Crafts of Union Territories of India are stunning and capture the fancies of tourists and locals alike. They bring out the artistic capabilities, dexterity and creativity of the people of the region.
Crafts of Puducherry
Punducherry is famous for Traditional handicrafts, leather crafts, pottery, mat weaving, papier mache, candle-making, metal crafts, incense sticks, jute crafts, jewellery crafts, wood carving and clay dolls.
List of handicrafts of Puducherry are as follows:
Apart from being well known for a place of holistic living and religious importance, Pondicherry or Puducherry is noted for some traditional exquisite crafts as well.
Leather craft: The leather craft of Punducherry is recognized and feature in the middle of the most sought after products for tourists. The various leather products that are accessible in the city comprises of bags, shoes, writing pad holder, passport holders, address books, and brief cases of various shapes and sizes.
Textile: There are extraordinary production of textiles and linens obtainable here. Punducherry occupies with beautiful garments of a variety of textiles such as poplin, satin, twill, chambray, oxford, corduroy and cambric. South Cotton saris of Punducherry are also familiar and loved by everybody coming to visit the place. The majority of these saris are designed with a zari border.
Pottery: Pottery is a significant craft of Puducherry. The pottery here is different and has shiny finishing. These pots are used for domestic as well as ornamental purpose. The craftsmen always experiment with new designs for these potteries.
Handmade Paper: Aurobindo Ashram of Punducherry is aiding in manufacturing these handmade papers since 1959. These papers are created in diversified colors and textures. This paper is also used to make greeting cards, book covers and paper bags as well as to make albums, photo frames and notepads.
Wood Carving: The most excellent of this wood carving work can be seen in the temple doors and other substances. Figures of animals like elephant are made with wood as toys that look very beautiful. Other household things like wooden vegetable cutters, grinders, ladle holders, wooden serving spoons, containers and wooden kitchenware etc., are made in woodcarving.
Clay & Terracotta: The terracotta artists here make excellent designs out of clay and terracotta. Utensils, jewelry as well as decorative pieces are made out of these materials in Puducherry. Terracotta are also used to make tableware, jewelry, figures and figurines, lampshades, dolls, plant pots, vases, tea and coffee sets, and various other products.
Jute craft: Jute craft in Punducherry makes use of jute to knead carpets, rugs, foot wear, and jewelry, carry bags, handbags, wine bottle bags, wall hangings, decorative articles and showpieces.
Crafts of Delhi are as follows:
The Capital of the country has a reason to captivate its tourists and that is its artistic crafts.
Jewelry: At one time Delhi was a centre for the production of Herati carpets, which were designed after the style of those made in Herat, Afghanistan. Delhi is home to two very special kind of jewelry encouraged and patronized to the level of an art form by the Mughals. Western influences during the British rule impelled the use of open-claw settings in fondness to the traditional kundan gulband (choker), dastband (bracelet) and karnaphul (earrings) settings. Kundan is the Mughal-inspired art of setting of stones in gold and silver.
Bamboo Work: Delhi also happens to be a significant centre for chairs and stools made of the tall golden-white sarkanda grass, which grows in wealth in the capital`s area.
Ivory Carving: Delhi is where the art of ivory carving flourished under the control of the Mughal princes. Delhi craftsmen also make the elephant with the hoodah, the whole structure carved out of just one piece.
Leather ware: Traditional leather jooties or ethnic footwear and slippers, which are sometimes ornamented with pearls, gold and silver are the pieces to astound. Embroidered bags, shoes, leather garments, leather seats, puffs or pidis are other popular items.
Paper craft: Paper Craft brings one inside the patang (kite) market in Lal Kuan bazaar in Old Delhi. These bright, feather-light kites come in all shapes and sizes, as kite flying is a chief national pastime. Tazia is the next most popular paper craft. Another paper craft that takes a lot of hard work is Effigy-Making.
Shellac Bangles: Delhi and Rajasthan are two main places in India, which are regarded as the home of shellac work.
Crafts of Lakshadweep Islands are as follows:
Though not frequented by tourists but crafts of Lakshadweep Islands are quite a gem for lovers of artistic items.
Shells: The local people in the island have long been involved in creating seashell ornaments. People are also involved in creating many eye-catching items and articles from seashell like table lamp shades, wall shelves, flowerpots and several more which looks wonderful and gives natural feel.
Coconut Shells: The diverse items and articles are made using coconut shells and jack wood like table lamps, finger bowls and many other objects which are quite popular among the tourist to the isle as well.
Tortoise Shells: Tortoise shells that one can find on the beaches also form an attractive natural resource for the craftsmen in the isle. Artists in Lakshadweep use these shells to make table lamps, small boxes and other ornamental items.
Paintings and Chunky Jewelry: Paintings in the isle also form a vital craft which are used for enhancing the interior of the houses. Other than paintings, jewellery made with different natural colors is regarded as one of the oldest craft of the isle.
Crafts of Daman and Diu
The unique crafts of Daman are mat weaving, and that of Diu are tortoise shell and ivory carving. Tortoise shell crafts, mat-weaving with the aid of modern and traditional motifs, horns of animals, ivory-carving and numerous other forms of crafts are practiced in Daman and Diu.
Crafts of Dadra and Nagar Haveli
One of the chief crafts of the Dadra and Nagar Haveli region is the leather craft. The creatively created slippers made of leather are very well-liked by the visitors. Another significant handicraft of the Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli is carpet weaving. Experts weave the brilliantly designed mats with bamboo fibers. Bamboo is also used in the wonderful basketry works of the area of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
Crafts of Andaman and Nicobar Islands are as follows:
The popular archipelago of India is famous for some of the unique traditoanl crafts.
Wood Work: Carpentry and woodwork are native to the Andamans, and the Administration also provides training in this line. Several units are engaged in making furniture and other articles out of ornamental woods such as Paduak, marble wood, Chui, etc.
Cane and Bamboo: Cane and Bamboo Work is carried on by settlers from Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.
Shell Craft: Products expand from cleaned and polished attractive shells to table lamps, ashtrays, jewellery and buttons. An appealing resource material is Tortoise Shell; large shells in beautiful shades exist here.
Cross Bows: Another useful craft is the making of crossbows which consist of a central beam of wood with grooves and iron loops to hold arrows and quiver, and a bow shaped arc made of thinner and lighter wood, its ends joined with a string.
These union territories of India boast of some of the most artistic handicrafts, which are manufactured from various kinds of materials, ranging from metals, trees and plants, shells and leather. Many of these unique crafts are exported outside the country and possess a high demand both in the national and overseas markets.
