Jajaabor

वाह उस्ता, वाह!!!

THE ARTISANS OF BIKANER

IN BIKANER, BHANWAR NIWAS, ONE OF THE SEVERAL RAMPURIYA HAVELIS, IS HOME TO A RARE AND EXQUISITE FORM OF ART CALLED USTA ART. THE TERM “USTA” ORIGINATE FROM THE PERSIAN WORD USTAD OR MASTER IN A PARTICULAR ART. DURING THE TIME OF MUGHAL EMPEROR AKBAR, A GROUP OF USTA ARTISTS CAME TO BIKANER IN THE ROYAL PATRONAGE OF MAHARAJA RAI SINGH TO PERFORM DESIGN WORK AT THE FAMOUS JUNAGARH FORT IN BIKANER. TODAY, THE LAST OF THE USTA BROTHERS HAVE BEEN WORKING AT THE BASAVAN ART STUDIO IN BHANWAR NIWAS. OVER THE PERIOD OF TIME THEIR ART HAS EVOLVED FROM TRADITIONAL TO CONTEMPORARY IN AN EFFORT TO APPEAL TO A MORE GLOBAL AUDIENCE, IN ORDER TO SURVIVE. THIS SUMMER, WE DERIVE OUR INSPIRATION FROM USTA ART IN AN ENDEAVOUR TO SHARE THE STORIES OF THE LAST OF THE USTA BROTHERS AND THEIR ART TO THE WORLD.