Crafts of Himachal Pradesh – Indian handicrafts
Crafts Panorama from Himachal

Introduction
Hidden from public gaze, the amazing and highly specialised activities take place all over Himachal Pradesh throughout the year. In picturesque valleys and among high rugged mountains, the people of Himachal practice their age-old skills. In many cases, it takes months of patient work before a crafted article of rare workmanship is ready to be revealed for public appraisal. The range of crafts in Himachal is vast and shows many facets of artistic dexterity. The crafts include textiles, woodcarving, architecture, and paintings. It is amazing to see how these hilly people developed such great tradition of artistic excellence despite their tough life.

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Textile
Exquisite examples of needle painting, the rumals (large handkerchiefs) of Chamba have long been famous for their unusual beauty, and as symbols and omens of goodwill. Weddings in the hills and valleys around Chamba are still not complete without an exchange of Chamba rumals.

Originally, the hill women in and around Chamba embroidered the silk rumals with folk motifs. In time, they were influenced by the Pahari School of painting, which developed after Mughal miniature paintings came into vogue. Gradually, the Chamba rumals were transformed into works of art. Episodes from mythology and legends were embroidered on the rumals with stunning effects. The facial expressions of the characters, their lithe body movements, and scenic detail were brought to life on the rumal through remarkable skill at embroidery and an unerring feel for colours.

The woollen shawls and pattus of Kulu are no less striking. The location matters little, whether situated in the valley itself, or nestling against the contours of the mountainside, virtually every homestead in Kulu has a handloom which remains particularly busy during the winter months. With less work in the terraced fields, the women devote themselves to weaving the traditional Kulu shawls. The woollen yarn for the centre spread of the shawl is natural white or cream, while the borders have geometric or floral designs woven in brightly coloured woollen yarn.

While some families in Kulu rely on their own herds of sheep for the wool, the majority purchase the raw wool from the gaddis (nomadic shepherds) when they pass through Kulu in summer on their way to the high pastures near the Rohtang Pass, or when they pass downwards on their return journey.

The more enterprising weavers in Kulu valley and elsewhere in the State have lately started devoting themselves exclusively to produce gudmas (soft but heavy woollen blankets, generally with red and black trimmings), thobis (floor coverings) and kharchas (mattresses). While the gudmas are made from the soft fleece of sheep, thobis and kharchas are spun from goats’ hair. The production of numdhas, made by felting wool and then embroidering it, has taken an upward swing in recent years. This diversification of skills is, in a way, a tribute to the free ranging spirit of the Himachali craftsmen. Faithful to the core, they refuse to give up ancestral traditions, design and skills, but they are consciously seeking avenues which will allow them to preserve their heritage as well as cater to the needs of modern buyers. For example, the handful of stone carvers in Kangra who once specialised in intricate, yet massive, temple carvings, have now turned to carving miniature mythological figures in stone.

Carpet Making
Many of the crafts in this State, while retaining their quintessential traditional flavour, are now reaching out to a cross section of potential buyers. Attractive carpets, woven once upon a time only for personal use, are now finding a wide market. In Sirmour district particularly, a number of Tibetan families have, over the years, been weaving carpets in bold colours and designs. But the beautiful small carpets woven for use as saddlecloth for horses can rarely be purchased in the market. Similarly, the small, soft rugs in bright hues that decorate the corner of many a homestead in the hills of Himachal are seldom produced for sale.

Himachali Dolls
The skills of weaving and embroidery have been given a new dimension in Himachal Pradesh. They have been combined to create traditional outfits for well-crafted dolls known as Himachali dolls. The dolls dressed in Himachal style, complete with headscarves and adorned with traditional jewellery of the State, are almost perfect replicas of the women here. Regional variations are also captured in dress and jewellery. For instance, some of them are dressed as Kulu women wearing pattus while others represent gaddinis (sheep rearing nomads).

Jewellery
The silver jewellery of Himachal Pradesh is one of the oldest handicrafts in the State. The silversmiths scattered in various parts of the State all recount how Sita, the wife of Lord Rama, wore silver jewellery designed and crafted by their ancestors in the days of yore. Carrying on this long tradition, these silversmiths continue to produce articles of utility-engraved silver teapots, glasses, lamp stands, fruit trays, and more.

Woodcarving
Woodcarving is yet another noteworthy old craft of this hill State. In fact, most of the wooden homesteads here display excellent standards in woodcarving. Carved wall panels, doors and window ledges are very common. Today, the woodcarvers are mainly concentrated in the Kangra Valley, around Palampur, and use the wood of walnut and birch trees as the medium for carving a range of items such as trays, fruit bowls, mythological figures, pens and their stands. Bamboo and wickerwork is also popular folk craft. The locals are adept at making baskets, containers, trays and bowls in various shapes and sizes.

Leather Craft
Himachal Pradesh is also known for its leather chappals (flat, open shoes) and belts. Chamba chappals with their open toes and partially woven ‘vamps’ catch even the most unobservant eye. Besides their aesthetic appeal, they are light and comfortable.

All over the higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh, straw, and treated bark shoes or pullas, used for walking on snow, are an unusual sight for strangers from the plains. The straw or bark, in natural fawn and beige shades, interspersed with dyed bright reds, magentas and blues, is tightly woven to make them in different sizes. Each pulla is made in one piece with its bark sole providing excellent grip on snow.

Architecture
The valleys of the Western Himalayas like Chamba, Kulu, Mandi, and Kangra, which till recently were rather inaccessible have preserved vestiges of ancient and later civilisations from the Kushan and Gupta times, to the late 18th and early 19th century art of Kangra. In Chamba, one comes across wood beam temples with rich wooden reliefs, and brass and stone statues, which date back to the period of Ajanta and Ellora. In Kulu, there are well-preserved 7th and 8th century Shiva temples. The strikingly powerful stone sculptures in Gupta style can be found at Bajaura, Naggar, Dashal, and Jagat Sukh.

Of these Gupta style stone temples, the Basheshar Mahadev temple at Bajaura is the best preserved. Situated about 16 kilometres from Sultanpur, Kulu on the Mandi-Kulu motor road, the temple has no plinth, the main structure rising from the ground level itself. The entrance to the inner sanctum is guarded by two elaborately carved sculptures of Ganga and Yamuna.

The Shiva temple at Naggar is no different except that here one comes across a sculpture of Shiva and Parvati instead of the linga, which is something uncommon. The temples at Dashal, Jagat Sukh, and Thawa also conform to the style of the temple at Bajaura, although they seem much older. Folk and primitive motifs are used extensively in them.

In Kulu, the rectangular stone and wood temples, furnished with a pent roof and veranda are a class by themselves. The walls are built of alternate courses of stones and deodar beams. The Naggar castle is an example of this style of architecture and there are two important temples belonging to this class: the Bijli Mahadev and Sandhya Devi temples. The former has fancifully carved wooden uprights that join on the roof and a good deal of open carvings surround the arched windows in the fretted veranda.

The Sandhya Devi temple is built on the structure of an old temple that dates to the 8th century. This is testified by the fact that the lower part has stone carvings quite different from the upper woodcarvings done in primitive style. The wooden part completely encases the original structure and this was done in the year 1428 AD according to an inscription on the temple. The present structure with Mughal pillars and woodcarvings seems to have been built later.

Another important style in which the Kulu temples were built can be seen at the Tripur Sundari temple in Naggar and the Hidamba Devi temple at Dhungri, Manali. These are pyramidal structures with tiered roofs, generally three, four, or five in number and superimposed one above the other, diminishing in size towards the top. The Hidamba Devi temple is an interesting study from the point of view of woodcarvings. The temple was built in 1553 AD by Raja Budh Singh.

The old Kulu houses which are still extant on the left bank of the Beas-in Naggar, Haripur, Jagat Sukh, and Vashisht-with their overhanging balconies going round the entire first floor of the building and sloping slate roofs, are structures of remarkable beauty. The railings, brackets, and pillars are artistically cut and the wooden windowpanes decorated with carvings. The entrance doors and the ventilators above them also have carvings of fine workmanship. Even the carved wooden household articles used by the people of Kulu are genuine objects d’art.

Kangra Paintings
The paintings of the Guler-Kangra school, are the most splendid specimens of Pahari miniature paintings. Refined in outlines and replete with rare sensuousness, these miniatures are a fitting climax to a painting tradition in the northern hill state, which imbibed foreign influences on the fabric of a local style.

The Guler style emerged with the Ramayana and Bhagwata Purana paintings. Romantic naturalism sensuous colours, beauty of the female form and a striking spontaneity characterised the Guler style. Natural elements were a conspicuous part of the composition. Big trees of the Guler region, swaying plantain leaves, pointed cypresses and an undulating hill came to be identified with this particular style. Also, dark clouds pierced by serpent-like lightning and skeins of white cranes were the Guler symbols of desire.

The Guler-Kangra paintings are mostly illustrations of Krishna-Radha legends, absorbing within its divine framework the aspirations of human lovers.

Apart from devotional themes, Kangra paintings specialise in portraying women drawn after the masterly classification of nayikas by Keshavdas in Rasik Priya.

Paintings of the seasons and each month of the year were also drawn with a rare feeling for the changing landscape, flowers, birds, and life around the lovers. The ragmalas (musical modes) had a limited patronage in Kangra but are still known for their tranquil depiction of ragas and raginis.

Technically, Guler-Kangra paintings show a great sophistication of composition. Multi-figure composition is handled with élan. Rarely has any other art combined so little fear with so much tenderness, so much delight with such complete renunciation.