Lippan handicraft is a traditional fine art of Rajasthan and Gujarat's desert regions. 'Lippan' means 'to apply.' Camels, birds, trees, blooms, peacocks, and other nature-inspired motifs are depicted on the majority of houses using mud, thread, and mirrors. In this creative expression, gods and motifs that provide flourishing and harmony to households are ingeniously planned.

Mud and mirror work is mostly done by women from the Rabari ethnic group. The ladies are so skilled about this form of painting that they seldom draw or follow an example before beginning work. Rabari is a tranquil part of Kutch that lives on the outskirts of its cities. They live in a few clusters of public or family buildings known as Bhungas, which are designed and built to meet their practical needs in the harsh Kutch environment. There are no documents available to explore the origins of this creative manifestation. Lippan Kaam is a type of mud and mirror handicraft. Kutch is known for its traditional painting techniques. Chittar Kaam is another name for it. Lipan Kaam's origins remain a mystery. Different people groups in Kutch do mud-help labor and have their own distinct lipan kaam style. This makes following Lipan Kaam's foundations considerably more difficult. The origins of Lippan Kaam are lost in history, but the craftsmanship has progressed over time, with neighbourhood networks making a concerted effort to preserve this dazzling and lively tradition alive.

MOTIFS AND PATTERNS Adhered:

Rabaries present their everyday life as topics in Lippan Kaam. Peacocks, camels, elephants, mango trees, representative sanctuaries, exuberant ladies churning buttermilk, water bearing ladies, and other day-to-day activities of life in Kutch are frequently shown. Lippan kaam plans are almost often freehand drawings. Muslim folks, on the other hand, use mathematical examples as themes because using animals and human pictures is forbidden in their religion. The themes are drawn from well-known weaving patterns, and when the dividers are finished, they gleam with mirrors embedded in the mud work, just like the original weavings. The mirrors used are known as aabhla and are available in a variety of forms, including round, precious stone, and three-sided. These mirrors are visually appealing and offer a gleaming glow to the bhunga dwellings. Dividers, portions, roofs, entryways, specialities, and flooring all have elaborate mud-reflect work.

MATERIAL USED FOR LIPPAN KAAM :

Initially, camel excretion or wild ass waste was used as the major limiting specialist for preparing the batter that is mixed with dirt. Millet was also used from time to time as a substitute. The mud used in this project is really mud that has been entirely sieved to get tiny particles that mix well with other particles. However, instead of manure and millet, saw waste or chalk powder are now used.

Present Progress of Lippan Kaam:-

Lipan Kaam is commonly found in the Kutch in the form of smooth peacocks, camels, elephants, wealthy water-bearing ladies, pleasant buttermilk-stirring ladies, iconic sanctuaries, mango trees, and other examples of life. The lipan on the bhunga's divisions, parts, entryways, lintels, specialty, and flooring include complex bas relief motifs that include okli—surfaces created by the impressions of fingers and palms—and etched structures with mirrors. The Muslim people group is right to keep to accurate and eye-catching mathematical examples of lipan kaam; depicting the human or creature structure is deeply un-Islamic.The themes are based on well-known embroidered patterns, and once completed, the walls are gorgeous, with mirrors embedded in the mud work, much like the embroideries themselves.

What's Involved and How It's Done

Lippan Kaam often makes use of a combination made up of animal feces and mud or dirt obtained from the Rann of Kutch and the Kutch district's lakes. A batter is made by combining equal amounts of compost and mud. Mud, or soil, has a proclivity for clinging to the dividers of mud buildings. Previously, bajri or millet husks were used as an alternative to feces to keep termites at bay. When the batter is made, the 'piece of art,' which is usually a divider, is wet so that the mud in the help structure adheres to it. To begin, a barrier is created that acts as a casing inside which aesthetic themes are created. This line is known as 'kaam' or 'kaamtane.' The surface is divided into vertical and horizontal lines. On a surface level, the mixture is transferred into round and hollow sections of varying thicknesses and utilised to construct specific instances. Previously, large mirrors were shattered with stones, and the pieces were arranged in a fashionable manner to form repetitious patterns. The area was then formed around it using a mixture of mud and garbage. The beautiful painting is then coated with white mud or Rann sand when it has dried. Lippan takes days to dry and manufacture since each step is done by hand.

Reflections of various forms are now commonly used in themes. They're known as 'aabhla.' Mirrors that are round, three-sided, and made with precious stones are commonly used. In addition, MDF (medium-thickness fibreboard) timber sheets are now used as surfaces for Lippan Kaam, making the craftsmanship more compact. The mix has also undergone a transformation. The batter is comprised of chalk powder, sawdust, and dirt, as well as stick, rather than creature compost. The interface is simpler, the work is lighter, less prone to breaking, and it is also odourless. The use of modern materials has extended the life of beautiful art. It is more durable and requires almost little support, in contrast to traditional interaction-based handicraft.

MUD-MIRROR WORKS IN THE MODERN ERA:

With the passage of time, artisans have reproduced Lippan's meticulous work to make it useful for Indian modern house design. Now that the mud-mirror work is accessible in frames/wooden panels, it has found its way into modern marketplaces and online-stores, where it has found a home as a wall décor in homes and offices. These Ceramics become resilient, washable, waterproof, and non-breakable by replacing the pungent-smelling components (dung) with new materials such as chalk powder, sawdust, and the plywood or hardboard used for the foundation.

PROCEDURE FOR MAKING LIPPAN ART IN THE MODERN ERA

1. With a pencil, the design is sketched on a piece of plywood.

2. After that, the motifs are generated within the elevated border.

3. Clay is combined with water to make it flexible, then rolled into long strips and adhered to the pattern with a light adhesive.

4. The job must be done outside in the sun for around 4-5 days to dry.

5. To keep the lengthy pieces of clay from cracking while being added to the pattern, a little mist is sprayed to them.

6. After the design is complete, the mirrors are adhered to the proper surfaces with glue.

7. Lipan Kaam authenticity is found in a finished piece that is pure white or in shades of neutrals, while vibrant colours like red and green are occasionally painted on the dried clay work.

Since now you know so much about Lippan Art, try your hand at making this wonderful Lippan art at home. Take pride in our country's rich heritage and support local artists and craftspeople by appreciating their work.