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Wood-carving
Wood carving is an ancient art of the state which
has attained a very high standard of technical skill. Some of the best
examples of wood-carvings are found in temples and houses in many parts
of Gujarat. The wood carvers produce life-like figures of
animals, artistic objects of every-day use such as teapoys, table
lamps, stools and toys for children. Mahuva and Idar are famous for their
lacquer toys. Sankheda in Baroda district is known for its lacquer work.
The work is done on country-wood which gives darker shades. The coating
is done with fine lac.
Women folk of Saurashtra prepare idols, toys, ash-trays,
toilet-boxes, lamp-stands and flower-pots from the pulp of rags, banana
stumps and bamboos. Artistic Jars, water-pots and other utility
articled are prepared from clay.
Embroidery
Embroidery has been a craft for women, Banni, a small village in the Rann
of Kutch is known for its artistic embroidery work. Small mirrors
are interspersed to lend glitter and charm. The finest type of such embroidery
work with small mirrors is called Abhla-Bharat. When a bride is sent to
her husband's house, she carries with her some pieces of skirts and cholis
exquisitely embroidered with minute details.
Inlay work
Ivory
in Gujarat is mostly used in inlay work. Bangles
and sandal wood articled inlaid with it.
Agate
is a semi-transparent mineral composed of quartz in
different colours and found in river beds. The raw stones are
processed by heating, chiselling, surfacing, polishing and drilling
before they are turned into artistic articles such as ear-rings, necklaces
studs, bowls, and trays. The industry is located in Cambay.
Bead-work
Bead- work is a speciality of Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar and
Junagadh. Decorative pieces like torans, chopat, carpets, caps, and belts
are some of the fine articles of bead-work.
The art of making jewellery and precious stone-cutting and processing is a traditional handicrafts of Gujarat.
Gold smithy
includes filigree-work, open-wire-work, carving etc. The folk
jewellery of excellent designs, characteristic of each village and
each community as a typical art of Gujarat. The silver craft is a specialty
of Kutch, in which light embossing is done on thin silver plates and is enhanced
by etching and scrapping. Attardanis, Gulsbdanis, Flower-vases, trays, jewellery-boxes,
powder-boxes, ash-trays and
cigarette-boxes are some of the articles of silver craft.
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