India has been blessed with a rich history and tradition. Since ancient Indian traditions have been carried forward from generations and have been accepted in the modern era. One such tradition of Handicrafts is widely popular, not only in India, but the rest of the world. Handicraft items, ranging from wood, metal, stone, clay, glass, bamboo to textiles, are majorly exported to different countries around the globe. These products express the idyllic Indian sense of everyday living, palace and court scenes, and socio political conditions.
The most peculiar fact of Handicrafts lies in the making of it. These items are not just an awesome piece of art, but are designed keeping in mind the history of a particular region. From the northern states of Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, to the southern areas of Kerela and Tamil Nadu; handicrafts vary in their designs & style and reflect distinct craftsmanship. For e.g. Terracotta which involves the baking of clay into a variety of receptacles such as jars, jewellery, small utilitarian furniture is the hallmark of the states of Varanasi, Tamil Nadu, Vrindavan, Agra, and Bihar. While the art of carving wood into different types of furniture, and idols is practiced by the craftsmen of Jammu, Kashmir, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka.
India being one of the major suppliers of handicraft in India are key source of income for people residing in the rural areas. Giving employment opportunities to the weaker sections of the society it has been successful in contributing to the success of Indian economy. This is corroborated by the figures, as India’s handicraft exports are expected to double during the current fiscal, taking the number from the current 9000 crores to nearly 17000 crores. More so, the figure is expected to reach 24000 crores by FY 2020-21.
There are a variety of handicraft products available in the Indian market which include but are not limited to: Beaded Jewellery, Tribal jewellery, Madhubani Paintings, Phulkani Art, Warli Paintings, Cane Products, leather crafts, Indian traditional jewellery, and shell crafts.
With the demand of these products exponentially increasing, the art of handicraft in India certainly has a bright future ahead.