Art & Handicrafts in Gujarat

The Gujaratis have a natural talent for singing and dancing. They have songs and dances for every occasion and festival that is celebrated throughout the year. Gujarat has successfully preserved its rich tradition of song, dance and drama. Most of the art traditions trace back their origin to the ancient period of Lord Krishna. The most popular amongst these are the Ras and Garba. Other popular forms of folk dances in Gujarat are Tippani Nritya, Siddi dance, Padhar Nritya, Dangi Nritya and other local tribal dances. Folk drama in Gujarat is known as Bhavai.

Ras

The Ras dance is considered a form of Ras Leela, which Lord Krishna used to perform at Gokul and Vrindavan. The Ras is simple and is generally performed by a group of youthful people who move in measured steps around a circle, accompanied by a singing chorus and a host of musical instruments like the dhol, cymbals, zanz, shehnai (flute). The typical folk costume for this dance is a small coat called kedia, with tight sleeves and pleated frills at the waist with highly embroidered borders, tight trousers, colourfully embroidered cap or coloured turban and colourful kamarbandha (cummerbund).

Dandia - Ras

Also known as the 'stick' dance, this is another form of dance that is also a feature of Navratri. Here, men and women join the dance circle, holding small polished sticks or dandias. As they whirl to the intoxicating rhythm of the dance, men and women strike the dandiyas together, adding to the joyous atmosphere. The best Ras dancers are the Kathiawari Ras dancers, who hail from the Saurashtra region.

Garba

Just as Lord Krishna popularized the Ras dance, Usha, the grand daughter-in-law of Lord Krishna gets the credit for popularizing the Lasya Nritya, which came to be known as Garba Dance. It is a circular dance performed by women around an earthenware pot called a garbo, filled with water. A betel nut and a silver coin are placed within the pot, called a kumbh, on top of which a coconut is placed. As the dancers whirl around the pot, a singer and a drummer provide the musical accompaniment. The participants clap in a steady rhythm.

Gujarat has a great tradition of music and it has given the country some of the best talents in the field. Tansen and Baiju Bawra, greatest of all the musicians in India, were from this part of the country. Narsinh Mehta, the writer of the famous bhajan 'Vaishnava jan to tene kahiye', was also Gujarat's contribution to Indian music. Famous Indian ragas like Gujjar Tod, Bilaval, Khambhavati are all said to be named after Gujarat, Veraval, and Cambay.

Handicrafts

The traditional Gujarati's have safe guarded their rich cultural heritage for centuries, which is very well exhibited by the art and craft of the region. Crafts in Gujarat are a way of life, a process that transforms even the most mundane object of daily use into a thing of beauty. The major handicraft works are :

Textiles

The variety in textiles lies in the differences of raw materials, the combinations of yarns and in the effective use of traditional techniques. Variations in design used by different communities, castes and regions of the state, have further enriched the range. The most popular textile styles are :

The famous Patola weaving of Patan is known for its colorful geometrical pattern which are strikingly beautiful. The unique tie and weave method of Patola results in identical patterns on the both the sides of the fabric.

Bandhej (tie and dye fabric)

Tie and Dye Fabric of Jamnagar, Mandvi and Bhuj are famous for their intricate designs and patterns which are used in wedding outfits called as gharchola odhni and sarees. The tie-dyed fabrics of Gujarat are perhaps the best produced in India. Also known as Bandhej, it is produced on superfine cotton mulmul, muslin sometimes combined with gold checks and motifs worked in the jamdani technique. The highest intensity of Bandhini dyeing is in Kutch, but some of the best works are from Jamnagar and Saurashtra, on the Southern coast of Gulf of Kutch. The printed portion of the fabric are pinched and pushed into small points and then knotted with 2 or 3 twists of thread. The knotted parts remain uncoloured and the fabric is dyed in the lightest shade first, retied and dyed in the darker colour. The fabric may be tied and dyed several times, depending on the number of shades in the final colour scheme. The price of the bandhini depends not only on the fabric, but also on the number of times it has to be tied and dyed and the intricacy of the design.