Show HINDU AND MOHAMMEDAN ART distinction w The distinction between Hindu and Mohammedan remains in art and craftsmanshipas also unhappily unhap-pily in race antipathy the most strikIng feature of the subject Gar iiin crafts in the hands of the latter are treated in accordance with Mogul or Persian tradition while others preserved by the curious caste system of the Hindus can clsija kinship to older Turanian or IndoAryan originals origi-nals These distinctions however though it is necessary to bear them in mind are not invariable and are not always easily traced The potters who make glazed ware are Mohammedan Moham-medan tor their craft was originally an accessory of that Mogul magnificence magnifi-cence which covered the domes and lined the walls and tombs and mosques I mos-ques with splendid mosaic of enameled enam-eled the ° work i The village potter who forms one of the units of the Hindu commune each of whom has fixed duties and claims and who only makes unglazed ware is a Hindu The potters craft is in some respects an exception to the rule of decay and a distinct revival revi-val end extension of the art of mak fug glazed ware is taking place Oarpetweavlng where it subsists as an independent craft ia Mohammedan Mohamme-dan and the weavers of Wnnungal and other places in Southern India little colonies among populations of Hindus claim Perefen > deoentwhich I certainly oan be allowed to their pati i tarns Armorers damasceners j awordouttersr and gunmakers are Mohammedan but the tillage I the hoe and I blacksmith who makes anc the reapinghook is generally a I Hindu Tbe goldembroiderera gilt wire and goldlace makers of the prosperous northern cities of Amritza and Delhi are usually Mohammedan as also are shawlweavers and kindred kin-dred embroidery crafts of Persian descent de-scent In Madres also and the oen tral provinces where this beautiful art is waning poor Mohammedans feebly keep alive the traditions of epi ndid stuffs once wrought for luxurious Mohammedan prinoes Stonemasons and carvers in Guzerat Central India Rajputana and in i some diatriots of the northwest prov inces where purely Hindu building are still raised are Hindus There are a few Mohammedan stonecarvers In Delhi and Northern India who preserve Mogul canons which also greatly modify modern Hindu styles such as the Jain architecture of Eaj putana The inlay wrought at Agra of agate jaspar carnelian blood 8toae etc in white Jeypcor marble is now in the hands of Hindus chiefly although an art of Mussul man origin The miniature painters of Delhi are all Mohammedan as lax in their respect for the precepts of Islam as their Persian progenitors Many ordinary handicrafts are practiced by both creeds suoh aa carpentry car-pentry ordinary weaving in silk weaving Mussulmans preponderate the coppersmiths and braziers trades wherein Hindus are in the majority The comparatively recent introduced tinsmiths trado seems to be reserved to Mohammedansper haps because of the necessity of handling vessels unclean from cooking cook-ing which IS repugnant to the Hindu eale9gravinc an important craft in India is i a peculiarly Mohamme dan art Even in ordinary trades practiced by both distinctions maybe I may-be traced Thus a copper or brazen water vessel in the hands of a Moslem artificer becomes Persian in name and oharaoier Jlaa graceful and elegant while the Hindu brazier makes it useful and quaint and piously pi-ously calls it Qunqa Sagar after the sacred river Brass is invariably used by Hindus while Mobamme dans affect tinned copperJ L Kipling in Harpers Magazine |