North Indian Culture and Artifacts
The Traditional Arts practiced in Northern India is practiced through the ages. Understandably various forms of Arts are practiced here. The spectacular Handicrafts work, wooden carvings, designer jewellery are the Parts of traditional Arts. More importantly the Artistic Furniture works is also made in this Region. More importantly, the Embroidery works on shawls, Sarris, Banarsi Silk Saris, carpets etc. is also carried out. The Traditional Arts practiced in Northern India is very rich. It has surpassing class.
Understandably the wooden handicrafts and carvings are also one of the best traditional Arts practiced in Northern India. The wooden Carved Natraj (Dancing Shiva, a Hindu deity) is prominent example. Most Importantly, Undoubtedly these prominent Traditional Arts practiced in Northern India are still practiced in regions of Bihar, Kashmir, Jammu, Uttrakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
Embroidery and Handicrafts works practiced in Kashmir is awesome. The works on Pashmina Shawl has its glory since the Past these yield export currency to India. Most importantly its one of the most prominent Traditional Arts practiced in Northern India.
The Jewelry designing works of Jaipur is admired in the world. The wooden handicrafts works and the marble in-lay works are also done in Jaipur and nearby Areas. Jodhpur also has variety of Traditional Arts practices. These are basically wooden furniture works and Carvings. Designing on Carpets in Badhoi and other Areas of Uttar Pradesh is done.
The record of religious painting in North India is even more washed-out than the tally of temple architecture. Henceforth the Indian painting of the first millennium AD barely survives anywhere due to the drastic changes in the climate. In fact because of the less of attitude shown to conserve them from the contemporary rulers, also. Moreover the loots of the Muslim invaders and the Mughal rule may also be the cause of the elimination of the Ancient Indian Paintings.
However the frescoes on the walls of Ajanta, Ellora or elephant caves are self- explanatory Facts to prove the existence of Art in India. The fascinating Sculptures in the caves of Ajanta and Ellora are the treasures of the Indian History of Traditional Art . The one of its kind practiced in Ancient India. Similarly their are many similar examples to illustrate the presence of the Traditional Art in India. These are yet again evident examples of Traditional Arts practiced in Northern India.
Painting on wood and cloth- A substantial example of Traditional Art of Northern India. The journey of substantial painting on wood and above all on cloth is the peculiar Art practiced in this region. Benares, Jodhpur , Saharanpur and Jaipur are some of the Places where you can find them. However these are found in other Areas of the sub continent, also. Some fragmentary notion of this north Indian painting tradition can be seen from the paintings recovered by Sir Aurel Stein from Central Asia.
In fact the paintings in southern edges of Central Asia (for instance in Ladakh) religious paintings survive to give some idea of northern Indian styles. They are, however, invariably Buddhist in subject matter.
Examples of Hindu painting are evident in north India until the late sixteenth century. More importantly its illustration is drawn from the period of Mughal emperor Akbar. The greatest Indian epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, were translated into Persian on his order. These manuscripts were illustrated in the court ateliers. Examples can be seen in the British Library (Razmnama [the Mahabharata) and the Metropolitan Museum in New York (Harivamsa).
The most remarkable example, however, is of the Ramayana, now in the Man Singh Museum in Jaipur. In these manuscripts the paintings are full of brilliant color and compositional expertise. More prominent Examples include items such as the paintings made for the Nagapanchami festival from the Medieval History.
