Dhokra Art of India: The Living Craft of Mr. Nandlal Vishwakarma from Chhattisgarh
India’s crafts but real stories live in small villages—beside mud kilns, wax-coated clay forms, and families working together. One such story belongs to Mr. Nandlal Vishwakarma, a Dhokra metal artisan from Umargaon village near Kondagaon, in Chhattisgarh. He has been practicing Dhokra art since the age of eight, carrying forward
Craft, Community, and Colour: The Story of Raghurajpur
Have you heard of Raghurajpur?It’s not just a village—it’s a living art gallery. Located in Puri district, every house here tells a story. Literally. The walls are painted by local artisans, each one reflecting centuries of cultural memory. Over 500 Chitrakar families live here, practicing Pattachitra—an art form that has
Bandhej and the Khatri Legacy
Last autumn, in the month of October, I found myself in Tera village, in the Kutch region of Gujarat. It was there that I came across the Khatri community—the true flagbearers of Bandhani, or Bandhej. For them, Bandhej is not merely a textile tradition or an occupation; it is ibaadat—an
When Every Loom Tells the Same Story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkwyjGGq06s Far from the hustle and bustle of big cities lies the small town of Champa—its air often heavy with coal dust from nearby mines.It is hard to imagine that this town, marked by industrial residue, is also home to a vast population of silk weavers who have carried their