Indian carpet industry: a study of handknotted carpets

A culturally rich and vibrant country like India is renowned for its artistic impressions. Every little object that touches the magical hands of its master craftsmen becomes an object d’art. The handicrafts produced in the country are of such high quality and craftsmanship that they enjoy immense popularity across the globe. They adorn the living spaces of both the masses and the classes. The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of the Indian handicrafts sector, especially the handmade carpets. The importance of this sector, in terms of contribution to GDP and socio-economic development, cannot be overlooked. However, this sector faces its own set of challenges. This paper focuses on the scope, opportunities and challenges faced by this sector. To give a better understanding about handmade carpets, two case studies-Bhadohi Carpets and Jaipur Rugs-have been taken up in this paper.