Leather Craft
Indians have known the art of tanning since the time of the Indus valley civilization. Popular leather items are footwear, bags, saddles etc. Kohlapur is known for its chappals. Rajasthan is the home of decorated leather products; Mojdis or thick shoes are made of locally cured leather, they are decorated with silk, metal embroidery and beads. Bikaner and Jaisalmer produce decorative saddles for horses and camels. West Bengal is known for it's decorated leather bags. Ornamental work on leather can found in crafts of Punjab, Kashmir and Karnataka. Items like lampshades, pouches, stuffed toys etc are also made of leather.
Metal Crafts
Indian craftsmen had mastered the art of metallurgy 5000 years back. The lost wax process was known to the ancient craftsmen in making pots and sculptures. Metal craft is an integral part of the Indian ethos: pots, utensils, vessels, tools, weapons etc have been made out of a variety of material like iron, copper, bronze, bell metal, white metal, silver etc. The Ladakh region of Kashmir is known for traditional vessels made out of iron and brass. Moradabad is world famous for its array of utilitarian brassware. Engraving using traditional motifs is also done on items made in Moradabad. Making of bronze sculptures is common in Palitana in Gujarat, Vishnupur near Calcutta, Balasore in Orissa and all the Southern states.
Painting
Painting is one of the earliest known activities of man and India is no exception to that. The earliest known paintings can be found in the Bhimbetka caves of Madhya Pradesh. The Ajanta caves is another milestone in the Indian history of painting, not only were the artists rendering realistic images, but they were also well versed with the art of making frescoes. The miniature paintings under the Mughals was the high point of painting in the yester years. Different areas of India have different painting traditions. They differ from each other in technique, style, use of material and rendering of the subject, owing to regional and past influences. Ladakh is known for its Thanka paintings. Tanjore is known for ornate glass paintings. The different miniature schools of Rajasthan lend color to this arid land. India also boasts of numerous tribal and folk painting traditions: Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Orissa, west Bengal have their own unique painting styles.
Paper -Mache
Papier-mâché articles are made of waste paper and are molded according to requirement. A large number of utilitarian items are made from Papier-mâché. Kashmir is well known for day-to-day articles made from Papier-mâché. Boxes, trays, pots, vases etc are made of Papier-mâché and then they are painted in bright colors. Large items also have gold and silver leaf applied to them. Madhya Pradesh is known for Papier-mâché tShola Pith In Bengaloys and other articles. Punjab is also known for Papier-mâché utensils and storing vessels.
Shola Pith
Shola is a plant that grows in marshy areas. The shola pith has been utilized in Bengal, Orissa and Assam as art decorations. Here decorations for deities are made from shola pith. Craftsmen in Tamil Nadu are famous for structurals in pith products. Pith flowers are made in Karnataka and Maharasthra.
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