India Gifts: Rich in Cultural Diversity

Bidri art consists of pure silver inlay on black metal, an alloy of zinc and copper. The design is hand engraved; next, the inlay is applied. Finally, the piece is blackened in a process that does not affect the silver, and the contrast is beautiful. Examples of Bidri Art are found on bowls, vases, and jewelry boxes.

India gifts made of marble with inlaid gemstones feature graceful floral designs. Decorative plates are popular India gifts, along with inlaid marble boxes that are perfect for storing small treasures.

Other marble gifts feature painting instead of inlays. Here is a hand painted vase, ornately decorated with 22K gold leaf to enliven the design.

Wood carvings showcase the impressive skills of India's artists. Buddhist and Hindu traditions inspire hand carved sculptures and statuettes. And here is a mirror frame carved by an artist whose family have been woodcarvers since 1768. His India gifts are crafted with carving techniques that were once used for block printing.

Jali, or open/pierced work (as in lattice), is often worked in stone and is widely used in Indian architecture. Jali work of various materials is featured in India gifts, as this soapstone elephant with a miniature elephant inside, and this elegant jali chess set carved from sheesham and kadam woods by a master wood carver.

Sanjhi is cut paper art with a special India flavor. In folk tradition, sanjhis are wall decorations, part of a seasonal ritual for unmarried girls. As folk ritual merged with Hindu traditions, Sanjhi evolved into a devotional art form - floor designs (rangoli) were rendered on earthen platforms, using stencils (sanjhi) and colored powders. Only a few temples still create these Sanjhis.

But Sanjhi cut paper stencils are used in the design of fabric (e.g., for borders), stationery and so on. The sanjhis/stencils themselves are lovely India gifts, either mounted and framed as art pieces, or as part of a functional item. This wooden tray, for example, is decorated with a sanjhi under a panel of glass.

India Textiles come from the industrialized Gujarati region on the northwest coast. Cotton wall hangings with symmetrical or abstract patchwork designs, and loops for a hanger, are colorful India gifts to brighten any room.

The Self Employed Women Association (SEWA), also from Gujarat, offers a set of 3 pillow covers with hand embroidered elephants on a handwoven silk and cotton background. Profits from this item go to earthquake affected woman artisans.

This 100% silk tablecloth, "Sweet Jasmine," is a beautiful example of India handwork. It has a "zari" brocade border; that is, thin gold and silver threads that add a bit of sparkle. The jasmine pattern is hand painted and outlined with chain stitching.

Pashmina Shawls from Kashmir are luxurious India gifts made of the finest wool from Himalayan mountain goats. Comparable to cashmere, pashmina is soft, light, and exceptionally warm. NOVICA offers handwoven pashmina scarves in a large selection of patterns and colors.

Original Paintings - from NOVICA's Tribal Collection come Madhubani paintings, rooted in ancient times when legends were actually being lived. Also called Mithila, the region today is known as northern Bihar, bordering Nepal. Madhubani paintings use natural dyes on handmade paper, with symmetrical designs and spaces filled with flowers or geometric figures.

Designs in the Mughal style grace many India gifts, from plates to vases, boxes to stools, chairs to mirrors... and of course, miniature paintings.

NOVICA brings us hundreds of India paintings, categorized by style - abstract, expressionist, floral, still life, and many others. Here is a link to the abstract paintings, then you can use the drop-down search box (top of page) to move to other styles.

Let's Talk about Rugs

There's an important distinction between hand-knotted and hand-tufted rugs. Hand-tufted rugs are made with a tool that punches strands of wool through a backing to form loops. The tops of the loops are cut to form tufts for the pile, and a piece of sturdy fabric is glued over the back of the rug. It is this glue that holds the tufts in place on the backing.

On a hand-knotted rug, the strands of wool are wound around the warps of the rug backing. The knotted rug is more firmly constructed, and can be expected to wear better over time (and to cost more) than a hand-tufted rug. The more "knots per inch," the better the rug's quality.

Interesting textures are produced by varying the size of fibers in the weave, as in this hemp and jute rug, "Sapphire Fences." A much smoother texture and tighter weave is obtained with wool and jute, as you'll see in the close-up view of each rug.

The Panjadari style adds a hand embroidered pattern to a solid-color hand loomed dhurrie (flat-woven) rug. The embroidery adds texture and depth to the design.

From Kashmir come chain-stitched rugs: wool stitching over a cotton canvas backing. This technique is especially well-suited to a swirly pattern, but just as effective with a more intricate traditional motif or a bold contemporary design with large blocks of color.

Hundreds more India gifts can be found at NOVICA. In association with National Geographic, Novica follows Fair Trade practices which benefit the artist, the environment, and the customer. My experience with National Geographic has always been first-rate, and I feel sure yours will be, too.