Traditional craftsmanship

Tanjore Gold Leaf Painting

Featuring the pantheon of Hindu gods and goddesses and stories from Ramayana and Krishna leela themes, the classic Tanjore paintings of Tamil Nadu present perfect harmony and rythm in composition and blending of colours. The speciality of Tanjore paintings, which originated in the courts of the Marhatta rulers of Thanjavur, lies in their ornamentation. Gold leaf, gilted metal pieces and semi-precious stones decorate and embellish the figures on the paintings.

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Terracotta and Pottery

Potters of Odisha still make earthen pots to be used in various religious and social functions. They are made in various shapes and sizes and are adorned with fish and flower motifs and geometrical designs. Horses and elephants in terracotta are made to meet local demands during religious occasions. These are offered to the village-goddess (grama-devati) to ward off diseases and dangers. The size ranges from six inches to three feet. The potter also makes clay toys and simple and appealing figures of human beings. They catch the essential characteristics of real-life creatures. Terracotta toys are made in every part of Odisha. The toys are simple in design and bear the traits of the locality in which they are produced.

Thangka Paintings

Thangka is a vibrant painting on cloth, and can be rolled up. It invariably has vertical images, usually painted on cotton or linen, and rarely, silk. Thangkas first appeared in Tibet in the seventh and eighth centuries. Given the close ties Spiti, Lahaul and Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh have had with Tibet, these images soon appeared in Himachal's monasteries too.

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