Jaipur India is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan, and a place where many of our reclaimed home décor products come from. The unique character of these exotic pieces makes them great conversation starters.
Unlike many of the small rural countries our buyers travel to, Jaipur is a modern city of 1.3 million people, with an international airport, railways, and a metro rapid transit system.
And yet, our buyers found it is still steeped in tradition and history, evident in the many handcrafted products we buy. One of those products is handwoven baskets made from tuli and reclaimed cloth sari fabric.
Tuli is the top half of a type of grass called Sarkanda Grass or Sweet Cane of Haryana, a wild perennial grass that grows to a height of four feet. When harvested and dried, every part of the plant is used.
The long thick stems are used to make furniture, specifically garden furniture, while the outer skin is used to thatch roofs. Tuli is woven into a variety of baskets, and its feathery leaf (munj) is processed into sturdy ropes.
Once the grass is harvested, the tuli is dried to deprive it of any moisture. Then the tuli is coiled together to make a rope and heavy thread is used to bind the rope.
The rope is wrapped with reclaimed cloth from old Saris collected from around the region.
The cloth wrapped rope is then woven into baskets by the artisans. This working force is mostly made up of women of all ages. You will often see many generations of the same family working side by side.
This hand work is a matter of pride and the completed baskets are checked carefully for any loose threads or unraveled cloth.
Jaipur is a major center for arts and crafts. Its traditional shops sell antiques, jewelry, handicrafts, gems, bangles, pottery, carpets, textiles, leather and metal products. Jaipur is one of India's largest manufacturers of hand-knotted rugs.
And although it is a modern city, it is also rich in culture, color, and exotic characters. Monkeys roam free and camels and elephants are a familiar sight.
You will often hear music sweeping down the streets, accompanied by dance or Kathputli string puppets.
Jaipur is known as the Pink City because of the dominant color scheme of its buildings.
It forms part of the Golden Triangle, a tourist circuit which connects the national capital Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. As a major tourist destination, Jaipur offers grand palaces, stunning temples, historic forts, and Jantar Mantar, its famous equinoctial sundial.
Do you have some handwoven Sari baskets brightening up your home? We’d love to see them on Instagram at @southeasternsalvage or on Twitter at @SESHomeEmporium
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