Koftgiri Art - Rajasthan
Koftgiri artwork is done by thin wire of gold and silver on objects made of iron metal like daggers, swords, shields, dagger heads, sticks, etc. First, all the items are heated and excavated with a finely sharpened edge. They turn blue when heated. The style in which it is to be designed is outlined. It is now filled with a hair-like thin gold wire and it is heated and suffocated with a Hukki stone. The wire melts and the design looks beautiful from the outside. This is how Tula Koftgiri's art is done.
There are three main techniques used for Koftgiri art:
1. Deep inlay
In this technique, a required pattern is carved into the blade of a sword or knife. Then the silver wire is hammered into the undercut grooves using a hammer. This process is called inlay in which one cannot feel the pattern.
2. Traditional Koftgiri
A hard steel needle is used to draw a cross-stitch pattern on the blade. The drawing process is followed by heating and pressing with a polished Hakik stone. In the traditional Koftgiri technique, one can feel the pattern.
3. The Tula
In this technique, a pattern looks embossed. A gold or silver foil is hammered onto the punched or cross-hatch surface. It is more likely overlay art.
