Nirona Village – Handicrafts cluster of Gujarat

A Temple in Nirona Village, Gujarat

Nirona Village- Handicrafts cluster of Gujarat

India is known for its art, culture, heritage and handicrafts. Each state has its own form of heritage and art form. The legacy of most of the art forms is preserved in its original form by most of the artists in various clusters. Nirona village in Gujarat, 40 km in the northwest of Bhuj hosts several unique art forms which are regaining popularity. Craft trails in Nirona village are proof of unmatchable creativity with limited available resources any village can offer. This is an important itinerary in Gujarat Tourism packages. 

Walking through the narrow lanes of the old traditional Kutchhi houses with antique doors in vibrant colours takes you to the cluster of various art forms in Nirona. A trip to Nirona village is a must for all art and handicraft lovers and for others to know and learn about the history of Indian culture and heritage. Nirona is famous for three art forms namely Rogan Art, Lacquer wooden work and Copper Bell art. The dedication towards this art shows the passion of Nirona villagers who have preserved the respective art form. Not only there are few families left who are practising it but are also training the younger generation to carry on the baton.

Copper Bell Art

A small gate allowed us to enter a house-cum-factory of this Copper Bell Art unit which is larger than life. The knocking sound of chisel and hammer turned into melodious chimes and bells is something that will leave you in awe. The iron raw material in the form of scrap is sourced locally from the junkyard like old cars and other vehicles. The whole process of converting this junk into euphonious bells and other handicrafts does not involve any machinery. This hand-made process by using only 2-3 tools is without any welding or soldering. The men-folk takes care of the initial process and the final touches. The raw material is given a shape of a bell or a handicraft which then is further processed by the women of the house. The second process involves the covering of semi-finished product by copper, brass, forex powder and zinc diluted in locally sourced mud, baking it to give a complete and polished look. Then again this product is hammered to give different sounds to the bell. As a local tradition, each animal has a bell with a different sound. Isn’t that amazing!!! The final products are sold in the local markets, Rann Utsav and all over India in handicrafts fairs.

Lacquer Woodwork

Unique craftsmanship by the local Vadha community of the nomadic tribe in Kutch is a Lacquer wooden work art. There is a reason why Gujarat is called a Vibrant Gujarat. The bright and happy colours of the final product made with so much passion make the whole Nirona village vibrant.

Sourced from local babool trees, the wooden rolling pins, spatulas, toys and other kitchen accessories are crafted by a simple hand-held machine. Originally the lac resin was obtained from some special insects available locally in the village. The resin is then mixed with natural colours from the bark of trees and stones in different colours from the local soil. With an easy yet tricky technique on a simple machine, the objects are coloured and designed. These textured designs on various sparkling colours are then coated with natural chemical-free groundnut or coconut oil to give that extra sheen and make the colours long-lasting. These non-toxic products are the feast to the eyes, to see how they are made and to buy.

 Rogan Art

The name Rogan Art may suggest its originality from Persia, but the award-winning artist from the Nirona village Padmashri Abdul Gaffur Khatri owns this art form with pride. An ancient and unique form of art using natural ingredients sourced locally has found a place on an international map too. A beautiful piece of this artwork was gifted to the then President of USA Barack Obama by Hon. Prime Minister of India Sh. Narendra Modiji.

A 400-year-old traditional art form created without any tracing or stencils on the cloth. The tradition is kept alive by a single family for 8 generations. The family was awarded the Padma Shri Award (2019), and International Designer award, 5 National Awards, 8 State Awards, 3 National Merit certificates and many more accolades over the last four decades.

The only place in India for Rogan art that to date successfully carries the legacy of the heritage of India. Traditionally, the Rogan art was painted on bridal clothing of the regional tribes, and on skirts (ghagra), Dupattas (odhani) and bedspreads. With time, the family has diversified to bags, wall hangings, saree and even men- clothing.

This labour-intensive art form is done by using a few raw materials sourced locally. The main ingredient is castor oil which is heated at a point till it catches fire and then is mixed with the water. In this process, castor oil becomes sticky and is then mixed with natural colours to make it ready for painting. This is called Rogan. The skill of painting with only one tool/needle is done after the gum is made softer on hand as and when the artist starts painting. The warmth of the body heat makes it ready for painting. Once the painting is completed, it is dried in sun to fasten the colours.      

It is unbelievable that such a small village carries the legacy of ancient arts and crafts with pride and are training the younger generations too.