- Origin
- Bidar, near Hyderabad
- Materials
- Zinc-copper alloy with silver inlay
- Best collection
- Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad
- Common items
- Vases, boxes, lamps, jewellery, hookah bases
Origins
The technique arrived with Persian craftsmen who settled in Bidar under the Deccan sultans. Early pieces were made for royal palaces and wealthy merchant households, and the designs still show their Persian ancestry. Many of the technical terms remain Persian as well, and similar inlaid metalwork is also known from other parts of central India.
- Tarkashi: wire inlay
- Zarnishan: low relief
- Zarbuland: high relief
- Aftabi: cut-out designs
How it is made
The base is an alloy of mostly zinc with a little copper, sometimes with lead added for a better finish. An object is cast, smoothed, engraved and then inlaid with pure silver. In the last step it is treated with a paste of special soil that turns the alloy black while leaving the silver bright, which gives Bidri its striking contrast. Favourite motifs include three- and five-pointed leaves, fish, poppies and mango shapes.
Where to see it
Hookahs were among the most prized Bidri objects for centuries, used by both men and women at court. The Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad holds a large collection of Bidriware, including fine hookah bases, and is the best place to see what top-quality work looks like before you shop. The museum is closed on Fridays, so plan your visit around that.
What to buy
Today's workshops turn out vases, lamps, boxes, jewellery, idols, wall plaques and small decorative pieces. Genuine Bidri feels heavy for its size and the silver sits flush with the dark surface. Buy from government emporiums or known artisans in Hyderabad, and ask us to include a craft stop when we plan your Telangana tour.
Also nearby
Plan it with us
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