Origin: The land of Rajputs, Rajasthan is famed for its art, sculpture, and craft. The rulers of Rajasthan ensured craft blossomed in their era.  Around 250 years ago, King Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur invited sculptors to his kingdom to craft exclusive sculptures. Legend has it that only Brahmins had exclusive right to sculpture making.  Descendants of Rishi Atri, Brahmins were involved in sculpturing due to the religious importance. 

This type of handicraft was started in 11th century AD to 13th century AD. During the Mughal era, the art of marble figure saw it peak time. The palaces and temples of Rajasthan are made up of white and red marble. An illustration of the beauty and splendor of marble structure is Taj Mahal. It is completely made up of white marbles. The walls and ceilings of Taj Mahal are covered with writings of Quran engraved on marble. 

Ancient times have witnessed marble use in sculpture and architecture. The old forts and palaces in India have incorporated marble extensively. Most of the ancient temples and other holy places in India have employed marble in their construction. The walls of temples have beautiful carved marble patterns. 

Present Day: The art of marble craft is century’s old and transferred from one generation to another. Makrana and Kishangarh towns are popular for their marble mines. Jaipur is the heart of marble carving in Rajasthan. Centres like Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Ajmer are excellent examples of jali of marble. The center of this marble carving industry lies in the southwest quarter of Jaipur.

The marble artists of Rajasthan make beautiful, aesthetic and intricate design works from simple statues to severe collectibles. These handicrafts include figures of gods, chess board, decorative items, the animal statues, roman structures, other beautiful items. Jaipur marble articles are world famous for their elegance and beauty. They are famed for detail and deep carving of the sculptures. Detailing makes these items distinctive in appearance that further lends charm to the place they are put in. 

Procedure:  Creation of marble handicrafts is a tedious and skilled task. Firstly, the right stone or marble is selected. The quality of marble is checked by its density and whiteness. Less porous marbles are particularly used for sculpting and are expensive too. Then, the carver uses his imagination to carve a figure. At times, carvers refer to a model for inspiration. When the carver is ready to carve, the artist starts to peel off large unwanted chunks of marble. Tools used in the process are chisel and claws. A pointed and hefty chisel is used for the purpose of carving. This stage is called roughing out of the stone. The strokes are made with immense care as a minor miscalculation can ruin the design. Marble is a soft form of stone and thus the carving process has to be carried on with utmost care. 

Once the general shape of the structure is obtained, then tools are used to refine and define the work. These tools are generally used for adding texture. After this a rough shape of the final figure is created. 

Next, the carver uses tools like rasps and riffles to enhance the figure’s shape giving it its final form. Finally, sandpaper is used for polishing the figure whilst giving it a beautiful smooth and complete look.  

Bring Home Marble Handicrafts: You can buy marble crafts from different markets of Jaipur, Bikaner and other famous parts of Rajasthan. Also, different state emporiums stock marble handicrafts.