Last masters of a dying golden painting technique: Discover India's Usta Art

The centuries-old Usta art, known for its intricate gold work and detailed miniature-style painting primarily done on camel hide, is slowly fading in Bikaner, its birthplace.

Traditionally, the craft was used to decorate camel leather bottles known as Kuppis, which were once widely used to store oil or perfume. Creating these ornate objects is a laborious process that takes days or even weeks. It begins with cleaning the camel hide, followed by preparing clay moulds over which the hide is tightly pulled, stitched or tied into shape. Each stage requires drying, which can take anywhere from two days to several weeks.

However, the artisans who prepare these clay moulds — known as dagbars — are now rarely found. Kuppis were once in high demand, keeping their skills widely sought after. Today, Rajkumar Pawar is among the few dagbar artisans left, and he says most of their work now comes only from Usta craftsmen.

According to Kuppi artisan named Rajkumar Pawar, "We have inherited this craft from our forefathers, but it is gradually fading away. Earlier, even common people used to buy from us, but now only Usta artisans do. If they give us orders, then we have work; otherwise, there is nothing. This craft is on the verge of extinction now because no one takes an interest anymore – so how will it survive? And there are very few artisans who still know this work; hardly anyone is left..."

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The term Usta is derived from the Urdu word "Ustad", meaning "master craftsman". The art form demands such intricate skill that the artisans who perfected it eventually came to be known as members of the Usta community. The decorative artwork begins only after the object has been shaped completely.

Another major challenge facing the craft is the growing scarcity of camel hide. As camel rearing declines across Rajasthan, sourcing the raw material has become increasingly difficult. Over time, artisans have tried adapting the craft to other surfaces, including wood, marble and glass.

"We no longer get camel hide easily. Usta art is done on camel hide, wood, marble, walls and even glass. But it is especially known for camel hide. It has become very difficult to source camel hide because there are hardly any camel herders left. "Earlier, you could find camels in every home in villages, but now they have been replaced by vehicles," says Ajmal Hussain Usta, Artisan

Despite adapting to new materials, Usta art remains most renowned for its work on camel hide. But the dwindling number of Dagbar artisans who prepare the base moulds has made the process even more difficult.

Mohd Irshad Usta, Artisan: "Earlier, Usta art used to be done on camel leather, but now it is very difficult to get. We first make a clay model and give it to the leather craftsman – they are called 'Dabgar', but now only one or two artisans remain. When we place an order, it can take them a year, or sometimes even 2-3 years, to complete. So working with camelhide has become very difficult now."

Dagbar artisan Rajkumar Pawar says the availability of hides determines whether they can even begin their work.

Rajkumar Pawar, Kuppi artisan (Dagbar) says, "Our work depends on the availability of hides. If we get the hides, then it takes 15-20 days to make one Kuppi (mould). But if it is not available, even a month is not enough. These days, hides are very difficult to obtain."

With camel hide becoming scarce, younger artisans losing interest in learning the craft, and rising prices of gold and other raw materials, the centuries-old art form now stands on the brink of extinction.

According to members of the Usta community in Bikaner, only around 10 to 15 artisans continue to practise the craft today. Though some have tried to keep it alive by experimenting with different materials, they warn that without stronger support from the government and wider public interest, the historic art form may not survive the test of time.