Vernacular Furniture
of India
states

Places visited and cultures experienced

North-West India covers the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana. Each state has its own identity with diversity in language, food, attire, landscapes, architecture and furniture. The team travelled 62032 kilometres across the four states, visited various villages, towns and cities, met individuals, families and communities to record the various vernacular furniture. The understanding of these states and the links between people, place and the material culture that formed the basis for this research is presented in this section.

7886

Furniture
mapped

62032

Distance
travelled (km)

4169

People
met

167

Types
identified
gujarat

Gujarat

Gujarat is the most westerly of the Indian states. The current state borders were finalized in the year 1960. To the west is the Arabian Sea, full of historic connections and trade routes. To the south is Maharashtra, and to the east is Madhya Pradesh. Rajasthan and the Pakistani province of Sindh lie to the north, states that contained old overland trade routes, notably a southern spur of the Silk Road. Gujarat has an area of 196,024 square kilometres. The coastline stretches for over 16,000 kilometres.

1380

Furniture
documented

13716

Distance
travelled (km)

610

People
met
rajasthan

Rajasthan

Rajasthan, with an area of 342,239 square kilometres is the largest state in India. The state is bordered by Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh on the east, Punjab and Haryana on the north, and Gujarat to the south. It shares international borders with Pakistan on the west. The Aravalli mountain range of 550 kilometres runs northeast to southwest across the state of Rajasthan, dividing the state into two unequal parts with different physiography, climate, vegetation, economy and culture.

1519

Furniture
documented

14679

Distance
travelled (km)

1266

People
met
punjab

Punjab

Punjab is the northernmost state with an area of 50,362 square kilometres. It is located in the plains of central India. It is bordered by Jammu & Kashmir in the north, Himachal Pradesh to the east, and Haryana and Rajasthan to the south. Pakistan lies to the west of Punjab. Most of the area of Punjab is covered with plains which are fertile. This has helped in the formation of extensive farmlands. The Shivalik range starts from the northern parts of Punjab: Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts. Due to rainfall deficiency in Punjab, many canals have been taken out from rivers Beas, Sutlej and Ravi. This efficient canal system has enabled Punjab for farming and is known as the granary of the country and the nucleus of the green revolution.

2782

Furniture
documented

18138

Distance
travelled (km)

1823

People
met
haryana

Haryana

Haryana is one of the smallest states in India with an area of 44, 212 square kilometres. The state of Haryana is landlocked and surrounded by Himachal Pradesh to the north, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh in the east, Punjab to the north-west and Rajasthan in the south and south-west. The Yamuna river and the Shiwalik hills border the north-east. The south and south-west region is semi-arid, and an extension of the Aravalli ranges runs through parts of Mahendragarh, Rewari, Gurgaon, Bhiwani and Jhajjar districts.

2205

Furniture
documented

15499

Distance
travelled (km)

470

People
met