“Shilpgram” literally translates to Craftsmen's Village. This 70 acre village setting is famous for Rural Handicrafts. Shilpgram or the Rural Arts and Crafts Village in Udaipur is one of the seven centers of the West Zone Cultural Center (WZCC), established by the government in 1986.Different types of village huts serve as a museum depicting the lifestyle and culture of folk and tribal people of the western zone. These huts here depict the architectural features of five states in the western zone of India. Begining with an ethnographic museum it is now a warm collection of about 26 huts.
The moment you enter the village, you are greeted with a welcome folk dance. You can also try a camel ride which will take you around the village. The evenings are abuzz with Rajasthani folk songs, puppet shows and folk dances across the village. There is a lot to walk and explore and every bit of it is great fun!
In the midst of the village is an open amphitheatre where major theatre festivals are held. If you are looking forward to listen to Rajasthani folk songs or wish to enjoy the traditional Kalbelia dance, this is the place to be in the evenings.
There is a Shilpgram village fare which takes place in December each year. Hundreds of handicraft dealers from different parts of India come here to sell their goods. During the fare, the village is visited by people in large numbers, both the locals and tourists alike.
The village has a small market where you can buy Rajsthani rual handicrafts. The most known amongst it all are the Mud pots, Designer bed sheets and brass items. “Shilpdarshan” is an activity at Shilpgram where traditional performing artists and craftsmen draw from the villages are invited to exhibit their skills and to demonstrate their crafts allowing them to sell their masterpieces directly to the buyers. This programme has encouraged the rural craftsmen and artists in a big way. This idea has been so successful that the Government of India has decided to replicate this in all the Federal States of India.
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