◆ Six Centuries of Craft

The Artisans Behind
Your Hamper

"When you receive a Mithas hamper, you receive more than sweets. You receive a story that has been told for centuries — through clay, metal, lac and stone."

🏺 Blue Pottery 🌸 Meenakari 🪬 Laakh Jewellery 🏵️ Kundan Work 🏺 Pokran Clay 🔔 Kansa Bronze
Blue Pottery craft piece
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Jaipur, Rajasthan 700+ Years Old Ceramic · Glaze Art
Craft Story 01

Blue Pottery of Jaipur

"Fired with Persian roots, coloured with Rajasthani soul — each piece is as individual as a fingerprint."

Blue Pottery is one of Jaipur's most distinctive crafts, instantly recognisable by its striking blue-green palette and floral motifs. Unlike most pottery, it is made not from clay but from a unique blend of quartz stone powder, raw glass, Multani mitti (Fuller's earth), borax and gum — making each piece non-porous, durable and uniquely beautiful.

The craft arrived in India with the Mughals in the 16th century, travelling from Persia and Central Asia. It found its home in Jaipur under the patronage of Sawai Ram Singh II, who encouraged local artisans to adopt the Persian style and infuse it with Rajasthani motifs — peacocks, lotus flowers and geometric patterns.

Today, only a handful of master families continue the tradition. Each piece is entirely handmade — shaped, painted with natural mineral pigments and fired in a kiln just once. No two pieces are identical.

Craft Facts
Made from quartz, not clay — one of the rarest pottery traditions in the world
Natural mineral pigments give the characteristic cobalt blue and turquoise colours
Single-fire kiln process at 800°C makes each piece non-porous
Recognised as a GI (Geographical Indication) tagged product of India
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage candidate
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Mix quartz & minerals
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Hand-shape the piece
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Paint with mineral pigments
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Single kiln firing
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Glaze & finish

In Mithas hampers, we include Blue Pottery bowls, decorative plates and planters — each sourced directly from Jaipur artisan cooperatives. The piece becomes a lasting keepsake, long after the sweets are enjoyed.

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Meenakari craft piece
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Jaipur, Rajasthan Mughal Era · 16th Century Enamel · Metal Art
Craft Story 02

Meenakari — The Art of Colouring Metal

"Where fire meets colour, and patience becomes beauty — Meenakari is painting on metal with the soul of Rajasthan."

Meenakari is the ancient art of colouring the surface of metals through the fusion of vitreous substances fused into the surface at high temperatures. The word 'Meena' derives from the Persian word for heaven — a fitting name for an art form that transforms plain metal into celestial beauty.

The craft was brought to India by the Mughal Emperor Akbar who invited Persian craftsmen to his court. Raja Man Singh of Amber, deeply impressed by the craft, invited these artisans to settle in Jaipur, where the art flourished under royal patronage. The Sikh masters, known as Sikhligar, later refined the technique using gold as the base metal.

Today's Meenakari artisans in Jaipur work with gold, silver and copper, applying enamel powders into engraved grooves and firing the piece multiple times — each colour requiring a separate firing — until the surface glows with vivid, jewel-like brilliance.

Craft Facts
Each colour requires a separate kiln firing — some pieces take 8–10 firings
Red enamel is the hardest to achieve and most prized
Patterns include peacocks, lotuses and vines — motifs unchanged for 400 years
A GI-tagged craft of Rajasthan

In Mithas hampers, we include Meenakari trinket boxes, coaster sets and decorative plates — items that serve a daily purpose while carrying centuries of artistry.

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Laakh craft piece
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Jaipur, Rajasthan Centuries Old Lac · Jewellery
Craft Story 03

Laakh — The Living Jewel

"Made from the resin of a living insect, shaped by human hands, worn as a badge of Rajasthani identity."

Laakh (lac) jewellery is one of Rajasthan's most vibrant traditional crafts. Lac is a natural resin secreted by the lac insect (Kerria lacca) and has been used in Indian jewellery for thousands of years. In Rajasthan, it is the jewellery of celebration — worn by women at weddings, festivals and religious ceremonies.

The primary communities making Laakh jewellery in Jaipur are the Manihars (bangle makers) and Lakhera families, who have practised this craft for generations. The process involves heating the lac until soft, moulding it into shape over a metal base, and embedding mirrors, stones, beads and glitter while the material is still warm and pliable.

Each piece is handmade and carries the maker's artistic signature — no two bangles, pendants or earrings are ever exactly alike. The vibrant colours — reds, greens, blues — are chosen to complement Rajasthani lehengas and saris.

Craft Facts
Made from natural lac resin — an entirely biodegradable material
Embedded with mirrors, stones and beads while still warm and malleable
Red is the most auspicious colour — traditionally worn by brides
Lakhera families in Jaipur have practised this craft for 300+ years

In Mithas hampers, we include Laakh bangle sets and decorative lac pieces — vibrant, festive and entirely handmade by Jaipur's Lakhera artisan families.

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Kundan craft piece
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Jaipur, Rajasthan Royal Courts · 16th Century Gem Setting · Gold
Craft Story 04

Kundan — Jewels of the Royal Court

"Born in the courts of Mughal emperors, refined by Rajput kings — Kundan is where gold meets glass in perfect union."

Kundan jewellery is India's most ancient form of gem-setting, originating in the royal courts of Delhi and Rajputana. The word 'Kundan' literally means pure gold — and the craft involves setting highly refined gold around gemstones, glass or lac to create jewellery of extraordinary intricacy and richness.

The craft flourished in Jaipur when Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II moved his court to the new city in 1727, bringing craftsmen from across Rajputana. Jaipur became the epicentre of Kundan work, and its practitioners — the Sonis and Paanchkalis — developed techniques that remain unsurpassed.

A single Kundan piece can take weeks to complete. The goldsmith (Sonar) creates the base, the lac worker (Lakhera) fills the hollow with lac to hold stones, and the gem-setter (Kundansaz) sets the stones with breathtaking precision — all without the use of soldering.

Craft Facts
No soldering used — stones are held by refined 24K gold alone
Involves three specialised artisan communities working together
Glass is used as a substitute for precious gems — indistinguishable to the eye
A single piece can take 2–6 weeks of skilled labour

In Mithas hampers, we include Kundan-work photo frames, decorative boxes and ornamental pieces — bringing a touch of royal Rajasthani court art into everyday homes.

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Pokran Clay craft piece
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Pokran, Barmer · Rajasthan Desert Heritage Terracotta · Clay Art
Craft Story 05

Pokran Clay — Earth of the Thar

"From the ancient earth of the Thar Desert, shaped by families who have spoken the language of clay for centuries."

Pokran, a small town in the Barmer district of Rajasthan, is famous for its distinctive terracotta pottery — made from the unique red-brown clay found only in this region of the Thar Desert. The pottery of Pokran has a characteristic rustic warmth, with hand-applied decorations using natural mineral paints and geometric motifs.

The craft is practised almost exclusively by the Kumbhar (potter) community, who have maintained the tradition across generations. What makes Pokran pottery unique is its technique — the pieces are built on a hand-turned wheel, sun-dried in the desert air, and fired in traditional wood-burning kilns that give the clay its distinctive terracotta hue.

Unlike mass-produced pottery, Pokran pieces bear the fingerprints of the maker — literally. Each piece is hand-smoothed and hand-decorated, making every item a one-of-a-kind creation from one of India's most remote and beautiful desert regions.

Craft Facts
Clay sourced exclusively from the Thar Desert — gives unique colour and texture
Sun-dried before kiln firing — using Rajasthan's abundant desert sun
Decorated with natural mineral paints in geometric Rajasthani patterns
Each piece bears the natural imperfections of handcraft — no two are alike
Kumbhar families have practised this art for 400+ years in Barmer

In Mithas hampers, we include Pokran clay diyas, pots and decorative figurines — pieces of the Thar Desert that bring warmth and earthiness to any home.

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Kansa craft piece
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Jodhpur, Rajasthan Ancient · Pre-Vedic Roots Bronze · Sacred Metal
Craft Story 06

Kansa — The Sacred Bronze

"An alloy born from copper and tin, Kansa has been considered sacred in India since the Vedic age — a metal that heals, resonates and endures."

Kansa (bronze) is an alloy of copper and tin that has held a sacred place in Indian culture since ancient times. In Ayurveda, Kansa is considered to have healing properties — food served in Kansa utensils is believed to be enhanced in nutritional value, and the gentle sound of Kansa bells is thought to purify the surrounding environment.

In Jodhpur, the craft is practised by the Kansara community — craftsmen who have been working with bronze for generations. The name 'Kansara' itself derives from 'Kansa', so complete is their identification with the metal. Their most distinctive products are small temple bells, which are used in household shrines and temples across Rajasthan.

The process is one of lost-wax casting (Dhokra technique) — each piece is individually cast, filed, polished and finished by hand. The bells are tuned by ear — the Kansara craftsman knows by the sound whether a bell has been cast correctly. A discordant bell is remelted and recast until the tone is pure.

Craft Facts
Kansa is an alloy of 78% copper and 22% tin — known as bell metal
Each bell is tuned by ear — a discordant bell is recast
Ayurveda considers Kansa utensils beneficial for health
The Kansara community in Jodhpur traces its craft lineage 500+ years
The sound of Kansa is used in yoga, sound healing and meditation

In Mithas hampers, we include small Kansa temple bells and decorative Kansa pieces sourced directly from Kansara families in Jodhpur — an object of beauty, sound and spiritual significance.

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