Carpets
Pleasing to the eye and soothing for the mind, the floor coverings
of India are heart-winners. The main centres are Bhadohi, Agra,
Amritsar, Jaipur, Gwalior and Kashmir. Being mostly export- oriented,
the weavers can produce almost any design. However they have a few
distinctive designs of their own like the Taj Mahal. The carpets are
so exquisitely made that they are often used as wall hangings.
Improvements in the techniques of washing, have given them a mcre
lustrous shine.
The Mughal emperors provided patronage to this art and raised it to
lofty heights, with Agra being one of the oldest carpet centres. Today
it is a compact industry and does both traditional as we[ as modem
designs. The "calling out" or "pher bolna" system
still prevails in Agra. The master weaver alone follows the design and
keeps calling out to the weavers about colours to be used for each
knot. High quality carpets are produced mostly in three varieties
-Persian (Ispahan & Kashan), Turkoman and Aubusson (French).
lndo-lspahan is done with the long leaf & flower and the
Indo-Kashan with the small leaf and flower. In the Indo-Turkoman the
Mohra Bokhara is made with the typical octagonal patterns. An
interesting point in its colouring is the use of the same colour in
different shades. For instance, a red background will have a dark blue
border with two shades of blue, one light, another medium. Similarly
there may be two greens, two shades of browns and gold, etc. In the
more sophisticated, even four shades of one tint are mixed. The
carpets of India are universally admired not only for their original
patterns, fine wool and rich colours, but also for being produced in
sizeable quantities of acceptable commercial quality. The carpet
industry in Shahjehanpur is barely a century old and here, both cotton
and woollen carpets are made. The woollen ones being in three sizes,
the ordinary with 16 knots, medium with 25 and the best with 36 knots.
The designs are based on the old Persian styles. In one of the more
exciting ones, the overall ground colour is a clear soft scarlet, and
field covered with flattened, irregularly lineated diamond shapes of
warm golden yellow, apparently separated, yet imperceptibly linked.
Durries
The brilliantly coloured durries are also an expression of the imagination of the craftspersons of India. Exciting colours, forms, shapes and vibrant images characterize this delightful art form.
Jute Floor Couvering & Runners
Being an important centre of world's jute production, the craftsmen of West Bengal have made use of this product extensively in an exquisite manner to create several types of floor covering with several hues, sizes and designs, which represent Indian skills par excellence. Moreover, it is for certain, that it will not pinch your pocket.
Ideal places to Shop
Agra, Amritsar, Jaipur, Gwalior, Kashmir, Bengal.
Festivals
Handicrafts
