Kalyana Karnataka · Deccan Inland Plateau
Silver-inlaid blackened bidriware — hookah bases, boxes, plates, jewellery
Buy where the blackening is done, not where the object is only sold. Ask to see the soil paste and the firing; a workshop that cannot show you either is a retailer.
Lambani embroidery on bags, jackets and yardage, bought from the women who stitch it
The centre that organised the embroidery into a marketed craft and holds its geographical indication. The difference between its work and roadside "Banjara" pieces is visible in the density of the stitch.
Khaddi jolada rotti and sajje rotti sold by weight, and chutney pudi by the tin
A small trade run almost entirely by women, supplying households that no longer bake and students who take a month's stack back with them. The rotti travels better than any other bread in India.
Gessoed and painted wooden figures, cradles and toys
A handful of Chitragara families in one village. Commissions for temple chariots and processional figures still form a share of the work.
Bidriware, Kinnal work and Lambani embroidery at fixed prices
The state handicrafts outlet — dearer than a workshop, but a fallback when a workshop cannot be reached.
Famous shops, markets and workshops in Kalyana Karnataka, and what each is known for. (5)