An art is a
form of self-expression and when that is combined
with sheer hard work and patience what comes out is a pure reflection of the
artist’s aspirations, hidden desires and beliefs. Hand Embroidery can be one of
the best examples of one such art that dates right back to the Iron Age where
the seeds of the first forms of such an art were sown. With the new and advanced
civilizations Embroidery as an art was given due recognition and it spread
across various parts of the globe like Egypt, Babylon, Spain, Sicily and other
European countries. Each country has its own unique style of embroidery
depicting their history, cultures and traditions. India too been a part of this
rich art. Thanks to Indias Cultural Diversity where a total of more than 500
languages exist it is difficult to comprehend the depth and richness of art
that is present in Modern Day India. Spanning across the country from Rajasthan to Bengal, Kashmir to Karnataka
, Kerala and Andhra, Gujrat to the North East hand embroidery in India has evolved in
multifaceted forms. Phulkari Embroidery, Kantha, Kathi, Rabari, Chikankari,
Kashmiri, Kasuthi - the list is endless.
Each one has a story of its own..
Kantha
Embroidery of Bengal is famous for its embroidered quilts. Kantha itself means
patched or quilted cloth. It involves simple running stitch. Multiple layers of
cloth are stitched together which are generally made of old saris, dhotis and
other precious silks and muslins. Kantha is used for multiple purposes like
quilts, shawl, pillow covers, handkerchiefs, book covers and even toilet
accessories. The process of recycling unused clothes and turning it into an
artistic good is an art by itself. Artists design various motifs which can be
form of god, goddesses, flowers, animals and other geometric patterns.
Depending on the form of product Kantha is further subdivided into various
other forms such as Oaar kantha for pillow covers, Lep Kantha for quilts and
Rumal Kantha for handkerchiefs and so on. While Kantha embroidery Orginated in
Bengal , different forms of Kantha embroidery are also practised in Several
states of the North East especially Assam. While the essence and techniques
remain the same , there are subtle differences in these diverse forms from
different states.
Kutch
Embroidery is another famous form of art in Gujarat. The embroidery is done on
every day attire and other Objects of Everyday use. These include traditional
dresses, blankets, quilts and even covers for animal backs, horns and forehead.
The striking feature of this embroidery are the colourful designs. Popular colours include
green, purple, yellow, saffron, white. The embroidery also has a certain Degree
of Grandeur by the use of tiny mirrors in various shapes and sizes. Chain and
open stitch is often used to give it a precise appearance.
Chikankari is
native to the capital city of Uttar Pradesh i.e Lucknow. The word Chikankari
comes from the Persian word Chakeen which means intricate patterns made on
fabric. It is believed to be introduced first by Emperor Jahangir’s wife and is still one of the most
famous decoration styles in Lucknow. It is a white thread embroidery done on a
variety of fabrics such as silk, net, muslin etc. The typical process of
Chikankari includes Designing, Engraving, Block Printing, Embroidery, Washing
and finishing. The patterns and designs are created using different types of
stitches and thickness of threads. In total there are about 36 different types of
stitches.
Kasuti Embroidery
is a form of embroidery practiced in Karnataka especially North Karnataka .
It’s name is derived from the words Kai and Suti meaning hand and cotton. The
Kasuti work is very intricate involving more than a thousand stitches by hand. The
handicrafts development cooperation of Karnataka holds a GI for the protection
of this art form. Kasuti is found in a variety of Ilkal saris –Both Silk and
Cotton.
Sujni
Embroidery is a traditional to Bihar. It is usually made by stitching new cloth
over various old layers of cloth. The embroidery includes flowers, birds,
creepers and sakhi designs. The main Stitch here like Kantha is the running
Stitch. Products includes quilts, bed sheets , jackets etc.
Sozni
Embroidery is another traditional art form of Kashmir. Kashmir is famous for
its delicate and precise embroidery. An apt example of sozni work applications would be the embroidery seen on pashmina
shawls and phirans. It is so skilfully done that each side of the shawl has a
motif of different colour. Sozni Embroidery is done so skilfully that one
single motif appears in different colours on the two sides of cloth on which
the embroidery is done. Consequently there is no reverse side to the Garment.
Banjara
embroidery is an art form of Andhra Pradesh practiced by the nomads and
gypsies. Banjara work can be identified by their vivid colours , geometric
patterns and mirror work. Use of shells, beads , mirrors is also done
generously. Products of Banjara embroidery include kurtas, bags, cushion
covers, blouse pieces and bed sheets.
Applique
work comes from the famous town of Pipli in Odisha, halfway between Puri and
Bhusbaneswar. The work includes patchwork of various brightly coloured birds,
animals, motifs on contrasting backgrounds. The subjects include natural,
mythological and astral characters. Applique work in
different forms is again not limited to Odisha today and one can see variations
of the same being practised in Rajasthan, Gujrat etc.
Embroidery
has shown the world that beauty can be created by the means of just a thread
and a needle…….
Contributed by Antorik Roy for Banna Creations
