Arts and Crafts
Creating objects of beauty, using vibrant colors and traditional motifs, forms a significant part in the lives of the people of Banni. The area is famous for its leather craft and the exquisite embroidery styles practiced by the women.
When men are away grazing their cattle, women put in almost 19 hours of work daily. Women’s many and varied tasks include fetching water, cooking, tending to the family, making the cattle feed and deftly creating wondrous pieces of embroidery and art. Their embroidery allows women of different vas (hamlets) to gather together, work, and socialize.
Traditionally, women created these works of art for their community and for ritual occasions – births, engagements, marriages; now women embroider for these reasons as well as to sell outside.
Embroidery skills and designs are a family tradition and every young girl imbibes these skills from her mother. Right from her childhood, every girl begins to build up her streedhan (dowry). This contains a mix of kanjris (long embroidered blouses), quilts and batwas (pouches). The Muslim Halepotra and Hindu Meghwals each have their own distinctive styles, including mutwa embroidery, catab, sebha-kudi, chopad, the geometrical kambhira, pakko, mokka, neran, chitki (appliqué), etc.
The Meghwal men practice leather craft. Their products include embroidered mojadis (footwear) traditionally made for the bride and the bridegroom. Hand fans, mirror frames, wall pieces, and belts are also made with traditional skill.