Ratan Handicraft

If you go down Sanwla Ji Ki Gali in Chandpole Bazar you will find us. Ratan Handicraft is located at 3462 near Kalyanji Ka Rasta. It’s a very old part of Jaipur with very narrow lanes. You can’t even bring a car down here most of the time. We work in a small space that’s been in the family for years. We make traditional things using tools that have seen better days but still work perfectly. There’s a lot of sanding and polishing involved. The air is often filled with the smell of wood and varnish. We don’t have a big storefront with glass windows. It’s just a workshop where people can walk in. Sometimes we sit on the floor to work because it’s more comfortable for certain tasks. The neighborhood is full of other craftsmen too. You can hear hammers and saws from the next building over. It gets really busy during festival seasons. We have to work extra hours then to finish everything. My hands are usually covered in some kind of stain or dust. We don’t really bother with fancy advertisements. If someone likes what we make they tell their friends. It’s a slow process making things by hand. You can’t rush it or it doesn't look right. We take our time and do it the way we were taught. It is hard work but it is what we have always done for generations.