BLUE POTTERY

The art of glazed blue-pottery came to India from Persia. It flourished in Jaipur under the patronage of Maharaja Ram Singh. The distinctive feature of the blue pottery is that it is made of ground quartz and clay is not used at all. The traditional colours used are blue (from oxide of cobalt), green (from the oxide of copper) and white. In addition of blue and green, other combinations have now been evolved, such as canary yellow, dark blue and brown.

The best pieces are hand printed with conventional floral or arabesque patterns and sometimes with figures of rajasthani queen. There are traditional articles like surahis, pots and cylindrical jars and decorative items like ash-trays, tiles, flower pots, lamp stands, beads, ear rings, soap dishes, jugs,mugs and door knobs.

Rajasthan's blue pottery is very renowed and has certain unique distinctive characteristics and cannot be compared with blue pottery done in many other places in India. The base material used is not clay but quartz. All the material that goes into composition- quartz, raw glaze, sodium sulphate, multani clay, all requires the same temperature and the pottery needs to be fired only once unlike other pottery. It is also more imperious and therefore more hygienic for daily use. The ornamentation is done with brush made of squirrel's hair.

Puppets- Toys & Dolls

Although the most popular among toys are the dolls and puppets of Rajasthan, there is so much to capture a child's heart in Rajasthan at Jaipur INDIA. These are painted in colours and decorated in attractive dresses which brings out a child in anyone.

The toys are made in Bassi are inspired by local leagends. The little cosmetic box called Shringardani is traditionally given to a bride on her wedding day and is a toy for children as well. Wooden toys made in Udaipur are very popular.

The puppets of Rajasthan are particularly charming on account of thier exaggerated eyes and lips as well as thier colourful dresses. Toy makers of Jaipur make elephants and horses of stuffed cloth, decorated with tinsel or embroided cloth. Soft tinted clay toys are made in Merta, in Nagaur district.