Despite their beauty and variety, the crafts of Himachal Pradesh have not received the attention they deserve, nor have they been documented in a comprehensive book till now. The picturesque and colorful people of Himachal Pradesh, known as Devabhumi–abode of the gods–have given expression to their innate urge for beauty in a variety of artifacts fashioned out of clay, wood, stone metal and natural fibers. This volume is among the first books to fill this need. Apart from fulfilling a functional purpose, these objects are deeply rooted in the soil. All the crafts nurtured by the people of Himachal – be clay toys, wood or stone carvings, metalwork, gold and silver ornaments, basket ware, embroideries, woolen fabrics or ceremonial paintings executed in keeping with the seasonal cycle – bear the stamp of the sensitive fingers and refined sensibility of their creators. The link between the sophisticated classical traditions on the one hand and the spontaneous rural art tradition on the other has been highlighted in the chapters devoted to each of these craft traditions. One is struck by the contrast between the Himachal people’s love of ornamentation and the simplicity of their lives.
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