6 Most Famous Regional Traditional Crafts In India

Vibrant and culturally rich, India continues to preserve its centuries-old roots in the form of its stunning arts and crafts. Traditional crafts of India provide the basis of Indian culture that not only has gained worldwide recognition but is also one of the reasons tourists flock to the country. These Indian handicrafts are a glimpse into the history and culture of every region of the country. The history of indian handicrafts goes back centuries. We have compiled a list of traditional Indian crafts from different states; don’t forget to check out the special mentions too.

# Kondapalli Dolls, Andhra Pradesh

This 400-year old art form makes toys from soft wood known as tella poniki, where each part is carved separately. These pieces are then joined together with makku, a paste of tamarind seed powder and sawdust. Later after drying, details are added and the toys are coloured with either oil and watercolours or vegetable dyes and enamel paints. These toys are showcased every year at the celebration of Sankranthi, and this showcase is known as Bommala Koluvu.

# Bamboo And Cane Craft, Arunachal Pradesh

Thanks to the abundance of cane and bamboo in Arunachal Pradesh, the state is quite famous for its products. The craft is a vibrant tradition and highly diverse as each tribe has its own weaving style and design. Every tribe excels in their craftsmanship, and the shapes of the items made out of bamboo and cane are distinctive in every region.

# Weaving And Embroidery, Assam

Considered to be one of the main cottage industries of Assam, weaving and embroidery have brought the fabrics of Assam into the international domain. These include handwoven cotton, muga, pat (mulberry silk) and eri (wooly silk). Common household handlooms of the state include mekhela chadar, gamocha, saris, shawls, mats and napkins. The designs of these traditional crafts in Assam are symbolic of the different tribes and ethnic groups of the area.

# Madhubani Painting, Bihar

This folk art of Bihar is also referred to as Mithila art and is one of the oldest and most famous Indian art forms. Madhubani paintings are one of the most famous traditional crafts of India. They are usually painted with fingers, twigs or matchsticks (now pen nibs) and often have geometric patterns and bright colours. These colours are made from natural extracts from plants and other natural sources.

# Wall Paintings, Chhattisgarh

The traditional wall paintings in Chattisgarh depict pictures of traditional tribal rituals. Most of the wall paintings in Chattisgarh are related to the celebrations of their customary ceremonies. The walls and floors are painted with vibrant colours making them rural forms of art.

# Lavo Mandri, Goa

This is an art form indigenous to Goa. It’s a traditional art of weaving mandri (mat in Konkani). Although not a thriving art, it uses lavo, a type of wild grass grown in the marshy land of fields to make these mats.