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The oldest references to making of glass and items made from glass come from the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharat. The Mughal rulers gave an impetus to the craft of glass making. Glass items such as perfume bottles, tumblers etc belonging to this period were made in different shapes and decorations. The Mughals had a fascination for coloured glass.
The Mughals take the credit of introducing the art of glass engraving in India. Delicate foliated designs on glass objects, of this period reflects the high degree of skill of the craftsmen.The present day glass making industry in India revolves around making items like, bottles, bangles, beads etc.
Bangles are an integral part of the traditional Indian jewellery. Glass bangles of different colours are very popular amongst the womenfolk of the Indian plains. Women in the villages of this region wear red glass bangles, which signifies that they are newly married. Glass bangles continue to be in vogue, with innumerable colors and patterns.
Ferozabad, in Uttar Pradesh, is known for the production of glass bangles and utilitarian glassware. An entire community of skilled craftsmen is located here and is engaged in making high quality glassware.
India is world famous for glass beads. Banaras is the main center for the production of glass beads. Purdilpur is famous for its black glass beads.
Ferozabad produces fragile and lightweight glass beads.
Traditional ornate paintings from Tanjore, depicting deities are made on glass, using gold.
In the urban areas of India there is a rage for fancy glass products and decorative pieces like, ornate glass chandeliers and lighting pieces, glass sculptures, engraved crockery etc.
Glass painting and stained glasswork are becoming popular these days and are all set to gain the status of a unique urban craft. People in the metropolitan cities have developed the taste for decorating the windowpanes of their homes with murals made from coloured glass.
Indian glass industry caters to the daily needs of the consumers and is responsible for making of a vast range of articles such as, crockery, bottles, stylish beads, paper weights, glass pens etc. |
