UNESCO Reviving Marble Inlay Craft Through Market Access And Skip to main content EnglishEnglish

UNESCO

Search<br>Search

Shareforward

Search<br>SearchQuick links:AIResponse to CrisisKey Challenges

Story<br>UNESCO Reviving Marble Inlay Craft Through Market Access And Innovation<br>The stories of three artisans – Asif, Islam, and Ruksar – reveal the spectrum of challenges and opportunities shaping the future of the craftsmanship in Taj Ganj, Agra

17 November 2025

In the narrow lanes of Taj Ganj, under the shadow of the World Heritage Site of the Taj Mahal, one of India’s most intricate craft traditions struggles to survive: Parchin Kari, or marble inlay. This centuries-old technique, also known as pietra dura, flourished under the Mughal emperors and remains inseparable from the identity of Agra. Yet for many artisans today, sustaining the craft means grappling with volatile markets, dwindling opportunities, and the absence of institutional support.

UNESCO, through the “World Heritage, Sustainable Development and Local Communities” project launched in April 2025 in Agra, funded by the Republic of Korea, is helping reposition these artisans as active cultural players rather than passive custodians of heritage. By enabling market access, digital innovation, and social protection, UNESCO is working to create an environment where craftspeople can thrive. The stories of three artisans – Asif, Islam, and Ruksar – reveal the spectrum of challenges and opportunities that define this sector.

Culture as a Global Public Good

In November 2023, UNESCO organised the Naples Conference on Cultural Heritage in the 21st Century, exploring synergies between World Heritage and Living Heritage. This vision guided UNESCO’s response in Taj Ganj.

Thumbnail

play_arrow

Status of the Artist<br>© UNESCO

Globally, culture and creativity account for 3.1% of GDP and 6.2% of all employment. Yet, despite this weight, cultural sectors remain among the most vulnerable. Over 10 million jobs were lost in 2020 alone due to the pandemic. To tackle this, UNESCO is committed to developing more effective and sustainable public policies for the implementation of the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions:

Culture is not a luxury, it is a necessity – a global public good that must be cherished and supported for the benefit of all societies.

Audrey AzoulayDirector-General, UNESCO

2005 Convention on Diversity of Cultural Expressions

Read more

Re|Shaping Policies for Creativity

Addressing culture as a global public good

Read more

Asif: Dreaming Global

Asif remembers the moment that defined his resolve. As a teenager, he delivered a six-foot inlaid table to Agra’s ITC Mughal Hotel. It sold almost immediately for ₹7.8 lakh (nearly 8,500 US dollars), however, the actual cost was only a fraction of that amount.

During the recent visit by Junhi Han, Chief of Culture at the UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia, to Asif’s workshop.<br>© UNESCO

I was shocked. That moment stayed with me – it fueled my determination to return and become a marble inlay craft entrepreneur.

Asif

Unlike most of his contemporaries – 68% of artisans still struggle with outdated techniques – Asif pursued a computer science degree before returning to marble inlay. Today, only 14% of artisans engage in e-commerce, but Asif has made it the cornerstone of his business. Listing products on IndiaMart and Etsy, he reaches buyers from Europe to the U.S., proving that Parchin Kari can be contemporary, competitive, and globally relevant. He dreams of becoming the first marble inlay artisan millionaire from Taj Ganj.

Islam: Bound by Market Forces

Not every artisan, however, has access to such opportunities. Islam Malik, who owns a workshop in Agra, has struggled to recover from the pandemic’s blow to tourism. With fewer international buyers visiting, his business remains dependent on local markets where margins are low and competition high.

Islam with his team of artisans.<br>© UNESCO

People admire the work, but not in a way that allows us to make a living from it. Moreover, in Agra, we have no unions or associations. Everyone is on their own, and that keeps us weak. The guides never bring tourists to our karkhanas (workshops). Customers don’t know where to find us, so we are invisible.

Islam

Despite his skills, Islam finds himself trapped in cycles of debt and dwindling returns. His experience reflects the vulnerability of artisans who remain tethered to traditional sales channels. Without training, networks, or digital access, their craft risks becoming unsustainable. UNESCO’s efforts to build market linkages and provide skill development directly address this imbalance. To reflect the shared challenges faced by other craft communities in Taj Ganj, carpet weaver Sabina explained:

The work is slow and the earnings are small, but creating something with my own hands gives me dignity. As long as my eyes can see and my fingers can move, I...