Rajasthan Industries and Handicrafts: Districts and Crafts
Notes on the industries and handicrafts of Rajasthan for exams: Bhilwara textiles, cement, marble, zinc, copper, salt, blue pottery, Kota Doria and GI tags.
By GK24 Editorial Team· Published · 4 min read
Rajasthan is a dry state with little coal and almost no perennial river, so its industry grew on three things it does have: minerals, wool and cotton, and the hands of its craftsmen. Mineral based industry gave it cement, marble, zinc and copper; agriculture gave it textiles, oilseed crushing and dairying; and the crafts of its old princely towns gave it an export trade in prints, pottery, jewellery and furniture. Questions from this chapter are almost always about place: which town makes what, and which district holds which plant.
How industry is organised in the state
The Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation, usually called RIICO and set up in 1980, builds and runs the industrial areas of the state, while the Rajasthan Financial Corporation, which dates from 1955, lends to small units. The Rural Non-Farm Development Agency, set up in 1995, works for the wool, leather, handloom and stone crafts of the villages. The Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor crosses the state and has brought investment regions around Khushkhera, Bhiwadi and Neemrana in the north east and Jodhpur, Pali and Marwar in the west. Bhiwadi in Alwar district is the largest industrial town, Neemrana holds a Japanese industrial zone, and Mahindra World City near Jaipur is a special economic zone.
The large industries, district by district
| Industry | Where it is | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Worsted yarn and suiting | Bhilwara | Called the textile city of Rajasthan, a leading centre for suiting fabric |
| Dyeing and printing of cloth | Pali, Balotra, Jasol, Sanganer, Bagru | Hand block printing and large dyeing houses; the effluent problem is asked about |
| Cement | Nimbahera and Chanderiya in Chittorgarh, Lakheri in Bundi, Sawai Madhopur, Beawar, Gotan in Nagaur | Built on the limestone of the Vindhyan and Aravalli belts |
| Marble | Makrana in Nagaur, Kishangarh in Ajmer | Makrana for white marble, Kishangarh for the largest marble market in Asia |
| Zinc and lead smelting | Debari in Udaipur, Chanderiya in Chittorgarh, Dariba in Rajsamand | Hindustan Zinc; the ore comes from Zawar, Rampura Agucha and Rajpura Dariba |
| Copper | Khetri and Kolihan in Jhunjhunu, Kho-Dariba in Alwar | The Khetri copper complex of Hindustan Copper Limited |
| Salt | Sambhar in Jaipur, Didwana in Nagaur, Pachpadra in Barmer | Sambhar is the largest inland salt source of the country |
| Fertiliser and chemicals | Gadepan in Kota, Kota city | Urea at Gadepan; caustic soda and fertiliser at Kota |
| Petroleum refining | Pachpadra in Barmer | A refinery and petrochemical complex of a Hindustan Petroleum and state joint venture |
| Atomic power | Rawatbhata in Chittorgarh | On the Chambal, near Kota |
| Gem cutting and jewellery | Jaipur, with the Sitapura zone | Emerald and other coloured stone cutting for export |
The handicrafts and the places that make them
| Craft | Place |
|---|---|
| Blue pottery | Jaipur |
| Terracotta plaques of the folk gods | Molela, Rajsamand |
| Kota Doria, a very light woven fabric | Kaithun, Kota |
| Thewa, gold work fused on coloured glass | Pratapgarh |
| Sanganeri and Bagru hand block printing | Jaipur district |
| Bandhani and leheriya tie and dye | Jodhpur, Jaipur, Sikar, Udaipur |
| Ajrakh and dabu resist printing | Barmer and Akola in Chittorgarh |
| Usta or munabbat kari, gold embossing on camel hide | Bikaner |
| Phad, a scroll painting of the folk epics | Shahpura, Bhilwara |
| Pichwai, cloth paintings hung behind the deity | Nathdwara, Rajsamand |
| Kavad, a wooden shrine that opens in panels | Bassi, Chittorgarh |
| Lac bangles and lacquer work | Jaipur and Sawai Madhopur |
| Embroidered jutis and mojaris | Jodhpur, Jaipur, Bhinmal in Jalore |
| Namda, felted woollen floor covering | Tonk |
| Kathputli, the string puppets | Udaipur and Bassi |
| Handmade paper | Sanganer, Jaipur |
| Durries and pile carpets | Jaipur, Bikaner, Tonk |
| Stone carving | Dungarpur for green stone, Jaisalmer for yellow sandstone |
Prints, weaves and the geographical indication tags
Printing is the craft that employs the most people. Sanganeri printing uses fine floral blocks on a white ground, Bagru printing uses earth colours and a mud resist called dabu, and Barmer prints carry red and black patterns on coarse cotton. Bandhani is made by tying thousands of tiny knots before dyeing, and leheriya takes its diagonal stripes from cloth rolled and tied along the bias. Among the crafts of the state that carry a geographical indication tag are Kota Doria, the blue pottery of Jaipur, Molela clay work, Thewa art, Sanganeri and Bagru hand block printing, Makrana marble, Pokaran pottery and Bikaneri bhujia. A geographical indication ties a product to its place of origin, and the questions on it usually give the craft and ask for the district.
How the state supports the craftsman
- The Rajasthan Small Industries Corporation markets crafts through its Rajasthali emporiums.
- The Rural Non-Farm Development Agency of 1995 builds clusters for wool, leather, stone and handloom work.
- RIICO develops the industrial areas and the special economic zones, including the gem and jewellery zone at Sitapura.
- Jodhpur is the largest handicraft exporting city of the state, chiefly for wooden and wrought iron furniture.
- Khadi and village industry boards and craft fairs such as the Jaipur and Pushkar fairs carry the trade to buyers.
Exam Point of View
Every second question is a place pair, so learn the town with its product: Bhilwara with suiting, Kishangarh with marble, Makrana with white marble, Khetri with copper, Debari and Chanderiya with zinc, Gadepan with urea, Rawatbhata with atomic power, Sambhar with salt and Pachpadra with the refinery. On the craft side the examiner names a craft and asks for the district, or names a district and asks for the craft, with blue pottery, Kota Doria, thewa, Molela, phad, pichwai, kavad, usta and namda as the regular set. Geographical indication tags are asked as a list, and RIICO, the Rural Non-Farm Development Agency and the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor appear in the institutional questions.
Important Facts
| Textile city | Bhilwara, for worsted yarn and suiting fabric |
|---|---|
| Marble | Makrana in Nagaur for white marble; Kishangarh in Ajmer for Asia's largest marble market |
| Zinc and lead smelters | Debari in Udaipur, Chanderiya in Chittorgarh, Dariba in Rajsamand |
| Copper | Khetri and Kolihan in Jhunjhunu; Kho-Dariba in Alwar |
| Cement | Nimbahera and Chanderiya, Lakheri in Bundi, Sawai Madhopur, Beawar, Gotan in Nagaur |
| Salt | Sambhar in Jaipur, Didwana in Nagaur, Pachpadra in Barmer |
| Fertiliser and refinery | Urea at Gadepan in Kota; refinery complex at Pachpadra in Barmer |
| Industrial agency | RIICO, set up in 1980; Rajasthan Financial Corporation from 1955 |
| Craft with GI tag | Kota Doria, Jaipur blue pottery, Molela clay work, Thewa art, Sanganeri and Bagru prints, Makrana marble |
| Handicraft export city | Jodhpur, for wooden and wrought iron furniture |
Practice MCQs on this topic
Which city is known as the textile city of Rajasthan?
- A.Kota
- B.Bhilwara
- C.Pali
- D.Jodhpur
Show answer
Bhilwara grew into the largest textile centre of Rajasthan on worsted yarn and suiting fabric, with spinning, weaving and processing units in one place, and it is therefore called the textile city of the state and sometimes its Manchester.
Read the full explanation →Kishangarh in Ajmer district is famous for the trade in which material?
- A.Granite
- B.Marble
- C.Sandstone
- D.Gypsum
Show answer
Kishangarh in Ajmer district holds the largest marble market in Asia, where slabs from the quarries of Rajasthan and imported blocks are cut, polished and sold, which is why the town is called the marble city.
Read the full explanation →The zinc and lead smelters of Hindustan Zinc in Rajasthan are located at:
- A.Khetri and Kolihan
- B.Debari and Chanderiya
- C.Jhamarkotra and Kapasan
- D.Didwana and Pachpadra
Show answer
Hindustan Zinc smelts zinc and lead at Debari near Udaipur and at Chanderiya in Chittorgarh district, and it also has works at Dariba in Rajsamand; the ore comes from the mines of Zawar, Rampura Agucha and Rajpura Dariba.
Read the full explanation →Khetri in Jhunjhunu district is known for the mining of which metal?
- A.Lead
- B.Copper
- C.Zinc
- D.Manganese
Show answer
The Khetri copper complex in Jhunjhunu district, run by Hindustan Copper Limited, works the copper ore of the Khetri and Kolihan mines, and Kho-Dariba in Alwar is the other copper belt of the state.
Read the full explanation →Blue pottery, made of quartz and ground glass rather than ordinary clay, is the craft of which city?
- A.Jodhpur
- B.Jaipur
- C.Bikaner
- D.Alwar
Show answer
Blue pottery reached Jaipur through Persian and Afghan craftsmen in the Mughal period and was revived in the twentieth century by the artist Kripal Singh Shekhawat; its paste is made of quartz, fuller's earth and ground glass instead of clay, and the pieces are painted in cobalt blue and fired…
Read the full explanation →Kota Doria, a craft of Rajasthan with a geographical indication tag, is:
- A.A tie and dye print
- B.A very light woven fabric
- C.A terracotta craft
- D.Gold work fused on glass
Show answer
Kota Doria is woven at Kaithun and nearby villages in Kota district from cotton and silk yarn in a chequered weave so fine and open that the cloth is almost weightless, and the sarees made from it carry a geographical indication tag.
Read the full explanation →Thewa art, in which a worked sheet of gold is fused on coloured glass, belongs to which place in Rajasthan?
- A.Pratapgarh
- B.Molela
- C.Nathdwara
- D.Bassi
Show answer
Thewa is the craft of a single family line of Pratapgarh in southern Rajasthan, where a thin sheet of gold is cut into a pattern and fused on to coloured glass to make pendants, boxes and plates; the craft carries a geographical indication tag.
Read the full explanation →Molela in Rajsamand district is famous for which craft?
- A.Wooden toys
- B.Terracotta plaques of folk deities
- C.Lac bangles
- D.Felted woollen namda
Show answer
The potters of Molela, a village in Rajsamand district, make flat clay plaques in low relief showing Dharmaraj, Devnarayan, Nagaraja and other folk gods, which pilgrims from the tribal districts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh carry home to their shrines; Molela clay work carries a geographical indication tag.
Read the full explanation →Phad painting, the scroll painting of the folk epics of Devnarayan and Pabuji, is associated with which district?
- A.Rajsamand
- B.Kishangarh in Ajmer
- C.Bhilwara
- D.Bundi
Show answer
Phad is painted at Shahpura in Bhilwara district, traditionally by the Joshi family of chiteras, on a long cloth scroll that a singer priest unrolls at night while reciting the epics of Devnarayan and Pabuji; the figures are flat, in profile and in strong red, yellow and green.
Read the full explanation →Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan is important for the production of:
- A.Gypsum
- B.Common salt
- C.Soda ash
- D.Copper
Show answer
Sambhar, the large saline lake west of Jaipur, is the biggest inland source of salt in the country, where brine is drawn into shallow pans and left to evaporate; Didwana in Nagaur and Pachpadra in Barmer are the other salt works of the state, while most Indian salt otherwise comes…
Read the full explanation →Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Bhilwara called the textile city of Rajasthan?
Because spinning, weaving and processing units are concentrated there, and the district is one of the largest makers of worsted yarn and suiting fabric in India. Pali, Balotra and Jasol, by contrast, are centres of dyeing and printing.
Which districts give Rajasthan its marble?
Makrana in Nagaur district is the source of the white marble used in the Taj Mahal, and Kishangarh in Ajmer district is the trading and processing centre, with the largest marble market in Asia. Green marble comes from Udaipur and Rajsamand.
What is blue pottery made of?
Not of ordinary clay. The paste is made of quartz, fuller's earth and ground glass, which is why the pieces are fired only once and at a low temperature. The craft belongs to Jaipur and carries a geographical indication tag.
What is Kota Doria?
A very light open weave of cotton and silk made at Kaithun and nearby villages in Kota district. The square pattern of the weave makes the cloth almost weightless, and Kota Doria sarees carry a geographical indication tag.
Which crafts of Rajasthan have a GI tag?
Among them are Kota Doria, the blue pottery of Jaipur, Molela clay work, Thewa art, Sanganeri and Bagru hand block printing, Makrana marble, Pokaran pottery and Bikaneri bhujia. A geographical indication ties the product to the place that makes it.
Sources
- Rajasthan Economic Review, chapter on industry and mineral based industry — Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Government of Rajasthan
- Registered geographical indications, handicrafts and textiles of Rajasthan — Geographical Indications Registry, Government of India
- Indian Minerals Yearbook, state review of Rajasthan — Indian Bureau of Mines
