[Hyderabadi]

Kalamkari, from Andhra Pradesh. (This one is on my wall) :



close up:



I have to say, that this post was inspired by Jyoti da's post on Shekhawati paintings.

So, what is hanging on your wall?

More detail on how Kalamkari is done:
(in detail) >: http://www.kalamkari...p?id=1&type=gal

and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalamkari

Can we add some more here?

[iwanttogoback]

Quote

So, what is hanging on your wall?

nothing. after six years i still haven't gotten around to putting up paintings, photos etc. even the mirror in my room is sitting on the dresser, not attached to the wall.

the only thing i will confess to is a giant poster in my office of a former prime minister...

[digital drifter]

That is indeed beautiful.

[digital drifter]

iwanttogoback, on Feb 3 2008, 08:51 AM, said:

the only thing i will confess to is a giant poster in my office of a former prime minister...

OK, YOU KNOW, I didn't mean this.  Right? Nada , no chance.

No, don't even think that I'd appreciate that.  Especially after that man goes about back slapping the Queen.  

[torryquine]

Thanks for that Hyderabadi, what a lovely thing.  Question - how big is it?  What scale are we looking at?

[Hyderabadi]

torryquine, on Feb 3 2008, 08:20 AM, said:

Thanks for that Hyderabadi, what a lovely thing. Question - how big is it? What scale are we looking at?

It's just a little less than 4ft X 1ft. I paid about Rs.800.00 for it in Hyderabad. I also bought a 6X4 as a gift for a friend - that was about Rs.1500.00.

[cyberhippie]

The reason I want to visit Sawantwadi is to take a look at the local Ganjifa playing card makers. Theses round cards are thought to have originated in Bengal and Orissa but Sawantwadi houses the last families in India who keep this tradition alive.

They produce the normal 52 card pack that we are all used to but painted and adapted into a unique Indian style.

They also make what are known as dashavatara ganjifa, these round cards come in packs of 120 with 10 suits of 12 cards, based on dashavatara - the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The incarnations are: Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimhs, Wamana, Parshurama, Rama, Krishna, Balarama and Kalaki.

Moghul pattern cards are also hand painted here.
Eight suits of twelve cards, each suit based on an aspect of Moghul court life. An upper court card (Mir), a lower court card (Wazir) and ten numerals in each suit.

Here's a website that explains a bit more about it. Ganjifa

Recently someone told me about a place in UP that is somewhat infamous. Rampur, where the Rampuri switchblades are made. The blade smiths of the Nawab have been making these for years and were the preferred knives of Goondas through the 19th century.

Pipli in Orissa is another place for local art work, in this case applique, my Pipli lampshade recently expired so I'll be getting a new one whilst in India. This brightly colored art sees shapes like shape of animals, birds, flowers sewn on to colorful backgrounds. Very bright and gay they really light up a room. Or make for an unusual beach umbrella.

In Etikopakka, Kondapalli or Nirmal you have the exquisite toys made of wood, have a look here for more info on these village toy makers.

TOYS

If you're looking for stonework then look no further than Mahaballipuram where and entire of village artisans tap tap tap all day revealing the image within the stone. From exquisite pendants to shed size statues of Ganesh you'll find all of this and much more in this interesting little town.

[Hyderabadi]

Tholu Bommalu
(Leather Pictures / Toys / Puppets)

This is not the the real deal, couple of faults, the colors are a bit off, and it's not a 'true' representation of the art, but it's still hand painted on translucent leather.... more on this art in the link below:

Quote

Andhra Pradesh
The shadow form of puppetry locally called Tholu Bommalata, meaning
dance of leather puppets (tholu - leather, bommalata - puppet dance)
is widely practiced in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The puppets are
brightly coloured and are made out of animal skin.

http://www.puppetryi...evalence.htm#ap

[jyotirmoy]

Another extinct art is the Pata chitra of Bengal. In Bengali, "Pat" means "scroll" and "Patua" or "Chitrakar" means "Painter". The origin of the painted scrolls is very ancient. We could find some in the Pharaohs' graves in Egypt.
Pata art is of two kinds - art on broad sheet of folded cloth and eye-art on short piece of fabric. The fabric in fact makes the base for pat art. Clay, cow-dung and some sticky elements are skillfully sprouted on the fabric. When dried, the fabric becomes tough but mellow enough for sustaining the stroke of the artist's brushes. Pata artists draw on it religious motifs, such as gods and goddesses, Puranic stories, slokas, etc.
The artists who paint pata-chitras are called chitrakaras. Sometimes a whole family is engaged in the work of preparing pata-chitras, under the supervision of the master painter in the family. The chitrakaras typically live in the vicinities of temples.
The principal colors used in pata-chitra painting are white, black, red, yellow, blue, and ochre. Natural colors only were used.

[dzibead]

I really like the wooden toys and the playing cards.  I almost bought a set of the avatars of Vishnu in a toyshop at Assi Ghat in Varanasi but didn't and I still regret it!  Next time ...

I love the pieces of kantha work I got on my last trip:

Attached Files

•  IMG_0037.jpg   281.93K   13 downloads
•  IMG_0041.jpg   117.42K   11 downloads

[torryquine]

dzibead, on Feb 4 2008, 08:02 AM, said:

I love the pieces of kantha work I got on my last trip:

Droooool!  Lovely.  I was trying to take pictures of some things around our home last night, but coulnd't get decent shots in the half-light we live in at this time of year!  I'll have another crack at it later.

[Hyderabadi]

We got this as a  housewarming gift from my aunt in India. White marble background, embossing with semi precious stones, detailed painting and framed.

[dzibead]

Nice!  Where are you going to hang it?

[iwanttogoback]

very  nice indeed. i assume that the pieces are jewellery, is there a particular name for this style of work?

[Hyderabadi]

dzibead, on Dec 6 2008, 10:45 PM, said:

Nice!  Where are you going to hang it?

Hanging already Dzi... I could not do justice with the photograph.....

iwanttogoback, on Dec 7 2008, 12:05 AM, said:

very  nice indeed. i assume that the pieces are jewellery, is there a particular name for this style of work?

I think It's indigenous fusion. Let me post a couple of close ups later.

Meanwhile, Jyoti da??

[Hyderabadi]

I bought this last time I was in India, Delhi actually... Jyoti da suggested a couple of malls to visit  while we were waiting for him to return from work and head to Karim's (and beer). Found this in a handicrafts shop in one of the malls. Rs.400.00 if I remember correctly. I was told by the lady in the shop that it was from Orissa. Someone from the other forum visited last weekend and she said it was specifically from Chattisgarh.

[iwanttogoback]

that's beatiful hyderabadi, i wouldn't mind a few of those on my walls.