Kota Doria Development Hadauti FoundationKaithun, Kota
Kota Doria saris certified under the geographical indication
The registered proprietor of the Kota Doria GI, and the right place to establish that a sari is handloom and from here rather than a powerloom imitation from elsewhere.
The Kaithun weaver householdsKaithun, Kota
Kota Doria woven on pit looms in the house
Weaving here is largely done by women at looms set into the floor. Buying at the loom removes several margins; it also means seeing the khat count being made rather than being told about it.
RajasthaliKota and Jaipur
State handicraft emporium — Kota Doria, blue pottery, stone and brass
Fixed prices and provenance labelling, which is the reason to use it rather than the range.
The kachori stalls of Rampura and GumanpuraKota
Kota kachori with tamarind and green chutney
A morning trade — the good ones sell out by mid-day and do not reheat.
Ramganjmandi krishi upaj mandiRamganjmandi, Kota
Whole coriander seed, sold by the sack
One of the largest coriander markets in India, and where most Hadoti households still buy the year's seed to grind at home.
The Kota stone yards at Ramganjmandi and SuketRamganjmandi, Kota
Cut and hand-dressed Kota limestone
Worth stopping at to see the stone split along its bedding planes by hand before it is polished — the floors of a very large share of Indian public buildings start here.
The painters below Bundi's GarhBundi
Miniature painting in the Bundi manner on paper and on old ledger sheets
A handful of workshops in the lanes under the palace. Quality varies enormously; ask to see the artist's own brushwork rather than a folio, and expect honest copies rather than antiques.