Sheesh Mahal, Thikri Art and a khoj for Indias Craft Traditions

Did you know that  Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner , Patiala, Lahore, Agra are all home to the "Sheesh Mahal" or Palace of Mirrors. These stunning palace durbars and #haveli rooms are the legacy of the Mughal and the Rajput Kings.

Originally, the use of #myriadmirrors began with the decoration and embellishment of #indiantemples ~the purpose of multiple mirrors, was to create endless images of the deities - showing that God was omnipresent.

This #folkart, (also known as #thikri ) was appreciated by-the feudal lords of Rajasthan, used it to decorate their palaces with a more sophisticated version. They found that walls covered in mirror work, multiplied the images of lamps - making the room brighter.

Vanity also played a large part in this, as the personage of the #Maharaja was also multiplied! Hence throne rooms, halls of private and public audience and other special areas, were heavily decorated with #mirrorwork, interspersed with moulded gilding and panni work.

As expected in specialized #creativity, this mirror work is a highly intricate process that requires #generational skills learnt from a young age and the descendants of families who have been in this trade for generations.

The mirrors used in this type of work, are plain or colored ~ Usually available in circular shapes of 30cm diameter, and 2-4 mm thickness - a thicker gauge makes cutting difficult, while a thinner gauge makes them easily breakable. The design is carved with a 20-23 cm long kalam which has a pointed upper tip for carving, and a flat lower tip for scraping off undesired paste. The mirrors are cut into the desired shape, and their edges softened with another 15 cm. "Kalam" with teeth-like edges. #toolsofthetrade

Our KhojCrafts led us to the discovery of beautiful 100+ year old #antiques #thikripaintings . Of a large scale, these 5 feet in size stunning, #jewelcoloured paintings are in pristine condition and feature intricate details, motifs and serene expressions. The subject theme of an Acharya and his disciples, from a cross section of society is beautifully captured in the painting

Explore these rare, unusual treasures here - https://lnkd.in/gGzeQUpk

#rareindiancrafts #royalpatronage #madeinbharat #storiesofindia #whatsyourkhoj #khazana #interplayoflight #palaceofillusions #sheeshmahal #craftsofindia