Banaras Gulabi Meenakari Craft is basically an ancient form of art from Uttar Pradesh that has been practiced since its introduction for the superb designs and combination of colours. Meenakari, also called enamelling, is the art of decorating a metal surface by fusing mineral substances to it. Banaras Gulabi Meenakari is characterized by pink strokes on white enamel.
Unlike the vibrant enamelling in reds, greens and blues of Jaipur and Delhi, where the white enamel is left stark, the Varanasi craftsmen delicately add pink to the predominant white enamel. The motifs have, rather appropriately, been lotus blooms and buds.
Banaras Gulabi Meenakari is said to be brought in Varanasi by the Persian enamellists, who had come to India, around early 17th century. When the Mughal Court was at its peak, this enamelling style at Varanasi has attained the peak of perfection.
The process is often applied to kundan - articles of jewellery studded with gem stones set with a layer of gold foil between the stone and the mount on one side while the reverse is lavishly enamelled using the meena technique. The lustre of the meena, the enamelled reverse side, increases over time due to contact with the wearer’s body and clothes.
Banaras Gulabi Meenakari is the art of colourings or decorating a metal surface by attaching or fusing pieces of different mineral substances, over it. Meenakari is considered the most alluring and technical of all metal decorations. In the past Banaras Gulabi Meenakari was only done on gold, but presently it is done other metals like silver, copper etc.
Gulabi mina (pink enamel) is derived from gulab (rose) which has been popularly associated with the Varanasi enamelling style. It includes areas of painted enamel, generally flowers, executed in translucent pink on an opaque white ground.
From the prime age of this craft, the artisans were named as meenakar; who were involved in creating different Meenakari items. In addition to the jewellery and other items, the Meenakars create exclusive items that serve the decorative purpose
A special type is ek rang khula mina, in which single-color transparent enamel fills all engraved area, leaving gold outlines exposed around figural details. "Pachrangi mina"(five-colour enamel) is a special multi-coloured style of enamelling. The five colours used are safed (opaque white), fakhtai (opaque light blue) from fakhta (a dove), khula nila (transparent dark blue), khula sabz (transparent green), khula lal (transparent red).
The Banaras Gulabi Meenakari has a unique craft of this place where the person from generation are engaged in making of the following:
- Religious Figure of God & Goddess of on Metal silver and gold sheet,
- Various types of traditional ornaments and Decorative excellent items,
- Different type of motifs including flowers and birds and animals on gold & silver metal,
- Ornaments of God & Goddess with Gulabi meena work,
- Unique type of gold & silver utensils
GI Tag Registration Date : 23 March 2015
GI Tag Number : 397
Certificate Number : 225
Geographical Area : Uttar Pradesh
Special Cover Release Date : 13 October 2021
Cancellation : Varanasi 221 001
Type : GI Tag Cover
Cover Identification Number : UP/97/2021
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Enlarged View of Cancellation
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