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Crafts / Lippan Kaam

Lippan Kaam

State
Gujarat
Material
Clay · Mirror
Rarity
Rare

Walls that glitter in the lamplight

About

Raised mud wall patterns studded with tiny mirrors, made by the women of Kutch for their homes.

Lippan kaam, also called laipo or mud mirror work, is a form of home decoration in which patterns in raised mud are set with small cut pieces of mirror on walls. It is practised mainly in Kutch in Gujarat and in Sindh. Paint is sometimes added. Because the mirrors catch the light, it is also called glittering art, and in the evening the walls shimmer in the glow of a lamp.

The work is done by women, mainly of the Kumbhar, Rabari, Mutwa and Marwada communities. Rabaris are the pastoral community of Kutch, who live in clusters of round huts called bhungas. The work is mostly on the interior walls, though it is also found on the outside.

The mud plaster is both decoration and function: the clay, mixed with camel dung, helps to insulate the hut and keep it cool in summer. In recent years lippan has also been made on boards, in frames and on objects, so that people outside Kutch can decorate their homes with it.

How it’s made

Lippan is built up on a wall or board in layers. A smooth dough or paste is first prepared by mixing mud with camel dung. The wall is first smoothed, and the dough is applied to it.

The artisan shapes the dough, pressing it by hand into raised ropes, spirals, circles, petals and borders to make the pattern. Patterns may be sketched out first, though experienced women often make them freehand. While the dough is still soft, small pieces of mirror are pressed into it, in the centres of motifs and along the lines.

The finished work is left to dry in the air. When it has dried, the mud may be left in its natural colour, or painted white or in colour, and the mirrors are wiped clean so that they shine. The result is a wall that is rich in texture and glitters when light falls on it. Modern versions use clay, air-dry clay or plaster on wooden boards, with mirror pieces set in the same way.

Key features

  • Raised mud patterns set with small mirrors
  • Made by women of the Kumbhar, Rabari, Mutwa and Marwada communities of Kutch
  • Mud mixed with camel dung, which also helps insulate the hut
  • Often made freehand, without tracing a pattern
  • Geometric patterns, with figurative motifs in some styles
  • Mirrors pressed into the soft mud so the wall glitters
  • Also known as laipo, mud mirror art or glittering art

History

Lippan seems to date back some seven to eight hundred years, though there is no precise record. It is said to have been first done by the Kumbhar community of Sindh, who were potters, and to have moved from decorating pots to decorating the larger surfaces of the walls of homes. It is also believed to have started to brighten homes in a harsh and dry landscape.

Various communities in Kutch and Sindh practise mud work in their own style. Artisans of the Muslim communities generally prefer graphic, geometric patterns, because depicting human and animal forms is considered not to be in keeping with their faith. Other communities also use figurative motifs.

In modern times lippan has drawn the attention of designers and the wider art world for its intricate patterns, and has moved from village walls into galleries and city homes. The skills are passed on within the communities, and experienced women often work freehand, without drawing or tracing the pattern first.

Facts

  • 700-800 years An old tradition. The art is thought to date back seven to eight hundred years, possibly beginning with potters of the Kumbhar community of Sindh.
  • Camel dung A cool, strong plaster. The mud is mixed with camel dung. The plaster not only decorates the walls but also helps to insulate the hut, keeping it cool in summer.
  • Freehand Often drawn without a pattern. Women are so experienced that they often do not draw or trace a pattern before they begin.
  • Geometric Patterns without figures. Artisans of the Muslim communities stick to graphic geometric patterns, since depicting human and animal forms is considered not to be in keeping with Islam.

Market

From huts to home decor

Lippan is now made as framed wall panels, mirrors, clocks, name plates and decor items, often on wood or MDF with clay or air-dry clay, and sold by craft shops and online. True mud-and-camel-dung work on walls is a household tradition and is rarely sold. When buying, ask whether the piece was made by artisans of Kutch.

Sustainability

Mud, dung and recycled glass

Traditional lippan uses local mud, camel dung and small pieces of mirror, so it is low-impact and uses what is at hand. The mud plaster keeps the hut cool. Modern boards use clay and glass pieces; choose natural clay over plastic or resin mirrors.

Products

  • Wall murals: The traditional form on the walls of huts
  • Framed lippan panels: Mud and mirror work on wood boards for the home
  • Mirror and clock frames: Decor items finished with lippan patterns
  • Name plates and trays: Small modern objects

Words to know

  • Lippan / Laipo: The word for mud plastering and for the mud mirror art itself.
  • Bhunga: The traditional round mud hut of Kutch.
  • Kumbhar: The potter community; one of the groups that practise lippan.
  • Rabari: The pastoral community of Kutch, many of whom practise lippan.
  • Mirror (shisha): The small cut mirror pieces set into the mud.

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