Art and Crafts in Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh is famous for its rich heritage of art and craft. Most famous centres are the following:

Agra: since the Mughal era has been home to numerous Mughal crafts, including the Pietra Dura, still practiced today.

Bareilly: boasts for its Zari work, (a type of fabric decoration), ‘Jhumka’ – an intricate ear-rings or ear-pendants, Manja and Surma (Kohl (cosmetics)).

Kannauj: is well known for oriental perfumes, scents and rose water and also for traditional tobacco products.

Kanpur: is internationally known for its leather craft; shoes and other leather items are made here for the Indian market and exported to foreign countries as well.Kanpur is also known as Leather City of the World.

Khurja: is famous for its ceramics pottery; in fact, the entire state is famous for its pottery not only in India but also around the world.

Lucknow: the capital, boasts of its cloth work and embroidery (chikan) work on silk and cotton garments.

Allahabad: is Known for his National Institute of Art and Craft College.

Bhadohi: is known for its carpets, a craft which dates back to the 16th century, during the reign of Mughal Emperor, Akbar and is believed to have established when centuries ago, some Iranian master weavers stopped at Madhosingh village, near Khamaria, in Bhadohi while travelling in India, and subsequently set up looms here. Bhadohi carpets received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2010, and also known as dollar-city; beside this, it is one of the highest revenue generating districts of UP.

Moradabad: is well known for its metal-ware, especially brass artifacts.

Pilibhit: is known for its wooden footwear (locally called Paduka or Khadaon) and also for flutes made of wooden pipes. Flutes are exported to Europe, America and other countries.

Saharanpur: is known all over India and abroad for its wood-carving items produced there.

Varanasi, Mubarakpur(Azamgarh): is famous for its Banarasi saris and silk. A banarasi sari is an essential part of any marriage in the state.

Gorakhpur: is famous for its beautiful teracotta statues and handcraft cloths. Nizamabaad Azamgarh is famous for black pottery.