What is Multani blue pottery?

Multani blue pottery, known as kashi kari, is hand-thrown pottery glazed in a signature cobalt blue and turquoise pattern, a centuries-old craft associated with Multan, the City of Saints.

What is a ralli quilt?

A ralli is a hand-stitched patchwork quilt made by rural women from South Punjab and the Cholistan desert, pieced together from scraps of cotton fabric in bold geometric patterns.

Khussay are traditional hand-stitched leather shoes, often embroidered or beaded, worn across South Punjab and popular at weddings and festivals.

Is Ajrak-style block printing part of Saraiki craft heritage?

Yes. Block printing with hand-carved wooden blocks in bold geometric patterns, in the Ajrak-style tradition, is practised across the Indus region including South Punjab, alongside other textile crafts.

Where can I buy Saraiki handicrafts online?

SaraikiCulture.com is building a dedicated Handicrafts category within its Marketplace, where artisans from Multan, Bahawalpur and across South Punjab will be able to sell pottery, khussa, ralli quilts and other handmade crafts directly.

Art & Handicrafts - Saraiki Culture

Dastkari

Handmade Treasures of South Punjab

Generations of Saraiki artisans have turned clay, camel hide, leather, cotton and wood into some of Pakistan's most recognisable crafts. Multan alone has been called the "City of Saints, Shrines and Crafts" for its blue-glazed pottery and metalwork, passed down through family workshops for centuries.

From the desert edges of Bahawalpur to the bazaars of Multan, this craftsmanship is not just decorative — it is a livelihood for thousands of artisan families, and the foundation of the handicrafts we plan to feature in our upcoming Marketplace category.

Multani blue pottery (kashi kari) with its cobalt-and-white glaze.
Hand-stitched khussa footwear and ralli patchwork quilts.
Camel-skin lamps and leather goods from Multan and Bahawalpur.
Bahawalpur's famous lacquered, hand-painted woodwork furniture.

Bahawalpur, known for lacquered woodwork and traditional crafts

Craft Traditions

Made by Hand, Passed Down for Generations

Multani Blue Pottery

Kashi kari — hand-thrown pottery glazed in signature cobalt blue and turquoise, fired and painted using techniques centuries old.

Camel-Skin Products

Camel hide is stretched, dyed and hand-painted into decorative lamps, boxes and other goods, a specialty of Multan and Bahawalpur.

Khussa Footwear

Hand-stitched leather khussay, often embroidered or beaded, are a signature South Punjab craft worn at weddings and festivals.

Ralli Quilts

Rural women hand-stitch scraps of cotton into vividly patterned ralli quilts, an age-old patchwork tradition of the Cholistan region.

Embroidery & Mirror-Work

Fine hand embroidery studded with tiny mirrors decorates shawls, cushions and bridal wear across the Saraiki belt.

Block Printing

Wooden hand-carved blocks stamp bold geometric patterns onto cotton, in the Ajrak-style tradition shared across the Indus region.

Bahawalpur's Legacy

The Art of Lacquered Woodwork

Bahawalpur is especially renowned for its lacquered furniture — wooden chairs, cradles, stools and boxes turned on a lathe, then hand-painted in bright lacquer patterns using a technique passed from master craftsmen to apprentices. This furniture once filled the palaces of the Bahawalpur princely state and is still made in small workshops today.

Together, these crafts form a living economy of skilled hands across Multan and Bahawalpur. As we grow SaraikiCulture.com, this page is the foundation for a dedicated Handicrafts category in our Marketplace, where local artisans will be able to sell their work directly.

Living Craft Traditions

Multan

City of Blue Pottery

Bahawalpur

Lacquered Woodwork

Cholistan

Ralli Quilt Heartland

Plan your visit through South Punjab tourism to see these artisans at work.

Art & Handicrafts