Monkey Sanjhi Paper Art

Sanjhi is a traditional Indian art from the Braj area, especially Mathura and Vrindavan. It is famous for its detailed designs made by cutting paper. It is made by immense love and care by our artisan Mohan Kumar Verma.

About the Craft: It is firmly believed that this art was a creation of Sri Radha (a Hindu Goddess). Sanjhi is an emotion and feelings of Radha which she used to express on the earthen surfaces with the help of natural colors, leaves, flowers and stones to charm her beloved “Krishna” (a Hindu God). Then it was soon followed by other gopis to impress Krishna. The creation of Sanjhi art requires a lot of patience, dedication and talent. Firstly, the stencils are made out of handmade paper preferably using specially designed scissors and then they are placed on the flat earthen  Dry colors are then sifted onto the stencil. Filling up the colors and lifting of stencil is as complicated as cutting the intricate designs. The people who practice this art reveals that a person’s mind and heart should be thoroughly involved while performing this art.

About the Artisan: Mohan Kumar Verma was born in 1971 in Mathura where he currently resides. The 48 years old artist started when he was just 11 and now, more than three decades later, Mohan Kumar Verma is one of the few remaining custodians of Sanjhi, the centuries- old craft of turning paper into objects of art. The fourth generation craftsman from Mathura in Uttar Pradesh is attempting to give the ancient art a contemporary twist by using mirrors, frames and more intricate designs. He also hopes to create a platform for the young to learn the craft. He even decided that he should mold the art in various forms and create a contemporary version for present art enthusiasts.

Product Care: Avoid direct sunlight, moisture, and excessive heat.

*Slight difference in color from the visible product image is possible*