Regional handicrafts हस्तकला (hastkala) in India are popular not only for their regional  प्रादेशिक (praadeshik) uniqueness विशिष्टता (vishishtataa) and beauty, but they also make great souvenirs and gifts for travelers यात्री (yaatri) to take back home.

खादीis handspun and handwoven natural cotton cloth that was first made prominent by India’s leader of the non-violent movement, Mahatma Gandhi. Here is an informative article on the history and significance of खादी in India. A variety of clothing is made from खादी including tunics, shirts, sarees, and vests, among others. 

By Amitbsws – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,

Brass lamps come in a variety of sizes and designs. You can see large multilevel brass पीतल lamps at the entrance to the altar or by the inner sanctum in temples India; smaller ones grace religious altars inside the home, while small brass दीप are used in daily prayer पूजा (pooja) in homes and temples. In many homes, large, intricately molded and polished brass lamps are used as decorative objects.

 

3.  Silk scarf  रेशम का रूमाल (resham ka roomal) 

Weaving a silk saree. Image by Simply CVR on Flickr.com

Silk abounds across India, and you can find styles and textures unique to the different regions. Although you may not want all 6 yards of a silk saree, you can take home an elegant scarf or blouse in a regional silk of your choosing. Some of the most commonly known silks of India are Kanjivaram silks from Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, Chanderi silk from Madhya Pradesh, Banarasi silks from Banaras (Varanasi), Muga silk from Assam, Paithani silk from Aurangabad in Maharashtra, and Mysore silks from Karnataka, among others.

Bandhani fabric. Image by Piyush Kumar on Flickr.com

This tie-dye fabric is native to Gujarat and Rajasthan states in India, and is extremely popular for its vibrant colors.  बांधनी fabric is used in women’s sarees, tunics, pants, skirts, and also for men’s headdress पगड़ी (pagari). Here is a short article on the history of  बांधनी. This type of fabric is made of dyes that run in the wash, hence it’s usually a good idea to hand-wash it separately to avoid color mixing.