Blogs
April 3, 2020
As you know, India is a diverse country by religion, languages, food, traditions, crafts, and others. It is believed that in India every 10 km, the taste of water and language changes. Similarly, the Indian pottery traditions are varied because of the geographical locations. Every place has a unique quality of locally available clay which is commonly known as ‘terracotta clay’. Hence, one can see different types of crafts in terms of size, color, scale, […]
April 3, 2020
Today more than any other time in the history of humankind, there is a dire need for societal change. The over-exploited Earth is reeling under pressure caused by the greed of humans. Unless humanity practices sustainability, it will be a challenging situation to handle in the future. However, nature tends to repair itself, in the form of natural calamities that may be disastrous for all. Fortunately, there has been a paradigm shift, and the zeitgeist […]
April 1, 2020
Kani Weaving Craft from Charismatic Kashmir Kani weaving is a centuries-old craft practiced by skilled craftsmen who have learned it from their forefathers. Kani shawl hand-weaving is the exquisite craft of Kashmir in which delicate and intricate designs are woven with extreme care and skill. Kani shawl is made from fine Pashmina wool that makes it quite soft, light-weight and warm. The craft is practiced over the entire Kashmir from past generations, and the government […]
March 31, 2020
‘Patwa’ was derived from the Hindi word ‘pat’ meaning silk and people involved in the silk and cotton thread work are called ‘Patwa’. Verbal records state that Patwas originate from the heart of Lord Vishnu. In mythology there is a story which tells that at the time of the wedding ceremony of Lord Shankar and Parvati, there was no priest to perform the ceremony. A couple emerged from Vishnu’s chest and the male performed the […]
March 23, 2020
IICD is currently hosting to Dr. Mojgan Jahanara from Iran. A Ph.D. in Design theory and visual communication from Kobe Design University, Japan, she is serving as a visiting faculty at Indian Institute of Crafts & Design. She has also been associated as a visiting faculty with the design program of IIT Kanpur. She is an esteemed researcher at the Research Institute of Asian Design RIAD, Kobe Design University, Japan; and has been a fellow […]
October 29, 2019
Terracotta comes from a Latin word that translates into baked earth. This art combines crafting a variety of pots, figurines, and utensils by drying, heating, and colouring the terracotta clay. It gets its colour depending on the process used to craft it. While the clay is heating, allowing the smoke to pass through the kiln’s vents provides us with an orange coloured figure. On the other hand, closed vents are used to obtain the grey […]
October 25, 2019
Vast green fields, women with pointy hats plucking fresh tea leaves & dropping them into the bamboo buckets that are tied to their backs, rhinos, and elephants appear on the portraits of our thoughts whenever we think about – Assam. But there’s a lesser-known think that has been silently bolstering the state’s economy from ages other than tea that we tend to miss always. That special thing is – Assam’s bamboo and cane crafting. Assamese, […]
October 21, 2019
Who will buy these delicate, bright Rainbow-tinted circles of light? Lustrous tokens of radiant lives, for happy daughters and happy wives. These beautiful lines by the Nightingale of India, Sarojini Naidu feel as alive and radiant today as they felt when they rejuvenated the first ears that were lucky enough to hear them. Indian women embrace the value of these bright, colorful ornaments that not only add a touch of delicateness to their wrists but […]
October 7, 2019
The peaceful aroma of incense sticks, camphor and fire invoked the dawn of September the 1st 2019, at IICD. Golden flames reaching out to the heavens invited the presence of deities into the very courtyard of the institute and their blessings into the hearts of all. Flowers, red, yellow and white; leaves in all shades of greens; and youth in many moods, colours and commotion of activities were busy ornamenting the body of IICD and […]