Preserving Meenakari in Jaipur contributes to safeguarding Rajasthan's jewellery heritage

Sunita Shekhawat’s Museum of Meenakari Heritage in Jaipur spotlights India’s rich history through the ancient craft

Rajasthan's popularity as one of India’s foremost holiday destinations has attracted throngs of people from across the world. However, in recent years, the state has undergone a cultural renaissance of sorts, a resurgence that can be attributed to its capital city Jaipur's longstanding association with a variety of crafts and gemstones.

While the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation (PDKF) is dedicated to reviving heritage crafts of Rajasthan, Gauravi Kumari of the erstwhile Jaipur royal family—and Diya Kumari’s daughter—has taken a more youthful approach with her PDKF store, in collaboration with French designer Claire Deroo. Continuing in this vein, Kumari recently unveiled The Palace Atelier—a concept store within the City Palace that showcases locally crafted products ranging from fashion, accessories and home decor. Its bright pink walls and bookshelves are a testament to Rajasthan's love for colour, further echoed in eclectic establishments like Villa Palladio, Swinton House and Bar Palladio. Highlighting the city’s longstanding association with jewellery, 25 years ago, Sunita Shekhawat launched her eponymous jewellery label, where Jaipur’s affinity towards colour and luxury along with its expertise in meenakari was infused with a modern twist. In March, Shekhawat launched the Museum of Meenakari Heritage in Jaipur, through which she aims to highlight this intricate art form. Curated by jewellery historian Usha R. Balakrishnan, the museum is Jaipur’s latest cultural destination. 

Influences from the Past

"Rajasthan’s very arid, desert-like and dry environment could explain the state’s love for colours," says  Balakrishnan. "Colours gave life to the people and enlivened their spirits,” she adds. From the walls of the Pink City to the blue palette Jodhpur to the myriad shades of leheriya—colours are quintessentially associated with the state.

Colourful gemstones and jewellery have been synonymous with Jaipur for centuries, as the city became a hub for kundan and meenakari craftsmanship. “Geographically, Rajasthan was very critically situated. As it was the entry point for many in the past, there was a lot of fluid movement, especially during the Mughal period. The three Mughal capitals of Lahore, Delhi and Agra were landlocked, so their route to the sea was through Rajasthan, as a result of which there were a lot of ateliers set up here,” explains Balakrishnan.

When Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II established Jaipur in 1727, the Mughal empire was on its decline. He then invited craftsmen from all over India to relocate to Jaipur; they set up their ateliers here, spanning various craft forms. “Sawai Jai Singh wanted to make Jaipur the centre of manufacturing, craft and art. Several artisans had moved here because there was more work and patronage too. Jaipur-made items were gifted to the royal families of Hyderabad, Kapoorthala and Patiala,” says Balakrishnan.  

In addition to cross-cultural exchanges as well as intermarriages among royals from different states, Balakrishnan explains the local artisans would find new sources of inspiration from the trousseau of a royal bride, which included lavish textiles and jewellery.

At the turn of the 20th century, jewellers from around the world not only capitalised on commissions from Rajasthani royal families but also started coming to Jaipur to source colourful gemstones. “Jaipur is the centre of the gem-cutting industry so a lot of rough and colourful gemstones enter the city—they have skilled craftspeople for it. Many international jewellery brands, including Bulgari, come to Jaipur to source gemstones.” 

An Enduring Legacy

Despite the expertise in ancient jewellery-making techniques, India still lags when it comes to archiving and showcasing its crafts. India lacks not only museums with state-of-the-art infrastructure but also patrimonial pieces to display as exhibits. Moreover, jewellery can be a sensitive subject; purchases are often cash-driven, and with joint family units still prevalent, many aren't comfortable in sharing what they may have inherited.

Among multiple cultural nuances, India’s jewellery heritage remains largely invisible. “For 5,000 years we have had a tradition of jewellery and adornment. India supplied the world with gemstones for 2,000 years. Yet, we are the only country in the world where we don't have a national gem and jewellery Museum. Neither do we have a single international exhibition coming to India, nor have we taken a single international exhibition out of the country,” rues Balakrishnan. Case in point: India’s large repository of temple jewels—none of which have been documented, catalogued or exhibited. The Padmanabhaswamy temple treasure in Kerala is estimated to be worth about one trillion dollars and remains unseen by the public. “Culture is not important in the grand scheme for the government—this cannot be done at an individual level. There’s also very little patronage, Sunitaji being an exception,” she adds.  

The Way Forward

Shekhwat’s self-funded Museum of Meenakari Heritage becomes an important cultural destination for those wanting to learn India’s legacy of enamelling on jewellery. ‘Meena’, or ‘Mina’ (‘heaven’ in Persian), and kari (workmanship) is the art of colouring metal using enamelling and can be traced back to ancient Greece. Over the centuries, it spread to different parts of Europe, eventually making its way into Goa when the Portuguese arrived in India. Once Sawai Jai Singh established Jaipur and craftsmen from all over the country settled down in the city, it established itself as a hub for meenakari.

Spread over 2,200 square feet and located in a haveli designed by Studio Lotus, the space is divided into multiple areas. The ground floor houses the museum where each section focuses on a different facet of enamelling—from its history to its entry into India, the process, and the reproduction of archival pieces, culminating in Shekhawat’s modern colour palette. The basement is where her atelier is housed. The haveli itself is an immersive experience of the many elements that define Rajasthan—from the red Jodhpur sandstone that possesses weather-enduring properties to the lattice screens that create an interplay of light and shadows, a tribute to the Mughal influence on traditional Rajput architecture. Not to be missed are the hand-painted frescoes—typical of havelis across the state—in the rooms downstairs. The ‘Jaipur-Scape’ mural in the lounge is eye-catching for its colourful depiction of the city, as is the deep green of the ‘Khas Bagh’ motifs in another room.

“Our tagline is ‘Crafted for Eternity’; anything we make is made to last forever. So how does one  preserve it?” says Shekhawat on how the project came about. “Despite the commercialisation of the jewellery  business, we have been true to the craft. And there comes a time when you realise you aren’t going to be here forever—so what is left? Jaipur has given us so much, and this was a way of giving back,” she says. 

For Shekhawat, such a project could not have been possible in the early days of her brand. As a believer of lucid storytelling, she has ensured that at the Museum of Meenakari Heritage the text is simplified into digestible bits. Furthermore, visitors willing to shell out a substantial sum have the option to order the jewellery displayed, provided they can wait for six to eight months. 

The space boasts archival images from international museums including the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Al Thani collection alongside the recreation of 120 archival pieces with corresponding  imagery of the old artefacts. “The resources Sunitaji has poured into the museum project allows me as a historian to really delve into the subject,” explains Balakrishnan. She further adds that despite India being home to some of the biggest jewellers in the world, not many recognise the value in funding a project which requires research and documentation. 

At the museum, visitors can learn about various enamelling techniques such as cloisonné, champlevé, plique-à-jour and basse-taille. As you browse through the gallery, a video of craftsmen meticulously working on enamelling the jewels is screened. A particular wall stands out. On one side is an 18th-century sarpech—or turban ornament—believed to be a part of the collection of the Nizam of Hyderabad, recreated by Shekhawat’s artisans in gold-and-black enamel over three months. Next to it is another turban ornament from the same century, based on a drawing by goldsmith Terhaswamiran Naarayanuj of Jaipur. The wall depicts the distinct, historic decorative styles in both cities. While the Hyderabadi ornament focusses on diamonds on the front and enamelling with Deccan motifs on the rear, coloured gemstones take centre stage on the Jaipur jewel, with red-and-green enamelled floral clusters on the back. Creating reproductions of jewellery dating back several centuries was no easy feat, given that they don’t have access to the original ornament. “The karigars haven’t been to museums or seen the world. So, in a way, you’re narrating a story to them. And procuring gemstones also was challenging,” explains Shekhawat.  

Furthermore, 60 new pieces created by the designer are on display, showcasing a contemporary approach to meenakari. The colour palette includes lots of pastels and bright colours versus the traditional dark reds and greens. A very large, pastel-hued necklace crafted in gold with diamonds, tanzanite, and bright enamel inspired by the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul is exhibited at the entrance. Often referred to as the ‘modern meenakar’, Shekhawat has played an important role in modernising meenakari. Once, when the enamelling was hidden at the back of the jewellery , she brought it on the front. According to Balakrishnan, in Europe, early forms of enamelling were both on the front and the back of the jewel. As gemstones started pouring into Europe and new cutting techniques were being developed, the enamelling was displaced. Gemstones became prominent on the front of the jewels while enamelling was relegated to the back. “I felt this is such a precious art—why should we hide the enamelling at the back? Let's bring it to the front,” says Shekhawat. She has created reversible pieces and larger jewellery with detachable elements that can be mixed and matched, adding more value to the designs.

The museum also highlights Shekhawat’s efforts in training the next generation of karigars. “Preservation comes when you master the craft. I am not preserving pieces—I am preserving the craft.” She often lets young design students  intern at the brand where they can gain practical knowledge of the craft. She’s had the same team of artisans for 25 years and ensures they are well looked after. “ In addition to paying them for man hours, we also pay them a certain percentage of the total work they do. I ensure all their children attend good schools, as the idea is to elevate their thought process and lifestyle. Currently, my most senior karigar’s son will be going to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in Mumbai for a year and will eventually join my business,” says Shekhawat.  

For an art form to survive, it not only has to evolve but also be documented and preserved. It is only recently that archiving has become an important conversation among India’s creatives. For instance, fashion designer Tarun Tahiliani plans to exhibit his archives at a museum in Singapore in November this year. Last year, Payal Jain celebrated three decades in the industry via a retrospective in Delhi. Jewellery too is an important part of the narrative, and the Museum of Meenakari Heritage serves as an important step towards sharing India’s jewellery heritage with the world. “With meenakari, I traced the history and the art of enamelling. But Sunitaji, as a patron, is taking it into the future. So as a craft form, it has gone through a great revival—her contemporary aesthetic will set standards for it to endure,  and that it doesn't die out in this generation,” concludes Balakrishnan.

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