The Treasures in the Jaipur Market Places

Posted by Cindy on July 13, 2009

Many travel to the Rajasthan state of India for shopping, and find that located close to many of the markets are fine luxury hotels.  Jaipur is one of the cities in the state that is famous for their craft-work and the artistry of their artisans.  One can find just about anything in the markets of Jaipur, from clothing to furniture to house wares, to dolls.  One of the techniques used in producing the pottery that Jaipur has become so famous for, is art of Blue Pottery.  This art traveled to Jaipur with the Mughal conquerors and courts, from Afghanistan and Persia.  The pottery is different from others such as terra cotta, in that it is not made from clay, but from quartz.  It is only fired once, as with the regular forms of pottery, however it is much stronger, will not crack thus making it more hygienic and perfect for use every day.  Many of the dishes and the pots that are made in this way are then painted intricately with brushes.  Copper and cobalt oxides are what produce the blue color.  Many popular design motifs include birds and animals.  One can find any number of cups, vases, pitchers and fruit bowls along the alleys and walkways of the downtown market places.

Many come to the markets to shop for the dolls, the toys and the puppets.  There are many locations throughout the cities of Jaipur and Udaipur to find the craft-work of the making of dolls and wooden toys.  The wood used is called doodhia, which is a soft wood and is easily shaped and chiseled.  Many different toys and dolls are made with this wood, then polished for the shine and the durability.  One may find figurines, of humans and of animals, cars, lanterns and trains to bring home to the children.  The cloth made toys are beautiful as well, and are often brightly painted by hand.  Many artists produce works that are true pieces of expressive art.  Puppets and puppetry is extremely popular in the cities of Jodhpur and Jaipur.  In the community of Bhatt, many of the puppets are hand-crafted for sale, as well as for use in their own puppet shows.  Puppets tend to have very large noses and eyes, and stand close to two feet tall.  The clothing for the puppets is hand-made as well, and as with the toys and dolls, these are too, incredible works of art.