A creative necessity
Rajasthani crafts have emerged not as a decorative feature, but as an essential part of people's lives. They took their utensils and gave them shapes and forms that were pleasing to the eye; they decorate their clothes so that, in the dull surroundings of the desert, they could lend color to its barrenness. They wore jewelry and embroidered shoes; they made paintings to honor their gods and records historic events; they decorate their damascened swords with precious stones and wore amulets of gold to war. In it all, there was an air of insouciance: we live, therefore we must do with zest.

The curious thing about Rajasthan is that the richness of its heritage is so extraordinary that it touches every aspect of their lives and finds the new meaning in the expressions of the visitors.

While there are opportunities to browse and purchase literally everywhere you step within the state. It may also be interesting to watch a jeweler at work or a painter add finishing touches to his art. Certainly, it is absorbing to see hand-block printers arrange wooden blocks in symmetrical patterns as they print over fabric with amazing speed, filling colors in a way, their families have done for generations.

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