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individual assignment

FOLK ART AND CRAFT

MUSEUM
NAME OF MUSEUM VISITED : SHILPALAYA
On 10 October 2015 I visited the Museum of contemporary folk Art and craft of Uttar
Pradesh, In the museum, I observed many pictures and pieces of art within the
photography exhibit of the museum. Shilpalaya also investigates and probe into the
history of these traditions to ensure the preservation and sustenance of these
cultural trends in all its primordial glory.
The museum is on the second floor of the helicopters laboratory, IITK. It was
conceptualized by Dr. Koumudi Patil, an assistant professor at the department of
humanities at IITK. I personally visited the museum as a part of my course project.
The arts and crafts in Uttar Pradesh are not famous only in India but all over the
world. Right from the silken saris to the earthen pottery, carpets weaving to
chikankari embroidery, Uttar Pradesh are always on the forefront in artifacts.
Specific region deal with the specific art or craft such as Varanasi for its silken saris,
Mirzapur and Bhadoi for it carpets, Agra and Kanpur for their leather craft,
Moradbad for its metal ware, Lucknow for its cloth work and embroidery, and the
entire state for its pottery. Uttar Pradesh is the land of art and artisans. The state
boasts off some of the most popular centers of art tradition in India. The state has
patronized art forms since the days of Moguls. Emperors like Akbar, Shah Jahan,
Dara Sikoh and Farrukhsiyar were the great patrons of art and promoted various
traditions during their reign. Nawabs of Awadh and other nobles later carried the
tradition forward. This is the primary reason why from Benaras to Agra, every small
or big town is famous for some or other craft in Uttar Pradesh. The arts and crafts in
Uttar Pradesh are not famous only in India but all over the world. The major art
forms popular and practiced in Uttar Pradesh since time immemorial are painting,
sculpture, hand-crafted designs on metal, wood, ivory, stone and clay which were
on display in Shilpalaya.

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There is no particular order in which the museum is laid out. The period covered by
Shilpalaya is the modern age of the folk art with the highlight craftwork collected
within the past decade or so. The museum also boasted a lot crafts made out of
stone, sand casting and wood work depicting different mythological tales like
Ramayana and Mahabharata.

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Flying toys
Durga
Vishnu
Shiva
2011 from Varanasi
Carved on wood

Stonecraft

The hub of the stone craft in India is Agra and the supreme example
of which is Taj Mahal. The art of carving the thin marble slabs to make the fine
lattice windows is the most difficult for the craftsmen. The other marble products
available in Agra are mirror frames with lace like fringes, fretwork balustrades,
bowls, garden furniture, etc. The another specialty of the Agra is the inlay work on
marble with the colorful and precious stones to form a multitude of mosaics. When
you will be in the city purchase some artifact to remind you the trip and it will also
use as a decoration piece in your room back at home. The designs on display are
mostly in foliage or floral, intertwined with geometrical patterns. A wide selection of
items in mosaic marble, like artistic jewelry, trinkets, powder boxes and tableware
like plates were also present the museum.

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Bone carving
Inlay work on stone
Lucknow and Agra

Art Metal Brass Ware

Another of the artefacts worth mentioning is the

brass work (anonymous) from Moradabad.

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Brass work from

Moradabad
Nataraja statue

In Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad produces the large quantities of art metal ware. It is
especially famous for its color enameling and intricate engraving. There are two
types of engravings one is called nakshi and is done on the tinned surface while
other is known as khudai and is done on lac coated unpolished brass. The pointed
steel pencil is used to make design in khudai type. The metal brass ware consists of
the traditional vases, Ganeshas, laughing Buddhas, stools, trays and contemporary

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beautiful bowls. The Natraja is the most beautiful article in the brass ware to be
gifted and kept as a decorative item. With the brass work on display it can easily
understand why Moradabad is called the Brass City.

Pottery:

In Uttar Pradesh Khurja has evolved its own style in the earthenware.
By adding colour to the dull and unattractive pottery khurja gave a lease of life to it.
The shades and the designs in contrast to its background can attract the attention
of any person with the aesthetic sense. Apart from Khurja, Rampur surahis along
with the water containers from Meerut and Hapur are famous all around the nation
for their shapes, designs, colures and their ability to keep the water cold even
during the harsh summer days. Its attractiveness calls every one and purchasing a
mug for coffee is not a bad idea at all.

Made by
Raisuddin

a ceramic pot
with intricate
use of fired and
glazed clay
made in Khurja
won a national
prize

Wood Carving: Wood carving is found all over India. Saharanpur in Uttar
Pradesh is a principle centre for wood carving in India. The first organized
wood carving unit is said to have been set up in 1882 by Atta Hussain, an
immigrant from Multan. Closely associated with architecture, wood carving
incorporated the design vocabulary of architectural carvings. These origins
reflect in the finely chiselled screens and jaalis and the elaborate floral and
vine patterns found in many contemporary products from Saharanpur. Some of
crafts I witnessed during my visit are below

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Kanhaiya lal prajapati
2012
Fruits and vegetables
Painted terracotta lay, Lucknow

Wooden

The museum was a greatchest

way to acknowledge and illustrate the
prevailing state through comprehensive survey of the present-day
art and craft practices of U.P. It aims to broader scopes of
preservation, conservation and methodical dissemination to the
various user-groups. It will act as a resource center for
conservation and methodical dissemination of information for the
benefit and sustenance of various craft clusters.

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The museum is a great learning experience about the history and

culture of Uttar Pradesh. Its a worthwhile experience and I would
recommend it to anyone who wants to explore the art and craft of
Uttar Pradesh.

THANK YOU