Ever heard about artist villages?
Artist villages in India offer the inquisitive and the artistically-inclined both muse and education. At some, you will be able to see the skills of artisans of the region, while at others, you can stay in the village, for hands-on guidance in learning a new form of art and craft.
Are you pondering where these villages are? Here’s a list:
1. Pochampally
It’s in Telangana. Home to some of the motherland’s most antique handloom centres and weavers, Pochampally unfolds an opulent legacy of dyes, fabrics, and most prominently, the art of Ikkat. Tourists to this village can get a sight of this form of art that creates designs via an elaborate method of tie-dye. From towels to saris, the village has come a long way when it comes to weaving.
2. Raghurajpur
It’s in Odisha. Recognized for their mastery of Patachitra, every member focusses in the art of painting on scrolls. Also, the village produces poetry, has its own dance troupe, and about ten other forms of art and crafts that they engage in, on the side. They didn’t just earn the title of ‘heritage village’ for nothing — art isn’t just their form of employment, it’s in their blood. Several tourists end up staying for months on end, just to learn their creative way of life.
3. Bishnupur
Situated in West Bengal, renowned for the terracotta temples that dot the total of this village, the region’s traditional terracotta craft was built upon due to the dearth of stone in the area. Till date, the village is known for their terracotta horses — called the Bankura Horse, to be precise. However, it’s also known for its production of the hand-woven silk Baluchari saris. A tour inside one of these factories gives many tourists a look at the effort and skill it takes to produce one of these pieces.
4. Cholamandal Village
In Chennai, this independent village that has lived by itself for over four decades. Built on a desolate stretch of sand, it is purely devoted to art and every single founding in the village was built by the artists dwelling it — right from the kitchen walls to their art galleries. The village is suggested only to those who share a passion for the arts, and wish to learn of the antiquity and evolution of multiple art forms, over the years. A majority of the artists here are sculptors.
5. Andretta
Located in Himachal Pradesh with a legend behind this village.
When an Irish woman called Norah Richards first moved to Andretta, little did anyone else knows that she’d become the ‘Nani of Punjabi Theatre.’ She lay the groundwork for what was to become one of India’s most popular artist villages, back in 1935. Following the partition of the country, numerous Indians fled from Lahore, of whom many were artists — only to settle in Andretta.
Of these, one of the most protuberant was Gurucharan Singh, a well-known potter in India. Till today, the Andretta Pottery and Crafts Society is run by Mansimran Singh (Gurucharan Singh’s son) and his wife Mary.
6. Saputara
Here’s a village in Gujarat that celebrates its intrinsic culture by ensuring its people are all taught the art of painting and craft. Saputara is a hill station in the Dang district of Gujarat with several tribal artifacts on display. However, at this village, contribution in crafts is encouraged! Crack your hand at Warli painting, or even craft your own tribal object.
