Cluster Detail
Rajasthan     Alwar     Kathumas Block


A cluster is defined as a geographic concentration (a city/town/few adjacent village and their adjoining areas) of units producing near similar products and facing common opportunities and threats. An artisan cluster is defined as geographically concentrated (mostly in villages/townships) household units producing handicraft/handloom products. In a typical cluster, such producers often belong to a traditional community, producing the long-established products for generations. Indeed, many artisan clusters are centuries old Artisan.

 

 

About Kathumas Block Cluster:-

Kathumas Block Cluster falls under Rajasthan State in Alwar district.

The Kathumas Block cluster is able to form 300 plus Artisans & 20 SHGs supporting the strong work force. The mobilization gains momentum day by day.

 

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Stone Carving:-

The fine stone-carving or fragile jali work in stone is very typical of this area. Jaipur, Thanagazi, Kishori Makrana, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, and Dungarpur are the main centres. Well Ornamented domestic wares in stone is beautifully designed with lot of attention to the art and its elegancy. A special feature is the carving of the Sun God, not found in other parts of Rajasthan.

Special stones found here are sand stone, yellow lime stone, colored and white marble. One can enjoy screens with traceries, and luxuriously carved doors ornamented with brass motifs. The green-spotted copper coloured tamra stone found in is used in making images. Dungarpur has a soft shaded stone which turns black when oiled and is used for icon-making.

The stone craft of Rajasthan include marble boxes, wall plates, table tops, coasters, and ashtrays inlaid with semi-precious stones and mother of pearl in pleasing pietra dura designs that is derived from the Mughal monuments and paintings. Even the Gurara stone carvings, paperweights, and Rubic cube like candleholders, which take four different sizes, are considered as the intricate craftsmanship of the artisans of Rajasthan.

Apart from creating different articles that catch the fancy of the local people and the tourists as well, the artisans create exclusive items that are placed in the trendy house to suit the decorative purpose.



Raw materials:-

The base material of stone craft in Rajasthan is marble, gorara soapstone and occasionally cuddapah. The artisans of Jaipur sometimes use country made machines for cutting, grinding, buffing and polishing of stone. In some places the craftsmen still use chisel and hammer to bring out curved patterns and designs followed by grinding and polishing.



Process:-

The crafts person while working on the sajjar pathar first studies the natural design contains in the stone selected to work upon. The shaping is done thereafter very carefully with chisel and hammers. Water is sprinkled repeatedly to avoid heat generation. The stone is smoothened by rubbing with sand papers or file.

Dimensions of the figure to be manufactured are marked on a stone slab. Extra edges are removed from the slab by beating with a hammer. Big pieces of stone are cut vertically into smaller slabs, and rough sketches are made on it. The article is taken out from the slab with the aid of a saw. This slab is now converted in the form of the desired figure with a hammer and a chisel. Minor carvings are done by pointed chisel. A hammer and chisel do further smoothening. Before carving the stone is kept in boiling water overnight and treated chemically. This smoothens and whitens the surface of the stone. Polishing is done for the final finishing with sand or carborundum pieces. Several of the carved artifacts are painted. Others are fitted with the looking glasses, brass fittings etc.

In carving an image, the stone carver sketches a rough outline of the sculpture on the stone - block. The craftsmen, sprinkle water on the stone during the course of their work because of the friction generated due to the constant chiseling away of the unwanted material results in the tools heating up. Finishing is accomplished in a variety of ways from sand-papering, polishing with multani-mitti or clay, oil and cloth.

An outline is drawn on hard or soft stone which is already cut to the appropriate size. Once the outline is incised indicating the shape, the final figure is brought out by removing the unwanted portions. While for the harder stones this is done by chiseling out the extra material, with softer stones. This is done by scraping out the same with a sharp flat-edged iron tool.


Techniques:-

The main techniques are following below:-

1. Cutting
2. Grinding
3. Buffing
4. Polishing

 

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How to reach:-

Delhi is the nearest airport from Alwar, 163 Km away. Alwar is very well connected to Delhi, Jodhpur, Mumbai and other popular tourist cities of India by rail. Alwar is connected to most of the tourist destinations and towns of Rajasthan like Sariska, Bharatpur and Jaipur. Delhi is 163 Km away from Alwar.




About Implementing Agency



Rajasthan     Alwar     Sri Hari Krishan Shiksha and Sewa Samiti