Jaipur Rugs’ new launch, ‘Jaipur Rural Tours...…back to basics’

Jaipur Rugs Company is a globally recognized manufacturer and exporter of rugs and carpets, embellishing the world with its exquisite creations since three decades. Company’s new venture is turning to be the latest buzz in the tourism industry. Jaipur Rural Tours (JRT) is a company launched with a motive to bestow the travelers a sojourn that is one of its kinds. We all are familiar with the number of tour operators and packages prevailing in the market, providing all fancy packages. These extremely target on facilitating the travelers with accommodations, food and activities like sightseeing, animal ride, etc. What they actually lack is, that true practical experience, which one can feel being at a beautiful ethnic village.

Mr. N.K. Chaudhary, Chairman & Managing Director of Jaipur Rugs, is fond of rich and rural culture of Rajasthan villages and is constantly striving to upgrade the deprived communities. He believes with such an exposure one can be a part of heritage and traditions intact in villages.

Jaipur Rural Tours…back to basics is conceived to let travelers experience the authentic village activities. Observing the manufacturing process is far more beyond than performing the same. Over here at Narhet along with the JRT team one can actually participate in making mud pots, handicraft items, rugs, etc.

Narhet village, Thanagazi block of Alwar district, Rajasthan, boasts an interesting history of more than 500 years, situated at a distance of about 60 km from Jaipur. It lays on Jaipur-Delhi highway, surrounded with Aravallis, one hour ride and you are there to relish a mesmerizing stay. The village is all set with basic amenities and loaded with a number of things to do. Through this venture, tourists and visitors can be facilitated to visit many authentic villages of Rajasthan, filled with aromas of charcoal fumes, combined with camel caravans and enthralling performances by traditional dancers and singers.
Jaipur Rural Tours mission’s to extend the reach and benefit travelers by enriching their visit with rich glorious culture of rural Rajasthan, benefiting a closer encounter.

URL: www.jaipurruraltours.com

Federating carpet weaving micro entrepreneurs into a producer company

Federating+carpet+weaving+micro+entrepreneurs+into+a+producer+company

RUGS IN THE WORLD

RUGS IN THE WORLD

JAIPUR RUGS CO deals in decorative coverings, large or small, created by hand from one or more types of fibre. Although intended for the floor, their rugs can also be used as hanging panels. The bulk of the company’s production is made from rows of woollen knots in a combination of colours, applied to a rank of closely-placed, vertical cotton threads, set out on a loom like harp strings. These threads constitute the warp. The woollen yarn comes in a variety of colours and the knots are carefully placed to produce an often-complex pattern. Each row is separated from the next by strands of cotton weft woven through the warp and beaten down tightly. Some rugs, such as kelims, are made by a simpler flat weave process.

The creation of such rugs is an ancient craft and probably originates amongst the sheep-herding nomads of Central Asia. Vulnerable to decay, textiles rarely survive very long so details of the evolution of this technique are long lost. The knotted rug was already well advanced by the fifth century BC, the date of the oldest example so far discovered. Preserved in a Mongolian tomb by permafrost, it measures almost two metres square, bears figurative designs and, at 277 knots per square inch, is relatively fine. Both warp and weft are of wool and the techniques and dyes used are similar to those current in Central Asia into the 19^th century. This tomb and others nearby also contain fragments of kelims and felt mats. Amongst these nomadic people such rugs, easily folded for transport, represented a major part of the furnishing in their tented homes. Perhaps similar knotted fabrics were already is use for saddlebags to carry pots and other utensils on their annual wanderings.

The designs favoured by these nomads for their rugs were and are largely abstract, simple, repeated motifs within a geometric border. Many are angular derivatives from plant, mammal or bird forms, but the emphasis is on easily-reproduced angular patterns. Many were quite specific to a particular region or group of people. Such repetitive forms were simple to memorise and did not require the aid of any system of chart. The weavers were probably the womenfolk, who created rugs during long winter months.

It was almost certainly from a Central Asian base that the custom of rug weaving spread across Asia. Fragments of knotted and flat weave rugs dating from the first centuries of the Christian era have been preserved by the aridity of Egypt and the Middle East. These rugs were created using techniques and dyes current in the region into recent times. Early rugs discovered on the desert fringes of China seem to have come with nomads from further west.

Rugs carried by passing nomads or brought into the bazaars must have attracted the eye of urban folk. Seeing a demand or responding to orders, local weavers started to produce their own versions, always maintaining geometric patterns. Such rugs, dating back to the 13^th century, appear in Konya, the Seljuk capital of Turkey, which Marco Polo names as the source of the best carpets in his day. The European fashion for Turkish rugs is reflected in Renaissance art, many paintings featuring them amongst interior furnishings. These western pictures dating back to the early 14^th century are a rich source of carpet information since few carpets survive from the period. Many are religious paintings, often showing a fine rug at the feet of the Virgin. Several of Lorenzo Lotto’s and Hans Holbein’s mid 15^th century pictures include Turkish rugs, often as table rather than floor covers. The fashion knotted rugs inspired their manufacture in England (Axminister) and, more importantly, France (Aubisson and Levallois). The industrial revolution led to the mechanisation of European carpet production, but a demand remained for handcrafted rugs.

The art of hand woven carpet manufacture reached its height in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, not among the nomads but in the urban imperial workshops of Turkey, Iran, India and China. Here, floor covering became ever more sophisticated, ever larger. The patterns quit the geometric model in favour of swirls of vegetal growth, realistic flowers, birds and animals, usually surrounding a central medallion. The royal ateliers demanded finer work from their artisans, who had to cram ever more knots into a square inch, turning from wool knotted on cotton to wool on silk then, finest of all, silk on silk. To produce their complex designs the weavers needed a map, naqsha, for reference. One team member would read the map, calling out the colour of each knot. His call was confirmed by the weavers as they worked.

Here, too, art recorded this move to intricate floral designs. Turkish and Iranian miniatures often pose their subjects on fine floral rugs. These countries, joined by India in the latter part of the 16^th century, took carpet design and manufacture to its highest point. Huge financial resources were required and three great dynasties: the Turkish Ottomans, the Iranian Safavids and the Mughals in India, each flourishing in the 16^th and 17^th centuries, had such resources. They produced large and magnificent carpets, designed to the glory of God or to decorate the imperial court. One of the finest of all, the Ardabil Carpet, dated 1539-40 and measuring 10.5m x 5.34m, was probably made in Tabriz in northwest Iran. Woven by one Maqsud of Kashan, it was almost certainly a royal commission. Its woollen pile is formed of 340 knots per sq in, and the warp and weft are of silk,

Iran has been a famous source of knotted rugs for many centuries, some fragments of pile dating back to the 3^rd/4^th centuries AD. Angular patterns gave way to a fashion for curvilinear plant designs and realistic flowers, which entered the country late in the 14^th century with Timur’s invasion from Samarkand. The result was the eponymous Persian carpets of the 16^th and 17^th centuries, amongst the finest ever produced.

There were four major areas of production in Iran: Tabriz in the northwest, Esfahan and Kashan in the centre, Kerman in the desert east and Heart in the northeast, now across the border in Afghanistan. Tabriz dominated in the early 1500s, when it was the Safavid capital but, too close to the frontier, it was under constant Turkish threat. Shah Abbas the Great founded a court manufactory around 1600 in his new capital, Esfahan. This is still an important rug manufacturing city although less so than in 1964, when I remember six camels laden with rugs coming into the closed souk. There passers-by walked over light-grounded carpets being broken, lying across the street. Kashan was famous for its intricate silk pile rugs. There are literary references to 16^th and 17^th century Kerman rugs but few can be identified as from there prior to the 19^th century. Herat, an important city in the Safavid era, was a centre of sophisticated floral carpets.

As an Afghan provincial capital, Herat specialised in angular abstract or stylised Baluchi and Turkmen nomad rugs. There have been other, more recent, developments amongst the Afghans. During the 1990s, when millions of refugees descended into Pakistan to escape war with the Russian occupiers, many settled in camps around Peshawar. There, many refugees started manufacturing rugs featuring tanks, planes and guns against a yellow ground! I know - I bought one. They also brought fine rugs with them, following a tradition my grandmother remembered. The first camel caravans descending the Khyber in the spring carried rugs, which found an easy market amongst British colonials like her.

Traditional Chinese rugs never really competed in the western market with Iranian and Turkish designs. But often it is the skill and low cost of an artisan force that creates demand. During the 20^th century western dealers commissioned Chinese weavers to reproduce Iranian patterns and in the 1930s even commissioned art deco work, aimed at the current European fashion. Tibetan designs were made almost entirely for a local market, usually just for the household of the weaver. Nepal, not a traditional manufacturing country, only took up the craft in the late 20^th century.

It was the Persian designs that inspired carpet manufacturers of the Indian subcontinent. They copied or adapted those designs and, finding that they sold best, have continued to do so. Although it has tried many different types of design, even including motifs copied from local wall paintings, the great majority of JAIPUR RUGS CO’s production is based on Iranian models.

Ilay Cooper 2010 www.ilaycooper.com

Carpet Encyclopedia

An extension of the carpet world Jaipur: A brand new carpet encyclopedia has been sponsored by Jaipur Rugs. Easy to navigate and a user-friendly interface, the portal has been compiled by Carpets & Rugs Pedia. The encyclopedia covers various topics such as carpet history, types of carpets, cleaning and maintenance tips, manufacturing processes, various carpet publications, gallery and many more.
For more details log on to www.carpetandrugpedia.com

Information Technology in Jaipur

Information Technology has swept the world across with its velocity and pride. Earlier computer systems were considered as a status symbol in the organizations. Today, where there are plenty of workstations available, a proper functional integration within the departments plays a huge role in the success of any organization.

Basic infrastructure has to be in place for small, medium and large business houses. A system that is able to adapt to changing needs of an organization and is able to store and stay updated is considered ideal for a highly dynamic environment. Jaipur city, the capital of Rajasthan has small and medium businesses that are mushrooming in their IT infrastructure. Though the city has huge potential to be explored, the IT industry yet has not seen its shinning glory.

Jaipur Rugs Company, one of the leading manufacturers of hand-made high quality rugs, at present has over 7000 weaving looms on which approx 35000 weavers’ work across all the centers. The branches share a close network with the head quarters through integrated computer systems. These computer systems facilitate designing, maintaining inventories, updating and tracking shipments and storing other information. All units and departments are effectively linked through Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), a system that integrates functions such as finance, manufacturing, distribution, customer relationship management, and e-commerce data to meet the growing needs of the company.

Mr. Yogesh Chaudhary, Director Jaipur Rugs in an interview with Express Computer Online said, “We spent over Rs 2 cr in 2007 on basic IT infrastructure. Now we are planning to invest in bar coding and a virtual private network from Reliance to connect all of our branch offices.”

Apart from setting up a basic infrastructure, companies are focusing on adopting more advanced technologies like WAN, VPN, network-storage and other enterprise applications. Whatever the new trend, the organization should be sure of its basic necessities and a list of what has to go where should be made. In order to synchronize the process, and making it work efficiently for timely deliveries and satisfaction, one has to consider all future implications along with the budget to sail strong.

Home sweet home with hand-made rugs

Carpets or rugs are a vital part of your home décor. Trends have stated the gradual increase in awareness about carpet designs, style, types, care and maintenance. Owing to the competition and availability of skilled manpower, this industry is well regarded in maintaining your home elegance and floorings flaws. The industry focuses on two types of manufacturing: hand-made and machine-made carpets or rugs. While machine-made carpets are available in exclusive designs and types, nothing has been able to replace the value that hand-made carpets or rugs have been able to provide. Hand-made rugs or carpets have been considered eco-friendly and extremely valuable. They are also more durable as compared to the machine-made rugs since they use strong natural fibres.

Carpet weaving has been carried as a tradition in various regions of the world. It is an occupation adopted by those regions where farming activities are not suitable. Different areas have their own peculiar designs that are carried down by various generations. At times the designs and fibres are a mix owing to the influence that the region has had in the past. India basically uses a mix of Persian and Turkish designs that have been modified over the time with regional tastes and market preferences. Worldwide these designs have made waves in the International market.

Jaipur Rugs Company, a quality exporter of hand-made rugs has been exhibiting the rich and traditional craftsmanship of the Indian weavers through its authentic product range. A hand-made range comprises of hand-knotted rugs, hand-tufted rugs, flat woven rugs, Durries, Indo-Tibetan rugs and Shumak or shaggy rugs. These are available in pure wool or silk fibres or in a combination of both. Other fibres such as jute or artificial silk are also used. The company has an in-house team of more than 50 designers that have lured the customers with their authentic designs.

A category leader is a blend of right strategy and true character. In this highly dynamic or competitive environment by being natural and subtle many hearts can be won. This is not just a mere philosophy of Jaipur Rugs Company, but it is lived truly by its brand advocates. Every carpet or rug is knotted with thousands of dreams, plenty of hard work and tireless dedication that enhances million floorings.

For more details do visit www.jaipurrugsco.com

THINK GLOBAL, SPEAK LOCAL

THINK GLOBAL, SPEAK LOCAL

Jaipur Reaches Out in 12 Different Languages

Jaipur, Rajasthan- 22^nd July, 2008: Jaipur Rugs Company Pvt. Ltd, a leading manufacturer and exporter of hand-knotted rugs in the international market, has launched its website in twelve different languages, thus catering to a wider audience of various countries. “We have our future plans to spread across the globe. For years, we have had an overwhelming response of our customers and buyers from various countries. Through this launch we can provide better accessibility and reach to our target audience,” says Yogesh Chaudhary, Director of Jaipur Rugs Company Pvt. Ltd. The website has been translated in Danish, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Spanish and Russian. The website encompasses all information required by any buyer to know about the company, its quality products, various tips on carpet caring, history and origin of carpets and carpet encyclopedia. From product catalogue to enquiries, these websites are a sure must for inquisitive buyers.

For further information, visit us at:

Danish	www.jaipurrugs.net/dk
Dutch	www.jaipurrugs.net/nl
French	www.jaipurrugs.net/fr
German	www.jaipurrugs.net/de
Greek	www.jaipurrugs.net/gr
Italian	www.jaipurrugs.net/it
Japanese	www.jaipurrugs.net/jp
Polish	www.jaipurrugs.net/pl
Portuguese	www.jaipurrugs.net/pt
Spanish	www.jaipurrugs.net/es
Russian	www.jaipurrugs.net/ru