Handicrafts of India

अभिनन्दन from Gaatha

Gaatha project was originally conjured only for researching and documenting the rapid erosion of Indian craft clusters and heritage. However, we soon learnt from the artisans themselves that need was not to do research alone, but to restore ‘pride and serious commercial opportunity’ in their ecosystem. Today Gaatha thus aims to bring the lost respect and wealth back to these beautiful and aesthetically rich Indian handicraft clusters. These researches are important because just like Industrial goods sell on ‘features’, crafts sell on the processes / stories / heritage that go into making them.

We should give crafts a fair chance, someone is right now merrily making something for us, singing a folk song, in a humble house, deep inside India.

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Story of Indian crafts and craftsmen
  • About Us
    • Who we are
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      • Research & Archive
      • Consultancy & Design
      • Curation & Commerce
    • Be a part
    • Contact Us
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    • Know Your Native (INDIAN TRIBE)
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14Oct

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Gaatha brings to you, traditional handicrafts and the culture behind them, directly from the very home of the Indian artisan.
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gaatha.handicrafts

Shop | Handmade treasures from the heart of India
Discover | Woven narratives through craft documentation

Some things never go out of style — like gold, o Some things never go out of style — like gold, or the grace of a well-woven saree. These silk Maheshwari sarees, light as air and finished with subtle zari shine, are designed to keep you glowing with timeless elegance. 
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https://shop.gaatha.com/shop-silk-maheshwari-saree-online
It’s fascinating how our sense of beauty and aes It’s fascinating how our sense of beauty and aesthetics evolves with our surroundings. In tribal regions, it is rare to see people with large tummies...so how could their imagination of Ganeshji carry one? We searched for a Ganesh with a truly big belly but couldn’t find him. Perhaps the round-bellied Ganesh belongs more naturally to an urban landscape, while for the tribals he felt a little out of place.  That’s the beauty of our culture, every region, every community carries the freedom to imagine divinity in its own way.  Today, in the age of AI, imagination is shifting once again. We see gods with six-packs and broad biceps. Mythological TV shows reflect the same trend. Yet if we look back at ancient texts, paintings, or sculptures, we rarely, if ever, find a god with such features. So where is this influence coming from? Perhaps even gods are not beyond the reach of influencers…  Wishing you a divine and thoughtful Ganesh Chaturthi.  #ganeshchaturthi #influence #indialove #gaatha #indianculture #ganesha #diversity #mythology #gaathahandicrafts
Imperfection is beauty, shaping an aesthetic that Imperfection is beauty, shaping an aesthetic that can’t be copied.
Handmade with glass beads and embroidery, this necklace is perfect for any occasion.
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https://shop.gaatha.com/bead-tribal-necklaces-handmade
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#beadjewelry #tribaljewelry #imperfection #gaatha #triballove #gaathahandicrafts #nacklace #beadart #beadnacklace #uniquejewelry
In the city, when someone helps you, you usually s In the city, when someone helps you, you usually say thank you...maybe even send a card or a box of sweets. But what if the one helping you isn’t a person at all, but an animal?  In India, we don’t just say thank you,  we create a grand festival. Not just one family, but entire villages and regions come together to celebrate. This is Pola, a festival dedicated to the bull, our silent partner in farming.  On this day, elders lovingly decorate the bulls, feed them special meals, and honor their tireless service in the fields. Children too become part of the joy — they buy terracotta bulls and miniature clay utensils from the market, painting and decorating them with pride. The scale of celebration is so immense that potters across regions work tirelessly to create these festive toys.  The bulls, adorned and cherished, feel valued and encouraged for the coming season. And as for the cows...don’t worry, they don’t feel left out; after all, in the end, the bull is also just a guy (गाय).
Woven with precision and patience, the single Ikat Woven with precision and patience, the single Ikat Patola is a bridge between generations. It carries the artistry of centuries, yet whispers with a freshness that belongs to the present moment.  
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Buy here ~ https://shop.gaatha.com/shop-exclusive-silk-cotton-patola-sarees  #patola #ikatsaree #cottontextiles #gaatha #ikatlove #sareelove #sareestyle #handloomlove #handwoven #intothewoods
“Sil batte ki chutney hi asli chutney hoti hai,” my Nani would murmur, crouched near the kitchen window, bangles softly clinking as her hand moved with quiet authority. No garnish, no grand gestures, just the steady, knowing press of her palm over the stone as garlic, green chilli, and coriander slowly lost their edges and became something new.  I would watch, part mesmerized, part restless. To me, it looked like effort. To her, it was a ritual.
The Sil Batta wasn’t just a tool, it was rhythm. A slow, deliberate cadence not measured in electricity or speed but in memory, repetition, and care.  Before kitchens buzzed with mixers and choppers, they pulsed with the ancient sound of stone grinding against stone, a sound older than recipes, older perhaps than even language. Ask anyone whose memories are stitched with the scent of roasting spices and the clatter of steel utensils, and they’ll tell you: the Sil Batta wasn’t just seen. It was felt. It speaks, if you know how to listen. It responds to technique. A light roll invites a smooth paste, a sharp push grates the spices rougher. Over time, you learn to read its moods, the way it hums when content, or resists when misused. It’s a dialogue between hand and stone. Each masala has its pressure, each chutney its pace. It doesn’t just grind; it guides.
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Read here ~ https://gaatha.com/indian-sil-batta/  #traditionalkitchen #indialove #silbatta #gaatha #lovecooking #gaathahandicrafts #article #stonecraft #memorylane
This photo may look ordinary, but the story behind This photo may look ordinary, but the story behind it is anything but. At a local tribal haat, you can witness an authentic Indian aesthetic...untouched by influencers or global fashion trends. Here, people wear what they truly like, not what someone tells them to.  We noticed a woman in a beautiful ikat saree, perfectly paired with matching bangles and simple slippers. Struck by her effortless style, we approached her and asked if we could take her picture. To our surprise, she refused. Curious, we asked a local why she said no. He explained gently, “She thinks she doesn’t have money to pay you.”  We immediately clarified that we weren’t asking for money...we simply admired her combination. Hearing this, she smiled, agreed, and even posed for us. That moment reflected the simplicity and humility people carry within them. Perhaps that is why they look so original, so truly Indian.  #indialove #triballove #simpleliving #haatbazar #gaatha #gaathahandicrafts #tribalwoman #ikatlove
As regards the number of kalās, the ancient texts As regards the number of kalās, the ancient texts vary in their accounts. Vātsyāyana and the Śrīmad Bhāgavata speak of sixty-four, the Jain scriptures consistently mention seventy-two, while the Lalitavistara again refers to sixty-four.  We often hear that Krishna himself was a master of all sixty-four kalās. These arts reflect the skills valued in that era, giving us a glimpse into the cultural and intellectual richness of the time. Many of them we can still recall easily...singing, dancing, playing instruments, rules of dining, and so on. But as we delve deeper, we discover even more fascinating arts: Gaṇitam (computation), the preparation of perfumes by mixing, the study of the movement of the sun and planets, measurement and planning of cities, laying out camps and houses, the melting and combining of gold or stone, trimming leaves into intricate shapes, gambling with dice, understanding the cries of birds, and even the dyeing of cloth.  These kalās not only showcase artistic expression but also reveal the breadth of scientific and practical knowledge possessed in those times. Many texts, not just one or two, speak of them — suggesting how widespread and respected this knowledge was. Among the masters of all these skills was Krishna, whose complete mastery is one of the reasons he continues to be so deeply celebrated. Happy Janmashtami  For those who wish to explore further, a detailed account can be found in A. Venkatasubbiah’s 1911 work, The Kalās.  #janamashtami #ancientwisdom #gaatha #skills #gaathahandicrafts ##krishnalove #indialove #traditionalpainting
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