Leather Animals of Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh is known for its leather animals. An armature in iron wire is prepared in the shape of the required ornament. Then dry grass is wrapped on this structure and tied with thread. The flour of tamarind seeds is mixed with papier mache and applied. Extreme importance is attached to moulding the anatomical details of the animal’s body correctly. A thin soft goat-leather piece is pasted on to the product to complete the animal. Natural colours are used and the animals are moulded in sizes ranging from miniatures to life-size versions.