Meenakari: Revisiting The Iconic Art

Nestled in the heart of the vast deserts of Rajasthan, one can find the epicentre of the vibrant craft of Meenakari. As you traverse the craft-dotted landscape that enriches this country, you’ll witness a grand spectacle of vivid colours and magnificent designs. Although one can observe that the craft of Meenakari is almost a staple in every household in Rajasthan, the age-old art of enamelling did not originate here. Sir John Chardin, a 17th-century French jeweller and traveller, makes a reference to an enamel work of Iran, which comprised a pattern of birds and animals on a floral background in light blue, green, yellow, and red. “Meenakari was primarily used for architecture, which was then introduced to India by the Mughal invaders. Fascinated by the beauty of and the skill spent on this art, Raja Man Singh of Amber played a great role in shaping Jaipur as the hub of Meenakari by bringing skilled artisans from Lahore,” explains Chitwan D. Malhotra, lead designer and founder of Dillano Luxurious Jewels.

The process of making Meenakari artefacts remains the same till date, going through the same line up of craftsmen. “The traditional process begins with the designer (chitera), who prepares the design. Common motifs include natural elements such as birds, animals and owers. It then moves on to the goldsmith who is responsible for designing the layout (sadjayi) and making the framework (ghadayi) of the article and structure of the piece,” says Sunita Shekhawat, who explains the intricate processes involved in the art form. The third step is when the enamellist (meenakar) puts the powdered mixture of glass and metal onto the engraved part which then oxidises. It is then put in a furnace to melt so it spreads completely in the engraved part. In the last step, the polisher polishes the excess colour (meena) to make it even. “A true connoisseur will also want to know the age of the jewellery piece along with how many colours are used to determine its value,” points out Tanya Rastogi, director at Lala Jugal Kishore Jewellers. Traditionally, the vibrant art form of Meenakari was done on the back of jewellery pieces. Jewellery designer Pooja Nigam explains, “The idea was to create a piece of jewellery that was beautiful inside out, but over a period of time it gave birth to the idea of reversible jewellery, adding to the versatility of the craft. My collection has a lot of pieces with Meenakari in the front and pieces that are reversible. It’s a beautiful form where you can showcase the intricacies of a design.”