Rajasthan is traditionally well-known for fine-quality hand-knotted woollen carpets. Jaipur, Ajmer, and Bikaner are main centres for this craft. It is also found in smaller towns like Tonk, Chaksu, Manaharpura, and Barmer. Some of the motifs used are little rosettes of Indo-Heratic origin; the colours found are blue, red, and purplish-tints in combination. The other combination is light green and deep blue. The border motifs include bold flowers and long serrated leaves. There is a move to revive traditional designs like dushala, charkona, mehrab and shikar. Otherwise the designs are slanted towards the Indo-Persian. The carpet in Indo-Kerman design has ivory or cream as the background colour with floral design all over or in the centre. Complex carpets, requiring 400 to 600 knots per inch, are not woven any more; simple carpets with counts of 16 to 36 knots are being woven. Rajasthan has a strong wool base as it controls 50 per cent of total wool production in India and there is enormous scope for disseminating this craft in rural areas. Carpets first began to be manufactured in Rajasthan when weavers from Afghanistan were introduced in the royal ateliers in the 17th century. Ever since, they have flourished here, with their exuberant colors and geometric motifs finding their way into showrooms around the world. Naturally they are available in the bazaars at a price far lower than they command in stores overseas. Carpet weaving is an important trade for the merchants of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Kashmir. You can also pick up Tibetan carpets with Buddhist motifs in Himachal Pradesh. Both woolen and silk carpets make excellent buys. |
