Lippan Kaam from Gujarat: Keeping a 700-Year-Old Craft Alive (Without Turning It into a Souvenir Cliché)

Priya Parul
Jul 4
4 min read

Everyone’s got that wall now - the one groaning under a gallery of “ethnic accents.” Woven baskets, faux jharokhas, a print of Frida Kahlo for artsy vibes - and smack in the middle, a shiny square labeled “Lippan Art.” Mass-produced, factory-aged, and so divorced from its roots it might as well be doing yoga in LA.

But real Lippan Kaam? It’s messy, magical, rooted in the Rann of Kutch, and steeped in a 700-year-old lineage of storytelling - told not with words, but with mud, mirrors, and muscle memory passed down through generations.

Let me take you inside the mitti.

Mirror Mirror on the Wall, What’s the Oldest Craft of All?

When people first see Lippan Kaam at our studio, their eyes widen. Not because it’s blingy (though yes, the mirrors do sparkle like Kareena Kapoor at a sangeet), but because it feels alive.

This is no silent decor object. It speaks. And not in whispery “Pinterest-core” tones - but with the full-bodied echo of Kutch’s folk culture, camel caravans, and desert festivals. The origins? Traced back to the Rabari community, pastoralists who decorated their mud homes with motifs representing daily life - peacocks, sunbursts, even scorpions.

And here’s a plot twist the home decor influencers won’t tell you: Lippan wasn’t always about aesthetics. It was functional - a thermal insulator for walls and a reflective torch in the sun-scorched interiors. Practical and poetic, much like your favorite nani.

The Revival that Didn’t Sell Out (Yet)

Cut to the early 2000s - Lippan was fading faster than an IPL debutant after one bad season. The younger generation, understandably, didn’t want to be stuck doing what their grandparents did with no glamour, no money, and definitely no Wi-Fi.

Enter the quiet revival. NGOs, cultural custodians, and independent artists (yes, some of us got covered in mud voluntarily) started documenting and dignifying the craft. Not as a museum relic, but as living art.

It’s not just about symmetry. It’s about rhythm. Patience. Knowing when to press and when to let go. Honestly? It felt more like classical music than wall art.

Why Mass-Produced “Mud Mirror” Feels…Off

Let me spill the mitti on those export-shop knockoffs.

You know the ones - flat MDF boards with cookie-cutter mirrors slapped on like shiny sprinkles on a Diwali cupcake. No relief work. No texture. No soul. They’re “inspired” by Lippan Kaam the same way a ringtone is inspired by Mozart.

One client once brought me a piece she’d bought online, looking embarrassed. “Can you fix this?” she whispered. I couldn’t. But I could show her what a real panel feels like - weighty, imperfect, grounding.

Lippan isn’t meant to be uniform. It cracks, it curves, it shifts tone with light. That’s the beauty. Like SRK in Swades, it’s rooted. It belongs somewhere.

The Jugaad Behind the Joy: Studio Tales

Let me paint you a scene from a typical workshop day.

There’s mitti soaking in buckets, husk flying everywhere, Spotify switching between Coke Studio and 90s Kumar Sanu (don’t judge). We prep our clay from scratch - none of that readymade plaster nonsense. It’s part ritual, part rebellion.

Every panel begins with a sketch - sometimes a traditional mor (peacock), sometimes a modern mandala with Gujarati geometry doing a salsa with symmetry. We pipe the design like frosting on a cake. And the mirrors? Cut by hand. One shard at a time.

Oh, and our biggest secret weapon? A 62-year-old artisan named Devibhai who claims he once repaired a mirror frame for Amitabh Bachchan’s friend’s cousin. True or not, his hands move like magic.

Tradition vs Trendy: Can They Coexist Without Fighting?

It’s 2025. You want your home to feel earthy, but not like a village tableau. Fair.

So how do you style Lippan without turning it into a themed restaurant wall?

Simple: Respect the roots, remix the rest.

Go bold: One giant circular Lippan behind your sofa? Statement.
Go modern: Geometric Lippan panels in matte white-on-white? Minimalism with masala.
Go functional: Lippan mirror frames in powder rooms? Yes please.

And if you’re really brave - mix it with terrazzo, brass, even concrete. Lippan wants to play. Just don’t trap it in cliché.

Top 5 Craft-Respecting, Trend-Approving Ways to Use Lippan at Home

Entryway Drama: Start strong with a half-moon mirror panel in earthy tones.
Headboard Alternative: Why buy a bulky bed frame when a horizontal Lippan mural can do the talking?
Dining Wall Conversation Starter: Who needs small talk when you have sun motifs in clay and mirror?
Mandir Backdrop: Sacred art for sacred space. Bonus: It reflects diya light beautifully.
Shelf Backdrops: Narrow vertical panels behind open shelves? Understated and artsy AF.

Reality Check: Not All “Handmade” is Honest

I’ll say it: Handmade has become a buzzword with zero quality control.

So here’s your cheat sheet:

Ask if it’s made with traditional clay or white cement.
Check the relief - real Lippan is textured, not flat.
Avoid anything that looks like it’s been laser-etched. That’s not art, that’s cheating with technology.

And please, please support artists who live the craft, not resellers who drop-ship culture from behind a logo.

Parting Thought (and a Little Mirror Magic)

Keeping Lippan Kaam alive isn’t just about preservation. It’s about participation. Every piece you commission, every artisan you tag, every time you tell someone this isn’t “mirror rangoli” but a 700-year-old desert tradition - you’re part of the revival.

And isn’t that the kind of story you’d want hanging in your home?

So if you’re feeling the mitti magic, come say hi. We’ve got mirrors, chai, and a few peacocks waiting to meet your walls.

Or just DM me. I’ll help you design something your dadi would approve - and your Instagram will love.