CHANGES IN INDIAN VILLAGES:

HISTORY OF INDIAN VILLAGES:

India is a vast country with a majority of its total population living in the villages. The Indian society is predominantly divided into two divisions like the rural society and the urban society. Villages have always been an integral part of society in India. No specific timeframe can be mentioned about the conception of villages in India. However, the concept of village was not present there in the ancient period. The Indus Valley civilisation is so far known to be the ancient civilisation in India and it mainly comprised two cities of Harappa and Mohenjodaro. However, the concept of village seems to be absent during this era.

The history of Indian villages, in fact, goes back to the Vedic era when the kingdoms comprised a major city and several villages. The villages were a cluster of houses and the surrounding land was cultivated by the villagers. The concept of villages in India flourished during the late Vedic era or during the reign of the Mauryas. The Maurya Dynasty was founded by Chandragupta Maurya during 323 BC and the villages were a predominant part of the Indian social system at that time. The villages were administered in a structured way, through a Gram Sabha during the Maurya Dynasty. The religious and cultural scenario of the villages was primarily dominated by the Hindus,

especially the Brahmans. The caste system of Hinduism was strictly maintained during that period.

However, the social structure of the Indian villages changed drastically during the reign of Muslim emperors like the Mughals or Afghans. This period in the history of Indian villages saw the villagers being influenced by Islam and the equality for religious practice, among all parts of the society was also maintained. During the British period, the Indian villagers got influenced by the Christian religious culture and a rich diversity of several religions was seen during that period. The social structure in the Indian villages also changed accordingly with the change of religious and cultural scenarios.

The political scenario in the Indian villages has witnessed interesting changes from the ancient period to medieval period to the contemporary period. In the ancient period, the Indian villagers were not inclined to politics and they blindly followed the rules of their kings. This tradition of political unawareness among the Indian villagers continued during the medieval period also. However, the Indian villagers started to be politically aware during the British period. In the contemporary period, the Indian villagers are very much inclined to political activities and they also take active part in all kinds of political decision making process in independent India.

Walking was the only way of transport in ancient Indian villages. There was no alternative transport system for the villagers, until the vehicles like Bullock Carts, or Palkis, or Horse Carts, Boats,

Ships, etc. came into existence. These continued to be the principal means of transportation for a long period, till the end of the medieval period. However, the British rulers brought about a huge change in the transport system of Indian villages by introducing the busses, trains and other automobiles.

The educational scenario has also seen significant changes in the history of Indian villages. In the ancient period, the Indian villagers used to be taught the Vedic and other Hindu scriptures by the

Brahmans. These scriptures were the only means of education in the ancient period. The women also used to get education during that period.

However, the scenario changed during the medieval period, when the Muslim rulers put on restrictions on women education. The Indian villagers also started to learn about the Buddhist, Jains or Muslim scriptures during that period. The British era brought about a sea change in the entire educational system of Indian villages. They introduced English language to the Indian people and the missionaries started to propagate Christianity, through the numerous schools established by the British rulers. The British rulers also introduced different streams of education like medical education, engineering education, technological education, etc. This period witnessed a diverse educational scenario in the Indian villages.

The history of Indian villages presents an interesting occupation scenario, which has changed with time. Agriculture and

farming were the prominent occupations of the Indian villagers during the ancient period and the other occupations included doing clerical jobs in king`s courts or working as soldiers for the emperors.

The Indian villagers remained dependent on agriculture for several centuries till the British period. However, the scenario changed during the British rule with the introduction of several industries. The villagers started to move to the urban areas, leaving their traditional occupation of agriculture. They joined different industrial organisations as workers or labourers and found alternate occupation. However, agriculture is still the principal occupation in most villages in India.

The political scenario of the Indian villages has probably seen the most significant changes, so far. While the Indian villagers were politically unaware for most parts of the ancient and medieval period, they have now become very much politically active. They are actively participating in the democratic political system of India by casting their votes during general elections. They also actively take part in the local governance system in India. The history of Indian villages has also seen drastic changes in transport system. The Indian villagers can now avail almost all the modern means of transport.

The scope of getting proper education has increased in the modern times and the literacy rate in the Indian villages has also increased remarkably. The women in Indian villages are also getting enough scope to get educated in the contemporary period. The scope for getting into different occupations has increased for the Indian villagers in the contemporary period as well. Many villagers have

changed their occupation from agriculture to industry and have moved to the rural areas for getting into alternate occupation.

Apart from all these factors, the general condition of the Indian villages has improved a lot in the contemporary period. The electricity has already reached in most of the Indian villages and the villagers are enjoying the other modern technological advancements, as well. As a whole, it can be said that most of the changes that occurred in the history of Indian villages have yielded positive results for the villagers. They have also aided India to become more and more civilised and developed.

ADMINISTRATION IN INDIAN VILLAGES:

The administration in Indian villages can trace its origin back to the ancient period. The current administration structure in the Indian villages was built up by the Mauryan emperors several centuries ago. Since then, the administration in the Indian villages has undergone several significant changes. Different foreign invaders changed the Indian village administration according to their own administrative set-up from time to time. However, the basic administration structure of Indian villages was quite common in the ancient, medieval and modern period.

The Mauryan emperors introduced the Gram Sabha system for the first time in Indian villages. This system is considered the base of administration in Indian villages since then. The Gram Sabha in Mauryan period comprised a Headman and a few other members. The Sabha used to take decision about any issues related to the village and they enjoyed several powers. The decision of Gram Sabha was considered Law and the villagers were bound to obey the Sabha`s instructions.

However, though the Gram Sabha enjoyed supreme power, the Headman and members of the Sabha had to take some other matters into consideration while taking any decision. The religious customs and beliefs were one of the foremost among them.

The Gram Sabha could not take any decision that would violate the laws of religion. Apart from that, the Gram Sabha also had to take decisions considering the cultural aspects of the village life. As the caste system of Hinduism was strictly maintained during that period, the Brahmans used to enjoy most of the powers in Gram Sabha. There were no representatives from lower castes in the Sabha.

The administration in Indian villages witnessed the existence of the Gram Sabha for several centuries. With the course of time, the Gram Sabhas were started to be controlled by the Jamindars or Landlords. The Headman of the Gram Sabha was also bound to report to the Jamindars in certain occasions. During the medieval period, the administration in Indian villages saw the chiefdoms in existence. The Chiefdoms comprised the Gram Sabhas of a few villages and they were under total control of the Kingdom. The Mughals ruled India for a major part of the medieval period and hence, these changes were mainly brought upon by them. This administrative system continued to be in practice in the Indian villages till the end of the Mughal period, with little occasional changes.

However, the British rulers made some significant changes in the entire administration in Indian villages. The centuries old administration policy of Gram Sabha or local governance in India was demolished by the British rulers and they started to unite all the villages under one umbrella. They actually centralised the entire administrative system of India and hence, the Gram Sabhas or Panchayats gradually started to lose their importance. The British rulers also tried to

introduce local self-governments in the villages. They implemented certain general laws for all the local self-governments in the villages.

After Independence, the administration in Indian villages partially went back to the administrative structure followed during the ancient period. The Government of India decided to implement the local self-government system in all the villages of India where the villages would be governed by a Panchayat Committee. This committee was somewhat identical to the Gram Sabha. The difference is that the members in the Panchayat Committee are elected democratically through general elections and the adult villagers cast their votes to put their favourite person into the Committee.

The Panchayat Committee looks after all kinds of issues related to the village and also tries to establish law and order in the village. In contemporary India, the Panchayat Committees are constitutional bodies that enjoy autonomy in most of its activities. However, they are subject to contact the State Governments in certain issues and they actually work under the supervision of the State Governments.

Administration in Indian villages is considered one of the most scientifically structured administrative systems of all time. The administration was planned in such a way that people from all strata of the village society could participate in the decision making process. The ancient concept of Gram Sabha is still in existence in the name of Panchayat in the Indian villages. However, the Panchayati Raj System is more democratic in nature compared to that of Gram Sabha system, as the common men elect the members of Gram Panchayat in modern India.

VILLAGES OF UTTER PRADESH: The villages of Uttar Pradesh hold key for the economical, agricultural and industrial strength of the state. Uttar Pradesh is the most populated state in India and a major portion of the state`s total population lives in the villages. The villages of Uttar Pradesh are a kaleidoscope of diverse religions and cultures and have a dramatic landscape. The villages are located on the lap of the soaring peaks, or near the coniferous forests or along the flat Indo-Gangetic Plains. Some villages are located near the Vindhya Hills, in the southeast part of the state. The rich tradition and cultural diversity of the villages of Uttar Pradesh are unique and hence, it attracts numerous tourists from all over the country.

The villages of Uttar Pradesh are the ancient cradles of Indian culture as their history dates back to as early as the Stone Age and Harappan era. The villages also have mythological importance, as they are believed to be the area of activity of the great religious characters like Krishna, Rama, Buddha, etc. This rich cultural heritage is one of the most attractive features of village life in Uttar Pradesh.

The major religious communities living in the villages of Uttar Pradesh include the Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, etc. All the communities have their own customs and culture and they also celebrate different fairs and festivals throughout the year. The villagers speak in different languages out of which, Hindi and Urdu are the two most widely spoken ones. Hindi and Urdu are also the two official languages of Uttar Pradesh. Apart from these two, the villagers

in Uttar Pradesh also speak many native languages that include Awadhi, Bagheli, Bhojpuri, Braj Bhasha, Bundeli, Kannauji, Khariboli, etc. Most of these native languages are considered the dialects of Hindi by the common populace.

There are many governmental primary schools established in the villages of Uttar Pradesh to provide primary education to the villagers. The educational status of the villages is good and the number of school going children in the villages is also impressive. The students have the scope of pursuing higher education in the colleges and universities, mostly located in the urban areas. However, the governmental authorities are establishing new educational institutions in the villages, as more steps are required to be taken to further improve the educational scenario.

The people in the villages of Uttar Pradesh celebrate various fairs and festivals round the year. The festivals can be classified according to different religions like the Hindu festivals, the Muslim festivals, the Christian festivals, the Buddhist festivals, etc. The major Hindu festivals celebrated in the villages of Uttar Pradesh include the Sheetla Ashtami, Raksha Bandhan, Vaishakhi Purnima, Ganga Dashahara, Nag Panchami, Krishna Janmashtami, Ram Navami, Ganesha Chaturthi, Vijaya Dashmi, Deepawali, Kartik Purnima, Makar Sankranti, Vasant Panchami, Shivaratri, Holi, etc. The Muslims celebrate their major festivals like Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Adha, Moharram, Barawafat, Shab-e-Barat, etc. in the villages of Uttar Pradesh. The major Christian festivals include New Years Day, Good-Friday, Easter, Christmas, etc. and the most prominent festival of the Buddhists is Buddha Purnima. The Sikhs celebrate the festivals like the birthday of Guru Nanak, Martyr`s day of Guru Teg

Bahadur and Vaishakhi in the villages of Uttar Pradesh. Mahavir Jayanti is the principal religious festival celebrated by the Jains in the villages of Uttar Pradesh. The Kumbh and the Ardh Kumbh Mela are the two most popular festivals in Uttar Pradesh.

DEVELOPMENTS IN INDIAN VILLAGES: India is a land of countless villages.More than eighty percent of the Indian population lives in villages.That's why it is said that Real India lives i villages.So it is very important to give greater attention and concentration to them.

The backwardness and underdevelopment of the rural areas have attention of not only the planners,but all those who are keenly interested in the all-round development of India.It is a pity that even after 50 years of independence there are no sanitary conditions,no means of living,no provision for housing facilities.Efforts should be made on a war footing for the improvement of the rural areas.In this regard,the youth who are the future citizens of India,have a vital role to play.

The state governments and central government should come forward with new and useful schemes for the rural reconstruction and development.Most of the villagers are engaged in agricultural operations.But most of them have no knowledge of the modern techniques of increasing the produce.So the educated youth should guide and instruct them in the right direction.

Many villages still lack the arrangements for pure drinking water.Even though there are wells and ponds,they become breeding center for mosquitoes.As there is no proper planned drainage system,the stagnant water results in several water born diseases.

In villages some people grow vegetables and pulses.Some others earn their living by carpentry,weaving etc.The condition of the landless labors is very miserable.Most of them are either unemployed or underemployed.There is a large scale of illiteracy.There are no proper health and educational facilities.Moreover the villagers are born in debt,live in debt and die in debt.In order to prevent the youth from going to urban areas,the government should start cottage and small scale industries.Several farmers committed suicide because of the failure of crops.They could not return the loans taken from banks and money lenders.There should be some insurance facilities provided to save them.

In order to develop our villages some of the following actions can be taken.

1.Villages should be provided with good transportation facilities.2.There should be proper drainage,good sanitation facilities and electricity facilities should be provided.3.Governments should undertake village development programmes for rural uplift.The Janma Bhoomi programme and the Rajiv Pallebata programme implemented in Andhra Pradesh yielded good results.There has been a green revolution under the guidance of Punjab and Haryana

universities.4.Medical and government health centres should be started.5.Family welfare centers,technical training centers and rural banks have to be encouraged.6.The Government should provide credit facilites and supply fertilisers at cheap rates.7.There should be rural credit societies and land mortgage banks.

Villages are the back bone of any nation.It is necessary that the villages should be uplifted to higher levels.Most of the raw materials and food stuffs are provided in villages.So by developing them,the overall development of the country can be achieved.

OCCUPATION IN INDIAN VILLAGES: Different kinds of occupation in Indian villages reflect the base of their socio-economic culture. Since the ancient period, the Indian villagers have been involved in various occupations out of which, agriculture is the principal one. Apart from agriculture, the villagers are also involved in other occupations like fishing, farming, cottage industry, pottery, business, various small, medium or large scale industries, carpentry, etc. In the contemporary period, the evolution and advancement in different industrial and technological sectors in India have opened new job opportunities for the Indian villagers.

Agriculture, however, remains the principal occupation in Indian villages from the ancient period. The climatic conditions in most parts of India are suitable for agricultural activities and hence, India has become one of the leading producers of agricultural products in the world. In the changing time agriculture has been replaced by other occupations in different parts of India in the contemporary period. Other occupation in Indian villages includes the priests, carpenters, blacksmiths, barbers, weavers, potters, oil pressers, leatherworkers, sweepers, water bearers, toddy-tappers and many others.

However, most of the modern day Indian villages present a different scenario with villagers taking up the non-traditional occupations. They are involved in academics as teachers; truckers, clerks or getting engaged with various cottage industries, regardless of which caste or class they belong to. Different types of occupations are found in the modern Indian villages apart from agriculture or farming or the traditional occupations. The climate and location influence occupation in Indian villages to a large extent. In the villages of hilly areas, the principal occupations include agriculture and gardening. Several villagers in the South Indian states like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, etc. have taken fishing as the main source of income. This is mainly because of the coastal location of the states. However, agriculture is still the principal occupation in the northern and eastern Indian villages.

Another major occupation in Indian villages is the cottage industry. Cottage industry has emerged as a major source of employment in Indian villages over the period of time. Many villagers are involved in various kinds of art and crafts works. The villagers produce different types of handicrafts products and many of them are earning their livelihoods by marketing them. The occupations like artisan in pottery, wood, cloth, metal and leather have been in existence in Indian villages, since the ancient period and are found even in the modern times. Many Indian villagers are dependent on these occupations to earn their livelihoods.

The women in the rural areas, too are actively getting involved in different industries like matchbox and firework industries, Bidi making, agate and slate industries, coffee and tea industries, brick industry, construction industry, electronics industry, spice industries, etc. Among these, the Bidi, slate or brick making industries are the most well spread industries in Indian villages. Apart from these industries, the Indian villagers have also become sweepers and scavengers.

Tourism sector has emerged as one of the major occupations in Indian villages, in the contemporary period. Villages in most parts of India are endowed with natural beauty and have a rich tradition and cultural heritage. The rich cultural diversity in the villages attracts many tourists from all over the world every year. This has encouraged many villagers to get involved in various tourism related occupations. The villagers work as tourist guides or run different kinds of business in the famous tourist spots or even provide accommodation facilities to the tourists to earn their livelihoods.

The occupation scenario in Indian villages has changed mainly due to the changing economical scenario of the villages of India. The invention of new technologies has encouraged the Indian villagers to take up new occupations. Apart from that, decline in the fertility of lands in many villages has also forced many villagers to give up their traditional occupation of agriculture. Many of these villagers have moved to the nearby urban areas in search for alternative occupation.

1.FARMING: Farming or agriculture has been the principal occupation for the people in Indian village since the ancient period. Farming in Indian villages is the mainstay for a majority of the total population, as they earn their livelihoods from agriculture. The people cultivate various types of crops throughout the year.

The climatic condition in India is perfectly suitable for agricultural activities and has been one of the major reasons behind people choosing farming as their principal occupation. In ancient India, farming in Indian villages was highly dependent on the monsoon condition and hence, most of the crops cultivated during that period were monsoon type crops. In the contemporary period, the

dependency on weather has lessened with the advancement of irrigation technology and different types of crops are being cultivated in India.

People in Indian villages are involved with the agriculture sector in various ways. There are many people in Indian villages who cultivate crops independently in their own lands. They occasionally take help of others to do the farming. Another type of farmers in the Indian villages are those who do not have any land of their own. They help others to cultivate crops in their lands. In this way, these people are dependent on agriculture for earning their livelihoods. There are also many people in Indian villages who are involved in contract farming. In contract farming a person takes care of someone else`s land and cultivates crops in the land. He gets a certain portion of the cultivated crops at the end of the season as his rewards. This is a very common practice in the Indian villages. In this way also, farming in Indian villages is providing occupation to many people.

Another form of farming in Indian villages that provides occupation to the villagers is organic farming. The organic farmers mostly rely on crop rotation, crop residues, animal organics and mechanical cultivation to maintain soil productivity and farmland. The main objective behind this is to supply plant nutrients and to control weeds, insects and other pests. More and more people in Indian villages are getting involved in organic farming, as this helps a lot to retain the productivity and fertility of the land for a long period. Farming in Indian villages provides employment to more people than any other economic sector. The dependency of Indian

villagers on agriculture and the suitable climatic condition has made India the largest producer of milk, cashew nuts, coconut, tea, ginger, turmeric and black pepper in the world. India is also the second highest producer of farm products in the world. As a whole, it can be said that farming in Indian villages is the backbone of the entire economical structure of India.

2.FISHING: India is a land of water lands that include several rivers and seas. The rivers and seas flowing through and along with the border of India are home to a huge variety of fishes. Hence, fishing has been a major source of income for people living in the Indian villages for several centuries. Fishing in Indian villages is considered one of the major occupations for the villagers. People in the villages of the South Indian states like Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, etc. are mostly dependent on fishing to earn their livelihoods, as most of the villages are located along the coastal line.

Many people have taken to fishing in Indian villages as

the primary occupation. They catch fish from the rivers or seas and then sell them in the local market. They earn their livelihoods in this way. Most of the fish caught in the Indian villages are sea fish. The major marine fish caught in Indian villages include mackerel, sardines, Bombay duck, shark, ray, perch, croaker, carangid, sole, ribbonfish, whitebait, tuna, silver belly, prawn, cuttlefish, etc. On the other hand, the major freshwater fishes caught in the Indian villages include carp and catfish; the main brackish-water fish are Hilsa (a variety of shad) and mullet. A majority of the fish is marketed abroad and it brings a huge amount of foreign exchange to India. Fish and their products account for a significant portion of the total export value in India.

Fishing can be of different kinds like deep-sea fishing, inland fishing, ocean fishing, etc. Though deep-sea fishing is not done in Indian villages on a large scale, inland fishing has developed mostly in the deltaic channels of Bengal. In the contemporary period, the Government of India is encouraging the Indian villagers to take up ocean fishing as their occupation. People get involved with fishing as both full timers and part timers. The occasional fishermen are mostly those, who are usually involved with agriculture.

Fishing in Indian villages has been providing employment to many people since the ancient period. It is still one of the major occupations for the people living along the coastal line. The number of people getting involved with fishing is increasing day by day, in the recent years.

3.WEAVING: Weaving is an ancient art of making cloth and other fabrics and the Indians have been expert of weaving since the ancient period. Weaving is the process of making cloth, rugs, blankets and other products by crossing two sets of threads over and under each other. Weaving in Indian villages has been a hobby for several centuries now. Weaving has also become a major industry in the contemporary period. Weaving in Indian villages is done using threads spun from natural fibers like cotton, silk and wool and also using the synthetic fibers like nylon and Orlon.

The Indian hand woven fabrics have been famous all over the world since times immemorial. The ancient Indian cotton-fabric Muslin was considered one of the most unique creations of Indian weavers. India was also one of the major exporters of textiles to most parts of the civilised world in the ancient period. However, in contemporary India, weaving is not limited to cloth and textile products. It plays an important part in manufacture of screens, metal fences and rubber tire cord.

Weaving in Indian villages is considered one of the largest cottage industries. Several people are engaged in weaving cotton, silk and other natural fibres and not a single village can be found in India, where the weavers do not live. Various types of weaving are done in the villages of India. Some of the most popular types of

weaving in Indian villages include cotton fabrics, patola weaving, ikat fabrics, phulkari, carpet weaving, embroidery, sanganeri prints, chindi dhurries, batik sarees, himroo, hand block printing, etc. Different region of India is famous for different types of weaving. The villages of Tamil Nadu are famous for a special kind of weaving named Madras Checks. The ikat fabrics are the pride of the villages of Andhra Pradesh and Orissa and in the villages of Uttar Pradesh, the Brocades and jacquards are famous. The villages of West Bengal are famous for weaving the fabrics like Daccai, Jamdani, Taant, etc. and the villagers in Punjab are expert in weaving Phulkari. The other famous weaving styles found in the villages of India include Chanderi pattern in Madhya Pradesh, Baluchar, Surat tanchoi, Benarasi, etc. On the other hand, people in the villages of Jammu and Kashmir are involved in weaving the world famous Pashmina and Shahtoosh shawls. The villages of India are famous all over the world for producing the famous fabrics like mulberry silk, tasser (tussore), eri and muga as well.

Apart from weaving, people in the Indian villages are also involved in other occupations like dying, designing, etc. Weaving in Indian villages is one of those rare assets for which India can feel proud of.

4.TEACHING:

Teaching has always been considered a noble profession in India. Many people in the cities and villages in India are engaged with this profession. They have taken the responsibility to build the backbone of India, as education is the most important aspect in every sphere of life. The rural population of India receives education from the governmental and non-governmental schools established in the villages. The educated people in the villages are usually involved with teaching in these schools. Teaching in Indian village schools is considered one of the most respectable occupations. The teachers usually hold a position of respect and honour in the villages of India.

In the ancient period, teaching in the Indian village schools was done by the Brahmins, who had the Vedic knowledge. They used to teach the children about the religious texts like Veda, Upanishads, Ayurveda, Sanskrit literature, etc. They used to teach the students by keeping them in their own houses. This was called the Gurukul System. With the inception of Muslim era in India during the medieval period, the teaching pattern in Indian villages changed a bit. The Madrashas came into existence during this period and the children started to get lessons about Islam religion and Arabic literature from the Moulanas. The British period saw the establishment of missionary schools in the Indian villages where the teachers gave lessons about Christianity and English literature.

In the contemporary period, there are numerous schools established in the Indian villages to provide education to the children. Both primary and secondary schools are established in the villages. While most of the schools are governmental, there are many that are run and managed by the private organisations. Many people are involved in teaching in Indian village schools. The teachers in the government schools are appointed by the governmental authorities, while the private school teachers are appointed by the schools` management committees. There are also a few schools in Indian villages that are run by only one person.

The children get lessons about many subjects including the science, arts and commerce subjects. The children are also given basic lessons about agricultural science and home science in the schools. Teaching is a good opportunity for the educated people of the village to further nurture their education and build a well-educated society for a better future.

India has a high rural literacy rate among all the countries in the world. The teachers in the village schools are to be given the credit for this impressive literacy rate. Teaching in Indian village schools is being given more and more importance by the governmental authorities in the recent years. The government is also sending the young educated people in the urban areas to the villages as volunteers to teach the underprivileged villagers. All these are being done to further improve the educational status of rural India.

5.HANDICRAFTS:

India is one of the richest countries in the world as far as arts and culture is concerned. The Indian people are often involved in making high quality handicraft products. Different types of handicrafts are made in India and have earned significant popularity in the international market. Handicraft in Indian villages is considered one of the major occupations, as many people earn their livelihoods by producing different types of handicrafts.

Handicrafts in Indian villages are of different kinds. The major types of handicrafts are pottery, metal craft, gold jewellery, wood craft, shell craft, cane craft, needle craft embroidery, ivory craft, comb craft, glass craft, paper craft, sholapitha craft, weaving, silver jewellery, etc. All these types of handicrafts are considered major sources of income for numerous people in the Indian villages. The artisans create these handicrafts either at homes or in a cooperative basis or on behalf of any big concern involved with the marketing of handicrafts products. The village fairs, melas and festivals are some of the best places for the Indian village artisans to sell their products.

Handicrafts in Indian villages are made for serving various purposes. While some of the handicrafts products are made for daily uses, there are a few that are made for decorative purposes. Villages in different parts of India are famous for producing different types of handicrafts. While the villages of West Bengal are famous for making the handicraft products like Terracotta, Sholapitha craft, etc., the villages of Gujarat are famous for the products like brass and iron items, clay items, wooden furniture, embroidery, silver jewellery, dhurries, carpets, blankets, rugs, etc. The villages in other parts of the country are also famous for making different types of handicrafts products.

Handicrafts in Indian villages are practised since the ancient period. Handicraft is also a major occupation for the villagers since the ancient period. The governmental authorities in India are

encouraging people to take up handicrafts as their occupation in the recent years as the Indian handicrafts products bring a huge amount of foreign currency to the country.

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