Jaipur or the Pink City, as it is known, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was founded by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, after whom the city has been named. Jaipur has a very interesting mix of culture and urban development.

The ancient architecture is beautifully conserved and gracefully blends with contemporary shops and cafeterias. The broad roads give way to narrow bylanes where karigars can be spotted working with crafts like bandhani, gotapatti, miniature paintings, blue pottery, silver and kundan jewelry making. ‘Gopalji ka raasta’ is one such lane in Johari Bazaar where most of the Kundan karigars live and work.


Conserved architecture of Jaipur city


Urban development in the city

Conserved architecture of Jaipur city

‘Gopalji ka raasta’, a lane in Johari Bazaar

Road signage

Streets of Jaipu

Bylanes of johari Bazaar

Bylanes of johari Bazaar

Bylanes of johari Bazaar

The entrance to one of the karigar’s workshop cum home

The entrance to one of the karigar’s workshop cum home

The entrance to one of the karigar’s workshop cum home

The entrance to one of the karigar’s workshop cum home

The entrance to one of the karigar’s workshop cum home

The entrance to one of the karigar’s workshop cum home

The entrance to one of the karigar’s workshop cum home

Kundan karigars at work

Kundan-Meena is a unique technique of making jewelry by encrusting gold with precious and semi-precious stones (Kundan work) on one side and the art of colorful enamel work (Meenakari) on the reverse side. There are four steps to making any jewelry piece:

1. Ghadayi
‘Ghadayi’ is the process of making the skeleton or framework of the jewelry piece. Firstly, thin gold strips are prepared from a rolling machine. These are cut, coiled, shaped according to the design chosen by (or given to) the karigar using small tweezers and fine tools. These are placed or ‘set’ on a wax board to exactly replicate the design and then soldered together to form one solid piece such as an earring or a pendant. The black residue on the piece after the soldering process is cleaned using mild chemicals and then dried. Lac is heated and poured into the creeks, which are supposed to hold the gems.

Thin gold strips being prepared from a rolling machine


Thin gold strips being prepared from a rolling machine


Gold strip being shaped according to the design


Fine tools and tweezers to shape the gold strips


Gold strip being shaped according to the design


Gold strip being shaped according to the design


Gold strip being shaped according to the design


Gold strips being soldered together to form one solid piece

Gold strips being soldered together to form one solid piece


Gold strips being soldered together to form one solid piece

Gold strips being soldered together to form one solid piece


Gold strips being soldered together to form one solid piece

Soldered strips being set’ on a wax board to exactly replicate the design


Soldered strips being set’ on a wax board to exactly replicate the design


Soldered strips


The pendant framework, finally taking the shape of the intended design

The pendant framework, finally taking the shape of the intended design

The pendant framework, finally taking the shape of the intended design


The pendant framework, finally taking the shape of the intended design


Lac that will be poured into the creeks, which are supposed to hold the gems


Lac being heated and poured into the creeks, which are supposed to hold the gems


Lac being heated and poured into the creeks, which are supposed to hold the gems


Lac being heated and poured into the creeks, which are supposed to hold the gems

The framework (without the lac)


The jewelry piece (with lac), ready for stone-setting


The jewelry piece (with lac), ready for stone-setting


Dumbbells used for holding the jewelry piece in lac


Dumbbells used for holding the jewelry piece in lac


Jadayi begins with thin, fine tools

A piece of silver foil being placed under the stones, making them gleam


A piece of silver foil placed under the stones, making them gleam


Stones being heated and placed on lac


Stones being heated and placed on lac


Stones being heated and placed on lac


Stones being heated and placed on lac


24 carat gold foil being made soft and malleable by hammering


24 carat gold foil being made soft and malleable by hammering



24 carat gold foil made soft and malleable by hammering


Pieces of the 24 carat gold foil


Pieces of the 24 carat gold foil being inserted between the stones and their mount


Pieces of the 24 carat gold foil being inserted between the stones and their mount

Pieces of the 24 carat gold foil being inserted between the stones and their mount


Pieces of the 24 carat gold foil being inserted between the stones and their mount


Pieces of the 24 carat gold foil being inserted between the stones and their mount


Pieces of the 24 carat gold foil being inserted between the stones and their mount


Pieces of the 24 carat gold foil being inserted between the stones and their mount


Pieces of the 24 carat gold foil being inserted between the stones and their mount


Pieces of the 24 carat gold foil being inserted between the stones and their mount


Pieces of the 24 carat gold foil being inserted between the stones and their mount


The foil being chiseled at an angle to bring out the fine details of the precious stones


Difference between an unglazed and glazed cup


Front and back of a Kundan-Meena earring


Parts of a Maharani-haar (royal necklace) that will be strung in a wearable thread

3. Khudayi
‘Khudayi’ is the process of engraving or etching the pattern on the front or back (or both) of the jewelry piece. Though most of the motifs are floral or inspired by nature, some are geometric as well. Exquisite engraving requires a steady hand, high precision and immense concentration. The gold dust produced during this process is recycled.


Engraving tools


Floral pattern being engraved on the pendant


Floral pattern being engraved on the pendant


Floral pattern being engraved on the pendant


Floral pattern being engraved on the pendant


Details of the floral pattern engraved on the pendant


Details of the floral pattern engraved on the bangle


Details of the floral pattern engraved on the bangle


Details of the floral pattern engraved on the bangle


Gold dust that will be recycled
 

4. Meenakari
‘Meenakari’ is the technique of decorating the jewelry with enamel. It is an intricate and laborious process. Mostly red, green, blue and white are used. Combination of these with the color of gold is called ‘Panchranga’. These colors are applied with thin needles or spokes in the engraved pattern.

The jewelry piece has to be fired as many times as the number of colors used. Firing could be done in an electric kiln or on the coils of the domestic heater using a thin iron mesh. This fuses the color to the gold. Once all the colors are filled in and fired, the piece is scrubbed with a filer to enhance the gold outline of the pattern. Then this is boiled with a mild acid for sheen and sent to the next karigar for stone-setting.

Enamel colors


Enamel colors


Enamel colors being mixed with water for use

Enamel colors (Desi Meena)


Enamel colors (Desi Meena)


The jewelry piece on which colors have to be applied


Color being applied with thin spoke in the engraved pattern


Design being stenciled with stains on a planter


Design being stenciled with stains on a planter


The piece being fired on the coils of the domestic heater


An electric furnace


The piece kept on an iron mesh after the first firing


Color being applied with thin spoke in the engraved pattern


Color being applied with thin spoke in the engraved pattern


Color being applied with thin spoke in the engraved pattern


Color being applied with thin spoke in the engraved pattern


After the firing for second color (green)


The reverse side of the piece with a transparent chemical that strengthens the jewelry


The jewelry piece being scrubbed with a filer to enhance the gold outline of the pattern


The jewelry piece being scrubbed with a filer to enhance the gold outline of the pattern


The finished jewelry piece, to be boiled with a mild acid


Some finished, some unfinished jewelry pieces, to be sent for stone-setting


Jewelry pieces that need to be scrubbed before being sent for stone-setting


Jewelry pieces that need to be scrubbed before being sent for stone-setting


The piece being boiled with mild acid for sheen


The piece being boiled with mild acid for sheen


Jewelry piece with complete Meenakari, to be sent for stone-setting


Jewelry piece with complete Meenakari, to be sent for stone-setting


Jewelry piece with complete Meenakari, to be sent for stone-setting


Jewelry piece with complete Meenakari, to be sent for stone-setting


Details of Meenakari of the finished jewelry piece, to be sent for stone-setting


Details of Meenakari of the finished jewelry piece, to be sent for stone-setting