Traditional embroideries of India

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INDEX
UNIT-I.................................................................... 3 Lesson 1: Kantha of Bengal .................................... 4 Lesson 2: Kasuti of Karnataka .............................. 21 Lesson 3: Phulkari of Punjab ................................ 37 Lesson 4: Embroideries of Gujarat ....................... 56 Practical Exercises ............................................... 73 UNIT-II ................................................................ 81 Lesson 5: Applique Craft of Orissa........................ 82 Lesson 6: Chikankari of Uttar Pradesh ............... 104 Lesson 7: Chamba Rumal of Himachal Pradesh .. 128 Lesson 8: Kasida of Kashmir .............................. 151 UNIT-III............................................................. 174 Lesson 9: Traditional Textiles of India ............... 175 UNIT-IV.............................................................. 196 Lesson 10: Printed and Painted Textiles of India 197 Lesson 11: Sanganer and Bhagru Printing.......... 201 Lesson 12: Kalamkari ......................................... 210 UNIT-V ............................................................... 227 Lesson 13: Ajrakh .............................................. 228 Lesson 14: Mithila Painting ................................ 243 Lesson 15: Patola, Ikat, Pochmpalli and Mashru 258 Lesson 16: Bandhini Work of Rajasthan and Gujarat ........................................................................... 272 References books ............................................... 284
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UNIT-I
Lesson 1: Kantha of Bengal Lesson 2: Kasuti of Karnataka Lesson 3: Phulkari of Punjab Lesson 4: Embroideries of Gujarat
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Lesson 1: Kantha of Bengal

Objective:
After going through this unit you should be able to understand the traditional embroidery of West Bengal.
Structure:
1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Introduction Styles of Kantha Fabric Used Stitches Used Threads Used Motifs Used Types of Kantha
1.1 Introduction
The traditional folk art of Bengal is famous as kantha, which means patched cloth. The special significance of kantha is quilting. Kantha is embroidered using worn out textiles that are to be thrown away. It is a treasured art in Bengal where ladies irrespective of their castes, classes and socio economic groups are expert at the embroidery not only depicts the stitches employed but also express the outflow of their creative, resourceful, imaginary and patient craftsman ship. Kanthas are produced at Hugli, Patna, Satagaon, Jessore, Faridpur , Khulan and other parts of East and West Bengal. Kanthas were domestic and feminine are never prepared for sale. A kantha made by each individual is unique in itself. Each
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woman make new fresh form of art on the fabrics. The ideas themes, scenes and symbols are almost common as they come from similar economical background. Some basic traditional designs are seen in each piece of work.
1.2 Styles of Kantha

Two kinds of style are adopted to produce kantha a) Old discarded cotton saris or dhotis were piled on top of each other, quilted and embroidered. b) Discarded cotton bed covers were piled up or folded, quilted and embroidered with pictorial embroidery.
1.3 Fabric Used Page

Base fabric used in the traditional kantha was always white cotton, as the saris of the Bengali
woman are mostly white and of cotton. Silk was also used at times. Now tussar silk in black, beige, dull orange are used. The colour of the base fabric of a kantha is always neutral black, white, beige, grey, dull brown.
1.4 Stitches Used

Kantha embroidery is widely done by using the running stitch; but stem and satin stitches are also used.
1.5 Threads Used

White cotton threads and sometimes-silk threads are also used. Sometimes the borders of the old saris are stitched around the piece of embroidered kantha. Colours of the threads used are red, black, blue, green, and yellow/ mustard.
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1.6 Motifs Used

Portuguese and European traditions have a great influence on the motifs of kantha. The first time the kanthas were commercially manufactured was in 1875 in Patna. The motifs used are rotons, mandala, trees, creepers, foliage, paisleys, animal, human figures, spiral, birds, fish, shell, nutcrackers, mirror comb, umbrella, chariot, palanquin, boats, sceneries, mermaids etc. There were also scenes from day to day life scenes from the epics, peacock, temple, hukka, jewelery. Come kanthas even had steeds of gods like bull, swan, lion, elephant, Cat and swan. Lotus is the most widely used kantha motif. Some other motifs like thunderbolt and swastik are also used. The spiral represent the eternal life cycle. Do - rukha kantha is the one which appears identical on both sides face and back of the fabric.
1.7 Types of Kantha

There are different kinds of kanthas named according to its utility. According to Jasleen Dhamija, there are seven types of kantha used as wrapper in winter, for books, valuables, mirrors, combs, wallets, pillow and bed spreads. Arshilata is used as cover or wrap for mirror, comb and other such toilet articles. It is a narrow rectangular piece of eight inch wide and twelve inch length. It has a wide border and the central motif is taken from the scenes of Krishna leela or Radha Krishna raas. The lotus trees, creepers, spirals inverted triangles, zigzag lines, scrolls are also some of the commonly used motifs.
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Bayton, a three feet square piece serves as a wrap for books and other similar valuables. It has a
central motif, usually the lotus with hundred petals called satadala padma. This motif with hundred petals is simply a figure, which does not signify anything precisely. The traditional and folk design of oldest style in Bayton is the Mandala whick symbolizes the unity of all manifestations of life. The core has Satadala Padma with two or three borders on the sides. The other motifs commonly seen are p\water pots, conch shell, kalkas, trees, foliages, flowers, birds, elephants, chariot, human figures etc, sometimes the figure of lord Ganesha and Goddess Saraswati with their steed are also observed. Special motifs on Bayton are worked with w\wan as a book wrapper. In other words, the designs often collaborate and this colourful embroidery is made with yellow, green blue and red coloured threads. This kantha is often carried while travelling and also presented as gift to their kith and kins. Durjani (Durfani) is also known as Thalia. It is a square piece kantha, covers the wallet, and has a central lotus motif with a elaborated border. The three corners of this piece are drawn together inward to make the tips to touch at the centre and sewn together like an envelop. It will have another open flap to which a string, tussle or decorated thread is either stitched or mechanically fixed which can be wound and tied up when rolled. The other motifs used are various types of foliages, snakes and other objects taken from the natural surroundings. Lep kantha is relatively a thick quilted wrap padder by more number of sari layers placed on top of each other, to provide warmth during winter season. Lep is also popular as desired covering. Simple geometrical designs are worked with running stitch using coloured threads. The entire Lep piece is given
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a wavy rippled appearance by working simple embroideries. Oar (ooar), the kantha serves as a pillow cover. It is rectangular piece whose size is about two feet by one and half feet. Usually simple designs like trees, foliages, creepers, birds or a liner design with longitudinal border constitutes the ground base and decorative border is stitched around its four sides. The most popular and striking kantha is the Sunjani (Sujni), generally large rectangular piece of three feet by six feet, used as a spread during ceremonial occasion. Its size has provided full scope for the workers to express and exhibit her imaginary, self created design. The rectangular piece is divided into nine equal parts and the motifs are distributed in these equal sized rectangular block. The lotus motif with a whirl in the centre is the commonly used motif in Sujani. The other motifs observed are the scenes from Ramayana, Mahabharat, folk tales, dancing girl, men riding, birds pecking the fruits, prancing movement of the animals, bees sucking the nectar, procession in motion etc. A moderately thick, light weighed Sujani has either two or more borders at the edge to strengthen the layers and to prevent further tearing. The border stitched at the edge to strengthen the layers and to prevent further tearing. The border stitched at the edge of the rectangular piece has geometrical patterns in single colour, while the other is more ornamental and colourful. The cover sometimes has large kalka laid horizontally and separated by Vajra, the thunder bolt or a broad band of circles, lotus in each circle and heart shaped foliage between the circles. Sarfani is also quilt used during ceremonies or functions as a cover or wrap.
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Rumal is nothing but a handkerchief and is the smallest among all the kanthas. A square piece having a size about one square foot. Lotus is the core and other motifs embroidered around it. Sometimes plant and animal motifs are also embroidered but invariably has a well decorated border.
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Stepwise execution of a leaf in Kantha Embroidery using simple running stitch
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Lesson 2: Kasuti of
Karnataka
Objective:
To understand the traditional embroidery of Karnataka.
Structure:
2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Introduction Fabric Used Threads Used Stitches Used Motifs Used Articles Made
2.1 Introduction
Kasuti is world famous embroidery of Karnataka State, earlier known as Mysore State. The motifs and the art speak about the traditions, customs and professions of the people of Karnataka. The age of learning and executing Kasuti was common to both royals, aristocrats and peasant women.
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It is said that the Kasuti resembles the embroidery of Austria, Hungary and Spain. The origin of Kasuti is not known. The word Kasuti can be analysed as 'Kai' meaning hand and 'suti' meaning cotton thread, i.e. a handwork of cotton thread in Kannad, the language of Karnataka. The lingayats, the follower of cult Shiva, also known as Verrasaivas are expert in this art. Traditionally it is a custom for the bride to possess a black silk saree called the 'Chandrakali Sari' with Kasuti work on it. The embroidery of Kasuti was taught to children, neighbours, daughters by the older ladies in the family and was done on saris and blouses. The motifs and stitches were sometimes tried out on a piece of white cotton cloth which was preserved as a model. Other centres of production are Bilaspur, Dharwar Belgam and Jamakhandi districts.
2.2 Fabric Used

Fine silk fabric of the sarees was used earlier in addition to this, canvas or fine matty is used now. The base colour is dark, usually black or dark blue.
2.3 Threads Used

Traditionally the thread was drawn from the tassels of the pallav of the saris, to make the design appear flat, rich and gorgeous, DCM, Anchor, Kohinoor. Cotton threads are used. The colours most frequently used are red, orange, purple, greenyellow and blue. The commonly used combinations are red-blue, red-yellow, red-white, blue-orange and green-yellow. Bright contrasts are used to make a bold and clear design.
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2.4 Stitches Used
Stitches in Kasuti are always vertical, horizontal and diagonal. The main speciality of this embroidery is that never the design is traced in the material to be embroidered and the embroidery starts without knotting thread but with a tiny back stitch. The stitches are simple, minute, intricate and pretty. Kasuti is done always by counting the threads. The four types of stitches are, Gavanti, Murgi, Negi and Menthi. Different patterns and motifs are worked in different stitches but some have mixed stitches. The number of threads on the material forms a unit, two to six threads for fine and coarse work respectively. However, the unit should remain constant till the design is completed. 'Gavanti' is the most simple and common stitch, derived from the Kannada word 'Gantu' means 'knot'. It is a double running stitch, in which the first running stitchs is filled in by the second running stitch on the same line. The second running stitch works exactly opposite to the first one. Gavanthi
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may be worked in horizontal, vertical or diagonal directions. 'Murgi' is a zigzag running stitch which appears like steps of a ladder or staircase. It is same as gavanthi stitch but works in a stepwise manner. The work in both gavanthi and murgi stitches is neat and tidy, where the design appears same on right and wrong side of the material. However, the stitches should be of uniform size. The distance between two stitches is nothing but the length of each stitch. Smallest motifs like square, triangle, hexagonal, ladders, flower are to be practiced so that the elaborate designs can be worked. A large geometric design is produced by grouping the tiny designs on regular intervals and sequences. 'Negi' is another stitch in Kasuti. 'Negi' in Kannada means 'to weave' i.e. the design with Negi design has an overall effect of a woven design. Negi is nothing but ordinary running or darning stitch. It is worked in long and short straight lines or floats and therefore, the design does not appear identical on either sides of the cloth. Menthi' is the fourth type of stitch which means the ordinary cross stitch. In Karnataka 'Menthi' means fenugreek seed but however, people of Karnataka identify the cross stitch as 'menthi' only. This cross stitch is usually appears heavy as is used for filling purpose. This stitch requires more length of thread than the other three stitches. Similar to Negi, even this stitch does not give same appearance on either sides of the Cloth.
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2.5 Motifs Used

The motifs used in Kasuti embroidery ranged from mythological and architectural to the beautiful flora and fauna, i.e., gopuras, palanquine, chariot, shivalinga, bull (Nandi), tiger, lamp stand, crown of Shiva (Shivana Basinga), swastika, sun, surya mukhi, conchshell, asanas, Rama's cradle, snake (Naga devta), elephant, horse, tulsi vrundavan, Hanuman etc. Apart from steeds of Shiva and Laxmi, squirrel, parrot, sparrow, peacock, cock, duck pigeon, swan, deer, are also seen. Various types of foliages creepers, flowers are however, used in this embroidery. The main ones are lotus, chrysanthemum, jasmine, rui-phool (cotton flower), cashew nut (Kalka), grapes, kevada, kalawar, diamond, badam, berseed, black bead, maggihua, marigold, coconut flower, sparrows eye, rudraksha, tulsi leaf, brinjal seed, cardamum, chess square, flower pot, etc.
2.6 Articles Made

In olden days Kasuti was done on Ilkal silk sari or Ilkal type village sari having broad pallav, called 'tope-teni' and simple border with plain body. In
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order to add colour and beauty to the sari, small Kasuti motifs were worked in the pallav region and many times the borders in negi and murgi stitches were also worked in. However, this simple handloom sari was made appear gorgeous by Kasuti embroidery. The choli worn along with the sari is known as 'khan', on which Kasuti was done with the matching colour, motifs and borders of the sari. The women folk used to decorate the Kunchagi kulai (bonnets), used for children other women's regional costume was embroidered. But now Kasuti is also done on the household linen like, kerchiefs, bed covers, sofa covers, cushion covers curtains, shopping bags, carpets (Jute), plain saris of silk, cotton or synthetics, salwar suits, yolkes, cuffs, collars, belts, pockets, dupattas, caps, and used as trimming for children's garments.
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Areas of Production - Kasuti Embroidery
1. Mysore
2. Bijapur
3. Dharwad
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Lesson 3: Phulkari of Punjab

Objective:
To understand the traditional embroidery of Punjab.
Structure:
3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Introduction Classification of Phulkaris Fabric Used Threads Used Stitches Used Technique Used
3.1 Introduction
Phulkari is the traditional embroidery of the land of Punjab. It is the land of energetic and vibrant people, colours and dances. The exact history and origin of phulkari in not known. It is in Wari Shah Heer and excellent social document that the word phlukari appears for the first time. Banabhatta in his book Harshachartra (7C BC) describes the wedding of Rajyashree and talks of some people engaged in decorating the hems of the garments from the wring side of the fabric (phulkari is executed from the wrong side of the fabrics). It is also said that the word phulkari came from Iran, where gulkari resembling phulkari was prevalent. It is thought that the art was brought to India by the gujjar nomads of central Asia.
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Phulkari is composed of 2 words phul means floral and kari means work. When the whole fabric is so embroidered that no part of the base fabric is visible, it is called Bagh meaning a garden on the fabric, making base fabric visible at certain areas.
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Phulkari
Bagh
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West Punjab, India, late 19th century floss silk on hand spun, hand woven cotton 135 x 275 cms. Areas of production of phulkaris were Peshawar, Jehlum, Rawalpindi, hazara all now in Pakistan; as well as Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ambala, Ludhiana, Patiala, Nabha, Jind, Faridkot and Kapurthala. There was a considerable difference between Hindu/ Muslim
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1. Base fabric 2. Colours of threads used.
Red or White White, orange, gold, brown, red, purple, crimson Horal designs, human arrival figures
Black Green, magenta, lemon yellow and some time white. Strictly horal patterns.
3. Patterns
Uses Phulkaris were never prepared for sale Each piece became an heirloom and was passed from generation to generation. It remained a domestic and feminine art made out of love. This was specially true for the wedding phulkaris which retained their original designs. All festive occasions, weddings and child birth were commemorated with a phulkari. Holy scriptures were kept wrapped in phulkaris. It was used as offering to temples and mazars.
3.2 Classification of Phulkaris

Phulkaris are classified on the basis of their design and application.
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1. Wedding Phulkaris:
These phulkaris form and irrespirable part of the brides trousseau. Each ceremony was associated with meaning of particular bagh. a. Chope: Chope is embroidered by the maternal grandmother for the girl. Stitch used in the chope is double running stitch; the colour of the thread used is yellow and the fabric used is red khaddar large triangles are embroidered on the edges along the length. Chope is identical on the both sides of the fabric and is held on the head during the chura ceremony. b. Suber: This is worn during the phera ceremony during the wedding, The base of the super is red khaddar and is embroidered using green and yellow thread. There are fine flowers on the suber; one on each corner and one in the outer. Each flower is 6 petalled. c. Vari- Da- Bagh: This is given to the bride by the grooms mother after wedding. The base fabric is red, is embroidered with golden yellow and green threads. The motifs on vari- da- bagh one unconnected concentric square or lozenges with a plant in the innermost square. This is a bagh and the ground fabric is not visible.
2. Religious Phulkaris
This phulkari is called the Darshan Dwar meaning Devine Door. It has religious motifs like the walls of the temple and the people doing parikarma. This was used to make offering to the temples. The base of the phulkari was red with yellow thread used for embroidery.
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3.2.1 Classification of Phukaris According to Motifs

Phulkari being a domestic feminine got its inspiration from the day to day scene and objects around the women. 1. Inspiration drawn from the mirchi(chilli), belan (rolling (wheat) and dhania bagh. kitchen gave pin), kaniki
2. Floral motifs used to embroider baghs were of surajmukhi, gulkerian. 3. Bird and animal motifs were mor, tota and serpents, peacock motifs gave rise to moran di phulkari. 4. Daily life objects were patang, jewellery, woman drawing water, woman churning buttermilk.
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5. Sun, moon and lightening were used to embroider suraj bagh, chand bagh and bijli bagh.
3.2.2 Other Phulkaris

1. Sarpallo was used to draw a veil. It had a triangular motif in the centre in such a way that the base of the triangle. Such a may that the base of the triangle tell on the forehead and the apex point at the nape. 2. Nilok had a blue background. Embroidery was alone with yellow and red silk thread. It was used for the young girls to learn embroidery. 3. Tilpatra was dotted all over to give to the servents on auspicious occasions. 4. Shishadar phulkari and geometrical designs with mirrors embroidered alongwith the designs. 5. Sainchi phulkaris: Sainchi comes from the word 'Sangha' meaning together. This phulkari had motifs of routine daily life, prized possessions like jewellery, animals, pets, games (chess) embroidered together. This phulkari had motifs of routine dailylife, prized possessions like motifs of routine daily life, prized possessions like jewellery, animals, pets, games (chess) embroidered together. 6. Bhawan Bagh' had fifty two squares embroidered on it. Each squared a different motif inside it. The motifs were always geometrical. 7. Phulkari with a black background was worn during mourning. Simple motifs in yellow and red were embroidered on it. 8. Thirma - Phulkari done on white khadder given to a hindu bride by her parents.
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3.3 Fabric Used

Khaddar (a coarse, loose weave cotton fabric) was used as the base fabric for almost all phulkaris and baghs. In Rawalpindi and Hazara (now in Pakistan) phulkari embroidery was done on very lightweight fabric resembling cambric. These phulkaris were called Halwan.
3.4 Threads Used
Dyed untwisted silk threads called 'Pat' were used. Sometimes black and white cotton threads called 'bandi' were used.
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3.5 Stitches Used

Darning stitch, chope, running, herringbone run and back, buttonhole, stem and chain stitches were used.
3.6 Technique Used

The base fabric i.e. the khaddar was woven by the village weaver. This fabric was of narrow widths. To make large widths phulakaris the women used to join 2 or 3 widths together. The joints were neatly and expertly done in herring bone stitch. Darning stitch was executed from the wrong side of the fabric. The length of the stitch ranged
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from of an inch to one inch. The motifs were always symmetrical. The untwisted silk thread shown at different angles giving it an exotic appearance. A small buti in black was embroidered at times or the motif was slightly distorted to wand off the evil. This was called the nazar buti. Areas of Production - Phulkari 1. Peshawar 2. Sialkot 3. Jehhum 4. Rawalpindi 5. Amritsar 6. Faridkot 7. Jalandhar 8. Rohtak
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Lesson 4: Embroideries of
Gujarat
Objective:
To understand the traditional embroidery of Gujarat.
Structure:
4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Importance of embroidery in Gujarat Classification of Embroidery Styles of Domestic Embroidery: Moti - Bharat Kutch Style
The western state of Gujarat is an arid region with patches of small fields, bushes and acasia (kikkar) trees. Because of the drill tones of nature, the people of this region have a deep seated need for colour in their daily lives, which reflects in their clothes, houses and animal trappings. This area has always been blessed with busy ports of Surat, Broach, Cambay, Mandir and Kandla. Because of this reason it has strong links for centuries with the middle east, Arabian guld, Red sea, Egypt, Africa and thus remained an important centre for embroidery. Today, Kutch, Saurashtra, North Gujarat, Thar Parkar district of Sind (in Pakistan) are the worlds richest source of folk embroidery.
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4.1 Importance of embroidery in Gujarat

Gujarat is a state where many groups and sub groups stay together in each village. The embroidery style, stitches, colours used identify the group or subgroup and the relationship between them. Embroidery is a leisure activity to be enjoyed in groups and helps them to socialize and unite.
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4.2 Classification of Embroidery

I. Professional Embroideries a) Mochi Embroidery: The Gujarati Embroidery tradition was maintained for many years by the mochi embroiderers of Kutch and Saurashtra, who worked for the court and for the merchant and land owning castes. The embroiderers were traditionally cobblers and leather workers Embroidery is done in fine chain stitch using silk thread.
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The device used to embroider is an ari. This is a fine awl which has a notch incised to form a hook. The fabric used is satin, usually in dark colours, with black being the favourite. The motifs embroidered are buttis (flowers, drived from Persian and Mughal influence). Often with parrots perched on them, figures of women call putli, elephants and saddled horses. Centers for embroidery are Bhuj, the capital of Kutch and parts of Saurashtra. Articles embroidered are ghagra, cholis (bodices), sari borders, childrens chablas and torans. They also embroidered the traditional pichhavai hangings for temples, illustrating Lord Krishna.
b) Chinai Embroidery: In the late 19th Century and early 20th Century, there was a community of Chinies embroiderers living in Surat, who produced work that was chinies in design and technique. Their embroidery was known as Chinai. The embroidery was done with either fine silk floss or tightly spun 2 ply silk thread.
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Multicolours were used on a white or sometimes coloured silk background. Very fine chain and stem stitch is done with a needle. Motifs embroidered are birds and flowers in interconnected forms. Articles made are shawls, saris, cholis and long narrow border strips. These were the favourite of the rich Parsee community and are also known as parsee designs.
II. Domestic Embroideries Domestic embroideries are prevalent in Kutch, Saurashtra and Western Rajasthan, and the adjoining province of Sind in Pakistan. The inhabitants of these places, reflect a cultural diversity that has resulted from the influx of people over the centuries through Iran and Central Asia. The display of embroidery takes weddings and religious celebrations. place at
Distinctive embroidered clothese are worn as a proud batch of caste and cultural identity. Caste and social status is indicated by the colours and materials used. The merchant communities often work on silk where as the farming and pastoral castes usually use cotton and wool.
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4.3 Styles of Domestic Embroidery:

The styles follow rules recognized and strictly observed throughout a given group. For the embroiderer, the style that she uses is understood as a community. Embroidery style of a particular community evolves over generations and reflects the cultural and historical influences.
(a) Sindi Style This style is prevalent in the Thar Parpar and adjoining districts of Sind and in western Rajasthan districts of Barmer and Jaisalmer. Their work is of two types :
i. Profusely embroidered floral and disguised bird designs mostly on a red background supplemented by mirrors and beaded popoms. ii. Couched metal and thread work on a black background. The main feature is the lavish application of mirrors. The main types done are chain stitch, Abhla bharat, Heer Bharat and the interlacing stitch of Sindi taropa. Chain stitch is similar to that of Kutch but is done with a white thread and is accompanied with lots of mirrors.
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Heer bharat is the embroidery done using the untwisted silk thread called the heer in red, white, greed and yellow. Base fabric used is cotton of white or indigo colour. The stitches used are elongated darning stitch, which are worked according to the warp or weft of the fabric, chain stitch and herring bone stitch. The motifs used are geometric, borders, eight pointed star patterns and regular treatment of triangles and lozenges, mirrors are used where the designs intersect. Abhla Bharat is the use of mirrors on a dark background to produce a glittering effect. The rest of the embroidery is completed with stem or herring bone stitch using silken floss. Sindi Taropa
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Sindi Taropa commonly known as interlacing stitch practiced at Sindh, Kutch and Kathiawar. In Sindhi Taropa, the movement of the needle and thread is very important, does not bring any newness in the texture but can simply be said that an impression of the ingenuity of the women folk. Interlacing stitch involves two steps of embroidering, where in the first step, the long threads are stitched into the base of the cloth to form base structure or skeleton and in the second step, the thread is interloped through the basic structure or skeleton in reverse direction. The design is composed of small squares, lozenges, chevrons, discs, sometimes interspersed with flowers, birds, animals, etc. According to Jasleen Dhamija, Sindi Taropa was prevalent in Germany but it is really not known whether the Germans have introduced it into India or vice versa.
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4.4 Moti-Bharat
Gujarat in famous for the bead work or moti Bharat. The beads are not stitched to a background but they are stitched together with a needle and thread. The background is of white beads with various patterns created using coloured beads. She articles made are stiff and nonpriable and thus used for torans, wall hangings, bags, purses, toys.
4.5 Kutch Style

This is practiced by Rabari shepherds, kaubi farming castes, and Ahir herding castes. (a) Ahir Bharat: The word Ahir may be derived from the Sanskrit word Abhira meaning milk man.
The base material used was hand spun, hand woven coarse khaddar. At present the embroidery is done on silk or satin. Threads used are untwisted silk floss or twisted silken thread. Colourful threads are used on dark base. Stitch used is the chain stitch. Motifs used are birds, flowers, creepers, foliages, parrots, peacock, bulbul, dancing doll, karanphool (the flower shaped earring). Articles made are choli, pyjamas, jackets, bonnets, caps and other childrens garments.
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(b) Kanbi Bharat: Kanbis are basically the cultivators; the Kanbi women engage themselves in this beautiful craft. The thread used is of cotton of yellow, orange, green, white and purple colours. Basic stitches employed are darning for outlining and herring bone for filling. The designs in kanbi bharat have a distinct Persian influence and specific ones are sunflower, kevda and the cactus flower, parrots, peacocks, foliages and creepers are also present. Articles made are covers for animals, conical covers for their horns, embroidered veils and muzzles. Other household articles like covers for wooden boxes, pataras, blankets, quits are commonly made.
(c) Rabari Work: Rabaris belong to the tribe of the giri region of Gujarat. Their embroidery is impressive and attractive. Fabric used is hand woven hand spun khaddar or khadi material which is usually maroon in colour. The rabaris use patches of fabric of different shapes and sizes to produce a bold effect against a plain background. Sometimes patches of patola, satins, bandhini and printed cottons are also taken. Embroidery is done with double cross stitch with bird and floral motifs on the borders of the articles.
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The threads used are white, yellow, green and red made of cotton.
The motifs used are action motifs such as galloping horse, roaring lion, hopping deer; sometimes composite animals like Gajasimha (half elephant and half lion), kinnara (half human and half horse), a swan with 2 heads. Articles made are chaklas, torans, bhitiya (wall hangings, cushion covers for divans and bolsters covers).
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Classification of Gujarat Embroidery Embroidery of Gujarat Professional Embroidery Mochi Bharat Chanai Work Domestic Embroidery Sindi Style Heer Bharat Abla Bharat Sindi Taropa Moti Bharat Areas of Production of Gujarat Kutch Style Ahir Bharat Kaubi Bharat Rabari Work
Areas of Production of Gujarat Embroideries 1. 2. 3. 4. Thar Parpar, Barmer, Jaisalmer, Kutch
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Motif of the Sindi Style of Embroidery
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Motif of the Ahir, Kanbi, Rakari of Embroidery
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Practical Exercises
Each student is required to maintain a research file. This file will have fifty (50) motifs of each embroidery. The motifs will be neatly drawn in pencil. Each motif will be drawn in a square of 3 x 3. The students will then pick out motifs and make design compositions. There will be five (5) design compositions for each embroidery, made on 8 by 8 of ivory sheet. For each composition the student has to use three or more motifs of the traditional embroi-dery. The placement of the motifs can be done in the following ways to make different compositions.
One design composition will be selected by the teacher, painted and then embroidered using traditional colors.
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The students are required to maintain the compositions and samples in a file/folder.
Each student is required to make 2 end products.
The student can select this from the list of end products or think of his/her creative product.
One end product has to be a combination of any 2 embroideries. Second end product has to be purely based on one embroidery. The traditional motifs can be stylised, trendy colours can be used; beads, rope, dori, sequence, can be used to enhance the work. The layout or the placement of motifs on the end product, techniques, colours and embellishments have to be approved by the teacher before the final execution on the end product. The motifs on the end product need not be necessarily embroidered. They can be painted, machined embroidered or printed.
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List of end Products that can be made by the students
1. Study Table Accessories Paper Weight, Table Lamp, Card Holder, Pencil Stand, Photo Frame, Soft Board Frame, Book Rest. 2. Kitchen Articles Aprons, Mittens, Pot Holders, Mats, Napkins, Napkins Holder, Coasters. 3. Decorative Articles Lamps, Furniture Articles, Cushion Covers, Bags, Shoes, Belts, Jewellery Articles, Tiles, Blinds. 4. Bathroom Accessories Soap Case, Brush Holder, Towel Ring, Set of Hand Towels, Mirrors. 5. The student can think of any other innovative product and make it. 6. Wall Panels, rugs, partitions.
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Summary:
The special significance of kantha is quilting. Running stitch is the main stitch of kantha embroidery and cotton and silk threads are used for it. Portuguese and European tradition have a great influence on the motifs of kantha. Lotus is the most widely used kantha embroidery. There are different kinds of kanthas named according to its utility like:Arshilata,Bayton,Durjani,Lep,Sujani,Oor,Rumal etc. Kasuti is the traditional embroidery of Karnataka. Main stitches of kasuti are Gavanti, Murgi, Negi, and Menthi. The motifs used in kasuti embroidery ranged from mythological and architectural to the beautiful flora and fauna. Traditional embroidery of Punjab is known as phulkari.when the whole fabric is so embroidered that no part of the base fabric is visible,is called Bagh. Darning stitch, chope, Buttonhole, Stem, Herringbone, Running and Chain stitch is used for phulkari Kutch is the traditional embroidery of gujrat.this embroidery is classified in 2 categories: Proffesional and Domestic embroidery. The motifs used are buttis (flowers derived from Persian and mughal influence) parrots, figures of women called putli, elephant, birds, creepers, pecock, bulbul etc. The stitches used are chain stitch, mirror work, herringbone, double cross stitch etc.
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Review points:
Kantha is the traditional embroidery of WestBengal. Which means patched cloth. Base fabric used in kantha was always cotton.silk was also used at times. Main stitch of kantha is running stitch but satin and stem stitches are also used. White cotton threads and sometimes silk threads are also used for kantha embroidery. According to utility there is different types of kanthas like: Bayton, Durjani, Lep, Oor, Arshilata, Sujani, Rumal etc. Fine silk,canvas or matty is used for kasuti. Stitches in kasuti are vertical,horizontal and diagonal. always
Phulkari is the traditional embroidery of Punjab .
Phulkari
a.Wedding phulkari
b.Religious phulkari.
a.Chope
b.suber
c.vari-da-bagh
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3.Untwisted silk threads called pat is used for phulkari. Kutch embroidery is the famous embroidery of gujrat and gujrat is the worlds richest source of Folk embroidery.
Terminal questions:
1. What is meant by kantha and traditional folk art of which place? 2. Art of which place? 3. What are the motifs used for kantha? 4. Name the different types of kantha? 5. What are the base fabrics used for kantha and what are their colours? 7. Name the articles made using the kasuti embroidery? is the
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6. What are the areas of production of kantha?
8. Name the mythological and the architectural motifs used in kasuti? 9. What is the most popular colour combinations made in the kasuti embroidery? 10.What is the difference between bagh and phulkari? 11.What are the stitches used in Phulkari? 12.What are Darshan Dwar and Bawan Bagh? 13.Classify the Gujarat embroideries using a flow chart. 14.What is the importance of embroidery in Gujarat? 15.What is chinai embroidery and why is it called so? 16.What is the characteristic of Sindi Style of embroidery and what are its types? 17.What are the different types of embroidery done in the Kutch style?
Intext Questions:
1. Explain the different types of Kantha in detail? 2. Explain in detail the stitches used for Kasuti embroidery. 3. What are the different types of Explain in detail. phulkaris?
4. What is Gujrat embroidery? Write the classification of gujrat embroidery in detail. 5. Explain Kutch-style in detail?
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Key words:
1. Manifest: Easily noticed, obvious. 2. Whirl: 3. Notch V shaped or circular cut in an edge or surface. 4. Incised to cut into a design. 5. Influx - a lot of people arriving somewhere. 6. Profusely in large amount. 7. Lozenges a four sided figure like a diamond shape and has 2 opposite angles more than 90 degree and other 2 less than 90 degree. 8. Ingenuity - the ability to invent things.
Assignments:
Students have to make 50 motifs of Kantha embroidery in the Researh file. Students have to make the painted and embroidered sample of kantha embroidery. Students have to make 50 motifs of each embroidery in the Researh file. Students have to make the painted and embroidered sample of phulkari and kasuti embroidery. Students have to make 50 motifs of gujrat embroidery in the research file. Make painted and emroiderd sample of Kutch embroidey and make a sample of Moti Bharat also. Size should be 8x8.
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UNIT-II
Lesson 5: Applique Craft of Orissa Lesson 6: Chikankari of Uttar Pradesh Lesson 7: Chamba Rumal of Himachal Pradesh Lesson 8: Kasida of Kashmir
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Lesson 5: Applique Craft of
Orissa
Objective:
To understand the traditional embroidery of Orissa.
Structure:
5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Introduction Fabric Used Threads and Stitches Used Motifs Used Production
5.1 Introduction
Orissa is situated in the eastern part of the country. The world famous traditional craft of this state is the appliqu craft, a French term exploring about the technology of applying patches of colourful fabric pieces on a base fabric .The row edges are finished with a definite mode of stitchery.
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This is carried out in and around the Puri district, with Pipli as its main centre. It is also called Pipli work.Gangam and Baudh districts also carry out this craft.
Pipli is the capital of applique craft in Orissa. Most of the work sold on the street stalls of Pipli is produced for a growing tourist market; however supurb craftwork is still produced and available if you have the time to look around. The people of Orissa are religious and God fearing. The applique craft of Puri is connected with religious festivals and processions. It is done by the Darji Community. The articles produced traditionally were for the Lord Jagannath Yatra. These were canopies, umbrellas, banners, coverings of dummy horses and cows. Today other articles such as bedspreads cushion covers, bags, garden and sea shore umbrellas and lampshades are made. Many times the applique is combined with embroidery.
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5.2 Fabric Used

The base material has to be strong enough to take the weight of the applique pieces. The fabric used is always cotton usually in dark colours like royal blue, turquoise blue and black. The materials used for the applique is also cotton in bright colours. White is also used for appliques. Today white and cream base colours are also used.
5.3 Thread and Stitches Used

The appliques are attached to the base fabric by using chain stitch (usually done in white or yellow) and invisible hemming. The threads used are twisted cotton threads. If motifs are embroidered along with the applique, chain stitches are used. Blanket or buttonhole stitch is used to finish the fabric from all around and attach mirrors. Ruching stitch is used to gather up a strip of cloth to make an applique motif Rumming borders. stitch is sometimes used on the
The stitches are known by some local names such as Chicken for chain stitch. Ganthi for blanket stitch. Taropa for invisible hemming. Bakhia for running stitch.
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5.4 Motifs Used

The craft of Orissa is mainly connected with religious festivals and processions, the motifs picked up are from actual life, modified stylized forms, nature, animals and plant kingdom, and of course geometrical as per the shapes of the article. The commodity used motifs are ,lotus, duck, peacock, elephant, swan, parrot, fish, lion, betel leaf, bela leaf, creeper, tree, (gachha), sun (Surya), moon (Chandra), and rahu (the demon that swallows sun and the moon during eclipses).
A colourful display of Applique
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5.5 Production
1. Selection of the design is the first step involved, followed by cutting the motifs from the selected appliques material. However, specially prepared motifs are made separately. 2. These motifs are then placed on the base cloth in predetermined layout and sequence. 3. The raw edges of the cut motifs are neatly and evenly turned in and sewn on to the base or sometimes embroidered without turning the raw edges. 4. The layout of the motifs varies according to the size and articles to be prepared since the shape varies for each article, Canopy is a square piece, umbrella is circular, trasa is somewhat circular, having a small pointed part of the circumference as neck. The motifs are encircled with number of borders, inside and outside, many times it even reaches the edges of the ground fabric For example the square or circular motif, which later is bound by several borders of different widths. 5. The size of applique piece varies from one metre to a very small size of 1.5 cms. The small pieces are for fine decorations and borders whereas the large pieces of geometrical pieces are used as central motifs for canopies and so on. The natural and stylized motifs in the design through medium size either reduced or enlarged according to the size of the piece. Sometimes the figured motifs are padded to bring about embossed effect and make them more naturalistic. The local market for these products is limited. The Government is trying to make an effort to enter the international market by improving the products and establishing cooperative societies.
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Applique end-products
Applique wall-hanging
PAppliqu jhallar
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Applique Jhallar
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Areas of Production for Orissa Applique
1. Pipli
2. Gangam
3. Bandh
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Lesson 6: Chikankari of
Uttar Pradesh
Objective:
Understand the traditional embroideries of Uttar pradesh Learn the stitches of Chikankari
Structure:
6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 History of Chikankari Fabric Used Thread Used Motifs Stitches Used Production Metal Work of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh is a land of overwhelming contrasts, where extremes are normality. The Ganges dominates the state, emerging from the foothills of the Himalayas to the last expanse of plains, passing though he holy city of the Varanasi. Uttar Pradesh is famous for its finely woven Brocades metal work and the delicate chikan work also called white work. Lucknow the capital of Uttar Pradesh is famous for this work. Lucknow is an old city with its earlier name as Avadh. In 1775 it began to attract craftsmen, artists and musicians, who were patronised by the court. One of the crafts that
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developing during this time was the Chikankari a kind of white work.
6.1 History of Chikankari
Chikankari work is thought to have organized in Bengal and practiced in Dhaka and Calcutta. The Jamdani weaving and European white work must have been influential in giving rise to this work. From 1850 onwards a very fine, white on white on Jamdani was produced in Tanda, near Faizabad, to the East of the Lucknow. It is said that this marked the beginning of Chikankari work in Lucknow.
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Chikan means to raise and kari means work The name chikan seems to have been derived from the Persian word, either Chikan, Chikin or Chikeen. It means a kind of cloth wrought with needlework. Although it originated as a court craft, today it is a practiced tradition and an important commercial activity. Chikan work has a very light, gossamer like quality. This makes it very suitable for the seemingly hot climate of the northern plain region. It can be assumed that Chikankari, using sheer fabrics evolved as a logical answer to the problem of keeping cool and also providing adornment and beauty to ones person or in the surroundings. it is thought that Noor Jehan got inspired by the Turkish Architecture (seen in Taj Mahal) and produced this raised effect on white fabric with white threads to show the carvings and trellis on the marbel. Chikankari is thought to be her personal creation.
6.2 Fabric Used

Traditionally very fine cotton, or muslin was used, generally white in color. Now all kinds sheer fabrics like organdy, chiffons, georgettes, silk, jute are also used. The colours used are all pastel colors of pink, blue, peach, pistagreen. Black is also used as the ground color.
6.3 Thread Used

White untwisted cotton or sometimes twisted silk threads were used.
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6.4 Motifs
Strictly floral motifs and paisleys are used. This embroidery is done by the Muslim workers; thus no animal and human figures.
6.5 Stitches Used

Six basic stitches are used. Some work from the right and others from the wrong side of the fabric. 1. Taipchi: Running stitch worked on the right side of the fabric. It is occasionally done within parallel rows to fill petals and leaves in a motif, called ghaspatti. Sometimes taipchi is used to make the bel buti all over the fabric. This is the simplest chikan stitch and often serves as a basis for further ssssembellishment. It resembles jamdani and is considered the cheapest and the quickest stitch.
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a) Pechni: Taipchi is sometime used as a base for working other variations and pechni is one of them. Here the taipchi is covered by entwining the thread over it in a regular manner to provide the effect of something like a lever spring and is always done on the right side on the cloth. b) Pashni: Taipchi is worked to outline a motif and then covered with minute vertical satin stitches over about two threads and is used for fine finish on the inside of badla.
2. Bakhia: It is the most common stitch and is often referred to as shadow work. It is of two types: (a) Ulta Bakhia: The floats lie on the reverse of the fabric underneath the motif. The transparent muslin becomes opaque and provides a beautiful effect of light and shade. (b) Sidhi Bakhia: Satin stitch with criss-crossing of individual threads. The floats of thread lie on the surface of the fabric. This is used to fill the forms and there is no light or shade effect. 3. Katao: Khatao, khatava or katava is cutwork or appliqu - more a technique than a stitch. Rampur and Aligarh have special work when the applique is done using invisible hemming. All the patches are cut and folded to form lozenges. A single lozenge works out as leaf and 4 to 6 are put together to form a flower. Stem stitch is used to embroider stems.
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4. Gitti: A combination of buttonhole and long satin stitch, usually used to make a wheel-like motif. Button hole used for small circular flowers. 5. Jangira: Chain stitch usually used as outlines in combination with a line of pechni or thick taipchi. The bolder or knottier stitches include the following: 6. Murri: A very minute satin stitch in which a knot is formed over already outlined taipchi stitches.
7. Phanda: It is a smaller shortened form of murri. The knots are spherical and very small, not pear shaped as in murri. This is a difficult stitch and requires very good craftsmanship. 8. Jaalis: The jaalis or trellises that are created in chikankari are a unique speciality of this craft. The holes are made by manipulation of the needle without cutting or drawing of thread. The threads of the fabric are teased apart to make neat regular holes or jaalis. In other centres where jaalis are done, the threads have to be
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drawn out. In chikankari, this is not the case. Names of jaali techniques suggest the place where they originated from --- Madrasi jaali or Bengali jaali ---- or possibly the place of demand for that particular jaali. The basic manner in which jaalis are created is by pushing aside wrap and weft threads in a fashion that minute openings are made in the cloth. Shape of openings and the stitches used distinguish one jaali from another.
6.6 Production
The commercial chikankari work is organized and carried out by men. Men and women both carry out the embroidery work. The designs are block printed on the fabric. Temporary colors like geru in water or ultramarine blue (neel) in kerosene are used for block printing the designs. After the embroidery is done, the products are washed, starched and ironed. The articles produced are sarees, salwar kurtas, dupattas, shirts, bed and table linen. Lots of variations are produced today. Chikankari work in done along with sequins, and beads on brightly coloured fabrics, to suit the modern taste.
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6.7 Metal Work of Uttar Pradesh

Banaras and Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh are famous for metal weaving and embroidery. The metal wire kalabattun or zari as it is popularly called was a finally drawn silver wire with of plating gold. To cut down the cost, a copper wire was plated with gold. Cheap immitations of zari are now adays available; a synthetic golden or silver thread is wrapped over a core of cotton thread. Lucknows zardoshi and kamdani are the most popular. Different types of materials used are:
Zardosi (a) Salma Very thin twisted metal wire. (b) Zari Threads with gold or silver coating. (c) Gajai a cicular thin stift wire used for outline. (d) Tilli/Sitara Sequins. (e) Mukaish/Badla Thin small metal sheet which is pressed into the fabric and folded.
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(f) Moti Beads (golden, silver or white) are used along with the work to fill up designs or empty spaces.
Salma and Gajai Moti
Moti
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Sitara
Zari
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Mukaish/Badla
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Moti
Area of Production - Chikankari
1. Lucknow
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Summary:
The world famous traditional craft of Orissa is known as appliqu craft. In this art row edges are finished with a definite mode of stitchery. The threads used are twisted cotton threads. Stitches used for appliqu are: Chain stitch, invisible hemming, Blanket stitch, Running stitch, Ruching stitch etc. Chikankari is the traditional embroidery of Uttar Pradesh. It is also known as White work. IT is done on very fine cotton and main stitches used are: Bukhia, Katao, Murri, Taipchi, Buttonhole and Jali work.
Revision points:
Traditional craft of orissa is called Applique craft. Pipli, in puri dist. Is its main center so it is also called pipli work? Fabric used is always cotton in dark colours. The appliqus are attached to the base fabric by using chain stitch and invisible hemming. Motifs are picked up from actual life, modified stylized forms, nature, animals and plant kingdome. Uttar Pradesh is famous for its finely Woven Brocades, metal work and delicate chikan work . Traditionally very fine cotton or muslin was used, generally white in colour and white cotton (untwisted) or sometimes twisted silk threads were used.
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Strictly Floral motifs and paisleys are used for chikankari.
In text Questions:
1. What are the different steps involved in the production of Appliques of Orissa? 2. What is Applique? What are the threads and stitches used for Orissa Applique? 3. What kind of fabric is used for the base material of Orissa Applique? 4. What are the threads and stitches used for Orissa Applique? 5. What are the different steps involved in the production of Appliques of Orissa? 6. What are the motifs and colours used for Orissa Appliqus? 7. What are the different thoughts of origin for Chikankari Embroidery? 8. What are chikankari? the different fabrics used for
9. Why are there no human or animal figures in chikankari? 10.What are the Chikankari? different stitches used for
11.What are the articles produced in Chikankari? 12.What are the different types of materials used for the metal work of Uttar Pradesh?
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Terminal Questions:
1. What are kind of fabric is used for the basic material of Orissa Applique? 2. The motifs Appliques? and colours used stitches for Orissa for
3. What are the different Chikankari ? Explain.
used
4. What are the different thoughts of origin for Chikankari embroidery? 5. What are the different fabrics used for Chikankari ? 6. Why are there no human or animal figures in Chikankari ? 7. What are the articles produced in Chikankari ? 8. What are the different types of materials used for the metal work of Uttar Pradesh?
Assignments:
Students have to make 50 motifs of each embroidery in research file. Students have to make the embroidered sample of Applique painted and
Students have to make painted and embroidered sample of Chikankari.
Key Words:
2. Immitation Easy to copy with same effect.
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1. Trellis A light frame made of long narrow pieces of wood that cross each other,used to support.
Lesson 7: Chamba Rumal of
Himachal Pradesh
Objective:
To understand the traditional embroidery of Himachal Pradesh - Chamba Rumal.
Structure:
7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Fabric Used Threads Used Stitches Used Motifs used Transfer of Design of Fabric Main Themes in the Embroidery
Himachal, the term is derived from Sanskrit where Him means snow and Achal means lap, which depicts that the state has abundant snowfall during the winter. Himachal was ruled by brave and chivalrous Ranas and Thakurs. The existence of this embroidery goes back to the 15th Century. Buddhist literature mentions that embroidery was practiced in Pathankot, Chamba and other neighbouring remote villages like Basoni, Nurpur, Kangra, Kullu and Mandi. The embroidery depicted a fine, delicate, perfect manual work called needle miniatures of Himachal or Pahari Rumal. A legend says that a rumal (handkerchief), was embroidered by Bebe Nanki, sister of Guru Nanak Dev (14691539), and presented to him during his
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wedding in late 15th Century. This rumal had a cream colour base with beautiful human figures, evergreen trees and colourful blossoms. It is still preserved in the Gurudwara of Gurdaspur. In Jatoka tales, a mention was made about these beautiful embroidery done in Pathankot, Chamba and other surrounding places. During 1009 A.D. the Kangra fort was captured by Gazani Mohammed who looted all the splendid textiles of Himachal Pradesh. The Romans describe the embroidery of Chamba as needle painting. The facial expressions of the figures are vivid and lively and the bodies are full of movement as it developed a style of its own. In Chamba it is said that during 1750s Umed Singh was a great lover of art, and his patronity continued with Raja Jit Singh, during 1800. It was probably during this era, the Pahari craft flourished in this state. Since then Himachal embroidery is famous as Chamba.
7.1 Fabric Used

Traditionally the ground fabric used was two types of unbleached cotton cloth, first being the light weight, fine, delicate, cambric like, semitransparent, manufactured at Sialkot (presently in Pakistan), Amritsar and Ludhiana. Second type being hand spun, handwoven coarser, relatively heavier khaddar. In later period the unbleached cotton material was replaced by mill made cotton cloth. However, cream or white coloured Tassar Silk material was also commonly used for making rumals. Today, according to the taste, demand fashion trend and availability the ground fabric employed being terycot, organdie, linen, poplin and muslin of either white or light colour.
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7.2 Threads Used

The threads used for embroidery were untwisted pat, which gave rich effect against dull rustic cotton ground. It produced an impression of smooth, glossy, gorgeous surface enrichment. However, the infinite shades and tints of bright, brilliant and contrasting colours were used. Most commonly used colours are red, yellow, green, blue, crimson and purple. Blue colour is always used for Krishna, whenever he is bear chested and crimson for feet. Red, Blue and white colours are used for Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara respectively. Gopis in vivid colours or yellow and green or dark pink or crimson combination. The outline of the motif is always worked with black. At present, the embroidery is done with twisted silk or chiffon threads. Pat has been replaced because of its low strength and difficulty in handling.
7.3 Stitches Used

Embroidery is done with double satin stitch done in both right and wrong side, where the effect is reversible. It is done so finely that not only the background is hardly visible but very difficult to identify the right side, since the work is never started with a knot but with a back stitch and the threads never been joined by knots. It was also observed that in some of the old wall hangings, chain stitch was used for both filling and outlining, in which case right and wrong side of the work was clearly identified. However, chain stitch was not practiced on rumals. Gujjar women used darning, sometimes even herringbome and satin stitches.
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7.4 Motifs used

Motifs, in Himachal embroidery consists of symbolic animals like leaping tigers, running goats, cantering horses, fleeting rams, jumping deer, along with cows, calves, horses, elephants, snakes; bird motifs comprised of peacock, parrot, used may be as symbolic or purely as decorative. Sometimes these motifs are used in single to fill up the empty places. Single bird signified a sad, solitary one waiting for the male, a couple symbolized union of two souls. Rumals comprised of elliptical frame work, having two to three inches of floral bodies on all the four sides. Center of the rumal has creeper motif guldasta in the corners, pointing either towards the centre or towards the corner. Sometimes the complete rumal has the motifs of animals, birds, trees, creeper and foliages giving an impression of Bagh, moreover, the cyprus tree is also widely used. It is also observed that many musical instruments such as flute, Tambura, Drums (Dholaks), Veena, Sitar, Tabala are used in the art. Muslim Gujjar women used geometrical motifs, included triangle, squares, diamonds, rectangle, hexagonals and circles. However, most of the figures and motifs were simplified, i.e., the body of human figure is cone shape with a face and the elephant appeared like a rectangular, box moving steadily with a lotus on the trunk.
7.5 Transfer of Design of Fabric

Hand drawing or free style mode was used for outlining the motif, carried out exclusively by women. These women drew figures of their own creations. Earlier charcoal was used to trace the outlines, but oil method is used. Oil method consists of rubbing cotton wool dipped in blue dye (neel) and
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kerosene oil on design sheets which are perforated. The kerosene seeps on to the fabric and thus transfers the design.
7.6 Main Themes in the Embroidery

There is a great influence of Mythology on the themes of paintings and embroidery. Along with the themes of Bhagawat Purana, Krishna Leela and Mahabharat, it is observed that Raga Ragini and Baramasa are also used abundantly, which is an influence of Vaishanva cult. The dancing figures appeared so vivid that they are rarely in motion. It is to say that Krishna in all his various forms and characters occupied the central figure of much of Himachal embroidery. The scene of Rasa Lila is another common theme where the blue bodied Krishna leads the gopies in circular dance posture. The Rumals display other folk styles like marriage of Krishna and Rukmini, Vishnu in a lotus, Ganesh, Vishnu-Laxmi, Pahari women playing musician instruments, men smoking hukka, the pipe and so on.
1. Rasmandala
Here the centre of the theme depicts Lord Vishnu sitting in the Padma, the lotus has four arms, each holding a padma, a Gada (lotus bud), a Shankh (conch shell) and his weapon, the Sudarshan Chakra. However, the figures were disproportionate and many times the human figures have bird like faces. The other empty part of the rumal is covered with floral and guldasta motifs, except the corners which had human figures (Gopies) playing Dholak.
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2. Kaliya Damana
Krishna killing the horrified kaliya kalinga sarpa (serpent), who lived in Jamuna river.
3. Samundra Manthana
The ocean was churned by Devas (Gods) and Asuras (Demons) using a serpent, Vasuki as rope and mountain Meru as the churning rod. Both nectar and poison were the products of Samundra Manthana. However, many more things emerged out of the ocean due to the vigorous elaborate churning. And this scene of Samundra Manthana has been taken as a motif of embroidery of rumal and wall hanging. Since, this being an elaborate scene, the motifs is divided into several panels embroidered individually and later joined all of them together. This miniature style has some what proportionate human figures, exhibiting delineated forms. A largest motif of Samudra Manthana was eight feet wide and two feet long.
4. Rukmini Harana
The elopement of Rukmini and her marriage is the gist of the theme. It is an elaborate theme, embroidered on rumal depicting the various ceremonial activities performed on one part and preparation of Rukminis wedding on the other. The scene exhibits, Rukmini grooming and decking up for her wedding, women engaged in various activities, musicians playing music, Sahelies (friends) of Rukmini busy in carrying out various chores, Rukmini praying, Lord Krishna taking Rukmini in his chariot, couple sitting in front of the vedi, the place where marriage rites performed, priest enchanting the mantras and performing marriage rites. Barat, the procession of marriage,
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involving royal animals like, saddled horse, elephants, drum beaters, musicians playing Ransingha and so on. However these scenes were more emphasised and beautified by use of various flowers, foliages, birds and fruits, may be in between to fill the empty gaps or as borders.
5. Battle of Kurukshetra
Mahabharat is one of the great epics of India and many themes of this epic is chosen for the embroidery. However, the most commonly found ones are the battle of Kurukshetra and exile of the Pandavas. This battle is elaborately depicted on a five feet wide and one and a half feet long panel of base material. Pandavas occupy the left hand side of the panel along with Lord Krishna on his chariot, Kauravas on the right hand side and Abhimanyu is placed in centre of the panel, showing the picture of being caught in the Chakravihu.
6. Raga Ragini
Raga, the tune of song and Ragini, the mode of song expressing the base for songs sung in a minimum of six versions. The Pahari painters were greatly influenced by the Vaishnavas, the Kshina cult, during eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and adopted Ragmala (Sangeeta Mala) theme. The popular Raga Ragini themes are Raga megha, Raga hindola, Raga vasanta, Raga todi, Raga bhairavi and so on. The themes expressed the mode, mood, time, day, season, month during which the particular Raga is being sung.
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7. Minjar Mela Jalus

Minjar the tassels, Mela the fair, and Jalus the procession, depicts the procession during the Mela. Minjar Mela is very famous festival of the Chamba where the people of sacrifice Minja in the river Ravi; to dive away the evil spirits and pray for their prosperity.
8. The Gujjar Theme

The Muslim gujjar women usually carried out embroidery locally, taking all the motifs from nature expect, human and bird figures. However, it has the resemblance of Phulkari of Punjab. An elaborate gujjar work is divided into number of penels of either square or rectangular for convenience, treated as an important segment having geometrical motifs. However, the most important and common elliptical floral framework does not exist. A large number of household textile articles are prepared of Chamba embroidery. And the most common is the rumal, almost synonymous with the work, whose size ranged from twenty to thirty five inches. Wall hanging with various themes from Mahabharat, Purana ranged from two to feet rectangular shapes. Sometimes even cholis are embroidered. Chamba rumal are versatile in their utility, used as a cover while offering gifts in the Mandir, the temple, either to deity or priest called Eathaparu; an immensely decorated oval or circular rumal hung behind the statue of deity is Chhabru; a rectangular or oblong wall hanging draped behind the idol in the temples is Chandoa are now becoming rare. Though rumals are no longer used
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as covers, it is customary for the girl to possess at least a rumal in the trousseau. Rumals were also used to cover the gifts that were the exchanged during weddings. Unlike Punjabi girls being expertised in Phulkari in their early adolescencehood, girls of Himachal do start learning this art at an early teens and of course their skill in handicraft was one of the measuring sticks in selecting the bride and judging her ability as a house wife during matrimonial negotiations. Even now, it is a custom of Chamba girls to prepare a rumal, exhibiting her art and skill and a way of maintaining the traditional custom of Chamba families.
Ras-lila
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Rasmandala
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Das Avtar, Chamba Rumal, c 19th century A.D.
Indian Ludo
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"Gaddi-Gaddan"
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Area of Production of Chamba Rumal
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Lesson 8: Kasida of Kashmir

Objective:
To understand the traditional embroidery of Jammu and Kashmir.
Structure:
8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 History of the Kashmir Shawl Technique Used Types of Woven Shawls Evolution of Embroidered Shawls Floor Coverings of Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the Northern most state in India. The locality is embedded with enchanting and beautiful flora and fauna, lakes, hills and streams all around. This has inspired many writers, poets, artists and craftsmen. A legend reveals that a semitic tribe kash including Herbews, Arabic Jews, inhabited Kashmir much before 541 AD. This might be one of the reason for the title Kashmir.
8.1 History of the Kashmir Shawl

The shawl industry in Kashmir was introduced by ZairUlAbidin, the ruler from 14201470 A.D. It appears that he was taken into captivity at Samarkand (Persia). He got interested in the various crafts going on there. When he returned to India, he sent people in search of talented craftsmen. Thus the shawl weavers from Persia were brought to India.
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Reference to the kashmir shawl is made in Ain I Akbari by Abdul Fazal where he says that the Emperor Akbar was a keen admirer of the shawl. It is Akbar who is responsible for introducing a new type of shawl called the Doushala meaning twin shawl. The demand for shawls increased during the mughal times. By the 18th century they were being exported to Europe, where it became a fashionable wrap by the elite. By the end of 19th century the shawl industry declined due to many reasons. Cheap versions of exquisite woven shawls of kashmir were being now made on the Jacquard loom in Europe.
8.2 Technique Used

Traditional woven shawls of Kashmir are called Kanihama or kanihar or Kani or jamavar shawls. These were made by a labourers and a slow process of weaving 2/2 twill tapestry weave. The raw material used was the fleece of a wild goat called capra hircus. This fleece locally called pashm; another raw material called toosh was used, which is the hair of dead chiru antelopoe. This gave rise to Pashmina and Shatoosh shawls respectively, the latter being very rare and more expensive shawl. [Note : The chiru antelope is on the list of endangered species and is thus illegal to process toosh.]
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8.3 Types of Woven Shawls

1. Pashmina Shawls : Majority of the Kashmir shawls are made from the fleece of capra hircus. 2. Doshala : Two identical shawls stitched together with their wrong sides facing each other, so that when dropped over the shoulder, the wrong side was not visible. 3. Dorookha : Double sided work in which there is no wrong or right side. 4. Kasba Shawl: Square in shape and produced on amount of European demand. 5. Jamavar Shawls : Woven wholly of wool or some cotton mixed, but the floral designs and brocaded parts are generally in the silk or pashm wool.
8.4 Evolution of Embroidered Shawls:

An Armenian named Khawafa Yusuf came to Kashmir from Constantinople in 1803 to purchase shawls. He found that the price of the shawl was exhorbitant and that there was heavy taxation on the looms. He got the idea of producing a shawl with the help of a Rafoogar. The Rafoogars used to actually stitch up 2 shawls of smaller width with tiny stitches. These tiny stitches were so fine that it was difficult to make out the joint. Thus with the help of a rafoogar, the jamavar pattern was copied in embroidery on a plain woven shawl. The cost of the shawl was much less as they were exempted from the taxes imposed upon the loom shawls. These shawls came to be known as Amli Shawls.
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To begin with, the purpose of embroidery was to imitate the designs of woven shawls; but later the embroiderers created their own style. Process: The plain shawl is placed on a smooth flat surface and rubbed with a piece of polished agate [Type of stone] till it becomes perfectly even. The design is drawn on a paper and outlines are pierced with a needle. Charcoal powder is rubbed on the paper. It perforates through the holes to transfer the design on to the fabric. The design is them outlines with kalam the pen. Fabric Used: The base fabric used for embroidery is pashmina either in its natural colours of beige to offwhite or dyed in dark colours of maroon, navy blue, dark green, peach and orange. Silkpashmina or pashminawool blends are also used. Threads Used: Fine, single strands of silk and cotton threads are used for fine embroidery. Wool is also used for embroidering. Threads of white, green, purple, blue, yellow, black, crimson, searlet colours are used. Inexpensive artificial silk (rayon) thread is also used. Stitches Used: Stitches commonly used in the Kashmir embroidery are chain stitch, darning stitch, stem stitch and sometimes a knot stitch called doori.
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Kasida has 3 main styles of needle work. a) Sozni and Rezkari: Done on shawls and long dresses. Very intricate work with its main stitches as stem, Rumanian and satin stitches. b) Ari Work: This is also called Zalakdozi which is done with the help of an ari or rook. Floral designs are worked in concentric rings in chain stitch. c) Kashmiri Couching: This is done in both metallic and nonmetallic threads. Motifs used: The designs in the embroideries are evenly balanced. Animal and human figures are not seen in the Kashmiri embroidery, because of the muslim influence. Motifs used are parrot, woodpecker, canary, kingfisher, iris, lotus, lily, saffron, gopis, plums, cherries, almonds and apple. The chinar or the maple leaf is considered to be an important design. Another important motif is the tear drop or the cone motif. This motif has been found as early as the Babylonian civilization and is believed to have represented the growing shoot of the all nourishing date palm. It is he symbol of the tree of life, one of the oldest and most powerful of all motifs; and is symbolic of growth. It was a popular element of the Persian design designs and is thus seen in the Kashmiri shawls. It is also called the almond mango or the paisley motif.
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The embroidered shawls are known by different names, depending on the area where the shawl is embroidered.
a) Kashida Border design which runs all along the length of the shawl on both sides. b) Phala Embroidery is done both ends of the article, popularly known as pallu. c) Tangir or Zanjir is the border done with chain stitch. d) Kunj buta is the cluster of flowers in a corner. e) Buta is the generic name for a floral design. When buttas are in two rows its called dokad; in five rows its called sehkad; in more than five rows its called Tukadar. Matan Bagh consists of floral sprays.
8.5 Floor Coverings of Kashmir:

Numbdha : It is a piece of pressed felt made either out of woollen or a woolcotton blend. Wool fibers, usually of a poor quality are washed and pressed for felting. These are then dried, cut to desired shape and embroidered. Shape of the Numbdha can be square, oval, round, or rectangular. Chain stitch is done in bright colours with the woolen yarn. The base of the numbdha makes a warm, colourful and inexpensive floor covering. Gabba: It is an inexpensive floor covering prepared from torn woolen shawls and blankets. This is a household craft and done the members of the family. Old pieces of blankets are stitched up, and backing is done with waste cotton cloth; these are then washed and dyed. Gabbas are of two types (a) Embroidered, where bold and vivid embroidery is done mostly in woolen yarn using chain stitch (b) Appliqud, where pieces of dyed blankets, cut out in designs are appliqued using the button hole stitch. This is sometimes interspersed with embroidery.
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The ready gabba has bright flashes of design on a dark and somber background.
Tapestry Work: is another kind of Kashmiri embroidery where Dasuta the canvas cloth is embroidered using a blunt tapestry needle. The material is stretched on a wooden frame with the tracing kept along its side. The woolen thread is used to embroider the design with a whip stitch by counting the threads. It is a labourious work and takes nearly a month and a half to complete a carpet of 3 x 5. Tapestry work is popularly done in Srinagar and Anantnag. Other articles produced are bed covers, teacosy covers, cushions covers, sarees, fabric lengths and stoles. Kasida is a cottage industry. This commercial art is done by the men folk (reason why no domestic articles are seen as motifs, as in phulkari) and is passed on from father to the son. Boys in the family about seven to eight years learn simple stitches and master the art by providing the cloth and design. The craftsmen have a choice over threads and colour combinations. Kashmir embroidery not only provides employment and livelihood to thousands of people but it depicts the rich century old tradition and heritage of India.
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Areas of Production
Areas of Production Kasida of Kashmir 1. 2. 3. Srinagar Anantnag Jammu
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Motifs for Kashmiri Sozni & Rezkari
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Motifs for Kashmiri Sozni & Rezkari
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Kashmiri
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Kashmiri
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Summary:
The world famous traditional craft of Orissa is known as appliqu craft. In this art row edges are finished with a definite mode of stitchery. The threads used are twisted cotton threads. Stitches used for appliqu are: Chain stitch, invisible hemming, Blanket stitch, Running stitch, Ruching stitch etc. Chikankari is the traditional embroidery of Uttar Pradesh. It is also known as White work. IT is done on very fine cotton and main stitches used are: Bukhia, Katao, Murri, Taipchi, Buttonhole and Jali work. Chamba embroidery depicted a fine, delicate, perfect manual work called needle miniatures of himachal or pahari rumal. It is also known as needle painting. Traditionally unbleached cotton and hand woven khaddar is used for chamba rumal. Untwisted silk threads used for embroidery, which gave rich effect against dull rustic cotton background. Main stitches used are : Double chain stitch, Darning stitch and sometimes herringbone and satin stitches are also used. Motifs of chamba embroidery are influenced by Indian Mythology. Traditional embroidey of Kashmir is known as kasida.Origanally kasida embroidey done on kashmiri shawls, these shawls are known as kanihama/jamavar shawls.these shawls were made by 2/2 twill tapestry weave. Main types of woven shawls are : Pashmina shawls, Do-shala, Do-rookha, kosba shawls, Jamavar shawls. The base fabric used for embroidery is pashmina and fine, sigle strands of silk and cotton threads are used for kashida embroidery main stitches used in kashmiri embroidery are chain stitch, darning stitch, stem stitch and sometimes a knot stitch called doori. The designs in the embroideries are evenly
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balanced. Animal and human figures are not seen in the Kashmiri embroidery, because of the muslim influence. Motifs used are parrot, woodpecker, canary, kingfisher, iris, lotus, lily, saffron, gopis, plums, cherries, almonds and apple. The chinar or the maple leaf is considered to be an important design.
Revision points:
Traditional craft of orissa is called Applique craft. Pipli, in puri dist. Is its main center so it is also called pipli work? Fabric used is always cotton in dark colours. The appliqus are attached to the base fabric by using chain stitch and invisible hemming. Motifs are picked up from actual life, modified stylized forms, nature, animals and plant kingdome. Uttar Pradesh is famous for its finely Woven Brocades, metal work and delicate chikan work . Traditionally very fine cotton or muslin was used, generally white in colour and white cotton (untwisted) or sometimes twisted silk threads were used. Strictly Floral motifs and paisleys are used for chikankari. Metal work of U.P. is also very famous. Chamba Rumal is the famous embroidery of Himachal Pradesh. Traditionally unbleached cotton and hand woven Khadder is used for chamba emb.
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The threads used for chamba embroidery is untwisted silk thread. There is a great influence of Mythology on the themes of chamba Rumal. Double satin stitch is mainly used for chamba embroidery Traditional woven shawls of Kashmir are called kanihama or jamavar shawls. These were weave. made by 2/2 twill taestry
Types of woven shawls are : Pashmina shawls, Do-shala, Do-Rukaha, Kosaba shawl, Jamavar shawls. Base fabric used for embroidery is Pashmina in natural colours or dyed in dark colours. Kasida has 3 main styles of needle work o o o Sozni and Rezkari Ari Work Kashmiri Couching
Animal and Human figures are not used in kashmiri embroidery because of muslim influence. Tapestry work is also a kind of kashmiri embroidery where Dasuta the canvas cloth is embroidered using a blunt tapestry needle.
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Numbhda and Gabba are the floor coverings of Kashmir.
Terminal Questions:
1. What are kind of fabric is used for the basic material of Orissa Applique? 2. The motifs Appliques? and colours used for Orissa
3. What are the different stitches used for Chikankari ? Explain. 4. What are the different thoughts of origin for Chikankari embroidery? 5. What are the Chikankari ? different fabrics used for
6. Why are there no human or animal figures in Chikankari ? 7. What are the articles produced in Chikankari ? 8. What are the different types of materials used for the metal work of Uttar Pradesh ? 9. What are the threads and their colors for embroidering Chamba rumals ? 10.What are the base fabric and the stitches used ? 11.What are the motifs used ? 12.How is the design transferred on the fabric ? 13.What are the motifs of Kasida embroidery ? 14.What are the different types of Kashmir shawls ? 15.Explain the evolution of embroidered shawls. 16.What are Numbdha and Gabba ? 17.Why is the cone motif important to the embroiderers ? What else is it referred to (different names) ?
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18.What are the different styles of needlework in Kashmir?
Intext questions:
1. What kind of fabric is used for the base material of Orissa Applique? 2. What are the threads and stitches used for Orissa Applique? 3. What are the different steps involved in the production of Appliques of Orissa? 4. What are the motifs and colors used for Orissa Appliques? 5. What are the different thoughts of origin for Chikankari Embroidery? 6. What are the chikankari? different fabrics used for
7. Why are there no human or animal figures in chikankari? 8. What are the different stitches used for Chikankari? 9. What are the articles produced in Chikankari? 10.What are the different types of materials used for the metal work of Uttar Pradesh?
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12.What are the base fabric and the stitches used?
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11.What are the threads and their colors used for embroidering Chamba rumals?
13.What are the motifs used? 14.How is the design transferred on the fabric? 15.Name the main themes of embroidery in Chamba rumals. 16.What are the motifs of Kasida embroidery? 17.What are the different types of Kashmir shawls? 18.Explain the evolution of embroidered shawls.
Assignments:
Students have to make 50 motifs of each embroidery in research file. Students have to make the painted and embroidered sample of Applique Students have to make painted embroidered sample of Chikankari . and
Students have to make 50 motifs of both the embroideries in the research file. Make painted and emroiderd sample of chamba rumal and chikankari. Size should be 8x8.
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Key Words:
Trellis A light frame made of long narrow pieces of wood that cross each other,used to support. Immitation Easy to copy with same effect. Influential To have an effect. Dominate To control or have a lot of influence. Chivalrous respectable. Solitary Alone Foliage Leaves Delineated To describe, draw or explain in detail. Elopement To run away with someone in order to marry. Gist - summary Semitic languages. Connected with a family of Polite, kind, honoered,
Vivid Clear, very bright.
Captivity The state of being kept as a prisoner. Exquisite extremely beautiful or carefully made. Exorbitant Too much ,too high.
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UNIT-III
Lesson 9: Traditional Textiles of India
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Lesson 9:
Traditional Textiles of India
Objectives:
To learn about the different famous traditional sarees of India. To learn about their different kinds, manufacture, their motifs & colours. The areas of their production. their
Structure:
9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Brocades of Benaras Baluchar Brocade Saris Jamdani Sais Center of Production
Introduction:
India has a rich cultural heritage of tradition, art, music, literature, sculpture and textiles. This exhibit unity in diversity through variegated charms of festivals, rituals, music costume and languages. India is famous world wide for its magnificent workmanship, exhibited in the beautiful hand spun, and hand woven, dyed, printed and embroidered textiles.
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9.1 Brocades of Benaras

Benaras is also known as Kashi or Varanasi and is one of the oldest inhabited places of the world. Alaipura is traditionally the district of Vara nasi where the famous brocades are woven. Today they are woven in another parts of Vara nasi also.
Brocades are textiles woven with the warp and weft threads of different colours and often different materials-The Benaras brocades are woven in silk and metal threads. The saris and fabric up to 6-10 meters are usually woven. The weavers are Muslims and are known as Kari gars. Their workshops are called karkhanas. The zari thread is known as kalabattun which is made of finely drown gold or silver metals in yarns wound round a silk/cotton thread core. Traditionally, the design of the brocade was first worked out on paper. An expert
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callednaksha bandha rendered the design into cotton threads or a naksh-a thread device that performs the same function as a jacquard. Today the jacquard loom has replaced the use of the naksha. The brocades of Benaras are divided into 3 types.
1. Opaque Zari brocades:

a) Kinkhab: heavy brocades with more Zari visible than the silk. It is woven with a coarse but durable silk known as mukta which is heavy enough to take brocading with gold or silver. Kinkhab was often used for furnishing and rearly for clothing. It was a proper trading article in the local market and was also exported to Europe.
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b) Bafta: A silk and zari work brocade with less then 50% of zari. The zari is used as a supplementary weft in both kinkhab and bafta brocades.
2. Amru brocades:
It is brocade without any metal thread work. The supplementary weft woven for the design is silk and not zari. One distinct type of Amru brocade is Tanchoi. This is a densly patterned heavy fabric. Many times the pallu and borders of a tanchoi sari are highlighted with zari. Fabric for other uses is made without zari. The tanchoi brocades originated in china. It is believed that in the 19thC three Parsi brothers called the Choi brothers learnt this art from the Chinese settled in Surat (Gujrat). Hence the name 'Tan' meaning 'three' choi.
3. Abrawans:
ransparent silk or organza is woven with or without zari.All over patterns are woven with a supplementary weft. The weft floats on the backside of the fabric are cut off after the weaving is complete. For this reason the a brawns are also called cut brocades. Another kind is the Tissue brocade. The warp is silk and the weft is zari. This fabric gives a metallic sheen. The motifs used for brocaded fabrics are paisleys, peacocks and horal patterns. The borders of the sarees have a narrow fringe like pattern on the outer edges. This is called the 'Jhalar' meaning frill. The delicate designs of the past were replaced at the end of the 19C by patterns taken from the Victorian era.
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The Benarasi Saris are deep coloured, laden with gold thread and form popular attire for the wealthy Indian brides. Centres of production Apart from Benaras, brocades are woven at Ahmedabad, Surat, Paithan, Hyderabad and Murshidabad.
Silk Industry of Kanchipuram

Kanchipuram in Tamilnadu is a famous temple around 50 Km south of Chennai. Kanchipuram as the city is called, produces silks of superb texture, colour and lustre.
Zari threads are also used for brocading. The main items of production are silk sarees with brocade borders called the kanchipuram or kangivaram or the kornad sarees. Silk yordage is also produced.
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Sarees-kornad or kanchipuram borders are 4-16 wide. These are woven separately in silk. Two narrow bands of supplementary warp patterning are woven within 3 cm of each border edge.
The field or body of the sari is woven in checks, stripes or is kept plain. The edges are woven in saw tooth design, pointing towards the centre of the field. This saw tooth design signifies the temple top or the kalash. The end piece or the pallu is made by tying or twisting a new set of warps usually the same colour as the borders. The extra warp of the field is then cut off from the wrong side. This technique of joining the end piece is called "petni" The end piece is decorated with supplementary warp or weft. The borders are then attached to the finished field and end piece by the inter lock weft technique.
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The motifs used are floral (tiny patterns or creeping vines for border design), elephants, peacocks, double headed eagles and the kalash or the Khumba motif. The colours are loud and bright combinations like Darkblue and magenta, parrot green and black, turquoise blue and orange., green and mustard are some of the favourite colour combination of the local population.
Paithani Sarees
Paithan is a Maharashtra. village near Aurangabad in
The borders are prepared separately and are of 2 types:
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1. Totally zari border with a different coloured silk pattern. 2. A zari design on a silk border.
The field or the body: Earlier the field was made of fine muslin having all over zari patterns but now silk is used to prepare the field.
The end piece: silk warps usually the same colour as the borders are tied or twisted to the warps of the field (same as kanchipuram). The warps of the field are then cut off from the wrong side. The end piece has a weft zari to form the designs. The borders are attached using the interlock weft technique. The motifs used are intertwining leaves and flowers, parrots, peacocks and even horses. Paisleys are rarely used.
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The colours used are bright combinations like yellow-red and orange-green. The maharastrian bride traditionally wears a green paithini saree.
The sarees, which are 9 meters long, are called the Navwari sarees and the ones, which are 5 meters long, are called pachwari
9.2 Baluchar Brocade Saris

Old undivided Bengal had ancient textile traditions, of skilled weaving. This includes the jamdanis of Dhaka and the Baluchar brocade saris of Murshidabad.
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The brocades never contain zari. The borders are woven with supplementary warp or weft. The motifs used in the borders are floral and paisleys. The field is scattered with butimotifs. The end piece is supplementary weft. decorated using a
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The motifs used for the end piece are large paisleys, human figures, hunting scenes and scenes from the epics. The motifs are placed in separate boxes. Which represent architecture.
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The colour combinations used area) Base colour of the sari is dark and the colour of weft which forms designs is light e.g. black sari with beige or dull orange designs. b) The base is of light colour beige with dark designs of any one of the colours-green, red, black. c) These saris always have only two colours.
9.3 Jamdani Saris

Dhaka, now is Bangladesh is famous for producing one of the finest muslins. These were referred to as air or mist by the English. Dhaka is famous for producing the finest and most expensive muslin saris called Jamdani Saris. The borders are very narrow-1-1 inches and are made by placing different coloured yarns in the warp.
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The borders are also sometimes 3-4 wide with some decoration on them. The field is scattered with small buti designs.
The end piece has 2 or 3 rows of motifs woven on it. The Jamdani saris are woven using a distinctive.Discontinuous supplementary weft technique Two weavers sit side by side on a simple handloom. Each motif is woven separately by hand using individual spools of threads called Tilis. The supplementary weft is cut off when the motif is complete. This produces an opaque pattern against a transparent back ground.
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Before partition these were woven in Tangail, now in East Bengal. The West Bengal Jamdanis are also called Tangail Jamdanis because they use the typical motifs of Tangail; The motifs are strictly floral and geometrical. In terms of colour and design the Jamdanis fall into 6 categories; 1. Natural unbleached base with bleached white cotton thread motifs. 2. Pastel coloured grounds with white motifs. 3. Dark coloured grounds (black/blue/maroon) with white motifs. 4. Any of the above base with coloured motifs. 5. Any of the above bases with zari motifs. The Jamdanis are believed to have given rise to the chikankani embroidery.
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9.4 Center of Production

Benaras Brocades. Kanjivaram/Kanchipuram saree Paithini saree Baluchar Saree Jamdani Saree
1. Aurangabad (Paithaini Saree) 2. Kanchipuram 3. Dhaka (Jamdani Saree) 4. Murshidabad-(Baluchar Saree) 5. Benaras
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Jamdani Motifs
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Kanchipuram Saree Border
Saree Motifs
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Balachaur
Balachaur Saree Motifs
Amru Brocades
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Summary:
The prestige of Indian textiles lies in the intricately woven and rich sarees of silk and muslins. Of all the Indian handicrafts, textiles form a class by themselves over which the rest of the world went into ecstasies from time memorial. The hand-spun and hand-woven traditional fabrics of India have justly been famous and much desired throughout the world. Indias fabric of dreams is, of course, Banarsi Brocade, known as khinkhab. With its interweaving of coloured silk and golden thread, to form the most attractive floral designs, the brocades are wihtout doubt Indias most gorgeous and most fascinating silken fabrics. The brocades of India have an ancient lineage. The Indian khinkhab is literally a cloth of gold.
Revision points:
1. Banaras Brocades are the famous Banarasi silk sarees. 2. Brocades work is embroidery work or weaving done with metal threads like gold and silver. 3. Kinkhab sarees are where more of gold or silver is visible than silk. 4. Tanchois are brocade sarees with extra silk thread. There is no metal work. 5. Kanchipuram are South silk sarees from Tamil Nadu. 6. They are in loud colour blue/orange, dark green/mustard, etc. contrasts like blue/magenta,
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7. Paithani sarees are from Aurangabad in Maharashtra. 8. Baluchani sarees are from Murshidabad. 9. There is no zari work in these sarees. 10.These sarees are in two colours and have epic scenes and mythological characters depicted on them. 11.Jamdani sarees are from Dhaka from Bengal. 12.They have opaque patterns on transparent background.
Intext questions: Fill In The Blanks:

1. Paithani sarees _____________. 2. The real gold _____________. sre produced is in called
brocade
3. ____________ is the technique of joining the field and pallu of sarees with an extra set of warp yarns. 4. Scenes from epics ____________ sarees. are shown in
5. Paithani sarres that are 9m long are called ____________ sarees. 6. Jamdani sarees were referred to as ____________ or ____________ by the English.
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8. Dhaka sarees are commonly ____________ sarees.
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7. The jamdanis are believed to have given rise to ____________ embroidery.
Key words:
Kalabattun- finely drawn gold or silver thread wound around silk or cotton thread. Kinkhab- sarees totally covered with gold or silver thread and less of silk is visible. Bafta- sarees where 50% silk and 50% zari is visible. Tanchoi- brocade sarees with no metal work. Supplementary weft thread is used. Abrawans- these are cut brocades. Tissue brocade- the warp is silk and weft is zari. Therefore, it has a metallic sheen. Petni- the field and pallu of Kanchipuram sarees are joined by tying or twisting new set of warps as borders. They are then cut from wrong side. Pachwari sarees- it is a 5m long paithani saree. Navwari sarees- it is a 9m long paithani saree.
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UNIT-IV
Lesson 10: Printed and Painted Textiles of India Lesson 11: Sanganer & Bhagru Printing Lesson 12: Kalamkari
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Lesson 10: Printed and
Painted Textiles of India

Objectives:
To be able to discuss the questions based onSources of natural dyes. What are mordants and what are their uses. What are the different styles of printing?
Structure:
10.1 Sources of natural dyes 10.2 Styles of printing 10.3 Method of application of indigo dye
Introduction:
Traditionally dyeing and printing in India was done using vegetable dyes only. These are dyes obtained from different parts of plants.
10.1 Sources of natural dyes

1. Red: The substance which gives a red dye is called alizarin. The common source of alizarin lies in the
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a) Roots of the madder plant, Rubia tinctoria and its relative Rubia munjista.
b) Roots of the plants of mordina speciesknown as al,ach and surangi. c) Roots of oldenlandia umbellate (commonly known as chay.
2. Yellow: a) Rhizomes of a well known condiment-turmeric (uremic longa), yields a substance called curcumas which gives a sharp yellow colour.(b) Flowers of the myrobalan tree known as Harar.c) flowers of the safflower(carthanus tinctorious) yield a bright yellow dye most suitable for silk.
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3. Blue: leaves tinctoria.
of
the
indigo
plantIndigofera
4. Green: Achieved by coating blue own yellow dyed fabric. 5. Black: alizarin (red dye) is mixed with iron fillings and molasses-this ferment and gives a dark shade of Blackish maroon. Mordants: For a fabric to accept natural dyes. Mordanting has to be done, or else the fabric is unable to absorb dyes. Mordants are intermediary substances which help the fabric to accept the dye and ensure fast dyeing. It is derived from the Latin wordmordere which means to bite. The mordant bites the fibre in combination with the dyestuff to fix the colour. Mordants are metallic salts like aluminium, tin, copper, alum, chrome, salt, vinegar, and caustic soda. By using different salts with the same dye, one can achieve different colours e.g. iron gives black with alizarin and alum gives red. Natural dyes are classified into: a) Substantive dyes: These do not need a mordant to fix the colour to the fabric e.g. indigo. b) Adjective dyes: Those that need a mordant for fixation e.g. alizarin.
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10.2 Styles of printing:

1. Direct Style: The prepared dye pigment is directly applied on the prepared fabric e.g. Sanganer printing. 2. Resist Style: In order to resist the dye, the design areas on the prepared cloth are printed with improvable substances like wax, gum, rice paste, mud, resin or starch. The fabric is then dyed. The printed areas, & resist the dye to form designs e.g. Bhagru printing. 3. Mordant Resist Styles: The fabric is prepared and mordanted. The dye is painted or printed on this fabric. The areas, which come in contact with the dye, will show colour and thus form the design. Another way is to point or print the mordant and then immerse the fabric in the dye bath. The printed areas will show colour and thus form the design. E.g. Ajrakh and kalam kari.
10.3 Method of application of indigo dye:

The leaves of the indigo plant are immersed in water for 4-5 days. To this water, salt is added. This gives a solution called indigo white. The fabric is dipped in indigo white, which turns blue on oxidation with the atmosphere. Repeated dipping into indigo white, darkens the blue colour. This dyeing is fast but tends to rules of on use.
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Lesson 11: Sanganer and
Bhagru Printing
Objectives:
To learn about Sanganer and Bhagru printingtheir process, printing pastes, motifs & names of blocks.
Structure:
11.1 Sanganeri printing 11.2 Bhagru Printing
Introduction
Sanganer and bhagru are on the out spirit of Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan. Both cities now produce much block printed cloth for the export fashion trade. Bagru is a small village, located at a distance of 30 kms from Jaipur, on Jaipur-Ajmer road. They originally produced textiles for the local market. Sanganer fabrics were more sophisticated; Bhagru products were aimed mostly at the local rural women. The designs in both places reflect the Persian influences.
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In both the Sanganer and Bagru prints, the colors are picked carefully. Each has a separate significance. For instance, red is the color of love, yellow of spring, indigo of Lord Krishna, and saffron of the yogi (seer). The wooden blocks that are used are made of teak wood. And traditionally, vegetable dyes made of madder, pomegranate rind, indigo, and turmeric are used. These have now been largely replaced by chemical dyes. Often, the fabric is dyed before it is printed.
11.1 Sanganeri Printing:

The block printed textiles of Sanganer became famous in the 16 th and 17 th centuries in Europe, when the East India Company began to export them in bulk. Today, there are over 154 block printing units in Sanganer, and these employ around 20,000 people. There are around 3000 families engaged in this Rajasthani craft. The block prints of Sanganer are mostly executed on a white or off-white background, using screen printers or wooden blocks. They are colorful patterns of sunflowers, roses, geometric designs. Sanganer prints are known for their fine and
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intricate detailing. The artists of this region in Rajasthan use both vegetable and chemical dyes for their creations. Often, they employ the technique of calico printing. In this, the outlines are first printed; only after that, are the colors filled in. These designs are then repeated in diagonal rows. The doo-rookhi style of printing is also popular in Sanganer. This is printing done on both sides of the fabric. This is a direct style of printing 1. Preparation the fabric: a) The fabric is soaked in water to desize it i.e. to remove the starch and dust. b) This then dipped into Telkhar emulsion for 45hrs, which is made up of castor oil and river deposits. (Tel +khar). This envisions helps the fabric to soften. c) Peela karna: The fabric is put in myrobalan solution giving it a creamish yellow tone. d) It is dyed to a desired colour, which is light. e) It is finally dried and ready to be printed.
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2. The fabric is fixed on a table, which has a felt lined top. The fabric is tightly fixed on both sides lengthwise i.e. on the selvedge. So that the warp and weft are perpendicular to each other; or else the fabric is printed off grain. 3. A printing paste containing dyestuff, mordant, gum and urea is prepared. 4. A flat earthen plate called the tariplate is used. Into this a bamboo grid called the Katli is laid. On the top of the Katli, is a felt fabric calledkambal or gaddi is placed. The printing paste is poured on the felt piece. The katli helps the right amount of paste to seep through so that the extra paste does not smudge the edges of the block. 5. The design areas are printed after which the fabric is left to dry in the sun, so that the colours get baked.
11.2 Bhagru Printing

The Sanganer and Bagru prints are very similar, but the latter employ a narrower range of colors. Moreover, unlike the Sanganer prints which are always on a white or off-white background, the prints of Bagru are mostly red and black and blue. The Syahi-Begar prints are a combination of black and yellow ochre or cream. The Dabu prints are created by hiding them from dye, by applying a resist. Bagru prints are characterized by circular designs, as well as linear and floral patterns. Bhagru printing is a combination of resists style of printing and mordant resist style of printing.
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The resist style of printing is also called Dabu or mud resist printing. It is done by the chippa community of Bhagru village near Jaipur.
1. Preparation of the fabric Steps a, b,c, are the same as Sanganeri printing. After step c the fabric is ready for printing. 2. Two kinds of printing: a) Dabu or the resist style of printing gives white designs on a coloured back ground. b) Mordant resist styles- give coloured designs Red/black with a dark blue/green background. 1. Dabu White designs on a coloured back ground. A resist material called Dabu paste is used to print the fabric after Peela karna. Dabu paste is of 3 types: -
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2. Kaligar Dabu: made out of lime, kali mitti and gum; it is least adhesive. 3. Dolidar Dabu: Wheat flour (infested and unfit for consumption) lime and gum are used. 4. Gwarphali Dabu: The seeds of the gwarphali are roasted and crushed to powder. This is mixed with castor oil, lime and kalimitti to make the paste. It makes a very good adhesive. The above 3 pastes are good resist materials and give defined outlines. In case a hazy effect is required then cow dung or multani is added to the paste. The method of printing is the same as Sanganeri printing. The printed fabric is then put into the dye bath. After dyeing the fabric is washed to remove the Dabu paste and then sent for Tapai. This is to make the white designs whiter. Spreading the fabric on grass in sunlight, and sprinkling it with water do this. The grass and sunlight ensure natural bleaching of the white areas and the water reduces the damage that can be caused to the fabric because of summer heat. b) Coloured design on a dark back ground. i. The fabric is pinned onto the printing table after Peela karna. The mordants are printed onto the designed areas using blocks (Rekh blocks and Gad blocks). For black colour: Jaggery, ghoda
ii.
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khurtal (horseshoe iron) are fermented for 15 days. For red colour- Begar paste, alum and water are used. iii. The fabric is then dipped in alizrine dye bath. The mordanted areas will get Red or Black colour depending on what paste is printed. The fabric is then washed thoroughly to remove excess alizarins dye. This gives a pinkish tinge to the fabric. The fabric is dried. The designs are then resisted with dabu paste using the data blocks. Then the dabu paste dries, the fabric is dipped into indigo for blue and indigo and turmeric for green. The dabu paste is removed by thorough washing. Rekh blocks- used for outline. Gad block- used for filling Data blocks- cover the whole design.
iv.
v.
Motifs used:
For Sanganeri and Bhagru are derived from Persian prints and are as follows: 1. Flora and Fauna - flowers like sunflower, Jasmine, small motifs like dhania, suraj kai phool, tittli, gamla, angoothi and ambi. 2. Trellis - Jali designs - Mughal (geometrical) designs like Lehriya, chaupad, lines, dots and chatai.
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3. Figurative animals, humans, elephant, deer, lion, peacock, pigeon.
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Lesson 12: Kalamkari

Objective:
To study the traditional method of kalamkari printing.
Structure:
12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Introduction Prepration of fabric Prepration of mordants kalamkari in Masulipatnam
12.1 Introduction
The coromandel coast of India stretching from masulipatnam in the north and Nagapatnam in the south was historically the source of some most beautifully coloured and delicately worked cotton fabrics exported by India in the 16th c. These cotton fabrics were called pintado meaning painted by the Portugese and Chintz by the English. The king of Golconda (near Hyderabad) had links with the Persian king and these fabrics were exported to Iran. Thus lot of Persian influence is seen in the art of Kalamkari Kalam referes to pen and kari to art. This means the art of pen. The elegant tracings and delicate designs require that kalamkars attain a high level of skill before
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they can make an entire piece of kalamkari fabric by themselves; families typically work together, with the experienced elders training the younger members. The pen that is used for this process is made from a bamboo or date palm branch, pointed at one end with a bundle of fine hairs or cotton to brush on the color. Most kalamkari cloth is made with a combination of block printing, using handcarved wooden pattern blocks and freehand brushwork.
Kalamkari Printed Fabric
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Today Kalamkari is done at 2 main centres- Sri Kalahasti and masulipatnam in Andhra Pradesh. Both these places have distinctive styles of their own. i. Sri Kalahasti: - Sri kalahasti has been ruled by the Hindu rulers. Kalamkari here was done on wall hangings for temples and shrines, scenes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana were depicted. Gods mainly Lord Krishna was done in blue, women in yellow. And the demons in deep red/black. Telegu script was written in between the lines to describe the painting. ii. Masulipatnam: the Muslim rulers ruled this place. Hence they were forbidden to use any human or animal designs. They used exotic flowers from the Kashmiri shawls and carpets. Mythical flowers and geometrical motifs were also used. Tree of life, a very popular motif, which originates from 1 point or a pot, is proportionate and symmetrical and has exotic birds and flowers was commonly used. Paislay is another very common motif used.
12.2 Prepration of the fabric:

a) Cotton fabric is dipped in goat or buffalo dung and repeatedly washed in the river or canal water. b) It is dipped in myrobalan solution to which buffalo milk is added. This makes the fabric soft and prevents the ink from spearing and makes the fabric soft. c) The fabric is dried and is ready for drying.
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12.3 Preparation of mordants:

Mordant for black colour is made by fermenting iron scraps and Jiggery in an earthern pot for 15 days. This yields a substance called iron acetate. For red colour alum and water are used. 1. The kalam is made out of a bamboo reed, which is hollow. This is pointed at one end. And is 6-8 long. At the serpened end a felt pad is placed which holds the dyestuff. Pressure applied by the finger releases the dyestuff, which travels down to the point of the Kalam. More the pressure applied, more dyestuff is released.
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2. Outlines are first drawn free hand with charcoal. The black outline is painted by putting iron acetate into the hollow area of the Kalam. If certain lines in the design are red, Alum and water are filled in the Kalam to draw them. Filling of the designs is done by applying the mordant with a brush. The brush is prepared by flattening and softening a bamboo stick at one end. 3. After the application of mordants, the fabric is dipped in Alizarin. The red and black colours develop. The fabric is thoroughly washed and dried. At this stage, red designs with black outlines are seen on white fabric. 4. Myrobalan solution (myrobalan flowers boiled in water) with alum gives a yellow dye. This is then applied with a brush where ever yellow is desired in the design. 5. The blue areas are painted with indigo white and left to oxidise. In the above procedure, no blocks are used. This style is followed in Kalahsti.
12.4 In Masulipatnam:
1. Blocks are used to print the mordants for black and red colours. The fabric is dipped in the alizarin for the red and black designs to develop.
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2. The yellow designs are printed with myrobalan and alum solution. 3. These red, black and yellow designs are resisted by wax applied using a brush. When the wax dries; it is dipped in indigo white and kept for oxidation for 12-18 days. 4. The fabric is then washed to remove the wax. This produces black yellow and red designs on a blue background.
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Kalamkari is identified outlines in the design.
by its distinctive black
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Sanganer, Bhagru Printing & Kalamkari Centres of production
Masulipatnam 1. Srikala hasti 2. Sanganer 3. Bhagru
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Three kalamkari paintings from Kalahasti in the eastern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Top: Befoe the battle of Kurukshetra, Krishna recites the Bhagvad Gita to teach his hesitant cousin, Arjuna, his duty. Below: The avatars, or incarnations, of Vishnu, top row, from left to right, Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha and Vamana; bottom row, Parashurama, Rama Balrama, Krishna and Kalki, who is yet to come.
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A Kalamkari vegetable dye print throws
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Summary:
The technique of dyeing & printing is common since prehistoric times. Earlier only natural / vegetable dyes were used but now chemical pigments are available. There are different styles of printing , resist & mordant resist styles of printing. Kalamkari is done on the coromandel coast of India at Srikalahasti & Masulipatnam and is the paint work done with a pen.
Revision points:
Traditionally vegetable or natural colours were used for dyeing and printing 2. 2. Sources were the plant parts, like- red colour from roots of madder plant. o o o o Yellow from turmeric plant Blue from leaves of indigo plant Green- blue dyed after yellow Black from iron fillings
Mordants help to fix the dye onto the fabric. Mordants are metallic salts like aluminium, tin, copper, alum, salt, etc Sanganer & Bhagru are on the outskirts of Jaipur. Sanganer printing is done by direct style of printing. Bhagru printing is done by resist & mordant styles of printing. Kalamkari is the art of pen.. It is done in Sirikalahasti & Masulipatnam on the Coromandel coast of India.
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Intext questions:
1. Write a note on the history of Indian Textiles. 2. What do you know about Shamanism? Explain. 3. Fill up the blanks: a) Sanganer printing is a __________ style of printing. b) Bhagru printing is ____________ _______________ styles of printing. &
c) Rhizomes of a well known condiment _________ yields a substance called curcumus which gives a sharp yellow colour. d) Blue colour is obtained ________ plant. from leaves of
e) __________ dyes do not need a mordant to fix a colour to the fabric. f) Dabu printing is a ________ style of printing. g) The art of pen is called ______________. 4. Distinguish printing. between Kalamkari & Bhagru
5. Discuss in short about Sanganer & Bhagru printing. 6. What is the difference between Srikalahasti & Masulipatnam Kalamkaris?
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Terminal exercises:
1. What is the difference between kalahasti and masulipatnam kalamkaris? 2. What are the types of pastes used in Bhagru printing? 3. Classify the natural dyes? What are mordants and what is their function? 4. How is the kalam of kalamkari prepared and used. 5. What motifs are used in Bhagru and Sanganer printing? 6. What is Tapai?
Key words:
1. Indigoferra tinctorial - Indigo plant , the leaves of which give blue colour. 2. Mordants - Metallic salts that help to fix the colour on to the fabric. 3. Substantive dyes - They do not need a mordant to fix the colour to the fabric. 4. Adjective dyes - Those that need a mordant for fixation of colour. 5. Direct styles of printing - The prepared dye pigment is directly applied on the prepared fabric. 6. Tariplate - The flat earthern plate in which the dye pigment is prepared. 7. Bamboo grid to spread earthern plate. the colour on the
9. Tapai - Spreading of moist fabric om the grass under sunlight to make white designs whiter
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8. Gaddi / Kambal - Felt fabric on the bamboo grid.
Production Process of Kalamkari Textiles
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 1: Gada (grey) cloth Stage 2: Gada washed cloth Stage 3: Washed gada cloth treated with milk and myrobalan
Stage 4
Stage 5
Stage 6
Stage 4: Outline sketch with tamarind charcoal Stage 5: Kasima karam applied on the outline Stage 6: Painted with patika (alum)
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Stage 7
Stage 8
Stage 9
Stage 7: Washed in running water after stage 6 Stage 8: Red developed over alum Stage 9: Treated again with milk and myrobalan
Stage 10
Stage 11
Stage 12
Stage 10: Painted with patika for the second time Stage 11: Washed in running water after stage 10 Stage 12: Red developed over patika painted for the second time
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Stage 13
Stage 14
Stage 15
Stage 13: Treated with sheep dung after stage 12 Stage 14: Washed finally after repeated dunging and washing for four days Stage 15: Treated with milk after stage 14
Stage 16
Stage 17
Stage 18
Stage 16: Painted in yellow with myrobalan flower extract Stage 17: Washed after yellow painting in stage 16 Stage 18: Painted in blue and washed
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Hand-painting being done on the fabric using Pen (kalam)
Block-printing being done on the fabric
Wooden Block
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UNIT-V
Lesson 13: Ajrakh Lesson 14: Mithila Printing Lesson 15: Patola, Ikat, Pochmpalli and Mashru Lesson 16: Badhini of Rajasthan and Gujarat
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Lesson 13: Ajrakh

Objectives:
Discuss ideas and discussions such asWhat is Ajrakh? Places where done in India & Pakistan.
Structure:
13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 Introduction Origin of ajrakh Cultural Significance of Ajrakh Process of ajrakh maintaining ajrakh printed textile future of ajrakh
13.1 Introduction
Ajrakh is one of the oldest types of block printing on textiles still practised in parts of Gujarat ( Kutch) and Rajasthan (Pipad and pali) in India, and in Sindh in Pakistan. Textiles printed in this style are hand-printed using natural dyes on both sides by a laborious and long process of resist printing (a method of printing in which designated areas in the pattern are pre-treated to resist penetration by the dye). Ajrakh prints are dominated by geometrical shapes and use intense jewel-like colours of rich crimson and a deep indigo, with black and white highlights.
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Ajrakh printed cloth has some magical properties -- with every wash, its colours became more brilliant and luminous. In fact, old timers in
Barmer say that the fabric might finally wear away, but its colours will still remain fresh. The Original process of Ajrakh printing involved as many as 23 laborious steps!
14.2 Origins of Ajrakh

The history of the Ajrakh can be traced from the times of the ancient civilizations of the Indus Valley, around 2500BC to 1500BC. A bust of the King Priest excavated at Mohenjodaro shows a shawl believed to be an Ajrakhdraped around his shoulders, which is decorated with a trefoil pattern (like a three-leafed clover) interspersed with small circles, the interiors of which are filled with a red pigment. The same trefoil pattern has been discovered in Mesopotamia, as well as on the royal couch of Tutankhamen. This pattern, which symbolises the unity of the gods of the Sun, water and earth, survives as the cloud pattern in the modern Ajrakh.
14.3 Cultural Significance of Ajrakh

The people of Sindh have a deep reverence for Ajrakh. From birth to marriage, until death, Ajrakh celebrates all significant events of the life cycle. Ajrakh is worn as a turban, a shawl, spread as a
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bed-sheet or tablecloth and when worn out, it is recycled as a hammock for babies, cover for a bullock cart and most commonly used as a backing to patchwork quilts. It is used and reused till threadbare. It is worn by the wealthy as well as the poor the colours, patterns and design-format remain the same, only the quality of the fabric is different. In Sind, fine Muslin is used and in Kutch thick fabric is used as the base fabric. It is done by the Hindu and Muslim Khatri caste.
14.4 Process of Ajrakh

Ajrakh is derived meaning blue. from an Arab ic wordazrak
The process by which the fabric is made is considered intuitive to Ajrakh makers. Ajrakh literally meant aaj ke din rakh, or 'keep it for today' because that is what the process is. At every stage of the tedious dying process, the fabric should dry for three to four days. Nature plays an important role in the making of Ajrakh. Craftsmen work in total harmony with their environment, where the sun, river, animals, trees and mud are all part of its making. Resist and mordant resist printing styles are used to print Ajrakh. 1. Preparation of fabric a) Desizing cloth is torn into sheets and taken to the river to be washed. These are steamed in copper vats for one night and a day to open the pores of the cloth and soften it. This process is called khumbh in Sindh. b) The fabric is soaked in a mixture of camel dung or cow dung, seed oil/castor oil and water. The
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dung enables the cloth to become softer and acts as a bleaching agent. This stage is very crucial in determining the quality of an Ajrakh. The fabric is then soaked in cow dung and castor oil to soften it. c) The wet cloth is then tied into an airtight bundle and kept for five to 10 days, depending upon the weather. A distinct smell of mango pickle emanating from the bundle confirms that the fibres have been well soaked with oil. This is called the saaj. d) The cloth is then sun-dried and soaked in oil that has been curdled with carbonate of soda. e) After a day, the cloth is washed and re-soaked in a home-made mixture of dried lemons, molasses, castor oil and water, amongst other things. (The fabric is dipped in myrobalan solution and gets a creamish tinge.) f) It is dried and is ready for printing. 2. The fabric is fixed on Pathiya, which is a low printing table and is covered with 10-15 layers of jute and then a white cloth. The mordant-resist paste is put into an earthen plate is called the Chatti and the bamboo grid is called the chapri. The function of chapri is the same as katli of sanganeri printing. 3. Printing is done on the prepared white fabric Tilli a fine reed is used for measuring and plotting the design areas. Areas which are to be kept white are printed with a resist paste prepared by mixing gum, lime and alizarin (very little amount, just for a tinge). The resist paste is printed with blocks called ASUL-JO-PUR.
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4. This is followed by printing done with mordant resist paste. Here the mordants for Red and black colour are added to the resist pastes. For black/deep blue-fermented solution of clay and jaggery is mixed with clay and tamarind seed powder. The blocks used for printing this are called KOT-JO-PUR. For red colour, - alum, clay and waste wheat flour are mixed in water to make a paste which is printed using blocks called KHOR-JO-PUR. The purpose of the mordant resist paste is that, the designed areas will absorb the mordants and will also be resisted. 5. This printed fabric is dried and put in the indigo vat. All the areas of the fabric gets a blue colour except the ones printed with Asul, kot and khor blocks. 6. The fabric is dried; the mordant resist paste is carefully removed. By this time the fabric has already absorbed the mordants for Red and black. The fabric is soaked and boiled in alizarin dye bath. The areas printed with kot and khor get the black and red colour respectively. The fabric is washed to remove excess alizarin. 7. Finally the fabric is washed in cow dung and soap and beaten. This imparts sheen to the fabric. The final fabric shows white, red and deep blue/black designs on indigo background. 8. If the ajrakh is one sided i.e. printing is done only on one side of the fabric, it is called Ekpuri and if the printing is done on both sides it is called Bepuri.
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For Bepuri the fabric is not dried after the final washing. The wet fabric is over turned on the printing table. And the printing is done on exactly the same place. The blocks have pins on the edge. The holes are matched and printing with all the three blocks is done again from the wrong side. If the fabric is left to dry, it may shrink and the holes will not match. Motifs used are Badam (almond), Chakki, Phool, and many intricate floral patterns. The borders are called Hashiya, Hashe-jo-ajrakh-Bordered Ajrakh Be Hashe-jo-Ajrakh-2 Bordered Ajrakh Thi Hashe-jo-Ajrakh- 3 Bordered Ajrakh Bold geometrical designs are also used. The Muslims use blue as their predominant colour and the Hindus use red as their main colour. This fabric with red background is called malir. Ajrakh resist prints throws
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Ajrakh Block print
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Ajrakh Motifs
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Ajrakh Motifs
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Ajrakh Motifs
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14.5 Maintaining Ajrakh Printed Textiles

Ajrakh prints require some extra care while washing, like most Indian block printed fabrics. Here are some tips -Wash in cold water. If hand washing is not possible, wash the textile in the gentlest possible cycle of your washing machine. Wash with like colours. In order to maintain the colour of the textile, add a handful of salt to the first rinse. Do not use fabric softeners or dryer sheets -- these could coat the fabric with a whitish residue that would dull the luminosity of the dyes. Do not dry in the dryer -- line drying works best. In case this is not an option, turn the textile inside out, or place it in a protective cloth (a pillowcase will do the trick) and tumble dry on low.
14.6 Future of Ajrakh

This ancient craft tradition is now on the decline as it involves too much labour and the profit margins are low. The younger generation is seeking more lucrative work that is less labour-intensive and has short-term gains. Many take short cuts by reducing the number of essential stages in the making; others have simply switched to printing cheap silkscreen versions. In Gujarat, the main centres of Ajrakh are Dhamadka, Khavda and Bhuj. The Khatri community has been engaged in this craft for centuries and the technique has been passed down and perfected through several generations. Now, however, only two such family units of Ajrakh printers still practice the craft in India.
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Ajrakh blocks are also no longer easy to come by, as there are very few block-makers (or indeed, block-making families) left in Sindh.
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Lesson 14: Mithila Painting

Objectives:
Discuss ideas & questions such asWhat are Mithila / Madhubani paintings? What is the origin & status as of today?
Structure:
14.1 Introduction 14.2 Procedure
15.1 Introduction:
In the Mithila region of North Bihar there is an old tradition of painting the walls and the floor. These traditions continued till the early 1960s till paper becomes easily and cheaply available in Mithila. These wall paintings were put on thick hand made paper and were recognised as madhubani painting by the All India Handicraft Board. The printing press form where the Mithila village got their paper is situated in the town Madhubani. Thus the name Madhubani painting. The Mithila paintings are divided into i. Wall Paintings - khobar-ghar-for weddings and go-sain-ghar-for Durga Ashtami. ii. Floor Paintings- called aripan Motifs- for khobar-ghar are lotous; bamboo, snake, birds, fishes, brides and wedding ceremony- for gosain ghar are Goddess Durga, Goddess kali, and scenes from the epics. Motifs for the aripan are
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large geometrical and floral motifs. Other motifs are scenes from daily life, and pan ka patta.
15.2 Procedure:
1. After consulting a purohita an auspicious day and time are identified to begin the painting work. 2. The main wall to be painted faces, the east and is white washed and then covered with the rice paste which is applied by a cloth dipped in the paste. 3. The centre of the area to be painted is identified and a dot is placed there. Growing outward from this dot, the entire motif spreads to the periphery of the space.
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Women doing mithila painting Traditionally, the women of Mithila used pigments derived from natural substances. Vermellian powder (sindur) with mustard seeds gave a bright red colour Cowdung and lamp black gave greyish black. Turmeric gave yellow ochre-indigo, green, red clay was mixed with gum to provide blue and Indian red.
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Today chemical pigments are sourced from Calcutta. These powder colours are mixed with goat milk to produce the liquid paint instead of goat milk, gum or fevicol are also used.Thin bamboo twig is used to
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make the outline. A thick bamboo with a rag tied at one end is used for filling up larger areas. Now Madhubani painting are also done on fabric and Tassar silk is most commonly used as the base fabric. Centres of Production Ajrakh and Madhubani
1. Madhu bani 2. Anjar 3. Sind 4. Pali 5. Pipad
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Madubani Designs
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These paintings are made with mineral pigments prepared by the artists. The work is done on freshly plastered or a mud wall.
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Art works painted on walls
Art works painted on paper
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Lesson 15: Patola, Ikat,
Pochmpalli and Mashru

Objectives:
Discuss ideas & questions; Origin of the word Ikat. Areas in India where it is done Procedure & difference in motifs & styles according to the place.
Structure:
15.1 Procedure 15.2 Telia Rumal 15.3 Mashru
The word Ikat is derived from a wordmengi ikat which means, to tie.
Malasian
The areas of production in India are Patan, Surat and Rajkot in Gujarat; Pochampalli, Guntur and Chirala in Andhra Pradesh; Sambalpur, Cuttack and Balasore in Orissa. The basic technique followed or used for the production of ikats is the tie and dye of the yarns. In Andra Pradesh and Orissa either the warp or the weft yarns are tied and dyed to make the design. This is called warp ikat and weft ikat respectively. In Gujarat the designs is formed by tieing and dyeing both warp and weft yarns. This is called double ikat e.g. Patola.
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15.1 Procedure:
1. In Gujarat, silk is used but in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa both silk and cotton yarns are used as raw material. All the raw material is in the form of undyed yarns. 2. The warp or weft threads or both are divided into bundles, and tied with water proof material like cotton threads, rubber strips, leaves etc to correspond with a pre arranged design. 3. The bundles are then dyed; tieing threads resist the colours of the first dyeing and the yarns are redyed. More the number of colours, more are the number of successive tieing and dyeing. The lightest colour is dyed first and then darker and darkest for successive dying. The ties are opened after drying the yarns. 4. The warps are then arranged on the loom and the pattern is aligned according to the design. The wefts are wound on the shuttles. Once the warp threads are put on the frames, the design becomes visible. The warps are then sized, to maintain their tension. 5. Weaving is done on a very simple horizontal loom. The weave is always a plain weave. Any other kind of weave will disturb the tie and dye pattern of the threads. The weaving process is so accurate that the warp design and weft design overlap to form a motif.
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6. The final arrangement of warp and weft threads is done with on iron needle, which is the size of a pencil. The weaving progresses at the rate of 68 per day. The whole procedure is labour intensive and requires immense patience.
Motif from an ikat saree
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Motifs used in Gujarat are flowers, Jewellery, elephant, tiger, parrot, dancing woman, beetle leaf. Geometrical designs like squares with flowers or jewels are made for the Muslim community. Double Ikat is used to give definite outlines of the design. The famous Patola sarees are made using this technique. Only silk is used. In Orissa cotton and tassar silk are used. Either warp Ikat or weft ikat is done to make lungis, dupattas, saris and blouse pieces, Bed covers, cushion covers, and yardage is also made. The only place where double ikat is done in Orissa is Sambalpur, which produces the famous Sambal puri sari. The motifs used are shells, fish, tortoise, serpents, Chess board (called pasapalli, chaupad) geese (Hansa), khumba (Kalash), flowers, rice seeds and sun. The Orissa ikats have a white outline around the design.
15.2 Telia Rumal

In Andhra Pradesh: Chirala, a coastal village is famous for the production of ikat cloth known a Telia rumals also called Asia rumal. These rumals are used by the Muslim men to tie on their heads and are exported to Middle East, Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Burma. The size of the rumal is 55X75 cm. There are eight rumals in one yardage and is called thaan. These rumals are dyed with traditional alizarin dyes. This leaves an oily smell (sesame oil is used in dyeing) on the fabric and has hence got the name Telia from Tel (Oil).
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Telia rumals are also called chitkirumal (locally) have a distinct colour scheme based on red, blue/black and off white. a. Outer borders are red; with blue or black centre having off white designs. b. Outer borders are blue/black with a red field having off-white designs. Double ikat technique when used for the central field makes the rumal expensive. For lower classes single ikat warp/weft is used. The motifs used are geometrical and floral only. Sometimes, Islamic, motif of moon and star is also used. The patterns and colours of the telia rumals have been adopted on saris, dupattas and lungis called Telia saris, Telia dupattas, and Telia lungi respectively. Pochampalli is another place in Andhrapradesh where cotton ikat. Sarees and lungis are woven the motifs are again geometrical and floral with either warp or weft ikat.
15.3 Mashru
Mashru is an Arabic word meaning permitted. Here permitted refers to permitted by Islamic law. It is also said that the terms mashru is derived from the Sanskrit word misrumeaning mixed. Muslims are not allowed to wear silk next to their skin therefore mashru has a cotton weft and a silk warp. The silk is tied and dyed for the design. Satin weave is used where the silk remains on top and cotton below.
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Motifs used are stipes or double stripes with arrows in between. Centre of Production of Ikat
1. 2. 3. 4.
Sambalpur.Chirala Pochampalli Surat Rajkot.
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The Tortoise Orissa ikat motif - (notice the while outline around the design).
The Matysa or Fish The fish is the first incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It is also one of the 8 symbols of good augury and good luck. The people of coastal Orissa are fish eaters, hence the fish has come to symbolize prosperity.
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Conches were used as bugles in war and in ancient India each warrior had his special famous conch. Orissa Ikats
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Telia Rumals Cotton doubles ikat.
Cotton bedspread, single ikat, collection of weavers service centre, Hydrabad
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Popat, Kunjar Bhat, silk Double ikat sari, Woven by: Kanubhai Patolawalla Patan
Popat Kunjar Bhat, silk Double ikat sari, Woven by: Kanubhai Patolawalla, Patan
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Nari Kunjar Bhat Potolu sari, silk Double ikat,
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Cotton Sari, Double ikat,
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Telia Rumals Cotton double ikat
Telia Rumals Cotton double ikat
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Mashru yardage, Cotton and silk Chevron design, single ikat
Mashru Yardage Cotton and silk single produced at a Mashru workshop in Patan.
ikat,
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Detail from mashru Bed spread, Cotton and silk, single ikat.
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Lesson 16: Bandhini Work of
Rajasthan and Gujarat

Objectives:
Discuss ideas & questions: What is tie n dye? Areas where it is done. Transfering the designs on the fabric, tyeing n dyeing of fabric, and motifs.
Structure:
16.1 Introduction 16.2 Procedure
16.1 Introduction:
Bandhana or Bandha are Sanskrit words which mean to tie; the reason why Bandha work is called Bandhini. Internationally, the tie and dye work is known by a Malaysian name of plangi.Bandanna', an English term is derived from Bandhana. It is a spotted handkerchief used to tie on the head. Jamnagar, Rajkot, Porbander, Kutch and An jar in Gujarat and Bikaner, Sikar, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Udaipur and Nathadwara in Rajas than are the main centres of tie and dye work in India. The government has identified 3000 centres in Gujarat and Rajasthan, which are known to carry out this art. Both Hindus and Muslims of the Khatri caste do it. The earliest examples of Tie and dye textiles have been excavated in Peru (South America) dating from 1-2 Century (BC) and in China of 4c AD. Sculptures
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of the Ajanta cave show the earliest tie and dye in India (6-7cAD), though it is believed that advanced techniques of resist dyeing were carried out in Mohenjodaro and Harappa. Tie and dye is a form of resist dyeing on fabric here the designs are resisted by tieing threads on the pre designed areas, after which the fabric is dyed; thus called tie and dye.
16.2 Procedure
The fabric is desired by washing it in caustic soda and water and dried. The fabric used to tie and dye is very fine e.g. mulmul, silk, chiffon. These fabrics are folded into 2 or 4 parts. The design areas are marked only on the or 1/4th part of the fabric with the help of wooden blocks. There are 2 methods of printing designs-(a) water based solution of soot or geru is prepared and a thick cotton thread is dipped into this. A rangara (colourer) marks the design areas with the help of this dyed thread. He then prints designs with geru coated wooden blocks within the design areas.(b) This method is faster and more popular. A thin sheet of stuff clear plastic is pierced with pinholes forming the designed pattern. The sheet is then placed over the fabric to be tied. a sponge or a rag dipped in geru is then rubbed over the sheet leaving an imprint of the desired pattern on the cloth.
Tying:
Women and young girls in their houses do tieing. The fabrics are tied with a cotton yarn. The material is pushed up from beneath with along pointed nail of the little finger of the left hand, or a spiked metal ring is used. The protruding fabric is wound 6-8 times. The thread is not cut and is led on to the
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next tie. This goes on till all the design areas to be left white are tied.
Dyeing:
The fabric is always dyed with the lightest colour first, usually yellow. It is rinsed squeezed and dried. The pattern, which is to appear yellow is tied and then dyeing, is done in a darker colour, such as red/green. After drying, the fabric is again tied on the designs, which are to show red/green. It is then dyed in even darker colours like maroon, black, dark brown and dark blue. The parts of the cloth that are not to be dyed in the darkest colour are wrapped up tightly in plastic to resist the dying. Many times, certain yellow and white dot designs are opened up and green or blue/black colours are dabbed with a small colour soaked pad e.g. to make the eyes. This is called lipai. It is also done by tying thread soaked in dark colour when the fabric is still wet. In Rajasthan, the tie-dye stuff sold in the markets is not untied, to show that it is genuine bandhini and not a print. The pimpled effect is appreciated and left unironed. In Gujarat the fabric ties is opened and the fabric is starched and ironed. Techniques of tieing Tieing the fabric in different ways can show various interesting end results.
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1. A little fabric lifted with a fingernail and tied result in a dot. 2. The fabric is knotted at the ends. 3. The fabric is crumpled with hands and rolled haphazardly into a ball and tied with threads all around. This is called marbelling. 4. Stitch resist or tritik: Any design is made and running stitch is done on the outline of the design and the thread is pulled tightly. Two rows of running stitch gives a better outline. Most common motif done in this way is the cowrie shell or 'kodi'. 5. Lahariya: The fabric, usually on very fine mulmul is folded and tied at intervals with threads and dyed. This leaves a striped pattern on the fabric. These stripes look like waves called leharin Sanskrit and thus the term lahariya. It is commonly used for turbans and dupattas. Different effects can be achieved by folding the fabric in different ways: a. Straight stripes running diagonally from one corner to the other calledsalaidar; b. The fabric is folded like a fan to give the zig zag pattern called gandadar. c. Held from the centre and tried to give a circular effect called chaki.
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Motifs need are-bindi (dot), Laddu (circle) dabbi (rhombus), Ras mandala (women dancing in a circle around a centre medallion), The bindi is used to make elephants, peacocks, flowers and geometrical shapes. Centres of Production of Bandhini
1. Sikar 2. Bikaner 3. Nathadwada 4. Udaipur 5. Jamnagar 6. Rajkot
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Summary:
Ajrakh is a resist & mordant resist styles of printing done in Sind in Pakistan & Kutch in Gujrat and Pali & Pipad in Rajasthan. It can be one-sided ajrakh (ekpuri) or double-sided (bepuri). The blocks used for printing double-sided ajrakh have pins on their edges. Muslims use blue as their predominant colour and Hindus use red Malir). Mithila paintings are famous wall and floor paintings of North Bihar. These are done for auspicious occasions like weddings & pujas. Now it is also done on paper, hand-made paper and fabrics like Tussar silk. Ikat is the tie n dye of yarns. In AP & Orissa warp / weft yarns are tied & dyed to produce warp / weft ikats. In Gujrat both warp & weft yarns are tied n dyed to obtain double ikat like patola. It is done on silk. In Sambalpur of Orissa, famous Sambalpuri sarees are prepared. Orissa ikats have a white outline around the design. In APs Chirala village, telia rumals are produced that are used by muslims to tie their heads. Mashru means a mixed fabricor fabric permitted by the Islamic law. It has cotton wefts & silk warps & is done with satin weave. Tie n dye of fabrics is called bandhani.The dyeing is done with the lightest colour first and then dyed in darker colours. The designs formed are based on the different techniques of tieing the fabric, resisting it to avoid the colour wherever required and dyeing.
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Revision points:
1. Ajrakh is a block printed cloth, made in Sind in Pakistan, Kutch in Gujrat, & Pali & Pipad in Rajasthan. 2. Ajrakh means blue in Arabic language. 3. Resist & mordant-resist styles of printing are used to print Ajrakh. 4. Mithila region of North Bihar is famous for its paintings on floors & walls. 5. Paintings on walls are done for weddings ( Khobar ghar) & for Durga Ashtmi ( go-sain ghar) 6. Traditionally pigments from substances were used. Now pigments from Calcutta are used. natural chemical
7. Printing press at Madhubani town provided paper , therefore they were later called Madhubani paintings.
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Terminal exercises:
1. Name the centres of production of Ajrakh 2. What are the 3 blocks used in Ajrakh and what are their functions? 3. What is the style of printing used for Ajrakh? 4. What is malir? 5. What are the main Madhubani paintings? characteristics of
6. What are the motifs used for Madhubani paintings? 7. What is double ikat? 8. What are Telia rumals? Explain the colours and motifs used. 9. What motifs are used for Orissa ikats? 10.What is Mashru? 11.What are the 3 different kinds of lehariya? 12.How are the designs transferred on a fabric for a tie and dye article? 13.What are the different typing techniques used in tie and dye?
Intext questions:
1. Name the centers of production of Ajrakh. 2. Name the centers of production of Mithila paintings. 3. Explain in detail about Madhubani paintings. the features of
4. What is ikat? What are the types of ikat? 5. What are the differences between single & double ikats?
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6. Name the production centers of ikat fabrics. 7. What are the different tyeing techniques used in tie n dye work of Rajasthan & Gujrat?
Key words:
Pathiya- the low printing table. Chatti- the earthern plate in which the mordant-resist paste is put. Chapri- the bamboo grid Tilli- affine reed for measuring & plotting design areas. Asul-jo-pur- blocks with which resist paste is printed. Kot-jo-pur- blocks for printing mordants for black colour. Khor-jo-pur- blocks fof printing mordants for red colour Ekpuri- one-sided ajrakh Bepuri- double-sided ajrakh Hashe-jo ajrakh- bordered ajrakh Be hashe-jo-ajrakh- 2 bordered ajrakh Thi hashe-jo-ajrakh- 3 bordered ajrakh Malir- Ajrakh with red background Khobar ghar- Mithila paintings made on the walls at wedding times. Go-sain-ghar- Mithila paintings walls at time of Durga Ashtmi Aripan- floor paintings from Mithila. Ikat- It is a Malaysian word means to tie. Ikat is the tie n dye of yarns. made on
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Warp ikat- When only warp yarns are tied n dyed to form the design. Weft ikat- when only weft yarns are tied n dyed to form the design. Patola- In Gujrat, the designs are formed by tieing n dyeing both warp & weft yarns. This is called double ikat eg. Patola. Telia rumal- Chirala in Andhra Pradesh is a coastal village is famous for ikat cloth called telia rumals used by muslims to tie their heads. Mashru- It is a mixed fabric which means Permitted by the Islamic law. It has cotton weft and silk warps& is woven in satin weave. Bandhana / bandha / bandhani- It is the tie n dye of fabric done in Gujrat & Rajasthan. Rangara- colourer who marks the design areas with a dyed thread. Lipai- Many times yellow & white dot designs are opened up and green / blue / black colours are dabbed on it . this is called lipai. Tritik- the stitch resist design is called tritik.
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References books
1. Gillow J Bernard Nicholas, 1991,Traditional Textiles of India, Thames and Hudson 2. Naik Shalja, 1996, Indian Embroideries, APH Publishing Corporation 3. Desai Chelna, 1996, Ikat Textile of India, Chronicle books 4. Frater Judy, 1995, Threads of Identity, Mapin Publication
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Traditional embroideries of India

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Lesson 1: Kantha of Bengal

1.2 Styles of Kantha

1.3 Fabric Used Page

1.4 Stitches Used

1.5 Threads Used

1.6 Motifs Used

1.7 Types of Kantha

Stepwise execution of a leaf in Kantha Embroidery using simple running stitch

2.2 Fabric Used

2.3 Threads Used

2.4 Stitches Used

2.5 Motifs Used

2.6 Articles Made

Areas of Production - Kasuti Embroidery

Lesson 3: Phulkari of Punjab

1. Base fabric 2. Colours of threads used.

3.2 Classification of Phulkaris

3.2.1 Classification of Phukaris According to Motifs

3.2.2 Other Phulkaris

3.3 Fabric Used

3.4 Threads Used

3.5 Stitches Used

3.6 Technique Used

4.1 Importance of embroidery in Gujarat

4.2 Classification of Embroidery

4.3 Styles of Domestic Embroidery:

4.5 Kutch Style

Areas of Production of Gujarat Embroideries 1. 2. 3. 4. Thar Parpar, Barmer, Jaisalmer, Kutch

Motif of the Sindi Style of Embroidery

Motif of the Ahir, Kanbi, Rakari of Embroidery

Each student is required to make 2 end products.

List of end Products that can be made by the students

Phulkari is the traditional embroidery of Punjab .

6. What are the areas of production of kantha?

Lesson 5: Applique Craft of

5.2 Fabric Used

5.3 Thread and Stitches Used

5.4 Motifs Used

A colourful display of Applique

Areas of Production for Orissa Applique

6.1 History of Chikankari

6.2 Fabric Used

6.3 Thread Used

6.5 Stitches Used

6.7 Metal Work of Uttar Pradesh

Salma and Gajai Moti

Area of Production - Chikankari

Kalka (Kair Motif)

Metal work of U.P. is also very famous.

Strictly Floral motifs and paisleys are used for chikankari.

3. What are the different Chikankari ? Explain.

Students have to make painted and embroidered sample of Chikankari.

2. Immitation Easy to copy with same effect.

Lesson 7: Chamba Rumal of

7.1 Fabric Used

7.2 Threads Used

7.3 Stitches Used

7.4 Motifs used

7.5 Transfer of Design of Fabric

7.6 Main Themes in the Embroidery

7. Minjar Mela Jalus

8. The Gujjar Theme