Arunachal Pradesh

Art & Crafts:

Arunachal Pradesh is a land of beautiful handicrafts comprising a wide variety. Artistic craftmanship has been passed on from one generation to the other and sense of aesthetics has been manifested through a variety of crafts such as weaving, painting, pottery, smithy work, basket making etc.

From the viewpoint of the art and culture the state may be very conveniently divided into three zones. The first of these zones includes the Buddhist tribe; the second occupies the central part (from east Kameng in the west to
Lohit in the east); and the third zone is the eastern part of the territory. The people of the first zone make beautiful masks. They periodically stage pantomimes and masked dances. They also make exquisite painted wooden vessels and silver articles. Carpet making is a speciality of the Monpas, the Buddhist community. Carpets with exotic designs of dragons, geometric and floral patterns are made here. Carpet weaving has today become a major occupation of the womenfolk and with an increase in demand, production of the carpets is now being undertaken on a large scale.

Those of the second zone are expert workers in cane and bamboo. The cane and bamboo industry of the state has made a name for itself. As a matter of fact most of the domestic requirements are made of these materials. hats, baskets, canes vessels, cane belts - woven and plain, bamboo mugs and carvings, a wide variety of ornaments and jewellery items are all crafted by workmen. The shawls and jackets, shoulder bags and coats all stand for the perfection that the people have attained in this art. The people of the third zone are famous for their wooden carvings. The Monpa wood carver scoopes out beautiful cups, dishes and fruit bowls and magnificent ceremonial masks for dances and pantomimes. Another tribe that is framed for this art is the Khamptis who carve out beautiful religion images, figures of dancers, toys and other objects. They weave beautiful bags and loin cloths too. Goat's hair, ivory, boar's tus, beads of agate and the stones as well as of brass and glass are specialities of the people of this zone.
Weaving is the occupation of the womenfolk throughout the territory. They have an excellent sense of colour. The basic colours that dominates the weaves are black, yellow dark blue, green and scarlet - all put together in the most fascinating combinations. Originally natural dyes were used which today have given away to synthetic dyes.
The designs are essentially geometric varying from a formal arrangement to lines and bands. Items that could make excellent buys are Sherdukpen shawls, Apatani jackets and scarve, Adi skirts, jackets and bags, Mishmi shawls, blouses and jackets; and Wancho bags.