Pachchikari artisans of Agra struggle to keep Taj Mahal's legacy alive

Once a thriving craft adorning the Taj Mahal, Pachchikari now battles low demand, poor earnings and fading interest among artisans, who seek government aid to revive the dying art

When one thinks of the Taj Mahal, what comes to vision is a dreamy structure of chaste white marble with a pleasingly perfect symmetry. Among the most important aspects of the mausoleum's architecture is the fine Pietra Dura or inlay work, said to have been brought from Persia to India during the Mughal rule.

 

For starters, Pietra Dura, locally called Pachchikari, is a marble art wherein pieces of semi-precious stones like cornelian, corals, agate, lapis lazuli, malachite and mother-of-pearl are inlaid into marble to create intricate floral and calligraphic designs.

 

These stones are meticulously cut and shaped into intricate patterns, often forming floral designs that appear to grow out of the marble itself. 

 

 

Pachchikari: A fading craft

 

In Agra's Taj Ganj, Nai ka Mandi and Gokulpura, artisans continue to produce tables, trays, statues, boxes and decorative items using the same techniques passed down for centuries. Most trace their lineage to the workers who adorned the Taj Mahal itself.

 

However, the financial returns are minimal besides a lack of market demand for the products. Furthermore, the process is time-consuming and challenges of mass production for the export market weigh heavily on the skills of labourers as well as the quality of the crafts.

 

Despite receiving a GI tag, the Pachchikari art struggles for recognition, and artisans face difficulties like inconsistent electricity for powering modern tools, forcing them to rely on slower manual methods.

 

What do artisans say?

 

Mohammed Zubair, 22, comes from a family of Pietra Dura artisans. From his dwelling house right outside the south gate of the Taj Mahal, he runs a small shop and a 'karkhana' (workshop), where this stunning art is brought to life. Marble pieces are chiselled, given shapes and then studded with semi precious stones, ready to adorn the homes and walls of buyers. 

 

A decade ago, the business was thriving. But the Covid-19 pandemic sounded a death knell. The Taj Mahal was shut, tourists vanished and business came to a standstill. Zubair says the biggest blow was the gradual disinterest of artisans in resuming work post the pandemic. For survival during the lockdown, most artisans switched to other professions and weren't keen to return as the profit margins were low.

 

Even now, things aren't rosy. There are days when most shopkeepers make no sales. Cheap, low-quality, machine made goods have flooded the market and the Pachchikari craft, which is exquisite and hence dearer, has been finding very few takers. By the accounts of artisans, conditions are deteriorating steadily, rather than improving.

 

Currently, there are over a thousand Pachhikari artists in the Tajganj area itself. They are all highly skilled but earn a meagre sum for all their hard work. The younger generation is also losing interest as they think the profession isn't lucrative anymore.

 

There has also been a demand to restore the entry facility from the south gate of the Taj Mahal (it currently offers only exit; entry was closed in 2017). This would ensure an increase in footfall of tourists in that particular part, benefitting shopkeepers and artists who have businesses there.

 

Keeping the craft alive

 

Artisans say that sustained government support can be a game changer. "If we're given incentives like the handloom sector, Pachchikari would become more popular and mainstream. Right now, there's no platform where we can showcase the art and hence not many know about the huge gamut of things that it offers. Promotion and promulgation are the only things that could breathe life into this vanishing art," says Zubair. 

 

Government patronisation, including a standard to ensure stable remuneration for artisans, as well as general promotion of Pachchikari may usher in a new life in the dying craft tradition. Schemes such as the National Handicrafts Development Programme (NHDP) and Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM-VIKAS) exist, but implementation gaps limit their impact. Stable remuneration, stronger market linkages, and official promotion could help Pachchikari find a place in the mainstream craft ecosystem.

 

For Agra’s artisans, such measures could mean not just financial stability but also the preservation of a centuries-old art that defines the Taj Mahal’s enduring legacy.