Ways into Indian art beyond the stories: a map, a glossary, a directory of GI crafts, practical guides for buyers, and pieces that set Indian crafts beside traditions from around the world.
Maps and reference
Craft Map of IndiaPick a state and see the crafts, paintings and textiles we cover from there.GlossaryPlain-language definitions of 68 terms, from lost-wax casting to provenance.GI Crafts DirectoryIndia’s registered GI crafts, searchable by name and state.Where to See ItMuseums and craft villages where you can see each art form in person.
Collect and play
Collectors’ CornerSpotting fakes, prices and auctions, coins and metals, framing and shipping.PlayQuizzes: guess the craft, match crafts to states, and real or fake.
Buyer’s guides: how to spot the real thing
Handloom or Powerloom? How to Tell Handwoven Cloth from Machine-MadeIndian law defines a handloom simply as any loom that is not run on power, so how cloth looks and feels can hint at its origin but cannot prove it.Real Bandhani or Printed? How to Spot Hand-Tied Tie-DyeEvery dot on genuine Bandhani, a tie-dye from Gujarat and Rajasthan, is a tiny knot tied by hand, so the cloth tends to be crinkled, slightly…Hand-Painted or Printed? How to Tell an Original Indian Folk Painting from a PrintGenuine Indian folk paintings are built from brush, pigment and a prepared surface, so a magnifier usually shows ridges and wobbly lines, while a…Is It Real Silver? Purity Grades and Hallmarks ExplainedSilver is graded by fineness, the parts of silver per thousand, so 925 means 92.5 percent silver (sterling) and 999 is fine silver.Old or Made to Look Old? Spotting Fake Ageing in AntiquesFake ageing usually shows up as wear and dirt that look the same everywhere, instead of building up where hands, feet and weather actually touch…
India and the world
Bandhani and Shibori: India’s and Japan’s Tie-Dye Traditions ComparedBandhani, a tie-dye from Gujarat and Rajasthan, and shibori, the Japanese family of resist-dye methods, both keep dye away from parts of the cloth…Lost-Wax Casting Around the World: Dhokra, Chola, Benin and Greek BronzesLost-wax casting means shaping a wax model, covering it in clay, melting the wax out and pouring metal into the space.Madhubani and Its Cousins: Folk Painting Traditions Around the WorldMadhubani, or Mithila painting, began as wall art made by women in homes in northern Bihar.Block Printing, Batik and Resist Printing: India, Indonesia and BeyondMany textile traditions pattern cloth by blocking dye with wax, paste or mud before dyeing.