Handmade in India

Craft of Jhabua
Pithora Painting
Terracotta and
pottery
Stone carving
Wood carving
Subclusters of
Jhabua
Jhabua district:
Jhabua
Bhabra
Alirajpur
Jobat
1. Most of the crafts are sold locally at the Sunday market in
Jhadua.
2. Ceremonial bamboo basket called bohni made in
Alirajpur.
RESOURCES
Craft Raw materials Sources
wood carving
Pithora
painting
Terracotta and
pottery
Sagon,Sagwan and
Sheesham
Pigment
Fabric colour
Red clay
Chilli power
Clay
Indore,Alirajpur and
local market
Homemade
Locally available
Farms in Alirajpur
A PREDOMINANTELY TRIBAL district,Jhabua,in the
south western part of Madhya Pradesh,is surrounded by the
Panchmahal and Vadodara districts of Gujarat,Banswada
district of Rajasthan,and Dhar and Ratlam districts of
Madhya Pradesh.It forms part of the cultural region of
Nimar where Bhil and Bhilala tribes had settled from
neighbouring Gujarat and Rajasthan.Though the River
Narmada forms the southern border of Jhabua,most part of it
is without any forest cover resulting in soil erosion and low
fertility of the soil and making it difficult for agriculture,the
main occupation of the people.Since a good harvest largely
depends on good seasonal rainfall,the tenacious and hardworking
inhabitants supplement their income by rearing
livestock,and selling forest produce like wood for fuel,tendu
leaves and mahua flowers.They also make attractive bamboo
products,bead jewellery and other crafts that belie their
hardships and difficulties and express the joyous and
celebratory aspect of their existence,like the excitingly
colourful festival Bhagoriya haat held during holi,the
festival of colours.Bhagoriya,a series of fairs,is socially
important for the Bhil and Bhilala because the unmarried
youth choose their partners during this fair.Several crafts
such as terracotta,silver jewellery and block printing are
done by craftspersons for tribal corporation has promoted
income generating crafts and imparted training in dhurrie
weaving,bead work,doll making and wood carving in Jobat
and Alirajpur.
ACCESS
Jhabua is well connected via road to important cities like
Ahmedabad to its west and Indore to its east which have
airports.It is also connected by road to Indore and other
towns in the state.
3 Craftsman working on the wheel to make a roof title,Alirajpur.
4 Votive terracotta horses offered to local deities.The body of the horse has an opening for
an oil lamp to be placed inside.
5 Jhabua tribal house with clay relief.
6 Carved and painted memorial stones called gatha are carved by craftsmen for
Bhils.Memorials are installed by the family of a person who has died at an early age,in the
belief that the departed person`s soul will find peace.
7 Wall painting done by Bhilala in Alirajpur in honour of
their deity Pithora.Eqestrain figures,a farmer with bullocks
and a plough,a couple churning butter,monkeys and
elephants are painted.Pithora ritual paintings are similar to
those done by Rathwa community in Chhota Udaipur in
Gujarat.