silpa

Silpa is a term rooted in Sanskrit that denotes art, craft, or skilled workmanship. The root śilpa encompasses activities that involve making objects by hand, including sculpture, metalworking, architecture, painting, and other crafts. In everyday usage, Silpa can refer to both the crafts themselves and the communities of artisans involved in these practices. The word is widely used across Indian languages, with variations in transliteration such as Shilpa or Silpa.

Historically, Silpa Shastra designates a family of ancient treatises on the fine and decorative arts. These texts address theory and practice in making objects—sculpture, metalwork, pottery, and architecture—and cover topics such as proportion, materials, tools, techniques, iconography, and aesthetics. The Silpa Shastra tradition is closely linked to temple building and sculpture, and it intersects with broader Indian architectural and artistic sciences, including Vastu Shastra. Vishvakarman (often rendered Vishwakarma), regarded as the divine architect and craftsman in Hindu tradition, is frequently associated with discussions of Silpa Shastra.

In contemporary contexts, Silpa appears as a given name in India and among the Indian diaspora, reflecting the cultural value placed on art and craftsmanship. It is also used, more generally, to refer to crafts and craftsmen in educational or cultural discussions. Transliterations vary by language and preference, with Silpa commonly used alongside Shilpa.