mud art of Kutch
Posted by: DesignFlute on: October 8, 2007
Lippan kam or mud-mirror work
Lippan (roughly translated-mud washing in Gujarati language and the spelling should be lipan)
kam (is work in Hindi and Gujarati)
Lippan kam is a decorative art done by common people mainly women.
Lippan kam is done inside bhungas/mud huts in villages of Kutch, Gujarat.
Lippan kam is generally done inside the house but sometimes you can find it on outer walls too.
Generally harijan and Rabari women make birds, trees, animals, peacock, human figures etc in lippan kam.
It is done with a mixture of clay and camel dung. Now gum is used to stick mirrors.
Originality of lippan kam lies in adding no colour or only whites.(You may get few pieces of very colourful mud-mirror work in export houses online; exotic pieces but I won’t call it lippan kam!)
Small round, diamond-shaped or tringle mirror pieces are essential to lippan kam. Many a times mirror pieces are a little embroidered.
It is simple technique, anyone can do it.
Can you see slightly raised mud lines-spread with hands.
You just need to use the thumb with two fingers! ↑
See the embroidered mirror here ↑
I just love-love lippan kam.
All of you who go to Kutch, don’t forget to take photos of lippan kam (and don’t forget to send me all images!!).
(Not all photos are of good quality but I had to put all)
(images courtesy Llnosom on flickr, panjo kutch, hodka villages, travelblog, baps care, indi studio, my cuttings)
37 Responses to "mud art of Kutch"
October 8, 2007 at 7:46 pm
Amazing post Roma…
India is so rich in Art and Crafts….it’s so beautiful.
For people who can’t get their walls done in ‘Lippan Kam’…these craftsmen make then in smaller sizes and frame it.
Isn’t it lovely you can still bring in this art into your home in a smaller package;-)
Arch
October 9, 2007 at 1:42 am
RYC: don’t they just make you want to write everyone you know???
Thanks for your comment!!!
October 9, 2007 at 2:13 am
Bhavna,
simple, earthy and elegant! yes u r absolutely right!
As I earlier said I am mad about lippan kam!
October 9, 2007 at 2:18 am
Thanks Arch,
u mean to say craftisan from Kutch make it? Actually I searched the net and there is derth of any type of material. Do u know of a good place to buy it? Or If u come across a good link-info on lippan kam , please do let me know!
October 9, 2007 at 6:12 am
I have not seen this before, it is beautiful. Everything about it. What a nice way to ornament the home!
xo
Blue
October 9, 2007 at 9:15 am
hi roma,
these images are gorgeous. i especailly love the wide shot of the glistening wall. thank you for showing! 
October 10, 2007 at 4:27 am
I know of a friend who used to work with the women of kutch. Going down memory lane she had so many things to say but this is what I recall. The kutchis made these as part of their everyday living. the lippan kam is an antithesis of their arid environment.It is what brings color in their lives. It is part of their culture which indicates happiness despite misery and hardships of the environment and life . Very cheerful women their tasks like getting water walking miles seems to disappear when they sit down to entertain themselves. They do this in groups while they sing or chat, evoking a community feeling, at the same time producing works of wonder, for you and me to admire. Nowdays many ngos and the imperialist society have capitalised on their art while they get pittance. I was surprised to see some of these in the designer stores sold at ransom prices.
And since you asked – kutch is the best place to get it. And if you must know they have very good leather too – the distressed, old types. They have so many other things – Great art – folk stories drawn on their mobile homes, now seen in hotels – I saw them on rang decor posts. Their jewellery is done by their men ( – that is what I was told) great food, warmth and hospitality galore. My friend worked with them for a good 2-3 years.
I am sure you know all this and more.
October 10, 2007 at 7:03 pm
An.. rosh (its a beautiful name but) may I call you Aan,
Thank you so much for a journey down memory lane(courtesy ur friend)! having bookish info is a different thing.
And ‘ransom’ what an apt word! we have neither been able to devise a rule for a profit margin nor do we understand to pay real artisans.
The art & craftsof Kutch-rogan, aari, aabhla bharat-all is musical to me!
ps did u mean u saw lippan kam being sold for ransom?
October 11, 2007 at 6:20 pm
I apologize . Ransom is not the correct word. But would you call Indian scarves sold at $350 at a high end fancy store in manhattan.
and Ikaat dress sold by a designer at $ 3500
October 12, 2007 at 5:14 am
Dear Anrosh,
why apologize? I completely agree with you. Even I would have used the word ransom.
[...] had stumbled upon this site while researching for the post ‘mud art of Kutch‘ . The site has mud clothes which is a subject for completely another post (which I will do [...]
December 6, 2007 at 11:39 am
i required some people to carry out this work in mundra. can you sggest some names.
Hi Nirav,
I wish I could help you but…
Maybe you could ask Hodka villages (link in the post) people, they might be able to help you.-Roma
January 31, 2008 at 3:51 pm
now..comming back to lippan kam…i had seen this art in one of the parlours’ i went…put at the entrance,a huge piece…it was ‘marvelous’…i wonder wat that art was then…now am in africa i tired venturing into this art but in vain…i guess i will try visiting kutch to learn this art…pls leme knw if anyone of u have tried making this n was a success…
chow
February 13, 2008 at 3:15 pm
This is beautiful work – have just seen some examples in homes, a couple of stores plus the NID in Ahmedabad (am doing an residency at Arts Reverie here in Ahmedabad.
Off to Kutch next week to see the real stuff and feel even more inspired and excited after seeing your pictures – thank you! hopefully will have a go at making some. It never ceases to amaze me – the exterior of a place seeming so simple – it is like walking into Aladin’s cave. Will take lots of pictures and send through.
February 26, 2008 at 12:30 pm
it is really a lovely piece of work.awesomewould really like to stay in such houses
April 10, 2008 at 9:44 pm
do you know if any one can make this lovely piece of work on a photo frames
May 17, 2008 at 1:49 pm
thanking you for lovely graphics advertised for your side
now..comming back to lippan kam…i had seen this art in one of the parlours’ i went…put at the entrance,a huge piece…it was ‘marvelous’…i wonder wat that art was then…now am in africa i tired venturing into this art but in vain…i guess i will try visiting kutch to learn this art…pls leme knw if anyone of u have tried making this n was a success…
chow
May 25, 2008 at 12:52 pm
hii..kindly teach me mud mirror work for my wall how to design it…/
June 21, 2008 at 10:14 pm
pls tell me who can do lippan work in delhi. i want to get it done at my home.
July 18, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Hi, Kindly teach me mud mirror work for my wall how to design it.
July 22, 2008 at 10:10 pm
Hi, please let me know if i want to get done some lippan work at mumbai. Is there anybody in mumbai who does typical lippan work. Please let me know, even if you any artist who is not in mumbai also.
October 1, 2008 at 1:20 pm
hi
i am definately going to learn this art.i am kutchi nd staying in mumbai so recently when i visited kutch i got chance to see this beautiful art.thanks for such lovely pictures.
December 4, 2008 at 9:36 am
Fascinating!! Like so many others I would love to get information about the techniques. What kind of materials do we use if we were to try a project sitting in US. Love to create my own Lippan Kam.
February 11, 2009 at 11:19 am
it is simple technique ,anyone can do it………….as u say but please provide the technique
thanks
April 7, 2009 at 4:13 pm
i m really crazy abt this work i really appriciate this work i m also doing that work.iwant to know that if i do not use camle dung it willok or not?
August 30, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Hi ! i am Mrs Anju Ghildiyal staying at Pune. I make Lippan work, mirror work, glass paintings , mud paintings , water paintings on hardboard/ walls/ pelmets/ tables etc. my alternate email id is ganeshchandra13@gmail.com.
September 22, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Hi..All…
Please contact for mud work for office/home/marriage function etc.
September 27, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Hello Kalpesh and Anju
I would like to get Lipan-kam in my residence and need your contact and design pictures to see if I like something. How long does it typically take and can we customize the designs . Will you come on site to do it? or will you be sending me a panel that has to be fixed.
Need the design in about six months after some work is completed in my residence.
October 26, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Hi! I am graphic designer, anybody tell me proper method of mud mirror work?????????
November 7, 2009 at 5:18 pm
wanna do lippan art at my residence in bangalore….anybody has any contacts plz????
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October 8, 2007 at 5:51 pm
I have always been fascinated by lippan work (i used to use the layman term – mirror work)…had tried doing amateur version as part of school projects
These are beautiful images…such simple designs and so earthy and elegant at the same time..