Paper Crafts and its Use

Paper came into use in India with Muslim traders. They brought the art of papermaking to India in the 11th century CE. The art was learned from Muslim rulers in Rajputana, Mughal rulers, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. It slowly and gradually displaced the palm leaf as a writing material. Today, there are many uses of papercraft and different varieties of handmade paper prepared from new and old rags. In India and abroad, paper is used as a raw material for making folk paintings, miniature paintings including those of the Mughal period, lamps of various types, photo frames, and several other crafts items.

Manufacturing of paper crafts:

• Factory-made: It’s composed of firmly packed & compressed rags, hay, hardwood, bamboo, and other natural fibers
• Handmade: It is done using pulp (procured from the bark of particular trees), glues, and leftover fabric from clothing makers

Paper Toys:

• Toymakers produce toys for children using materials such as paper, plywood, palm-leaf, mud, bamboo strands, pulp, and papier-mâché, as well as other recyclable materials
• They make kites, dolls, string-manipulated toys, shakers, trumpets, and moving toys, including certain wind wheels and exotic toys such as that of the leaping snake
• Aside from toys, Indian craftspeople use plain, white, and colored sheets to create a broad range of ornamental and functional things
• Paper Cuts: Intricate paper-cut patterns (Sanjhi) portraying various Krishnalila scenarios are created by craftspeople in the Mathura–Vrindavan region
• Stencil: A stencil would be a piece of paper, plastic, or metal with a design cut out of it used to apply paint over

Uses of Paper Craft in Different Societies:

• Tazia is embellished with flower motifs composed of coloured papers during Muharram
• Paper cuts depicting the ‘Tree of Life,’ protected by two cocks, are used in Poland
• Cut-paper flags with motifs of plants, flora, and a repeated border with triangles symbolizing masculine and female energies are used by the Mexicans
• Paper cuts have evolved into a rich individual popular art form in China, thanks to peasants. The ‘Tree of Life,’ cocks and hens, and other life symbols are popular motifs
• These are the few uses of papercraft

History of Papier-mâché:

• To make moulded shapes of a range of items, papier-mâché is employed
• It entails the embellishment of smoothened surfaces made of paper fibers or layers of paper
• In Kashmir, the Kar-iqalamdan papier-mâché tradition dates back to the fourteenth century
• Palanquins, ceilings, bedsteads, doors, and windows were all decorated throughout the Mughal period
• In the past, papier-mâché was used to create woodwork, particularly windows, internal walls, ceilings, and furnishings. As an example,
  • Madin Sahib Mosque’s dome (1444)
  • The Shah Hamdan Mosque in Fateh Kadal has a beautiful ceiling
  • Mughal Gardens at Srinagar’s Shalimar
• Ancient European travelers found Papier-mâché in the late 1700s

Papier-mâché in India:

• Kashmir: Composing table sets, dressing table goods, boxes, bowls, bracelets, lampstands, flower pots, mugs, containers, wall plaques, ceiling tiles, picture frames, and cabinets are among the many papier-mâché products manufactured
• The hazara (thousand) design, which portrays every imaginable flower on the tiniest items, and gulandergul, or ‘flower inside a flower,’ are the most well-known
• Birds like the kingfisher and bulbul are common

• Madhya Pradesh: Human figures, insects, mammals, cartoons, deity and goddess sculptures, and Khajuraho and Sanchi models have all been discovered. Gwalior, Ujjain, Indore, and Harda are central aspects of this craft
• Rajasthan: It is an ancient craft with many artisans in Jaipur
• Animals and birds, notably cocks, parrots, and pigeons, are among the goods
• Banasthali also produces papier-mâché bowls
• Orissa: In Orissa, papiermâché folk toys with detachable or hinged components, such as nodding tigers or elephants, ancient men, and women with humorous expressions, are manufactured
• Masks of well-known legendary figures are also produced
• Puri, Cuttack, and Ganjam are the centers of such craft
• Bihar: Women from the Madhubani and Darbhanga districts create papier-mâché figures and many types of birds 
• Kerala: Many figures modeled on Kathakali and temple forms are made from the paper pulp by trained painters in Kozhikode. Animal and bird representations are also created in a lively manner
• West Bengal: The artisans create a variety of legendary persona masks used by Chhau performers in both Orissa and West Bengal during cultural festivals

Conclusion

Papercraft provides aesthetic, educational, and therapeutic benefits. Because it is so accessible, this art genre is especially popular with youngsters. It improves geometric comprehension, problem-solving abilities, multicultural awareness, and teaches patience and following directions. Perhaps most significantly, paper craft can be used to express emotions and have fun.