Banjara craft

Colorful, bright, vibrant clothes of heavy embroidery and mirror work, ivory and metal jewellery and henna tattoos, and we are just talking about a Banjaran woman, in her daily attire. Banjara is not an art or a craft only, it is much more than that.

Banjara is a tribe from India which originated from Rajasthan and then they migrated to other parts of India too. Southern India specially Andhra Pradesh is where they fluorish most in terms of their art and craft.

Banjara were famous of their nomadic lifestyle, and sometimes they are also referred to as Gypsies of India. Now, Banjara are famous of their crafts, their embroidery and mirror work that they do on clothes and bags and many other items.

 

They do their embroidery mostly on cotton clothes. Techniques and stitched that they use ranges from Stem stitch, Chain stitch, Herringbone stitch, Cross stitch, Mirror work, Couching, Quilting and Kashida.

Their embroidery is explicitly praised for their mirror, beads, coins and button work.

Baati is the most favorite food of theirs, which is often referred as Baati-Chokha is eastern parts of India. Other than this, Banjaras are also fond of lamb curry.

Banjara is a colorful tribe which has so much to offer in terms of its arts, crafts and entertainment. Be it in their dance forms, or in their food, or their famous Banjara crafted clothes, their art will always live in the soul of India.