Handmade in India

Bicycle loaded with date palm leaf packaging for small wooden toys and other products.
Craft
RESOURCES
Raw Materials Sources
Moonj basketry Moonj, Rara Allahabad
Papier-mache Paper, Clay Yamuna riverbed
Shazar stone
jewellery
Dendrite
agated
Banda, Hosangabad
(MP )
Date palm craft Date palm Allahabad , Chinhat
Crafts of Aligarh
Moonj Basketry
Papier-mache
Shazar stone
jewellery
Date palm craft
Subclusters of
ALIGARH
District:
Allahabad
Banda
Chitrakoot
Hamirpur
ALLAHABAD metalcluster comprises the districts of
Allahabad,Banda and Chitrakoot.The culture combines
influences of Avadh,Bundelkhand and the Bhojpuri-speaking
eastern lands.Allahabad is located at the sangam,confluence,of
the three most revered rivers of the Hindus-Ganga,Yamuna and
Saraswati.Every 12 years the Maha Kumbh Mela, a sacred
Hindu pilgrimage and bathing festival,is held here.The Kumbh
Mela supports crafts like papier-mache,and palm leaf baskets
are in demand during the Kartik Mela.The city was the
provincial capital of the Mughals for a long time.The
architecture is a combination of Colonial and Mughal styles.The
most conspicuous feature is the Allahabad Fort,the largest of
Akbar`s forts,built on the bank of the confluence.Within the fort
are the remains of a splendid palace,built by the emperor
Akbar.Wild grasses such as moonj and rara grow in
Allahabad,Gorakhpur and Behraich districts in eastern Uttar
Pradesh.Women transform moonh grass into beautiful baskets
for their own domestic use.In Allahabas city,moonj and palm
leaf basketry skills being abundantly available,are untapped
resources that need to be developed for generating income for
craftpersons.Banda and Chitrakoot are located in the
Bundelkhand tract of Uttar Prasdesh,bordering Madhya
Pradesh.Banda town has been the centre for moss agate stone
called shazar,which is used in jewellery.Turned wood and laccoated
toys are made in chitrakoot.
ACCESS
Allahabad and Banda are well connectedd by road and rail .The
nearest airports are Varanasi and Lucknow.Chitrakoot lies off
the main road between Varanasi and Banda
Pots thrown and kept for drying,Tenduawan village,Allahabad.
A craftsperson makes
coiled basket in East
Mahewa.Moonj
basketry is a domestic
Craft in Allahabad
district.
Immigrants from
Jaunpur and Rewa in
Madhya Pradesh make
a living by weaving
baskets and ragpicking
in Allahabad.