Pacchikari or inlay of semi – precious stones – agate, turquoise, cornelia, gasper, bloodstone, mother of pearl, melacite, lapis lazuli, black onyx on marble is done in Agra. The inspiration for the craft is the pietra dura work brought to India from Persia in the 17th century. Large and small items are made in Agra. In Jodhpur, inlay is done on yellow jaisalmer stone and tables, fountains, bird baths etc are made.
Overview of Techniques involved
1. Sourcing and Transporting raw materials and raw material preparation
- Base, inlay stones
- Trims and accessories
2. Design preparation and Transferring
- The carefully planned design is finalized & cut in a brass sheet & then traced on the marble.
3. Handcutting and shaping
- Depending on the design, the colored stones are cut and sliced into different shapes separately.
- They are finely shaped with the emery wheel. Each part of the design is shaped individually.
4. Inlay work
- Once all the stones are shaped, work passes to a different group of artisans who specialize in inlaying the stone. Here grooves are cut in the base using an iron chisel. The shaped stones are then glued into these grooves.
5. Hand polishing & finishing
- After it dries off, the whole product is hand polished and finished.
6. Checking
- Finally the article is checked carefully for any shortcomings, which if present are rectified.