Handlooms & Handicrafts of India for SSC & Banking Exams

Handlooms & Handicrafts of India for SSC & Banking Exams

Handicrafts of India – Basic Characteristics :-

1.  All the work required to make the handicraft should be done by hand.
2. The resultant products should have some artistic or aesthetic value to it.

Take a look at the difference between Handicrafts & Handlooms of India.

Handloom Mark is a logo that can be stitched on every handloom product.

It’ll serve as a guarantee for the buyer that given product is genuinely hand woven and not produced using machinery /power-loom.

This logo was designed by National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad.

Forms of Handloom Mark  :-

• Domestic Products – The word Handloom is written beneath the Logo.
• International Products – Logo with the word Hand Woven in India written beneath it.

Handicrafts of India – Types & Importance :-

• Art metal ware – Metalwork of India like enameled, engraved and filigree cutwork on silver and brassware is a glory of India.
• Wooden art ware – Woodcraft of India is famous for centuries and thought to be one of the most primitive arts.
• Hand printed textiles – India Textiles is known for its distinguished art, printed and dyed cotton cloth. For centuries its creative processes have flourished as the fabric received royal patronage.
• Embroidered goods – Embroidery fabric and other goods are decorated using needle and yarn. Indian embroidered goods have its distinct and rich style.
• Marble and soft stone crafts – Indian unique stonework is appreciated all around the world. It can be seen in various historical buildings in India.
• Papier mâché craft – This Craft have evolved during the Mughal period. Today also it is being practiced by a large number of artisans across India.
• Terracotta zari & zari goods – Terracotta is beautiful reddish colored glazed pottery with different designs. The art of molding terracotta objects was prevalent during the time of Indus Valley civilization.
• Imitation and fashion jewelry – India is one of the major exporters of fashion jewelry. Indian jewelry is considered to be highly artistic. The simple motifs are brought from local and developed into artistic patterns.
• Leathercraft  – Leather is processed via various shaping techniques and coloring techniques to manufacture artistic leather.
• Handloom Weaving: Lepchas women play a very important role in Handloom Weaving. The Handloom product ranges from plain to intricate patterns.
• Carpet Weaving – It is done by Bhutia women. It is used for covering sofas, beds, walls, chairs, etc.
• Blanket Weaving – It is done by Nepalese Women. It is normally woven with sheep wool.
• Thanka Painting – The Thankas are the religious scrolls found hung in monasteries and houses of Buddhists. These are basically life sketches. A Thanka serves as an ostensible symbol of deity and it provides focal points for meditation.
• Zari – Zari is an even thread traditionally made of fine gold or silver used in traditional Indian, Pakistani and Persian garments and other materials such as curtains, etc. It is used extensively in clothing and home decoration. There are four types of zari are produced in India, namely, real zari, semi-real zari, imitation zari and plastic zari.
• Rugs and Durries – India is one the leading producers of rugs in the world. Various kinds of rugs produced in India are namda (felted rugs), gabba (embroidered rugs), wooden pile rugs, cotton rugs, etc. When compared to rugs and carpets, durries are light, often reversible, and usually made with cotton. Durries are used daily in rural villages of India. Different parts of India have localized durries tradition.
• Textile – Handloom industry represents the rich cultural and traditional heritage unique to India. India produces a variety of products using all kinds of fibers and yarns of varying counts to produce the widest range of products.
• Wood Carving – Woodcarving is an ancient craft practiced in India long before the age of ancient stone sculptural age. It is the artistic practice of shaping and decorating wooden objects into diverse utilitarian and decorative handicrafts items.
• Stone Carving – Stone carving is an ancient art, in which pieces of rough natural stone are shaped by the controlled removal of stone. India produces an exquisite range of artistic and decorative stone crafts
• Cane and Bamboo – Cane and bamboo act as an alternative to wood which takes more time to grow and is costlier. Cane is largely used for furniture making, whereas bamboo is used for making jewelry and decorative utility items like lamp-stand, umbrella handles, partition, screen, flower pots, baskets, walking sticks, tool handles, fishing rods, tent poles, ladders, toys, fans, cups, mugs, mats etc.
• Filigree and Silverware – Filigree is an extremely ancient technique dating back to 4000 years ago. Silver filigree work is a style unique in itself. Filigree work is performed on silver and involves significant precision and technicality.
• Pottery and Clay Object – Pottery is called the lyric of handicrafts because of its irresistible and universal appeal. There is a wide range of pottery and clay crafts in India. Some of the most popular forms of pottery include blue pottery, black and red pottery, roulette ware, and dull red & grey ware.
• Terracotta – Terracotta is similar to pottery, in this craftsperson use local clay available in river beds to make items such as lamps, candle stands, figures of deities and animals, etc. Terracotta is the hard, moistureless, partially burnt clay used for pottery. Terracotta’s are not made on potter’s wheel.
• Horn & Bone – Horn and bone carving is the act of creating art forms by carving into animal bones and often includes the carving of antlers and horns.

List of Handlooms and Handicrafts of India :-

Social Security for Handloom & Handicrafts Sector :-

• Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana
• Health Insurance Scheme (HIS) for weavers
• Babasaheb Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikas Yojana (AHVY)

Special Schemes for Handloom Sector :-

• Technology Up gradation Fund (TUF)
• Integrated Handlooms Development Scheme (IHDS)
• Mill Gate Price Scheme
• Marketing Promotion Programme

Strength of Handloom & Handicrafts Sector :-

• Availability of abundant and cheap labour.
• Use of Local Resources
• Low capital investment
• Unique craftsmen ship
• As a low carbon footprint industry (using natural and organic material), it has environmental benefits too.

Challenges Faced by Handicraft & Handloom Sector :-

• The raw material is not available at a reasonable price.
• Government schemes work on paper only, due to infrastructural problems.
• Thus this sector cannot compete with machine-made products because of they lack marketing, management and sales expertise.
• There is no synergy between Government agencies responsible for handlooms, handicrafts, khadi and the cottage industry sectors.
• Women’s role in the handloom industry is largely unacknowledged.

Therefore, Handicraft/Handloom industry is distinguished in terms of infrastructure, policy scenario, government support, trade strategy and the way industry is defined. It has both advantages and disadvantages for India. The advantage is in terms of employment creation and disadvantages in terms of low-cost production.  Although the government is taking several measures to make the thing well. There is a need to do more & provide the strategic direction and action plans to evolve systems so that the industry can grow  & survive this competitive era of globalization.