Marble inlay workshops in India

I’ve always loved wood and stone inlay, so one of the things I most wanted to find in India was something lovely made of inlaid stone. I usually don’t bring much back when I travel, but I was hoping to find a nice tray or coasters, because those are items I can use in my home and remind me of my travels when I see them.

When you walk around in India and see a store with inlaid marble work, they will often have a small display area where you can see how this art is made. The explanation will usually start with showing you some of the semi-precious stones they use for different colors. For example, turquoise, malachite, and carnelian – each of which you can see below.

They will then demonstrate how they mark then cut the stones and then cut the small pieces of colored rock. Finally, they place them and then smooth them all down to the same level for a smooth finish.

In India, on a tour with Agra Heritage Walks (check them out, they give great tours), we went to the Irfan Handicraft Palace in Agra, where I finally found a tray (and coasters) that I liked enough to buy and bring home. If you are going to buy some, it seems fitting to buy in Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal, with the most famous marble inlay in the world

They have a ton of different designs and colors in numerous different shapes and sizes of trays and coasters (primarily) that can be relatively easily brought home. No matter what you want, they’ll probably have something you like. I should know, I’d been to at least a dozen shops already and had seen hundreds of trays and finally found one I liked here.

So these are the prized items I brought home carefully in my carry-on from India.

If you want to buy some pietra dura while in India, just check out a couple shops before buying so you know what quality is available and at what price points. There is a wide variety of detail and workmanship available as well as a wide range of pricing, so shop wisely.

Happy travels!