Agra's delicate marble inlay industry suffers as exports to West Asia halted amid prevailing crisis

Agra, The ongoing conflict between US-Israel and Iran has cast a shadow over Agra's marble handicrafts industry, renowned for its Pachikari artwork, which traders say is on the verge of coming to a standstill.

Artisans say assignment have dwindled in the wake of geopolitical tensions in West Asia, causing handicraft units to shut down, and leaving them without work.

Inspired by Mughal-era architecture, Pachikari, primarily practiced in Uttar Pradesh's Agra, involves delicate inlay work of semi-precious stones into white marble.


Adnan Sheikh, a marble handicrafts trader said the primary patrons of this intricate marble inlay work are from West Asia.

The US-Israel and Iran conflict has affected the countries in West Asia. As a result, the flow of orders from these countries has virtually stopped. Even some pending orders have been put on hold at the customers' request, Sheikh said.

Several major traders in the Gulf nations who regularly procure marble inlay items from Agra have also temporarily suspended their operations.

Ayush Gupta, president of the Taj Mahal Eastern Gate Trade Association said approximately 35,000 artisans in Agra are associated with the marble inlay industry.

Since the construction of Taj Mahal, the intricate Pachikari inlay work has been practiced in Agra, passed down from generation to generation over the centuries through traditional methods.

Gupta said there are numerous families whose lineage has been dedicated to this craft for generations now. Every year, goods worth crores are exported from handicraft units in Agra, with Gulf nations accounting for the largest share of these exports.

However, the prevailing conflict situation has significantly affected the trade, he said.

While factories have closed down amid the prevailing uncertainty, artisans practicing the craft as a family trade are unable to secure assignments. Consequently, a livelihood crisis looms over these artisans, Gupta said, expressing apprehension that as long as the conflict persists, the Pachikari export is expected to remain suspended.

Pointing towards the scale of the affected trade, Gupta said last year, handicraft items worth around Rs 700 crore were exported.