Meena Tribal Art and Embroidery of Dausa

The Meena tribe, Rajasthan's largest Scheduled Tribe, is concentrated in Dausa district and surrounding areas of eastern Rajasthan. Meena women produce distinctive embroidery on cotton cloth using a technique called bharat work, which involves counted-thread satin and running stitches in bold geometric patterns. Traditional colours are red, black, and green on white ground. Meena embroidery adorns odhni (head scarves), ghagra (skirts), wall hangings (pichvai), and festival decorations. Motifs include peacocks, elephants, and angular floral forms derived from the natural landscape. Meena artistic traditions also include distinctive jewellery, particularly the matha patti (forehead ornament) and gajra (neck ring) in silver. Tribal art cooperatives supported by TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation) help Meena women artisans access fair prices for their embroidery work through national craft exhibitions.