India’s Timeless Treasures: The Legacy of Heritage Handicrafts

India has vibrant cultural heritage. With its multiple cultures, religions and traditions, the country has a variety of crafts displaying the glimpse of its history and civilisation. Every state in India has a rich tradition, handicrafts and art that represent the legacy of regional cultures. Handicrafts represent a region’s traditional art and heritage that are portrayed in the form of colourful crafts and artworks. They showcase the legacy of customary creativity and craft skills of the artisans. India’s handicraft industries rely heavily on manual work, while enhancing and preserving the inherent skills of the artisans.

Market size and forecast

Continuous improvement in India’s e-commerce infrastructure is enabling the availability of handicraft products on various online portals. The increasing use of smartphones, high-speed internet, online delivery models, a rising middle-class population with a higher disposable income and demand for premium, handmade decor have significantly fuelled the growth of India’s handicraft market. Moreover, the growth in Indian tourism industry is also contributing to boost the popularity of Indian handicrafts. The Indian handicrafts market stood at Rs. 37,013 crore (US$ 4.2 billion) in 2023. It is expected to touch Rs. 67,647 crore (US$ 7.8 billion) by 2032 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.7% during 2024-32.

Source: IMARC Group, F - Forecasted

Exploring Indian heritage through crafts

India is known for its cultural diversity. The handicrafts are inspired from rich culture, beliefs and heritage followed in different parts of the country. The history of Indian handicrafts is nearly 5,000 years old. The art is passed on from generation to generation. Following are some of the famous handicrafts representing the Indian culture.

• Kondapalli dolls from Andhra Pradesh: Kondapalli art of crafting is said to be a 400-year-old tradition that migrated from Rajasthan to Andhra Pradesh in around 16th century. It is an art of making toys using a soft wood called as ‘Tella Poniki’ found in the nearby Kondapalli Hills. Every part of these toys is separately carved, and later glued using a ‘makku’ paste made of tamarind seed powder and sawdust. The toys are finished with added details and painted with oil colours, water colours, vegetable dyes or enamel paints. The toys are mainly inspired from mythology, animals, birds, rural life, etc. The Lanco Institute of General Humanitarian Trust (LIGHT), now known as the Lanco Foundation and Lepakshi, has taken the initiative to keep this art form alive. Lepakshi is a village in Andhra Pradesh known for its efforts in preserving traditional arts and crafts, such as the Kondapalli toys.
• Bamboo and cane craft from Arunachal Pradesh: Arunachal Pradesh has a dynamic tradition of making variety of products out of cane and bamboo. The state has 16 major tribes, almost every tribe has its own design and weaving style. Adi group is one of the largest tribe, followed by Nishi, Wancho, Monpa, Nocte, Tagin, Apa Tani, and Hill Miri. It is believed that this craft has existed since the origination of civilization. Bamboo and cane crafts gained popularity during the reign of Bhaskar Varman of the Varman dynasty in early 7th century. They are known for making beautiful baskets, grain holder, bottle, food plates etc. from bamboo and cane belt, anklets, wardrobes toys etc. using cane.
• Madhubani paintings from Bihar: The mention of Madhubani paintings is found in one of the well-known ancient Indian literatures of Mithila, popularly known as Ramayana. It is believed that the palace was decorated with this Madhubani painting during the wedding ceremony of Lord Rama and Sita. Hence, Madhubani paintings are also known as Mithila art. These paintings were traditionally painted on walls & ceilings having a fresh coating of cow dung or clay, representing simple folk art with simple expressions of women folks. Madhubani paintings are known for having bright earthy natural colours made of turmeric, kohl, safflower, tree leaves, etc. Presently, this artwork is done mainly on paper, cloth and canvas for commercial purposes. There is a huge demand from coasters, bags, cushion covers and crockery with Madhubani art motifs.
• Dhokra art from West Bengal: The origins of Dhokra art trace back to 4,000 BC. The first sculpture of Dhokra art ‘the famous dancing girl’ was discovered during the excavation in Mohenjo-daro civilisation, a major site of the Indus Valley Civilisation. Dhokra is the art of producing rustic brassware artifacts of mythological figures, candle holders, jewellery, etc., from non-ferrous metals using lost-wax casting technique.
• Blue pottery from Rajasthan: Pottery is one of the oldest Indian handicrafts, tracing back to the Indus Valley Civilization (3300–1300 BC). Blue Pottery is one of the well-known crafts of Jaipur, Rajasthan. Previously this craft was native to ancient Persia the modern-day Iran. During the Mughal era in the 14th century this art was welcomed by Mughal emperors in India. Most of the Indian potter families learned this craft and shifted from regular red clay to blue pottery as this art instantly started gaining attention from local public. It is widely known for its distinctive blue and white designs having vibrant colours. They are used to make crockery, tiles, pots, decorative items etc.

Importance of handicrafts in Indian culture

Government initiatives to support artisans

To address the challenges faced by the handicraft sector in India, the Indian government has launched several initiatives, aiming to preserve India’s traditional crafts through special programmes.

Conclusion

The legacy of heritage handicrafts passed down through generations is a timeless treasure that represents India’s rich culture, traditions and creativity. It not only supports the livelihoods of millions of artisans but also preserves the soul of India’s history. Through its various schemes, the Indian government aims to encourage artisans to overcome the several challenges faced by the handicraft industry in today's competitive market. Moreover, under the Viksit Bharat vision, the Ministry of Culture aims to make India’s rich heritage a core part of its development by 2047. The goal is to build a culturally strong, economically advanced and globally respected nation. With continued support and awareness, we can ensure that these beautiful traditions not only survive but also thrive, keeping the legacy of Indian craftsmanship alive for future generations.