The delicate designs available in the markets of Maharashtra bear witness to the immense creativity of its artists. Himroo and Mashru take you to the epitome of the art of weaving fabrics. Such high is its worth and texture that this fabric is often seen resembling the golden cloth. The Narayan Peth and the Paithani Sarees are also a fine example of the work of art that Maharashtra poses of.

Maharashtra heritage and its legacy of culture are extremely wealthy. This wealth is majorly due to the fact that Maharashtra has encapsulated several customs, traditions, religions etc. Be it any sphere of life, Maharashtra is full of variety and vivacity. One such sphere where Maharashtra art is evident is the sphere of arts and crafts. From the beauty that resides in the Ellora and the Ajanta to the city of Kolhapur and its exquisite jewelry, Maharashtra and its cultural tradition of handicraft is evident all over. If one seeks to soak in the depth of the Marathi culture and its vivacity, one must start with the rich crafts and arts of the state.

One of the most appreciated arts here is the Bidriware. The preparation requires a huge amount of skill and time. Kolhapuri Chappals and exquisite jewellery are the byproducts of the city of Kolhapur. The chappals from Kolhapur are not only cheap but also are extremely durable and comfortable.  The City of Mumbai is also famous for the Warli tribes and there several paintings.

Like the tradition is in the major part of the country, In Maharashtra too, one can easily spot rich and finely crafted pieces of woodwork serving as doorways and even balconies in several homes across the richly blessed state. Certain places including Wai, Pune, Satara, Palshi, Nasik Chandwad and Paithan have a noticeable number of Wadas (havelis) which are bubbling with carvings of wood.

As urbanization took over the state and slowly concrete replaced the conventional methods of construction, the sheen of these artists slowly faded away into nothingness and now the rich cultural heritage of wood carving in Maharashtra is almost a dead art.

Famous Crafts of Maharashtra

Bidriware

A standout contribution from the city of Aurangabad to the sphere of art, the Bidriwar is created by careful mixture of copper and zinc. These are also garnished by the use of silver that is often used in several styles like under laying, over laying and even embossing. In earlier days, these items served as Hookahs or PaanDaans for the royals and the wealthy. Today, there value has boiled down to mere souvenirs.

Jewellery

The southern city of Maharashtra is famous for its exceptional jewelry designs. So huge is the nexus of jewelry and its design here that there is a total range of jewelry which is specifically known as Kolhapur Jewelry.

Kolhapuri Chappals

Apart from being a place of several tourist interests and a seat for Goddess mahakali, the city of Kolhapur also has a huge tradition of arts. One such great contribution of the city to art is the Kolhapuri chappals. Crafted out of fine leather, these chappals are extremely comfortable and classy to wear. All of these are specially crafted by hand.

Sawantwadi Craft

The name of Sawantwadi owes its nomenclature to a certain place in the district of Sindhudurg within Maharashtra. Lacquer ware is the main craft that has famed this taluka in the entire state. This art is running in their since the end of 17th century.

Paithani Saris

Hailing from the wealthy region Paithan region, the Paithani Saree is a form of garment worn by traditional women there. These sarees are one of the most expensive in the world as they are made out of the highest grade of silk which is specially woven by hand. This tradition too is with them since more than 2000 years.

Mashru and Himru

Basically a type of fabric crafted with a mixture of cotton and silk which is tempered by Satin. The city of Aurangabad is the epicenter of this. The Himru is used to create shawls in Aurangabad. These are done by weaving threads of Cotton and brocade together. This helps in a fine and inexpensive shawl. The softness in them makes people believe that it’s silk. Legend asserts that the ruler Mohamed-bin-Tughlaq flocked several weavers from across the major cultural centers back them and took them to Aurangabad which made this exceptional fabric.

The area of Thani in the northern Mumbai is inhabited by the Warli Tribe. Originally this was an art for the women in the family who would make this during festivals and other fairs etc. People have also started making them on paper to ensure easy sale. They deal with a purely aesthetical theme.