Bhagwandas Retail Private Limited

Ejipura, Bangalore, Karnataka

Saharanpur, a city in Uttar Pradesh is well renowned for its work on wood carving and brass-inlay work on wood. Having influences from Kashmiri designs, their open worked screens with vines and floral patterns threading through the entire screen is very famous. Each work is methodically carved, engraved and buffed to give another-wordly shine. Along with shelves, furniture and coasters, small toys such as trains and planes are also designed. Piggy banks ranging in different sizes are also made quite popular by them.

The tanneries in Kanpur are known all over the world for the finest quality leather tanned by them. In fact, Kanpur caters to the major part of the Indian leather export markets in the form of shoes, sandals and accessories like belts made out of leather. Moreover, Kanpur is known for leather horse riding equipment, bags and purses. Sheepskin or goat skin is the most preferred leather in this cluster. The pattern of the shoe or chappal is drawn on a thick paper which is further traced on leather and cut accordingly to produce export quality footwear.

Khadi has an iconic status in India because of its association with the father of our nation M K Gandhi and his Swadeshi movement. Khadi fabrics are hand-spun and handwoven from cotton fiber but it is not limited just to it. Contrary to popular belief, khadi silk and woolen khadi are also manufactured from silk and wool respectively. The beauty of khadi lies in the fact that it can be worn during both summers and winters throughout the country. Cotton Khadi is prominently manufactured by weavers from Rampur, a small town in UP. These weavers specialize in making carpets or doormats from any kind of discarded clothes and create durable, hand-woven khadi carpets.

Chennai leather craft is famous for the bags, wallets, folders, diaries and other accessories made out of leather. The designs come in a wide range and with excellent craftsmanship. The leather bags are usually hand-stitched using black nylon threads. Simple, elegant designs and brass work enhance these products. Embossed leather is the chief design feature of the leather products crafted in and around the tanneries in Chennai. Braiding leather for the handles and finishing of edges is another special feature. Special tools made out of stainless steel are used for the embossing process. Each tool has a geometric motif and is combined with other motifs to create compound surface designs

Jute is the second most popular natural plant fiber and is available in abundance in the sub-tropical regions of India namely Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and Tripura. The jute fibers are dried and knit into threads. The threads are further woven into jute fabrics to be further hand-stitched into the desired jute product. In fact, the cleaned fiber, the threads and the fabrics are all used to make beautiful craft products like bags, rugs, carpets, hangings, footwear, coasters, jewelry, show pieces, etc. Some very fine quality jute is also used to make furnishing material and finished apparel as well.

Located in the most populous state of India, Khurja in UP is a relatively small city with a population of just under 1.5 lakhs. Although famous for a special sweet named Khurchan, this town is also known as The Ceramics City because of the thriving cluster of handmade ceramics that has been established in this town over time. The skyline of this city is dotted with chimneys of more than 500 factories working on handcrafted ceramic works there. These factories employ more than twenty-five thousand artisans in this cluster who work on products like stoneware, kiln furniture, decorative wares among a myriad of handmade ceramic products. These ceramic products not only provide a livelihood to the people of the city but also give the city a very colorful and vibrant feel.

Water Hyacinth is an aquatic as they infest still water bodies like lakes & ponds, using upo the oxygen for aquatic life-forms and hence choking them. To counter this problem, numerous villagers and artisans in Assam have come together to make this into a source of income by weaving it into a natural fiber and further weaving it into various utility water hyacinth products. The stalks go through a series of chemical and mechanical treatment to achieve the crimp property of wool for better processing, hence reducing the plants natural adhesive content and softening the fibers to make them fine and fit for knitting and weaving into different handcrafted products.

Bone and Horn carving has its roots in ivory carving and since the ban on commercial trading of ivory started in India, a shift of favor towards bone-crafted products has increased. While different types of bones and horns are chosen as per the desired carving usually the bones and horns from buffalo or bullock carcasses are preferred. Detail-oriented skills are required for the minute and intricate carvings. These products range from accessories to home decor to fashion such as cutlery, bowls, boxes, belts, drinking glasses, walking sticks etc.

Cane as a craft type is found across the northern, eastern, north-eastern and southern parts of the country. But it is predominantly found and practiced in north-east India, especially in Assam. The variety of cane used determines the quality of the product made. For example, a kind of muli bamboo locally known as mulibazail is used for making umbrella handles. Two other varieties of bamboo locally known as Mrithinga and Bethua and different varieties of canes locally known as sundi, barjali, harua and golla are required for specific designs in making furniture and baskets.

Oil, water and fruit, we all enjoy these aspects of coconut on a daily basis. However, coconut is one the few gifts nature has bestowed upon us which serves us even with leftover parts like the fibrous filament on its exterior shell. The fibrous filaments prove to be the perfect ingredients for handcrafting unique decorative items and weaving beautiful lampshades for a handful of artisans in Coastal Karnataka. Found primarily in the coastal areas of the country, coconut is one of the most important sources of livelihood for the people living there.

The craft known by the French term papier-mache which literally means paper pulp, is locally known as kar-e-kalamkari or pen-case work, after its traditional Iranian name. Papier-mache was practiced as a form of decoration on the wooden wall panels and wooden furniture, and was eventually adapted to paper moulds as well. Trays, jewellery boxes, and book covers were made for royal patrons and members of their courts. The two major processes involved in the craft are sakthsazi or mould making and naqqashi or mould painting. The naqqash renders the surface in intricate floral patterns or highly stylized scenes of hunts and battles. The Mughal period saw the art extending to palanquins, ceilings, bedsteads, doors and windows.

Soapstone is produced in several parts of the country which primarily includes UP, Rajasthan, Mysore and Tamil Nadu, but the sheer volume in which products are handcrafted out of soapstone in Agra makes it a class apart from anywhere else in the country. Majorly used to make religious idols of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, the soapstone gets a large crowd for replicas of Taj Mahal, one of the biggest tourist attractions in India and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Besides the monument, small boxes, plates, coasters, paperweights and photo frames made from soapstone are also very popular throughout the country and outside India.

This craft form originated around 500 years ago in the Middle Eastern regions of Persia and Turkey. Back then, it was mostly used for manufacturing vases but its elegance and robustness has resulted in its application in making boxes, ornaments, trays, paintings and various other showpiece items. Bidriware gets its name from Bidar, a small town in North Karnataka which is the hub of manufacturing this unique metal ware, characterized by silver inlay patterns on black metallic surfaces. The skilled artisans from the southern regions of India beautifully engrave patterns of various flowers, leaves and human figures to leave an indelible mark of their work across the world through these black metallic canvases.

Walnut wood carving is an ornamental craft process that is virtually unique to Kashmir due to the exclusive availability of walnut trees (Junglas regia), locally known as dun or akhrot. The naqqash or the master carver first etches the basic pattern onto the wood and then removes the unwanted areas with the help of chisels and a wooden mallet. As a result, the design emerges from the lustrous walnut wood as an embossed surface.

As is the story with most of the crafts, Zari or Zardozi embroidery also got its name from a village by the same name in ancient Persia. Zari has always been associated with the affluent sections of the society in India and globally as well because it requires weaving thin threads of gold and silver onto fine fabrics of silk. The result of this intricate piece of designing is so exquisite that it completely justifies its monetary worth. Mughal Emperor Akbar can be credited for bringing a revolution in the emergence of Zari as one of the most sought after crafts and for developing areas around Agra and Lucknow as major clusters for this craft. As the impact of Royal patronage waned in our society, the gold and silver were replaced with gold or silver-plated polyester and cotton yarns or slightly costlier copper threads. Lucknow, owing to its Nawabi heritage, still continues to be the biggest market for Zari and Zardozi embroidery.

Jodhpur being a city full of colors has a craft culture which is as important to their economy as tourism. The mochis or cobblers of Jodhpur craft leather into light and intricately embroidered footwear, locally known as mojari or pagrakshi. They are cut using traditional patterns that make no distinction whatsoever between the left and right foot and is shaped using the three-piece traditional wooden cobblers anvil and stitched with thick cotton threads. The mojari best showcases the traditional footwear of Rajasthan and represents their culture.

The leather artisans in Jodhpur have perfected the tanning of cow and goat leather obtained from carcasses to make beautiful-looking leather utility products. Natural oils are used for the unprocessed animal leather and are used in their raw form for the best results. Various techniques like, Kashida embroidery, stamping and embossing are used to create intricate patterns and designs on the leather in this cluster. The process is completely done manually using hands which gives this an edge over the other low quality, leather products existing in the market. Its a completely natural, sustainable process done using ethically-sourced leather.

Kolhapur chappals are flat, intricately patterned, handcrafted leather footwear traditionally made in Kolhapur in Maharashtra by the Chamar community whose hereditary occupation is tanning and leather work. Originally, the footwear was made for daily use by farmers and field workers but the simple ingenious design has gotten global appeal over time, some of the best types being Awazi (which makes a crisp sound while walking), Shahu and Suraksha Puda to name a few. The cords used to stitch the sandals are made of leather and, surprisingly, no nails are used in the making of these beautiful sandals.

e Dalit Meghwals of Rajasthan migrated to Kutch, bringing a beautiful leather crafting art form with them. The trade was kept alive by a mutual partnership with nomadic pastoralist Maldharis. When a Maldhari cattle died, the Meghwals used to convert the raw hides into leather. By recycling the dead cattle, the Meghwals used to transform waste it into a product of great utility. Kutchi leather used to be so well-treated and durable that it could even hold water! As such, it was made into long-lasting items like shoes, water bottles, horse saddles and water jugs. The artisans used real silver thread to bind pieces of leather together sometime in the past.

This craft form originated around 500 years ago in the Middle Eastern regions of Persia and Turkey. Back then, it was mostly used for manufacturing vases but its elegance and robustness has resulted in its application in making boxes, ornaments, trays, paintings and various other showpiece items. Bidriware gets its name from Bidar, a small town in North Karnataka which is the hub of manufacturing this unique metal ware, characterized by silver inlay patterns on black metallic surfaces. The skilled artisans from the southern regions of India beautifully engrave patterns of various flowers, leaves, and human figures to leave an indelible mark of their work across the world through these black metallic canvases.

Blue Pottery, a unique craft distinctive to the Pink City Jaipur is slowly gaining popularity these days. Handmade with intricate floral patterns or animal and bird motifs, each piece is exquisitely painted and crafted in its own way. The shades of blue, turquoise, pale pink and green coloring the pottery with a shining coat of glaze, is sure to light up the room instantly. It includes a wide range of products from home decor to bathroom accessories to utility products such as vases, fruit bowls, coasters and beer mugs, making them an ideal and thoughtful gift for any occasion.

Handmade paper is one of the most remarkable feats that humans have achieved in their quest to make the earth a greener place. Originating from Arabia, this craft flourished in India during the period of Ghazni Invasions around 1000 AD and was mainly carried out by Muslims craftsmen known as Kagzis. With the emergence of mill-made paper, this craft took a backseat but is now gaining prominence again as the society is becoming more aware of the imminent threat posed by deforestation caused due to mill-made paper to our environment. Besides having an aesthetic appeal and a characteristic naturally textured finish, handmade paper is also environment friendly as its production process is energy-efficient, sustainable, recycle-promoting and non-polluting.

Kantha, a type of running stitch embroidery, is found mainly in West Bengal, Bihar and Bangladesh. Made entirely out of re-used cloth, this craft employs fine craftsmanship and attention to minute details. Patterns embroidered on the fabrics ranges from purely geometric designs and floral motifs to pictures and events of routine life. While most products are quilts and bedspreads, table linen and even stoles are quite popular in this particular type of art-form.

This art-form was originally a form of mural or wall art or Bhitti Chitra practiced in Madhubani in Bihar and showcased the feminine expression usually. It was used primarily in the past for ritualistic purposes such as paintings symbolizing important stages of a persons life, festivals etc. Popular in the Madhubani art-form are motifs of mythical figures, deities, nature and local flora and fauna. Most motifs are loaded with symbolic elements and quite recently, linking the cultural and economic setting of the painters life has become a very popular take on expressionism in this art. Both colorful and rich with symbolism, it is an invaluable piece of Indias art history.

Bhujodi, a 500 years old village in Kutch is the mother to this need-driven craft, practiced by 200 weavers at present. The craft is said to have evolved as a need to cover against the harsh weather in Kutch, barter system being the preferred method of exchange in earlier times. Rabaris being the original nomads and cattle herders provided wool, milk products, and grains to the village and Vankars took up to weaving cloth in exchange for these products from the Rabaris. Cotton and wool from locally grown sheep are still used as the raw material for these shawls. The fine cotton has enabled them to create more intricate and colorful designs over the period of time. Weaving of a piece may take anywhere from a few days to a couple of months, depending on the intricacy and uniqueness of the designs.

Bhagalpuri Silk sarees, otherwise known as Tussar Silk, is a unique style of saree from Bhagalpur. Well known for its sericulture which has been around for more than a hundred years, the Bhagalpuri Tussar sarees are exclusively made from the silk reared over there. Designs used are primarily traditional ones of geometric patterns with a few abstract floral designs. A lot of work is usually focused on the designs in the borders as well, along with the bright and cheery color scheme, usually inspired by Madhubhani style of painting. It would be ideal to wear these sarees for formal occasions such as business meetings, office parties etc.

Eri comes from a caterpillar found in northeast India and some parts of China, Japan, and Thailand. The name eri is derived from the Assamese word era, which means castor, as the silkworm feeds only on castor plants. The woolly white silk is often referred to as the fabric of peace or Ahimsa Silk as it is the only silk processed without killing the silkworm.
Eri silk is a staple fiber, unlike other silks, which have a continuous filament. The texture of the fabric is coarse, fine, and dense. It is very strong, durable, and elastic. It is darker and heavier than other silks and blends well with wools and cotton. Due to its thermal properties, it is warm in winter and cool in summer. The thermal properties of Eri make it a suitable fabric for shawls, jackets, blankets, and bedspreads. Dress materials and baby dresses are also made from Eri silk fabric because of its soft texture and moisture absorbent quality.

One of the rarest Silks in the world is the Muga silk from Assam. The fact that sets this silk apart from other types of silk is the fact that it has a lustrous, golden yellow color! The word Muga means yellowish in Assamese. Muga silk comes from the Muga silkworm (Antheraea assamensis), which goes back to the age of the dinosaurs and is so sensitive in nature that it cannot tolerate even the minimum levels of pollution. The silkworms are semi-cultivated for obtaining Muga silk in commercial scale. Muga is completely organic and is a strong and attractive natural fiber.
This is a unique fabric where the luster only increases with age. Any type of embroidery by a thread can be done on it. Most importantly, while it has got a naturally golden luster, it is incompatible with dyes and cannot be dyed.

Matka Silk is a rough handloom silk fabric made from the waste Mulberry Silk (Bombyx Mori) without removing its gum (sericin) part. It is largely obtained from the states of Karnataka and Kashmir but its spinning is done in the Malda and Murshidabad districts in West Bengal. Sujapur village in West Bengal, Islampur village in Bangladesh and Dariapur village in Gujarat are the hubs of matka silk spinning. Artisans in Bhagalpur go a step ahead and use their Neelam 60 Lea Count linen in the weft with this matka silk fabric in the warp for a beautiful new fabric which is born: silk linen.

Bhagalpuri Silk sarees, otherwise known as Tussar Silk, is a unique style of saree from Bhagalpur. Well known for its sericulture which has been around for more than a hundred years, the Bhagalpuri Tussar sarees are exclusively made from the silk reared over there. Designs used are primarily traditional ones of geometric patterns with a few abstract floral designs. A lot of work is usually focused on the designs in the borders as well, along with the bright and cheery color scheme, usually inspired by Madhubhani style of painting. It would be ideal to wear these sarees for formal occasions such as business meetings, office parties etc.

Applique work employs ornamental needlework where pieces of cloth are cut out and then sewn back onto fine fabric to make a pattern. The fabric cut out is designed into popular motifs of the region such as flora, fauna, vines or geometric patterns and then hemmed onto the base fabric to make it more attractive. The colors chosen are vibrant and visually appealing for decor purposes. Different regions in India have their own style and central motifs in their respective applique crafts, some prominent states practicing the same being Bihar and Uttarakhand.

The Gomuza or Gamosa is a clothing article which holds great significance and meaning to the people of Assam. It is a small white rectangular piece of cloth, with borders on three sides and a few motifs on the fourth. Though cotton is the most common material used to weave these gomuzas, silk is used for celebratory and auspicious occasions. The designs on the gomuzas are relatively simple with stripes or checked patterns and only the fourth border is woven with more designs and motifs of flora and vines. An extremely intricate process, it is known for its simplicity and elegant charm and represents the warmth and hospitality of the people of Assam towards their guests, as they greet them by adorning the guests with brand new gomuzas.

This style of weaving originated in Varanasi and has been around since a number of decades. The most distinguishing feature of this style is actually its gold and silver zari or brocade that is generously and skillfully used in the weaving process. The entire fabric is covered with rich ornamentation and even the borders are intricate with minute designs. As most sarees are inspired by Mughal designs, they usually include Islamic motifs such as floral designs, floral nets and stylized leaves.

The Banjara embroidery is specific to the Banjara community and employs not just needlework but also mirror work, beads, and metal work as embellishments. Products recently have become more diverse and colorful to keep up with the growing fashion trends. But traditionally this art form was used to embroider costumes, handbags, and pouches for rituals or everyday use. The motifs used are mostly symbolic and are drawn from nature and geometry. With both intricate and colorful patterns, it makes an attractive addition to ones accessories collection.

Jute is the second most popular natural plant fiber and is available in abundance in the sub-tropical regions of India namely Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and Tripura. The jute fibers are dried and knit into threads. The threads are further woven into jute fabrics to be further hand-stitched into the desired jute product. In fact, the cleaned fiber, the threads and the fabrics are all used to make beautiful craft products like bags, rugs, carpets, hangings, footwear, coasters, jewelry, show pieces, etc. Some very fine quality jute is also used to make furnishing material and finished apparel as well.

The Banjara embroidery is specific to the Banjara community and employs not just needlework but also mirror work, beads, and metalwork as embellishments. Products recently have become more diverse and colorful to keep up with the growing fashion trends. But traditionally this art form was used to embroider costumes, handbags, and pouches for rituals or everyday use. The motifs used are mostly symbolic and are drawn from nature and geometry. With both intricate and colorful patterns, it makes an attractive addition to ones accessories collection.

These toys originate from the town of Channapatna (also called the Toy Town of India) in Karnataka and uses traditional lac-ware techniques on rotating lathe turneries to create the beautiful toys. Artisans also use different colored dyes to make the toys more attractive and appealing to the kids. An extensive range of these wooden toys exist such as cars, trains, educational toys, figurines and so on which are both high in quality and guaranteed to be fun.

This art-form was originally a form of mural or wall art or Bhitti Chitra practiced in Madhubani in Bihar and showcased the feminine expression usually. It was used primarily in the past for ritualistic purposes such as paintings symbolizing important stages of a persons life, festivals etc. Popular in the Madhubani art form are motifs of mythical figures, deities, nature and local flora and fauna. Most motifs are loaded with symbolic elements and quite recently, linking the cultural and economic setting of the painters life has become a very popular take on expressionism in this art. Both colorful and rich with symbolism, it is an invaluable piece of Indias art history.

This art-form was originally a form of mural or wall art or Bhitti Chitra practiced in Madhubani in Bihar and showcased the feminine expression usually. It was used primarily in the past for ritualistic purposes such as paintings symbolizing important stages of a persons life, festivals etc. Popular in the Madhubani art form are motifs of mythical figures, deities, nature and local flora and fauna. Most motifs are loaded with symbolic elements and quite recently, linking the cultural and economic setting of the painters life has become a very popular take on expressionism in this art. Both colorful and rich with symbolism, it is an invaluable piece of Indias art history.

Kharad dhurry is one of the rapidly eroding art forms in India and that is exactly what makes it very, very special. This type of dhurry is made from a sheep or camels natural wool and then woven by hand on handloom. This technique is quite complex as it requires the weaving to be done with the help of two sticks working as a loom. It is a dying art and only a handful of families from Kutch in Gujarat (18 families to be precise) are left doing this kind of weaving. Kharad dhurries provide an exquisite, super exclusive and unique dcor to ones bedrooms and living rooms.

There are only very few cities in India which can boast of a constant influx of tourists from around the globe throughout the year. Jodhpur is certainly one of those select few cities which can boast of this honor even though it neither has any mountains nor seas. What makes Jodhpur such a popular place is not only its palaces and lakes but also a niche group of handicrafts which are crafted locally by the artisans there. The famous cotton dhurries from Jodhpur knotted with exquisite and colorful geometric patterns is one such commodity. Although similar to a rug or carpet, dhurries are most commonly used for meditation and religious purposes which make it ubiquitous in most of the Indian households.

anganer, a town near Jaipur, was turned into a hand block-printing center by the royal family of Jaipur due to its favorable conditions of abundant soft water and clay material. And it still remains to be one of Indias most renowned block printing clusters. With its stylized floral patterns, creepers, vine, and floral net or jaal motifs, added to a vivid color palette of black, red, orange, dark blue, makes it certainly eye-catching. Products printed in Sanganeri art-form include printed skirts, veils, bedspreads, quilts and various kinds of apparel.

Rajasthan is the home for a variety of handicrafts produced in our country. One of the lesser known places but no less important in terms of the value it adds to the rich heritage of the state is Bagru. Located on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway, at a distance of only 35 km from the Pink City itself, this place produces some impeccable wooden block prints which are considered as some of the best and elaborate hand-block printing works in the country. The beauty of this art form lies in the process itself as the preferred designs are first carved out on a wooden block and then used for further replication on any preferred fabric. The tradition of this craft is kept alive by native artisans, which makes Bagru a perfect tourist destination for connoisseurs of hand-block fabric printing.

Applique work employs ornamental needlework where pieces of cloth are cut out and then sewn back onto fine fabric to make a pattern. The fabric cut out is designed into popular motifs of the region such as flora, fauna, vines or geometric patterns and then hemmed onto the base fabric to make it more attractive. The colors chosen are vibrant and visually appealing for decor purposes. Different regions in India have their own style and central motifs in their respective applique crafts, some prominent states practicing the same being Bihar and Uttarakhand.

Applique work employs ornamental needlework where pieces of cloth are cut out and then sewn back onto fine fabric to make a pattern. The fabric cut out is designed into popular motifs of the region such as flora, fauna, vines or geometric patterns and then hemmed onto the base fabric to make it more attractive. The colors chosen are vibrant and visually appealing for decor purposes. Different regions in India have their own style and central motifs in their respective applique crafts, some prominent states practicing the same being Bihar and Uttarakhand.