The Indian state of Gujarat is a blessed place. This place is filled with a wide variety of rich and colorful handicrafts. These handicrafts here were earlier prepared at home for daily use. Each and every item was made carefully by hands. Only the expert men and women whose work was renowned with good taste and reasonable use of the raw materials could craft these articles. Handicrafts from here are very sturdy and appealing to the eye. Thus these articles are generally the most popular. When thinking about the traditional handicrafts of Gujarat, there are quite a few things that the normal person would admire and buy it. Gujarat handicrafts offer a wide variety of articles ranging from jewelry, furniture, metal work, baked clay, bead work, glass work, colorful clothes, embroidered clothes etc. all of the above said articles are created in such a way that they reflect the culture, lifestyle and character of Gujarat.

Gujarat can easily be named as the most colorful state in the country of India. This is because of the vibrancy and richness in its culture. The people residing in the state have imbibed the art and culture in their daily lives and are proud of it. The handicrafts prepared in Gujarat are well-known across the world.

The garment industry of Gujarat is one of the richest industries in India even today. This industry has a wide variety on offer for the consumers. The popular items from the state handloom are skirts, jackets, ghagras, odhnis, saris, Salwar-suits, etc. all the dresses mentioned above are produced from the hand block-printed dress material.

The garment industry here offers a wide variety of dresses to its customers and is the highest-flying industries in India. Patola silk from Gujarat is also famous as “the queen of silks”. These are the fines hand-woven saris from Gujarat. Patan is the place which is associated with Patola silk. Here delicate patterns are hand woven on the saris with great precision. The prosperous textile industry of Gujarat contributes hugely to the art and craft of India. The textile industry has a wide variety of products for the consumers. It is quite obvious that the art and craft of Gujarat reflects its lifestyle, rich culture and above all the tradition and character of the state.

Famous Garments of Gujarat are

Tangalia

Tangalia is a unique handicraft which is only created in the Surendranagar district of Gujarat. This handicraft is only made by the Dangasia community living there.
Tangalia is almost like a sarong and is largely worn by the Bharvad women. This piece of garment is specially worn on wedding occasion or when visiting relatives. Ramraj Tangalia is a unique motif which is worn only by the Motabhai Bharvad community of the region.

Ari Embroidery

Ari Embroidery is a very old craft from this region. It is famous for the heaviness and detailing. An awl is required to create the Ari embroidery. The stitch almost looks like a cobbler’s stitch and requires a lot of practice to master. To get a good quality of embroidery the hook of the awl must be sharp and fine. This type of embroidery is usually done on satin like Gajji or Atlash and Silk saris. The royalty living in Kutch region patronized Ari Embroidery due to the Persian motifs. The complete garment is dotted with bootis and the big bootis are known as the Nadir Shahi Booti.

Embroidery

Embroidery is the model handicraft of Gujarat. A lot of artisans there are wives of nomads, herdsmen, and farmers who are looking to gain second income. The best known embroidery is the “aribharat”. The name comes from Ari, it is a hook pied from top but silk thread is fed from below. The whole material comes out on a frame. The movement of the Ari creates loops that are famously known as a chain stitch. This stitch is also known as “Mochibharat” as it was done by the cobblers in earlier days.

Techniques Distinct

The embroidery techniques differ from community to community. You can be surprised with the simple yet exquisite needlework of the Bavalia community, the bright red and yellow banni embroidery will surely sweep you off your feet. If you still are ready for more then check out the Rabari cameleer’s embroidery that speaks about their pastoral lifestyle and is inlaid with glass work. There are other noteworthy embroideries like floral and geometric embroidery from Ahir community complete with round mirrors, chain stitch and tiny mirrors used by the Jat community, the elegant “soof” embroidery of Sodha Rajputs, broken mirror work by the Mutwa cameleers and the Mukka embroidery of Hali putras.

Applique Work

Applique is a very vital part of the needlework in Gujarat. But, here it has a distinct style of its own. This embroidery is a patchwork where colorful and patterned cloths are cut in different shapes and sizes and are put together on a plain background to form a whole piece.

This is therefore used only for the daily household items. The appliqué work here is found in vibrant colors and is highly ornamented. The main charm of appliqué work here lies in the detailing of the each individual motif.