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Lippan kaam mud-and-mirror relief

Also known as lippan kaam

In the Kutch region, women and men press a dough of clay and dung onto the walls of round houses, raise it into bands and medallions, and set small cut mirrors into it. When the lamp is lit the wall glitters.

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Lippan kaam mud-and-mirror relief: photograph by b sarangi
Photo: b sarangi, CC0, source on Wikimedia Commons
Lippan kaam mud-and-mirror relief: the game in attract modeLive previewPlay

Runs in your browser, works offline once loaded.

How to play

  1. The framed picture shows a finished clay panel with its mirrors.
  2. Tap a square of the panel to set a mirror there; the same mirror appears at its partner places around the centre.
  3. Tap a mirror again to take it out.
  4. Press Check to see how close your panel is to the frame.
Rules at a glance
  • The panel is built outwards from its middle, so every mirror you set is repeated in the four quarters and their reflections.
  • Keep a narrow border of clay around the design.
  • Three stars need a panel almost exactly like the frame.

About the tradition

Lippan kaam belongs to Kutch in Gujarat, India, with related work in Sindh, Pakistan. Clay mixed with dung is worked by hand into raised patterns on house walls, which also helps to insulate them, and small mirrors catch the lamplight. Communities such as the Rabari and the Mutwa each keep their own styles, and some avoid drawing people or animals.

Origins

A living tradition passed from person to person; it is not tied to a single dated origin. It belongs to the cultural world of South Asia.

Credits

Sources

Get the app

Lippan kaam mud-and-mirror relief is one of 20 paper and paint crafts in the Paper & Paint of the World app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Submitted to the App Store and Google Play; in review. Store links appear here the day it goes live. One app, many traditions, no account needed.

See all 20 paper and paint crafts in the app

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