Wood Lac Turnery/ Lac Abru/ Cloud Work of Kutch, Gujarat

Kutch is well known for its crafting of wood and lac turnery which is undertaken by a semi-nomadic community of lathe turners and carpenters called the Meghwals and Maniars. An indigenous lathe is used to turn and shape wood. It is then embellished with a vegetable colors and lac. Articles such as mortar and pestle, rolling pins, legs of tables and cots, cabinet and chests, dandia (sticks used in local dances etc are produced by the craftspeople. The tools employed for the crafting process are axe, wooden axle and lathe and iron bar support etc.

Lac is obtained from an insect called kerria lacca and is in a resinous state. Amidst the rich heritage of art and craft in Gujarat, lac is another popular craft that has been produced across centuries. It is mainly used to make jewellery such as bangles, earrings and jewellery boxes, along with other decorative pieces. Gujarat’s lac work on bangles is exquisitely embellished with various precious and semi-precious stones. They are famous for there embellishments and vibrant, exotic colours.