Mehrauli Delhi Marble Inlay Parchin Kari Craftsmen

The Mehrauli area of South Delhi is home to a hereditary community of marble inlay (parchin kari) craftsmen whose ancestors were brought from Agra to work on Mughal monument restoration including the Qutb Minar complex and Humayun Tomb projects. Today cooperative craftsmen produce marble inlay panels, table tops, decorative urns, and architectural plaques using Makrana white marble with semi-precious stone inlay — lapis lazuli, malachite, carnelian, onyx, and mother-of-pearl — set in vegetal arabesque patterns. The Delhi Marble Inlay Cooperative supplies restoration panels to the Archaeological Survey of India, luxury five-star hotels, and export buyers. Apprenticeship traditionally runs 7-10 years under master craftsmen (ustad) before independent production. The cooperative trained 200 artisans under Nehru Rozgar Yojana grant funding and has supplied panels to Indian embassies abroad for gifting diplomacy.