Traveling through the central Indian plains, I discovered the unique art of gourd crafts—handmade items carved from various gourds. This craft is also a global phenomenon. Research suggests gourds are the oldest domesticated plants, and as you travel further into rural villages, they can often be seen hanging from huts. Farmers use them to conserve and store seeds, promoting seed sovereignty. The diversification into urban-friendly crafts is relatively recent. Farmers traditionally used gourds as vegetables and water containers, their natural properties keeping water cool during long journeys.
In Madhya Pradesh, I encountered eco-friendly loofahs made from the delicious Gilki or Torai, also known as sponge gourds. Once matured and dried, these gourds that grow on vines transform into useful household items. Artisans and farmers in Tamil Nadu, and organisations like Meghalayan Age in Delhi and Krishi Kala in Karnataka support these gourd crafts, empowering women artisans to create colourful vases, jewellery, lamps, birdhouses, magazine holders, utensils, and even musical instruments like sitars and tamburis. Art from gourds strengthens the intangible cultural heritage they signify.
In Bastar, Chhattisgarh, gourds are crafted into Tuma or Tumba lamps, often paired with Dhokra crafts. Varieties of “ghiya” (bottle gourd) and pumpkins are intricately carved to create stunning lamp décor and lanterns. Jagatram Dewangan, an award-winning artist making Tuma lamps since 2005, stressed the need for government support, particularly in packaging, as local sales are usually low and artisans have to travel to cities to showcase these. His main income comes from exhibitions and fairs––like Saras and Surajkund––where he showcases his work. He has trained over 100 women and sources gourds from farmers who intercrop them with maize.
When asked about his challenges, he said, “While carving lamps or artifacts in itself is not very tedious, it is the journey of the gourd from farm to workshop that is prolonged. The harvest occurs once a year, and we have to wait for the produce to dry. Ideally, a lamp takes a day to complete depending on the designs and patterns we want to make.”
The crafting process requires patience. After harvest, farmers pick the dry gourds and soak them in warm water to remove mold and skin using copper or steel scrubbers. Artisans then extract the seeds and flesh and polish the gourds, turning them into decorative items or utility products, including jewelry made from small gourds. Like many artisans, Jagatram faced challenges during the COVID-19 lockdown but received government support and a loan. “I received governmental support and a loan during COVID-19,” he said.
Worldwide wonders
Diversification in gourd crafts has led to the use of vibrant red, brown, and green oil paints, giving these items an aesthetic similar to Kalamkari art. Globally, particularly in parts of Africa and America, artists use gourds to depict folk tales, turning them into cultural symbols. I met Graham Ottoson in Ithaca, USA, who runs “Gourdlandia,” a sustainable farm business. Growing gourds alongside marigolds, which act as natural insect repellents, the initiative also produces the African wine kettle variety and long dipper gourds, commonly used for lamps, vases, bowls, and musical instruments. During cultural festivals and Thanksgiving, gourd crafts gain popularity.
In the era of eco-friendly fashion, gourds offer a sustainable alternative to plastic and synthetic products. They transform from humble vegetables into beautiful décor while empowering agricultural livelihoods and strengthening goals of sustainable consumption and production.
