Crafts Centers of India

Hyderabad- is the capital city of the state of Andhra Pradesh. The city of Hyderabad was the royal capital of the erstwhile Nizam rulers. Hyderabad is famous for its Char minar, traditional cuisine and pearl jewelry. Pearl jewelry and bidri work are the main craft traditions of this city.

Hyderabad is the main center for pearl jewelry in India and is famous world over. It is the largest center for pearl trading in the world and sells about 40-50 thousand kilograms of pearls per year. The erstwhile Nizam rulers of Hyderabad laid the foundation of pearl jewelry in the 19th century. Skilled craftsmen, do processing and grading of pearls here. After the long process of grading and processing of pearls is over they are strung together by skilled knitters or patwas, using silk or gold strings. Different types of pearl necklaces are made in Hyderabad. Typical designs being Satlada (seven strands of pearls set with emeralds, diamonds and rubies, Kundan Ranihar (pearl sets with enamel kundan work), and the regular Jugni sets (several strands of pearls with a central pendant) and many more.

Hyderabad is also world famous for its traditional metalworking or Bidri work Pouring molten zinc and copper solution into moulds creates Bidri items. The surface of the object is then engraved with intricate designs, to created grooves. These grooves are then inlaid with silver and polished. Finally the objects are oxidized, which makes the surface black. The silver inlay stands out, creating a stunning contrast, with the black background. Pots, hookahs, trays, bowls and a number of decorative items are created using this technique. The designs and patterns on Bidriware have a strong Islamic influence.