Exclusive Marble Inlay Work - Any takers?

Folks,

We do exclusive marble inlay work that is identical to the one present
in the Taj Mahal of Agra. bAsically this form of craft involves
inlaying of semi-precious stones on the surface of marble slabs to
create table tops, plates and other accessories. We have a website at
http://www.kashand.com and we will like to solicit trade and general
interest inquiries on the quality as well as the style of work we do.
A brief on Marble Inlay is presented below.

Thanks,
Nitin
http://www.kashand.com

Marble Inlay:
The exquisite art of setting semiprecious stones in marble known as
"Parchin kari" was first introduced in India in the 17th century by
the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. For centuries this traditional art
has been handed down from one generation to another within the
families of the great master craftsmen, who gave the world the
magnificent "Taj Mahal". Kashmir Handicrafts has continued this great
tradition with the same passion and flair since the last 30 years.
The company is a consortium of highly skilled master craftsmen who
create wonderful objects of marble inlay renowned for their
unrivalled aesthetic beauty and workmanship. The art of marble inlay
or "Parchin kari" was introduced in India in the 17th century by the
Mughals. The Mughals who were known for their great passion for art
and architecture brought with them many different forms of art during
their rule, which was the golden period of India's architectural
history.

"Parchin kari" was a little known art which was made famous by the
Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who envisaged the decoration of the Taj
Mahal (today one of the seven wonders of the world) by this exquisite
work, to fulfill the last wishes of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.


The master craftsmen who specialized in this fine art of setting gems
and semiprecious stones in marble came from Persia (today's Iran) to
decorate the Taj Mahal. So enormous was the vision of the Emperor that
it took 20,000 highly skilled master craftsmen 22 years to realize his
dream.During these years most of the master artisans had chosen Agra
as their second home, as Agra was the capital of the most powerful
imperial courts of the east and a great center for scholars and
artisans. Since then this exquisite art has been an integral part of
the cultural heritage of Agra, and has been kept alive by the
descendants of the great artisans who gave the world the mesmerizing
Taj Mahal.

The art of marble inlay is a traditional form of art which is confined
to the Muslim community of Agra. Work begins by careful planning of
designs, which is done by the "Ustad" or the master craftsman.

After a design has been chosen, the "Ustad" sets the colour scheme and
tonality of the design. This is followed by careful selection of raw
material (like various semiprecious stones and marble), which is
selected by the experienced master craftsman. During this process
special emphasis is laid on choosing various shades of semiprecious
stones to give the right gradation and shading to the flowers and
other motifs.

The selected stones are then shaped with the help of especially made
emery wheels. Each part of the design is shaped individually, which
requires a lot of patience. At times a single Magnolia flower may have
more than 100 individual pieces and may require about one week to
make.

Once all the stones are shaped, work passes to a different group of
artisans who specialize in inlaying the stone motifs in marble. Here
grooves are cut in the marble with a help of an iron chisel. The
grooves are made exactly of the same size so that the stones can fit
perfectly in them. The stones are set in the grooves by special glues.
This is followed by hand polishing of the marble article, which is
done with the help of a traditional polishing powder which is applied
on the surface with a soft, moist muslin cloth.

Finally the article is checked carefully for any shortcomings, which
if present are rectified before shipping to the customer.