Indian Art & Craft Traditions

Karnataka

Mysore painting

A classical South Indian painting style using gesso work and gold leaf, historically patronised by the Mysore royal court.

Karnataka

Channapatna toys

Lacquered wooden toys handcrafted in the town of Channapatna, a centuries-old Karnataka craft.

Karnataka

Mysore silk weaving

Fine silk sarees woven with pure zari, a Mysore tradition dating to the Wadiyar dynasty.

Karnataka

Bronze temple lamps

Cast bronze lamps used in temple worship across Karnataka, made by traditional metal-casting families.

Karnataka

Stone temple carving

Intricate stone sculpture work seen across Karnataka's temple architecture, a skill passed down through sthapati families.

Karnataka

Floral garland craft

Elaborate flower garlands and pyramids handmade for temple processions and festivals.

Karnataka

Traditional silverwork

Hand-worked silver ornaments and ritual objects crafted by Karnataka's silversmith communities.

Karnataka

Traditional wooden yoke craft

Hand-carved wooden yokes used to pair buffaloes for Kambala races and farm work.

Karnataka

Stone carving

Sculptural stonework seen across Karnataka's temples and heritage sites, still practised by traditional artisan families.

Karnataka

Hampi stone-bead craft

Beads and small ornaments carved from local stone around Hampi, echoing the site's Vijayanagara-era craft traditions.

Karnataka

Wooden temple chariot carving

Elaborately carved wooden temple chariots (rathas) built for festival processions.

Karnataka

Clay idol making

Hand-modelled clay idols made for Ganesh Chaturthi and other festival installations.

Karnataka

Rangoli

Geometric and floral patterns drawn on the ground with coloured powder, made fresh for festivals and daily worship.

Karnataka

Clay lamp making

Hand-shaped clay oil lamps (diyas) made for Deepavali and other festivals of light.

Karnataka

Ritual mask making

Hand-carved and painted masks used in Bhuta Kola and other coastal Karnataka ritual performances.

Karnataka

Bhoota costume craft

Elaborate costumes and headgear crafted for Bhuta Kola performers, built anew for each ritual season.

Kerala

Aranmula Kannadi

A handmade metal mirror from the village of Aranmula, polished to reflect from its front surface rather than through glass.

Kerala

Kerala mural painting

Temple and palace wall painting in rich natural pigments, depicting gods, epics and temple legends.

Kerala

Balaramapuram handloom

Fine cotton handloom weaving known for the off-white Kerala kasavu mundu and saree with a gold border.

Tamil Nadu

Thanjavur painting

Devotional panel painting known for raised gesso work, inlaid stones and gold-foil highlights.

Tamil Nadu

Kanchipuram silk weaving

Heavy mulberry-silk sarees with contrasting borders and pallus, woven in the temple town of Kanchipuram.

Tamil Nadu

Swamimalai bronze icons

Bronze temple icons cast by traditional sthapathi families in Swamimalai, near Kumbakonam.

Maharashtra

Warli painting

Tribal wall painting in white on mud-coloured grounds, built from circles, triangles and lines.

Maharashtra

Paithani weaving

Silk sarees with ornate zari borders and pallus featuring peacocks and lotuses, from Paithan and Yeola.

Maharashtra

Kolhapuri chappals

Hand-stitched, vegetable-tanned leather sandals from Kolhapur and neighbouring districts.

Gujarat

Patan Patola weaving

Double-ikat silk sarees from Patan in which both warp and weft are dyed before weaving.

Gujarat

Kutch embroidery

Dense, colourful embroidery with mirror work, practised by the many communities of the Kutch region.

Gujarat

Rogan art

Painting on cloth with a thick, brightly coloured paste made from castor oil, kept alive in Nirona village, Kutch.

Rajasthan

Jaipur blue pottery

Glazed pottery in cobalt blue and white, made from a quartz-based paste rather than clay.

Rajasthan

Sanganeri and Bagru block printing

Hand block printing on cotton, from the towns of Sanganer and Bagru near Jaipur.

Rajasthan

Bandhani tie-dye

Resist-dyed textiles made by tying thousands of tiny knots before dyeing, worn across Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Madhya Pradesh

Chanderi weaving

Sheer, lightweight sarees of silk and cotton with fine zari motifs, from the town of Chanderi.

Madhya Pradesh

Maheshwari weaving

Cotton and silk sarees with reversible borders, woven in Maheshwar on the Narmada.

Madhya Pradesh

Gond painting

Vivid, detailed paintings of animals, trees and myths made by Gond artists.

West Bengal

Kantha embroidery

Running-stitch embroidery that layers and quilts cloth, traditionally from old saris.

West Bengal

Bankura terracotta

Terracotta work best known for the long-necked Bankura horse, made by potters in Bankura district.

West Bengal

Baluchari saree weaving

Silk sarees whose pallus are woven with narrative scenes from epics and daily life.

Punjab

Phulkari embroidery

Bright floral darning-stitch embroidery on shawls and dupattas, made in Punjab.

Punjab

Punjabi jutti

Hand-stitched leather footwear with embroidered uppers, from Punjab.

Odisha

Pattachitra

Cloth-based scroll painting of mythological scenes, especially of Lord Jagannath, from Odisha.

Odisha

Cuttack silver filigree

Delicate silver jewellery and ornaments made from fine wire, known locally as Tarakasi.

Odisha

Pipili appliqué

Bright appliqué textiles of cut and stitched cloth, from the village of Pipili.

Uttar Pradesh

Banarasi silk weaving

Rich silk sarees and brocades with zari work, from Varanasi.

Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow chikankari

Fine white-on-white shadow embroidery on light cotton, from Lucknow.

Uttar Pradesh

Moradabad brassware

Engraved and enamelled brass utensils and decorative ware from Moradabad.

Bihar

Madhubani painting

Bold, densely patterned paintings of deities, nature and ritual, from the Mithila region.

Bihar

Sikki grass craft

Baskets, boxes and figures woven from golden sikki grass, from north Bihar.

Bihar

Bhagalpuri silk

Tussar silk fabric woven in and around Bhagalpur, known as India's 'silk city'.

Chhattisgarh

Bastar dhokra

Lost-wax metal casting of figures and animals by craftspeople of the Bastar region.

Chhattisgarh

Bastar wrought iron craft

Hand-forged iron figures, lamps and ritual objects from Bastar.

Chhattisgarh

Kosa silk

Tussar (Kosa) silk woven in Chhattisgarh, with Champa known as a centre.

Assam

Muga silk weaving

Weaving of Assam's naturally golden Muga silk, unique to the state.

Assam

Assam cane and bamboo craft

Everyday and decorative objects woven from cane and bamboo across Assam.

Assam

Majuli mask making

Masks made for Bhaona theatre in the satras (monasteries) of Majuli island.

Jharkhand

Sohrai and Khovar painting

Mural painting on village walls by women, made for harvest and wedding seasons.

Jharkhand

Paitkar painting

Scroll painting that tells stories in sequence, practised in Jharkhand.

Jharkhand

Jharkhand tussar silk

Tussar silk produced and woven in Jharkhand, one of India's main tussar regions.

Haryana

Panipat handloom

Handloom furnishings, durries and rugs from the weaving centre of Panipat.

Haryana

Jhajjar pottery

Earthenware including the traditional surahi (water pot), made by potters around Jhajjar.

Andhra Pradesh

Kalamkari

Hand-painted and block-printed cotton textiles coloured with natural dyes.

Andhra Pradesh

Kondapalli toys

Light wooden toys carved from soft tella poniki wood, from Kondapalli village.

Andhra Pradesh

Etikoppaka lacquer toys

Smooth, rounded wooden toys finished in natural lacquer, from Etikoppaka village.

Telangana

Pochampally ikat

Geometric ikat textiles from Pochampally and nearby weaving villages.

Telangana

Cheriyal scroll painting

Long narrative scroll paintings used by storytellers, from Cheriyal.

Telangana

Karimnagar silver filigree

Intricate silver filigree ornaments and objects made in Karimnagar.

Uttarakhand

Aipan art

Ritual floor and wall art of Kumaon, drawn in white on a red ochre ground.

Uttarakhand

Ringal bamboo craft

Baskets, mats and household items woven from ringal, a hill bamboo.

Uttarakhand

Kumaoni copperware

Hand-beaten copper vessels made by the Tamta coppersmiths of Kumaon.

Himachal Pradesh

Kullu shawl weaving

Woollen shawls with bright geometric borders, woven in the Kullu valley.

Himachal Pradesh

Kangra miniature painting

Delicate miniature painting known for lyrical scenes of Radha and Krishna and soft colours.

Himachal Pradesh

Chamba rumal

Embroidered handkerchiefs and covers that look the same on both sides, from Chamba.

Delhi

Zardozi embroidery

Rich metal-thread embroidery on silk and velvet, worked in Delhi's old workshops.

Delhi

Meenakari

Enamel work on metal, coating jewellery and objects in bright coloured glass.

Manipur

Longpi black pottery

Black stone pottery made without a wheel by the Tangkhul Naga of Longpi village.

Manipur

Manipuri handloom

Handloom textiles woven by women across Manipur, including the phanek and innaphi.

Manipur

Kauna craft

Mats, cushions and bags woven from kauna, a water reed grown in Manipur's wetlands.

Mizoram

Puan weaving

Handwoven Mizo textiles, including the traditional puan wrap.

Mizoram

Mizo bamboo and cane craft

Baskets, furniture and household items woven from bamboo and cane.

Nagaland

Naga shawl weaving

Handwoven shawls whose patterns identify the tribe and status of the wearer.

Nagaland

Naga wood carving

Carved wooden figures, panels and posts, traditionally found in morungs and village gates.

Nagaland

Naga beadwork

Necklaces and ornaments made from glass beads, shells and other materials.

Meghalaya

Meghalaya cane and bamboo craft

Baskets, mats and household items woven from cane and bamboo by Khasi, Garo and Jaintia artisans.

Meghalaya

Ryndia (Eri silk) weaving

Weaving of Eri silk, known locally as Ryndia, especially in Ri-Bhoi district.

Tripura

Tripura bamboo and cane craft

Finely woven bamboo and cane products, from baskets to furniture and mats.

Tripura

Risa weaving

The Risa, a handwoven upper cloth worn by Tripuri women.

Sikkim

Thangka painting

Buddhist scroll painting of deities and mandalas on cloth.

Sikkim

Lepcha weaving

Traditional textiles woven by the Lepcha community of Sikkim.

Sikkim

Choktse table carving

Carved and painted foldable wooden tables, a traditional Sikkimese furniture form.

Arunachal Pradesh

Apatani weaving

Handwoven textiles of the Apatani community of the Ziro valley.

Arunachal Pradesh

Monpa handmade paper

Handmade paper (Mon Shugu) made by the Monpa community of Tawang.

Arunachal Pradesh

Wancho wood carving

Carved wooden figures and objects by the Wancho community of Longding.

Jammu and Kashmir

Kashmir pashmina

Ultra-fine shawls hand-spun and handwoven from pashmina wool.

Jammu and Kashmir

Kashmiri papier-mâché

Boxes, vases and ornaments in papier-mâché, painted with detailed floral designs.

Jammu and Kashmir

Walnut wood carving

Carved furniture and objects in Kashmiri walnut wood.

Ladakh

Ladakhi thangka painting

Buddhist scroll painting made in Ladakh's monastic tradition.

Ladakh

Ladakhi carpet weaving

Hand-knotted woollen carpets with Tibetan and Buddhist motifs.

Lakshadweep

Lakshadweep coir craft

Rope, mats and other products made from coconut fibre.

Lakshadweep

Coconut shell craft

Bowls, spoons and decorative objects carved from coconut shell.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Andaman shell craft

Jewellery and decorative objects made from sea shells.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Andaman cane and bamboo craft

Furniture and household objects woven from cane and bamboo.

Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu

Warli painting (Dadra and Nagar Haveli)

Tribal wall painting of the Warli community of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu

Dadra and Nagar Haveli bamboo craft

Baskets and household items woven from bamboo by local tribal communities.

Puducherry

Puducherry terracotta

Terracotta pottery and figures made by potters in and around Puducherry.

Puducherry

Puducherry handmade paper

Handmade paper produced from cotton waste and natural fibres.