Jaipur Handicraft

Our workshop is tucked away in Ajay Rajpura House near the dharamshala. If you know the Gangapole area, it’s a bit of a maze but we like it here. There is always the sound of someone tapping on wood or metal nearby. We spend our days surrounded by fabric and bits of stone and tools. It’s not the kind of place where everything is shiny and perfect. There is dust on the floor and the smell of glue and polish in the air. Most of the people working here have been doing this since they were kids. We don’t have a big fancy showroom with glass windows. It’s more of a place where things actually get made. Sometimes we get visitors who got lost looking for the Ghat Gate and they end up staying for tea. We show them whatever we are working on at the moment. It might be a small carving or some cloth work. The light coming through the old windows is good for the fine details. We don't use big machines for everything because you lose the feel of the material that way. It’s quiet work mostly. When the festivals come, the whole street gets busy and we have to move our crates inside so the processions can pass. It's a simple life of making things with your hands and hoping people see the effort put into the stitches and the cuts.