Souvenirs with Stories - Arts and Crafts from India Part II

And I am back with the second post of the souvenirs with stories series!

A couple weeks back, I shared some beautiful handicrafts and handloom fabrics of India. But I could only cover three states in that post and I really wanted to write about so many more. So here I am keeping the spirit of “Love for Traditional” going and giving you some more souvenir ideas from India that can give you beautiful memories on their own!

Banarasi Saree! I wanted to cover so many other states, their and arts and weaves because even with two posts it is nearly impossible to cover all that India has to offer, but I did want to mention this one separately because a ton of people visit Varanasi in India and getting a Banarasi from Banaras is just one of those things you should do in the holy city!

Rajasthan 

Beautiful prints on cotton...If you have seen Bandish Bandits on Amazon Prime recently, you might have noticed Block Print Kurtas, Dresses and Sarees have been used extensively in the show!

The bazaars of Jaipur can dazzle you with the jewelries, Zari sarees, mirror work clothes and décor items, and so many other things. But in these alleys, you also find beautiful Dabu printed clothes, and though they might not be shiny, they sure are unique and elegant enough to attract your attention. Hence Dabu Printed or Block Printed Fabric is the first souvenir I would suggest you get from Rajasthan. Block-printing, though originally is believed to be an art that was developed in China centuries ago, was introduced in Rajputana some 400-500 years ago, in a village called Bagru by Chippa community (a caste of printers). And with generations of Chippas dedicating themselves to this art of stamping (Dabu) meters and meters of cotton cloth with natural plant-based dyes using intricate hand-carved wooden blocks, this art flourished for so many centuries in Jaipur area. 

Block printing has faced the test of time and is still fighting to survive!

It is so special and unique that Jaipur or particularly Sangneri Hand Block printing has also been awarded GI (geographical indicator) tag, to protect the art for future generations. Imagine this fabric, due to its prints, was a rage not just with kings and commoners of India, but also among Britishers! And while the floral prints lure you towards Dabu work, the promise of longevity of the colors and fabric makes this the perfect souvenir for you to remember Rajasthan for a long time. If you want to know more about why you should take back a piece of Dabu work with you and from where, check out this post on The New York Times.

Rajasthani Meenakari jewelry and accessories are the stars of bazaars of Rajasthan

And in those same alleyways of Jaipur, you would find some stunning jewelry and décor pieces with colorful polished motifs of flora and fauna. This is Meenakari! Though Meenakari work (fusing metal with colored glass and stone powder) originated in Persia, and was brought to India by Mughals, back in the 16th century, Raja Man Singh brought Meenakari artisans to Aamer and since then embellishing gold, silver, marble and lacquer with Meenakari became a signature art of Jaipur and Udaipur area. If you are searching for Meenakari jewelry, you can easily get it online these days, but if you are a lover of the authentic and would want to see the range of items that are made vibrant with Meenakari work in Rajasthan, just pay a visit to Johari Bazaar of Jaipur during your next trip to the state.

Miniature painting from City Palace, Udaipur (left) and Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur (right)

And since I mentioned Udaipur, how can I not tell you about Rajput Painting or Miniature Painting of Udaipur! Miniature Painting too came to India with Mughals, where royal historians used tiny paintings on scrolls to record important proceedings of the court. In the 16th century, Rajputana kings encouraged their royal artists to use natural plant and mineral based colors used in India and this Persian technique of painting and produce very detailed and vibrant narratives of royal festivities, grand events and religious texts. And with that amalgamation of west and east, Rajasthan came up with its own version of Miniature Painting called Rajput painting. The Mona Lisa of India aka the famous Bani Thani Painting is probably the most famous miniature painting of our generation, but if you want to be wowed by the brilliance of this art you should head to Udaipur or Shekhawati where even the walls of the place tell you a story about these paintings in grand form! And given that size of these paintings is small, but they are extremely detailed and are literally meant to tell you a story via a picture, how could it not be a souvenir with a story!

Rajput Painting on the walls around Udaipur tell you of how important the art is to the city's heritage! That lampshade was bought from Udaipur and every inch of it tells you of the beauty of Miniature Painting.

West Bengal

Jamdani Saree with beautiful motifs!

   Now let’s travel east, from one princely state of India to another. Welcome to West Bengal, another state where, though handicrafts and traditional weaves existed since ancient times, it reached its zenith only during the Mughal period. One such fabric that went from being the commoner’s heirloom to regal wear was Jamdani weave! Jamdani is considered one of the finest muslins (softest cotton fabric) in the world and has been a part of Bengal’s heritage for over 2000 years (West Bengal and Bangladesh). This almost sheer weave with intricate floral motifs is considered one of the most delicate and laborious weaves of the world, so much so that it was declared a was declared a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. And though Bangladesh is considered the seat of Jamdani, Nadia and Murshidabad in West Bengal have kept the flame of Jamdani weaves going in India. And if you can get a saree that not only reminds you of an undivided India, but makes you feel like a Mughal queen or princess, wouldn’t that be a perfect souvenir?

Pages from Mahabharata and Ramayan woven into architectural bricks of a Baluchari Saree

Another timeless weave of West Bengal is Baluchari, which literally translates to ‘from the sand banks’ and was the weave that put Baluchar, a small village in Murshidabad district on India’s map. Back in the 18th century, Baluchari weaves were developed as an art of weaving stories onto silk which was already a rage amongst royals of close by Bishnupur area. The idea was to translate the beautiful terracotta carving on the temples of Bishnupur (done between 13th–17th century), which were West Bengal’s most prized architectural heritage, onto a fabric, but soon these weaves themselves became the pride of Bengal. From pages of Mahabharat and Ramayan, to instances from a king’s court or royal carriages, from British army and British party scenes, to Kolkata’s rickshaws or Jamindaars Hukkas – weavers brought moments to life with Baluchari weaving. And that is the reason why Baluchari sarees are the ultimate souvenir you can take back from West Bengal.

From deities, masks, elephants and horses, not just any but Terracotta Bankura Horses...

But if you are not looking for a wearable, worry not, West Bengal has you covered. And since you are in Terracotta land of Bishnupur, let me start with Terracotta Figurines and Bankura Terracotta Horses of West Bengal. Terracotta art flourished in Bankura district (Bishnupur) during the Malla Dynasty but now is considered a symbol of West Bengal, with terracotta artists in every village of the state. It was always a commoner’s art and was used to make religious figurines – faces of Goddess Durga and Goddess Kali, which are famous till date. But with time, people started coming up with clay dolls (putuls) of soldiers and gods, and animals like horses and elephants. I still remember when I had visited Sonapur (north WB), my Uncle took us to a terracotta artist who lived about an hour away from their place and his work was so magnificent that I actually thought some of his work were polished wood carvings! And believe me, the terracotta pieces here are so detailed, that one kind of terracotta statues – the Bankura Horses, which were initially built as symbolic sacrifices to God Dharma, were granted GI for West Bengal in 2018! Reason enough to consider them for souvenirs, right?

Goddess Durga's Pratima with Sholapith 

And if weight and size of terracotta figurines is a concern, artists of West Bengal give you the option of Shola Pith or Shola craft. If you have ever seen a Bengali wedding, the white caps the bride and groom wear for the rituals is made from Shola Pith. Shola Pith is a white spongy center of a tree stem which is similar to foam after it’s dried, and this is pressed and used to make a ton of handicrafts in West Bengal. Shola Pith has always been used to create accessories and flowers for Goddess Durga and other Gods during Durga Puja, but with time, the traditional Shola craft artists, called Malakars, started producing a variety of products to attract the common handicrafts collectors (mostly Jamindars). And today, Shola craft is famous not just in India but also outside the country, thus making it yet another amazing eco-friendly gift from West Bengal.

Assam

The golden thread gift from Assam - Muga Silk

Now let me take you back in time to shine some light on the oldest recorded royal fabric of India that has survived till this date – Muga Silk of Assam. Silk in general has been the identity of Assam (the ancient kingdom of Kaamarup) since around 3 or 4th century BCE! Imagine ancient texts like Ramayana, Arthashastra (written by Chanakya) and The Great Tang Records (travel journal of Huen Seng) also identify Assam for its silk. And yes, Assam in general produces multiple types of silk, but its most prized kind is the naturally shiny, glossy, golden Muga Silk – which till the rule of Palas was more or less a royal wear. Then these rulers, back in 11th century tried to centralize production and trade of Muga Silk and brought most of the silk weavers of the kingdom to Suvarnkuchi or Sualkuchi in Kamarup district. The Ahoms, followed the suite and decided to make Sualkuchi ‘silk only’ village in the 16th century and till date, this village is the center of Assam’s silk industry. Imagine a souvenir that hides tales of centuries within its golden threads which shine brighter with every day and every wash – Sualkuchi in Assam can gift that to you in form of a shawl, stole, saree or kurta (And it is probably the best place to connect with the artists directly too!)

Kamrupi Bell Metal Jaapis

In the same district, another art that has been thriving since ancient times is Kamrupi Brass and Bell metal craft. Traditionally bell metal objects were used for making offering vessels for Gods in the ancient pilgrimage areas of Hajo and Sarthebari. Then, artists in these areas started making several cultural objects like pots, plates, jewelry boxes, etc. with brass and bell metal. By early medieval period, metal Jaapis (traditional conical cap of Assam) became the royal symbol and royal gift of the Kingdom of Assam. And Ahoms ensured metal craft would be associated with Assam forever by establishing a tradition of greeting a guest with silk Gamosha and bell metal Xorai (tray for sweets and paan with a stand and pagoda shaped lid), thus giving the statement – “Atithi devo bhava” (a guest is like a God) a very shiny meaning! Now it’s impossible to not come across a shiny bell metal Xorai or a metal Jaapi, which are both considered cultural symbols of Assam, while exploring the state. And that is exactly why they are one of the souvenirs you would want to get from Assam!

Bell Metal Xorai and Coiled Bamboo Lampshade

And talking about symbols of Assam, how can you forget Rhinos? Let’s be real, the most memorable experience anyone would have in Assam would be that of spotting a one horned Rhino in the wilderness of Kaziranga or Pobitra, so how about get a souvenir that reminds you of that moment? Yes, you can get a magnet or a photo, but I am talking about getting a wood carving! Bamboo, Cane and Gambhar Woodwork is an inseparable part of communities of Assam, and always has been. While tribes around Kaziranga chisel Gambhar wood into rhinos, artisans from Cachar district can coil cane into baskets and furniture, and pretty much the whole state is skilled in making bamboo flowers, birds, mugs and so much more, plenty of options to choose from, right?

Those rhinos are carved from Gambhar wood in Assam.

And though, not a traditional art, I just couldn’t end the souvenir saga of Assam without mentioning water hyacinth handicrafts. Water hyacinth is actually a weed that grows around riverbanks and have been used to create daily use objects like mats, baskets, bags etc. in south east Asia for some centuries now. Around 10-15 years back, North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi) introduced this technique in Assam enabling locals to produce environmentally sustainable crafts. And ever since water hyacinth handicrafts have become an integral part of Assam’s cottage industry cluster. Hence these handicrafts from Assam would actually be a memento with a promise of future.

Jute work from southern West Bengal

Beyond these you can choose to get a pair of custom made lacquer bangles from Maniharon ka Raasta in Jaipur, Rajasthan; a piece of golden fiber art from artists skilled in turning the jute into beautiful décor pieces in towns and villages of West Bengal or fall in love with the arty Mukhas or masks of Majuli, Assam and grab one of those. There is just so much to explore in these states and even beyond these states in India. And while we all love magnets (I am also one of those people) and shot glasses, we can also take back a piece of the places we visit with the tangible art of those places, right? So, this was me making my case in favor of these traditional arts and weaves!

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