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Sanjhi art is such a delicate and precise work that not many can do it with a precision. Mohan Kumar Vermaji is a fourth generation craftsman and he says, “ Basically a temple art, it deals with mythological stories with special focus on Krishna’s Leela.” His family has been working on Sanjhi art since many generations and now Ashutosh Verma is helming the fifth generation Sanjhi craft. Ashutoshji is working with our Abhivyakti team and he’s an amazing young artist! He says that before starting any new cutting, he meditates and prays Lord Krishna. Ashutoshji has acquired Sanjhi art skills...

The beauty of Sanjhi rests on the skill of the craftman to cut the paper in such a way that it holds together yet allows the design to show beautifully. The cut patterns also create an interesting play of light. Using a special pair of scissors, the craftsmen work to create intricate patterns on paper. The most unique aspect of Sanjhi folk art is that extremely intricate designs are cut into paper without the use of any pre-drawn lines to guide the artists. Thus, it takes years of diligent practice for the artists to learn Sanjhi paper cutting art and...

Folklore tells us that the origins of this art form lie with Radhe, who made Sanjhi rangolis using natural colors, along with flowers, leaves and colored stones, to woo Krishna. The other gopis soon followed suit, also making intricate designs to impress Krishna. Sanjhi has been popular ever since, and during the Mughal period, contemporary themes were introduced for greater perspective. Today, Sanjhi art is found in many homes and spaces. It has been displayed in Delhi metro stations and was recently used for pictograms during the Commonwealth Games. To create a Sanjhi design, stencils are made on paper (mostly...