Mojari Craft of Jodhpur (GI No. 735)

 

The craft of making handmade Mojari or jooti is one with a traditional significance to the Regar/Mochi Community, who is practicing the craft from generations. Two type of Mojari are made in Jodhpur, one for rural and the other for urban; the basic difference between them is only design and type of leather used. For rural areas, Mojari is made of thick and bulky leather whereas for urban, the Mochis craft leather into light and intricately embroidered footwear. They are cut using traditional patterns that make no distinction whatsoever between the left and right foot and is shaped using the three-piece traditional wooden cobblers anvil and stitched with thick cotton threads. Peshawari is the most common type of Mojari, this is a heavy variety used by both men and women. A lighter Peshawari jooti without embroidery is made for children also. Ladies do the embroidery on upper part of Mojari with motifs of floral, birds and animals. Ladies take challenge at their own and can copy any design. Traditional hand stitched Mojari are made out of coarse vegetable-tanned leather. Cotton yarn is eco-friendly and use to stitch sole with upper part of the mojari. The colour of cotton yarn could be white, creamy white, blueish white, yellowish white or grey. This is moderately strong and rigid, cool in summer and warm in winter.