Lippan art-Clay relief work of Kachch

Gujarat, is always famous for its variety of handicrafts. Kachch a small landscape of Gujarait ,  getting its name from the Kachchho meaning tortoise.  Crafts of Kachch , are colorful and integrated with lifestyle. One such is Lippan work. The small circular huts of kachch are decorated with Lippan work-clay relief work.

Lippan work , sculpted using mixture of clay and dung. Geometrical figures, squares, triangles and circles are made using impressions of fingers and small mirrors are inlaid on these. Normally these are made by females in the family and fixed to walls and ceiling etc by the men in the family.

Lippan work decoration on wall

Once , Lippan work is made, these are fixed to the walls, partitions, doors and floors of the hut.

Lippan work on walls

Lippan work on walls

These intricate mirror works resemble the mirror embroidery on cloth. The circular huts of Kachch are called, Bhunga. Windows and doors are decorated with colors and mirrors too. 

Lippan art

Lippan art

The lippan work looks like stars decorated on a white sky, beautiful and intricate. These Lippan works can be replicated using a card board using maseal. I’m making one such soon will share about the Lippan work replication.

-Until then,

Love, laugh and live the life to the fullest,

Ranjana