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Arts & Crafts

Arts & Crafts of Bankura

Decorate your home with beautiful Bankura Handicrafts.

Terracotta Craft

Decorate your home with the aristocratic touch of Terracotta Craft. Terracotta means ‘baked earth’ and it has been used to produce decorative artworks as well as construction works since ancient times. Terracotta tiles are being used in the exterior and interior decoration of buildings these days and have gained incredible popularity in no time. Take a tour of Panchmura village which is the home to the famous terracotta industry of Bankura Handicrafts . Get a live demonstration on terracotta crafts and take beautiful souvenirs or jewellery to gift your near and dear ones. These beautiful artworks are mainly concentrated in Bishnupur and Panchmura of Bankura District.

Enhance the grace of your drawing room with the long-necked Terracotta Horse which is the logo of All India Handicrafts. You will see that the horse comes in seven separate body parts like a hollow long neck, four legs, a face, ears, a tail, etc. You have to assemble those parts to get a horse-like structure. The leaf-like long ears and decorative body are definitely a sign of elegance and pride.

Terracotta Durga (Unburned)
Famous Terracotta Horse Pair
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Making of Dokra
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Tribal Couple Showpice
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Dokra Craft

The Dhokra or Dokra is a beautiful form of tribal art that showcases the immense talent of tribal craftsmen. Various types of ornaments and brilliant home decor items, idols of gods and goddesses can be made of Dokra. The system of metal casting being used in Dokra art is considered to be the oldest form of metal casting and it is known as ‘cire perdue’ technically. Bikna village of Bankura Handicrafts district is the home to this majestic art.

Making of Dokra
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Tribal Couple Showpice
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Baluchari Saree

Bishnupur is home to the types like Baluchari and Swarnachari silk. In the recent past, a little bit of Tasar is woven in Sonamukhi. The initial thread that is extracted is fine in quality and is generally used for warping on silks. In the next stage, we get a coarser material called Gachi that is used for weft or Bharna. In the tertiary stage, we get another unrefined fabric known as rough or Ketia. Even from this ketia a fine fabric can be crafted and woven into what is known as the Gheecha silk. 

Baluchari in its modern form started its journey in the year 1940. The project was financed by a gentleman namely Sri. Bhagwan Das Sarda. The design was prepared by Sri. Akshay Das Patranga and it was woven by Sri. Gorachand Deasi. The legacy of Swarnachari is not as old as that of Baluchari. It is hardly three decades old. The basic qualitative difference between Baluchari and Swrnachari is that while in the first silk is used as the raw material, in the second it is Zaree. Baluchari Saree is popularly known among Bankura Handicrafts.

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Dashabatar tash

The famous indoor game played by Malla kings of Bishnupur was ‘Dashabatar Tash’ and it is internationally famous as a collector’s item. This card game was invented by Malla king Veer Hambir and was based on the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The Dashabatar cards comprise 10 suits of 12 cards each. Presently, the Foujdar family of Bishnupur is the only practitioner of this unique folk art. They make the cards using cloth, the glue of tamarind seeds, chalk dust, colors, vermilion, and lac.

Lantern & Bell Metal

The Lantern industry is also very much popular in Bishnupur. You can buy these beautiful lanterns to use as collector’s items. The lanterns are used in luxurious hotels, offices, and houses as home decor. It is considered to be a beautiful gift item as well.

Bell Metal craft is inherited from Dhalbhum of the Singhabhum area and is concentrated in Bankura- Purulia- Midnapur area in West Bengal. Household utensils and other useful items made of this copper-based alloy are blessed by the talented people addressed as ‘Kansari’.

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Conch Shell Crafts

The Conch shell industry is very famous in Bankura district. The people known as ‘Shankhabaniks’ or ‘Sankharis’ used to make designer conch bangles or ‘Sankha’ for married Hindu ladies. They also manufacture different types of blowing conches using intricate patterns and designs. The skilled artisans beautifully design miniature forms of Gods and Goddesses also. 

A fully decorated handcrafted ‘Sankha’ costs near about 25000 Rupees

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Stone & Wood Crafts

Susunia is home to stone carving artisans of the Bankura district, you will get to see various crafts using stone. You can buy mini artifacts made of stone dust as well. Purchase a souvenir from the foothills of Susunia and gift it to someone special. National Awardee craftsman makes some crafts for years.

Wood-carved items consist of different types of images, idols, toys, and other decorative products. Bankura and Bishnupur are those places where you will find talented wood artisans. Local people of Susunia village make artifacts from Sandstone and deserve extra attention for sure. When you will be exploring the Bankura district, you will get amazed to see how talents work here silently and peacefully.

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