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India / Shopping / Stone craft and marble inlay work

It's amazing how odd, blocks of stone are cut, shaped, inlaid and polished into beautiful objects of everyday use by the skilful craftsperson of India.

Hamirpur district in Uttar Pradesh has natured a sizeable stone carving industry with its rich deposits of beautiful soft stone. The stone is many colored with the predominance of a lovely red shade. Marble is also used, especially for making statues. In Varanasi a community called raidas does the work. The range of items include tableware, plates, glasses, bowls, food containers, candle stands, etc.

Agar is world famous for its superb inlay work in marble, drawing inspiration from the Tag Mal. The designs are the foliage or floral intertwined with geometrical patterns. Moderns and marble of the Tag, vases, boxes, lamps, plates, bowls and pitchers in delicately molded shapes & fine carvings are some of the popular items produced here, Intricate friezes and trellis or jali work done in an eye-catching range of patterns is also a specialty of this place.

Vrindavan near Mathura has marble as well as alabaster products. Some objects are embossed with semi-precious stones or synthetic gems.

A dark brown stone with yellow spots and lines called sange-rathek is found in Jhansi and its neighbourhood from which lampshades, incense stick stands, small medicine grinders are made.

Midnapur in West Bengal is an important traditional region for stoneware and the main center is Simulpur. Bihar's very ancient tradition in stone carving is proved by the magnificent sculpture of the Maureen period. Tamil Nadu has a great tradition in stone carving of icons of classical excellence and Rajasthan may be called the land of marble with its stones in various colors and textures.

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Rajasthan,West Bengal, Thamil Nadu, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

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