrated in Mandvi
and Anjar. Kachchhi clothes are distinctive for their fine embroidery and
bold designs.
One design unique to the area is 'mushroo'-weaving ('ilacha'), a skill
practised today by less than twenty artisans. The yarn used is silk,
carefully dyed before it is woven in a basic striped pattern, with a
complex design woven over the top in such fine detail that it seems to be
embroidered. 'Ilacha' cloth, made into 'cholis' (blouses) and dresses, is
hard to buy now; the best place to see it is Mandvi, or in the
Calico Museum
in Ahmedabad .
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