Experience the Rich Heritage of Indian Art and Culture
Indian art and culture are the pride of every Indian. From a simple Namaste gesture to graceful dance moves of Bharatnatyam, almost every aspect of our culture has made a mark on the international platform. Indian art and cultural heritage are our identity and their uniqueness makes us stand out from others. We should feel proud of our rich heritage. India is blessed with diverse art and culture just as the vividness and greatness of our country.
Culture is believed to be a way of life that includes society’s beliefs, values, customs, lifestyle, and laws. Different countries have different cultures, and the same goes for other states within a country. Geo-climatic factors significantly influence culture and change every few kilometres in a country like India.
India is the home to over 2,000 ethnic groups and significant religions worldwide — Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, Jainism, and Zoroastrianism. These religions make India a melting pot of diverse cultures which have travelled here from other parts of the world.
Both arts and crafts are inherent parts of culture. The skills and the fine arts include literature, visual painting artworks, and performing arts encompassing theatre, music, dance, and architecture. Craft involves creating something unique by using hands. So crafts can be classified into five types: textile, fashion, decorative, paper, and metal.
Craft includes sculpture, handloom weaving, metalwork, knitting, paper mache, ceramic, embroidery, and pottery. Every Indian state is home to many fine arts and crafts forms. The local painting works in India change from one region to another, like Phad and Meena paintings in Rajasthan, Odisha’s Patachitra, and Bihar’s Madhubani paintings.
Most of them are Indian heritage crafts passed on from generation to generation. Many families throughout India have been practising family crafts for hundreds of years, like the Joshi family from Bhilwara, Rajasthan who have been the keepers of the Phad art form. Phad paintings have been around for over a thousand years. The Chitrakathi paintings from Maharashtra trace their history to the reign of the great Chhatrapati Shivaji, who discovered the artisans in a jungle over 400 years back.
You will find century-old handicrafts practised in the little-known nooks and corners of the country even today. The Indian artisans follow the traditional age-old methods to create beautiful artefacts, dolls, home decor items, lifestyle articles, textiles, items used in festivities, toys, and decorative pieces. India is a beautiful country rich with incredible artworks and crafts, and there is no way to choose any craft based on popularity.
Famous artisans are rewarded for their art and craft by the Government of India’s Padma Awards, Crafts Council of India Awards, Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards, and many other state-level and national-level awards.
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