Craft village · Kondagaon, Chhattisgarh

Bastar and Kondagaon region

A main centre of Dhokra, the lost-wax brass casting of central India. Check locally before travelling about whether workshops are open to visitors.

Craft village · Bankura, West Bengal

Bikna and nearby villages, Bankura

Dokra is made in Bankura, with Bikna named in the Geographical Indication specification for Dokra of West Bengal. Ask locally about visiting workshops.

Museum · New Delhi

National Crafts Museum and Hastkala Academy

Holds a Dhokra-style brass figure group from Bastar in its online catalogue. Galleries open Tuesday to Sunday; check the museum website for what is on display.

Museum · Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Government Museum, Chennai (Bronze Gallery)

Its Bronze Gallery shows South Indian bronzes including Nataraja images, and a Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department publication calls the Chola collection among the finest anywhere.

Craft town · Kumbakonam area, Tamil Nadu

Swamimalai

Town near Kumbakonam where bronze icons are still cast by the lost-wax method; Swamimalai Bronze Icons carry a Geographical Indication registration.

Museum · New York, United States

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Shows a Chola-period Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja), late 11th century, in gallery 240 at the time of checking. Confirm before visiting.

Craft town · Rajsamand district, Rajasthan

Nathdwara

Temple town of Shrinathji where Pichwai painters live in the old painters quarters. Pichwais are tied to the temple; the inner shrine has its own entry rules.

Museum · New York, United States

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Holds 19th-century Pichwai textile pieces, but the two records checked are marked not on view. Check the museum website for what is on display.

Craft village · Madhubani district, Bihar

Jitwarpur and Ranti villages

Villages where Mithila painters work and where visitors go to meet artists; Jitwarpur is linked with the artist Sita Devi. Ask locally before visiting homes.

Museum · Tokamachi, Niigata, Japan

Mithila Museum

Founded by Tokio Hasegawa; the Indian Embassy in Tokyo praised its Mithila collection. A newspaper report puts it at over 850 works. Check hours before going.

Craft village · Dahanu taluka, Palghar, Maharashtra

Ganjad

Village known for Warli painting and the home of the late Jivya Soma Mashe. Walls carry murals and visitors can meet the artists. About 126 km north of Mumbai.

Craft village · near Puri, Odisha

Raghurajpur

Heritage crafts village of Pattachitra painters, about 10 km from Puri. Homes double as workshops; ask permission before entering or photographing.

Craft village · Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal

Naya village, Pingla

Village of Patua scroll painters about 130 km from Kolkata. Winter is the usual time to visit, including the Pot Maya craft fair. Accommodation is limited.

Museum · London, United Kingdom

Victoria and Albert Museum

Holds a very large Kalighat collection, described as the largest in the world. The page checked does not say what is on display, so check the museum website.

Museum · Kolkata, West Bengal

Victoria Memorial Hall

Lists Kalighat works in its Indian paintings collection, including a watercolour of Mahadev. Display status is not stated; check before visiting.

Museum · Kolkata, West Bengal

Indian Museum

Named with Victoria Memorial Hall and the Gurusaday Museum among Kolkata holders of Kalighat paintings. Not always on display; check with the museum.

Craft town · Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh

Srikalahasti

Home of the freehand style, painted with a bamboo and cotton pen by small family units.

Craft town · Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh

Machilipatnam and Pedana

Home of the block-printed style, where block makers, washers and printers work together; Pedana is known for fine block printing.

Craft town · Gujarat

Jamnagar

Main centre of Jamnagari Bandhani, a Geographical Indication product. Some workshops let visitors watch tying and dyeing; ask locally.

Craft town · Rajasthan

Jaipur

One of the two main centres of leheriya, the wave-pattern tie-dye. Workshops are family-run; confirm visiting arrangements beforehand.

Craft town · Rajasthan

Jodhpur

The other main leheriya centre, known for turban dyeing. Ask locally whether dyers receive visitors.

Craft village · Kutch, Gujarat

Nirona

Village about 40 km from Bhuj where rogan, a castor-oil paint worked on cloth, is practised by one extended family. A workshop shows designs on cloth.

Craft town · Ramanagara district, Karnataka

Channapatna

Toy town between Bengaluru and Mysuru making lacquered wooden toys; a Geographical Indication product. Visitors can walk through workshops.

Museum · Udaipur, Rajasthan

Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal

Folk museum with puppets, masks and dolls, plus daily puppet and folk dance shows. Check the website for current timings and ticket prices.

Craft village · Gorakhpur district, Uttar Pradesh

Aurangabad village

Terracotta village being developed for craft tourism, where horse and elephant figures are made. Opening times are not published; check locally.

Craft village · Hazaribagh, Jharkhand

Hazaribagh villages, including Bahera

Tribal women paint house walls here. Sohrai is seen around the autumn harvest festival near Diwali and Khovar at weddings. Respect homes and ask first.

Museum · Hazaribagh, Jharkhand

Sanskriti Museum and Art Gallery

Founded by Bulu Imam in 1993; its tribal art gallery is reported to hold over 200 Khovar and Sohrai paintings. Check opening times before visiting.

Craft town · Uttarakhand

Kumaon region

Aipan floor and wall art belongs to Kumaon and is believed to have begun around Almora. Mostly seen at festivals and weddings; no single visitor site is confirmed.

Museum · Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Calico Museum of Textiles

Large collection of historic Indian textiles. Visits are by guided tour and need advance booking; the main textile galleries are open in the morning session only.

Museum · New Delhi

National Crafts Museum and Hastkala Academy

Has textile galleries, including a newer Indian Textiles Gallery II shown in 2024. Galleries open Tuesday to Sunday; check the website for current displays.

Museum · London, United Kingdom

Victoria and Albert Museum

Indian textiles are a strength of its South Asia collection, with about 10,000 textiles. Some objects are view by appointment only, so check the website.

Museum · New Delhi

National Museum

Holds the Mohenjo-daro Dancing Girl. A press report says it was withdrawn from the Harappan gallery, so it may not be on view. Check the museum website first.