From Jhabua dolls to Mandla jewellery, MP to craft a souvenir trail for tourists

Indore: A brightly dressed Jhabua doll, a string of hand-crafted beadwork, or a pair of Mandla-inspired earrings made of local metal are no longer meant to remain confined to village markets or exhibitions. Madhya Pradesh wants tourists to take them home as keepsakes that carry the imprint of place, people and tradition.In a bid to turn indigenous art forms into a structured tourism product, the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board (MPTB) has launched a souvenir development initiative focused on tribal and rural clusters. The programme aims to train local communities to create value-added souvenirs rooted in regional artistic traditions, while opening new livelihood avenues through tourism.
Ten villages across Mandla, Betul, Balaghat and Jhabua districts have been identified in the first phase. Training will begin in Feb through five specialised agencies, with each village seeing around 100 locals trained in souvenir making using metal, beads and locally available raw material."Souvenirs are an important part of the tourism experience. When a visitor carries back a locally made product, it creates a lasting emotional connection with the destination and directly benefits the local community," said MPTB director (skill) DP Singh.The product focus was mapped district-wise to preserve authenticity. In Jhabua, artisans will be trained in traditional doll making and beadwork. Balaghat's clusters will develop distinctive artistic products inspired by local motifs, while Mandla will focus on Mandala art-based creations, including custom jewellery such as earrings and necklaces and decorative home décor items. Betul's programme will explore metal and mixed-material souvenirs drawing from regional craft traditions.Officials said, the initiative goes beyond skill training and will also cover design refinement, finishing, packaging and market readiness. "The idea is to move from raw craft to a market-ready souvenir that tourists are willing to buy and cherish," Singh said.The tourism board plans to link these products with its outlets, heritage property, festivals and curated tourism circuits, creating a dedicated souvenir trail across the state.If successful, the model will be replicated in other tribal regions, positioning Madhya Pradesh as a destination, where tourism not only showcases heritage, but actively sustains it through stories shaped in metal, beads and hands that carried tradition for generations.