A Handicrafts Tour of North India

A visit to North India is incomplete if you miss out some of the best handicraft items available here. From the Pashmina shawls from Jammu and Kashmir, the Phulkari from Punjab to the chinkankari embroidery from Lucknow, each state in North India is known for its aestheticism and a variety of attractive handicrafts. Lets have a look at some of the popular handicrafts of North India. The handicrafts of Jammu Kashmir include some vibrant hand-made crafts, which symbolize the cultural significance of the state. The craftsmen of Jammu and Kashmir have mastered in making items like carpets, baskets, wall hangings, shawls and much more. The handicraft industry of the state is thriving and it provides employment to a large mass of local people of the valley.Pic Credit: Upupa4me The various kinds of handicrafts available in Himachal Pradesh include woodwork, leather embroidery, metal wares, carpets, painting and woolen textiles. The crafts of this state are vast and portray the artistic skill of the craftsmen.Mention must be bade of Thangka which is an intricate and brightly colored painting done on cloth by Tibetan artisans.Pic Credit: Tanya Schroeder The rich tradition of Punjab handicrafts includes Phulkari along with Pidhis, Jootis, Durries and Parandis. Phulkari is however the most popular of them all. Many of the crafts are used as household items or decorative items in houses and portray the colorful identity of the state.Pic Credit: Red Junasun Rajasthan is the largest producer of handicraft items in India. The art and craft of Rajasthan is known around the world. Tourists visiting India always desire to take back souvenirs of Rajasthani handicrafts. Many bright colored and patterned crafts of the state are used to adorn household as interior decoration.Pic Credit: Arun Katiyar Being huge in size, Uttar Pradesh produces large number of crafts created by the large number of artisans spread across the state. Various handicrafts including earthen pottery, carpets weaving, chikankari embroidery, silk saris and more, are the primary artifacts of Uttar Pradesh. Different parts of the state produce different crafts. For example, Varanasi is popular for silk saris, whereas Mirzapur produces carpets. Agra and Kanpur are famous for its leather crafts and Moradabad manufactures metal ware. Lucknow, on the other hand, produces chikankari embroidery, which is renown all over the world. Other crafts like pottery, glass bangles, zardosi, woodenware, textiles, stonework, jewellery, sculptures, are also popular in the state. The popular Lucknow Chikankari fabric is an Uttar Pradesh.Pic Credit: rajkumar1220 Art and craft has found a significant place in Delhi because so many dynasties and emperors ruled Delhi. Every dynasty ruling in Delhi brought its own unique style of art and craft. Mughals being great patrons of art and craft brought some rich legacies. Though all of them didnt survive, there are many that are still existing and flourishing.Pic Credit: Abhisek Sarda