Mughal Miniature Wall Plate by Master Artisan Ravi Kumawat
SIZE: 7 inch (diameter)
MEDIUM: Natural Colours on Handmade plate mounted on a Wooden base.
MAKING OF THE PLATE: The base plate is a cotton canvas pasted onto a moulded plate using tamarind paste. A mixture of chalk powder and multani mitti is applied, dried, and smoothened with stone for a polished canvas. To prevent insect damage we use crushed neem leaves. With multiple layers of coating, drying, and finishing, the complete plate-making process spans three full days.
NATURAL COLOURS: This vibrant plate features natural colours rooted in tradition. The parrot’s green wings come from Hara Bhata, its yellow head from Ramraj and white, and its orange chest from a blend of sindoor and hinglu. The berries are painted using geru and hinglu, while the deep grey background is a mix of kajjali and safeda. Finished with a subtle gold dust rim.
The Parrot's Secret
In the corner of a quiet courtyard, a parrot made its home on a low-hanging branch. It wasn’t the loudest or the most colorful in the jungle, but it had a habit. It picked one red berry each day, rolled it under its claw, and stared at it for hours, as if remembering something. The gardeners began to notice. Some said it once belonged to a noble child who used to feed it berries and whisper secrets. Now, long after the family had gone, the parrot still returned to the same branch, the same fruit, the same silence. Not for food, perhaps, but for memory. A bird of habit, holding onto something only it could recall.