LUMINOUS LEGACIES
Jewellery techniques that are more than two centuries old have had generations of artisans for years working from behind the shadows. MOSAIC shines the spotlight back on the craft and the hands that create them
WORDS by ALISHA UVAIS
Callouts
‘Thewa is much more than jewellery; it is a living specimen of Rajasthan’s cultural heritage’ – Vinita Malviya
‘Our approach was to preserve the integrity of Gulabi Meenakari while reimagining how it is worn, understood and valued today’ – Manica and Deetya
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Diversity is India’s most significant brand. Every few hundred kilometres, the language changes, the food changes, the weave of a saree changes, and so does the jewellery. For centuries, artisans across the country have developed intricate ornament techniques that suffuse craftsmanship with culture, adornment with meaning.
Among this vast inheritance are the crafts of Thewa and Meenakari that deserve to be celebrated for their delicate storytelling. Carried forward today by two family-owned labels — Sonkanch in Pratapgarh, and Shahi Qala in Varanasi — both crafts are being deservedly brought back into popular light. Here are their tales.
RAJASTHANI REGALIA
Picture thin gold — cut so fine that it looks like lace — laid over a pane of coloured glass and lit from behind. The word for it, in the Rajasthani dialect it comes from, is thewa, which simply means “setting.”
The craft, as old as four centuries, comes from the small town of Pratapgarh in southern Rajasthan, where it evolved under the patronage of the region’s Maharawats and has been practised ever since by a handful of families from the Soni, or goldsmith, lineage.
In 2020, Amber and Vinita Malviya, together built Sonkanch, not only to preserve thewa but also to take it to a wider audience.
“The intricate craft combines gold, glass, silver, miniature artistry and storytelling. It is much more than jewellery; it is a living piece of Rajasthan’s cultural heritage,” explains Vinita, the Creative Head at Sonkanch, adding, “Thewa panels — thin sheets of gold cut with patterns representing peacocks, hunting scenes, courtly processions, or episodes from Hindu epics — are paired with meenakari enamelling, chittai stonework and jadau settings.”
Vinita’s vision also extends to exploring contemporary possibilities with the traditional technique so that the younger generation finds it relevant while being aware of the significance of preserving ancient traditions.
“Younger women are styling our pieces with both traditional and contemporary outfits. This proves how versatile these intricate techniques and designs are,” Vinita asserts.
VARANASI’S VIGNETTE
In the serpentine lanes of Varanasi, Gulabi Meenakari has lived on for centuries — on the back of a necklace, behind gemstones, known only to the person wearing it. When Rajputs made kundan ornaments (setting of precious stones in gold), their back carried fine enamel work. For generations, this placement kept the craft away from the spotlight.
Manica and Deetya Agrawal, inspired by their grandfather who spent forty years researching Gulabi Meenakari, are finally giving it a new lease of life at Shahi Qala.
“We built Shahi Qala to gently challenge that idea,” the sisters have said of Meenakari’s hidden status. “Our approach was to preserve the integrity of the craft while reimagining how it is worn, understood and valued today,” they add.
The duo played with silver as the canvas for the craft. Explaining the process, the sisters say, “Ground gold oxide is mixed and painted over a stark white base and put in a burning kiln. Out of the kiln emerge no identical shades — sometimes a blush pink, other times a deeper rose.” A Geographical Indication tag has further helped them anchor authenticity. But a tag alone doesn’t keep a craft alive, the sisters inform us. That is where they step in: Turning legal recognition into something felt and trusted by
the customers.