The fabrics
The textile industry accounts for more than one-fifth of Rajasthan's industrial production with 69 spinning mills. You can buy cut cloth, prints or colorful embroidered sarees. The state is famous for its cotton fabrics, the raw material coming mostly from the neighboring Punjab. You will find many stores in the major tourist centers (Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Agra) selling ready-to-wear clothes at low prices. It is not always well cut, and the salesman will try to make you pass a synthetic material for silk, 100% cotton for a mixed material, etc... So be careful. The best places to shop are the bazaars specializing in saris and coupons for ghagra kanchli, the traditional dress of Rajasthani women. You will also find chunars, the veil worn by women, which can be customized according to your inspiration. It is best to shop in small towns, where merchants will be less tempted to inflate their prices. In any case, it is advisable to bargain.
Textile specialties of Rajasthan
Rajasthan has many different specialties. Sanganer and Bagru are famous throughout the country for their prints. They are traditionally handmade with wooden blocks. Sanganer prints have a wide variety of floral designs, in bright colors, on cotton or silk. It is used to decorate homes: table linen, cushion covers, bed throws... Bagru print is available in two different techniques with graphic patterns. The chanderi is made with two colors, red and black. The dabu is based on indigo. The fabrics are used by many trendy ready-to-wear brands in India (FabIndia, Anokhi...). Bandhani is a specialty of southern Rajasthan. This practice of tie-and-dye made of multiple points forms complex geometric patterns. The bandhani is printed on cotton which will be used to make saris and chunars. The Barmer region is also known for its distinctive prints, often in deep colors and tones, with large flowers or large patterns.
Jaipur is famous for quilt making. The quilts are made of combed cotton, with a large number of threads, which guarantees softness and strength. Their high price is justified.
Jaisalmer is a center known for its patchworks. Most of them are made in workshops in Barmer, in the south of the Thar Desert. You can also find rare pieces, made from old brocade saris. It is better to know a little bit about it to avoid being ripped off and buying new at the price of old.
The durry
This craft from the Jodhpur region is in danger. In the past, many families made a living from weaving carpets, but now only a handful of families continue to do so. The carpets are made on manual looms and consist of interlacing threads of cotton, coconut fiber or camel wool. The patterns can be more or less elaborate, which determines the price, as well as the size and quality of the fiber used. Each family has its own patterns, which are passed down from generation to generation. Cotton carpets are often in bright colors, while those made of coir are in deeper colors. Camel wool rugs are gray, black or beige and weigh a lot. The particularity of durry is that it is reversible: the patterns are identical on both sides. You can get some very nice ones at Pukhraj Durry Udyog, a small cooperative located in Salawas, near Jodhpur.
The jewels
The fantasy of Indian jewelry has spread far beyond the borders of the country and it is not uncommon to find silver charms at small jewelers in Europe. You will find the same rings, bracelets, anklets, toe rings or even belts in tourist stores. In the traditional jewelers, to be found in the specialized bazaars, you will see mostly craftsmen working with gold. Indians love glitter and do not hesitate to invest their capital in jewelry. During a wedding, it is always traditional for the groom's family to offer one or more new jewels to the young bride. This is a major expense for many families. If you like yellow gold, you will have no trouble finding a jeweler who can create an original piece just for you. Indian women also wear many colorful bracelets on their forearms. The colors and rhinestones are just as important as the clinking of the bracelets together. Both effects make women look good to men. Traditionally, bangles were made of glass. Nowadays, they are made from a paste of sodium carbonate and silica. This is heated and twisted to form a bracelet. In the past, each village had its own bangle maker, but this is no longer the case. However, you can find them in small towns like Chauth Ka Barwara. Many jewelry designers go to Jaipur, an international trading center for precious and semi-precious stones. It is best to know a little about it, as the city also has a reputation for circulating a large number of fake stones. There are many jewelers in Jaipur, from high jewelers to small craftsmen in the bazaar.
The jooti
Jootis are leather shoes, often embroidered with bright colors, existing for both women and men. The real jootis are sewn by hand. For women, the shoes have the shape of flat ballerinas and are embroidered with floral patterns, embellished with small beads. They are also made of silk with leather soles. For men, the shoes look like babouches with a curved tip. In Rajasthan, in the countryside, men still wear these solid shoes. The leather is sometimes embroidered with a pattern. Silk or brocade jootis are reserved for wedding attire. As for the bangles, you have to go to the small towns to see craftsmen at work.Woodworking
Woodworking in its traditional form is disappearing. There are still a few workshops in Jaipur or Bikaner. Bikaner was notably famous for its richly worked doors, sometimes with ivory or bronze inlays. One can of course admire the extraordinary work of these craftsmen of the past while strolling in the old city of Bikaner. To find beautiful doors, you have to browse the antique shops of Jaipur or Jodhpur, but the prices are very high. The trinkets you find in the tourist stores are not from Rajasthan, no matter what the seller says.
Paper mache
The practice of paper mache in Rajasthan appeared with the arrival of the Mughals in the 16th century. The state still counts some craftsmen who perpetuate this technique and carry out very varied objects. The objects are made from old paper and clay. They are then painted with bright colors and geometric or floral patterns. Some are varnished to give them a shine, or given a patina to give them the appearance of the old. Ajmer and Bharatpur are important centers of production. Jaipur is known for its animal figurines and children's toys.
The marble
Agra, the city of the Taj Mahal, has preserved its marble working craft. The craftsmen are installed in the old city, just behind the mausoleum. You can find many miniature replicas of the Taj Mahal, but also other decorative objects, sometimes inlaid with colored stones. The price is quite high and you have to negotiate firmly.
The miniature painting
Miniature painting is an art inherited from the Mughal tradition. Rajasthan has many schools, whose subtle nuances are only for the discerning eye. On the other hand, the finesse and delicacy of the lines, the bright colors will not escape anyone. The craftsmen produce original works, which take a lot of time and patience to realize, and which are inspired by the traditional motives of the Mughal art: flowers, animals, characters in clothes of the XVIth century... Bikaner, Bundi or Jaipur perpetuate this know-how and you will easily find craftsmen to observe practicing their art. The small formats, intended for tourists, are often made on old papers (old postcards, administrative archives...).
Pottery and ceramics
Here is a craft still alive in Rajasthan. Almost every village has its own potter, when there are not several. Most of them make "matkas", these big clay calabashes intended to preserve water. The traditional matka is made with two different clays and the whole process takes a week, from shaping, to polishing, to drying, to firing. The potters make many other objects, such as gourds, ashtrays, spice boxes, openwork candle holders. The price is extremely modest. Jaipur is particularly known for its cobalt blue ceramics. A few rare artists still perpetuate this tradition that came from Central Asia with the first Mughal invaders. Unlike traditional pottery, the prices are high and some ceramics come from Central Asia for the blow.
The spices
Spices are widely used in cooking. Therefore, you will have no trouble finding them, especially while strolling on the markets. Rajasthani cuisine is based on a triptych: chili, turmeric and cumin, three plants that grow in the region. Chillies and turmeric are dried and then ground into powder. For cumin, you can buy it in seed or in powder. In spice shops, you will also find pepper, star anise, cinnamon, nigella, fenugreek that come from the south of the country. A quality spice should have a beautiful bright color.
Beauty products
The amateurs will steal some beauty secrets from the Indian women. They make moisturizing and purifying masks with multani mitti, a yellow clay to be crushed and mixed with milk or rose water. They moisturize their bodies with coconut oil, which you can find at any grocery store. For dry and cracked feet, you can coat your feet with glycerin at bedtime. To be obtained at the pharmacist. Finally, the Himalaya brand offers a whole range of products made from ayurvedic recipes: toothpaste, shampoo, creams...
