Chamba Rumal of Himachal Pradesh

Introduction

Himachal Pradesh is famous for

its traditional folk craft,
woodwork, metal wares, carpets,
woolen textile and leather
embroidery. Among the
Handicraft in Himachal Pradesh,
embroidery is an important
aspect praiced by the womenfolk.
The big handkerchiefs called
rumal of Chamba are famous and
has always been a symbol of affection and good omen. They are
presented at festivals and weddings. They are also used for
wrapping ceremonious gifts exchanged between the bride and
bridegroom's parties during marriages.

The embroidery on the rumal is the image of a miniature

painting on fabric. The
creations came to be termed
as rumals or scarves, as they
were mainly produced in a
square format. The rumals
reflected the artistic
expression of the women of
the household and were used
to cover gifts and offerings.
There are Pahari miniature
paintings in existence, which
show gifts covered with
Chamba rumals being

Dr. Parul Bhatnagar 1

exchanged between the families of the bride and groom. Rumals
were also used to cover offerings to the gods and while presenting
gifts to the ruler or other high officials. The name 'rumal' means
handkerchief, but these are not used to be kept in the pocket. These
are generally used for covering gifts placed on metal & bamboo
trays and baskets on any special occasions as birthdays, weddings,
festivals or fairs.

Historical Background
It all began as a craft to cater to kings. And from there, the
products of this domestic craft spread to every household that
could afford them - or whose womenfolk could create them. At its
simplest, the Chamba Rumal, literally, handkerchief, was a piece
of cloth used a small drape or scarf. Steadily this embroidery began
covering a range of items for daily use - caps, hand fans,
pillowcases and wall hangings.

The embroidery art form of the Chamba rumal originated and

flourished in the erstwhile
princely hill states of
Chamba, Kangra, Basholi
and nearby states which are
not a part of Himachal
Pradesh. Though practiced
throughout this region, the

Dr. Parul Bhatnagar 2

craft came to be associated specifically with Chamba owing to the
patronage given by the rulers of the area as well as to the quality of
its craftsmanship. The artistic style of the Pahari miniature
paintings which was influenced by Mughal Miniatures was
reflected in the rumals which flourished in the 18th and 19th
centuries.

There are Pahari miniature paintings in existence, which

show gifts covered with Chamba rumals being exchanged between
the families of the bride and groom. The earliest Chamba Rumals
date back to the mid 18th century - and have had an unbroken
lineage as it were, to the present day. The technique is similar to
Punjab's "Phulkari", which is not surprising given the trade and
cultural links. But the themes that unravel in the stitches are born
of the artistic traditions of the hills. The place of the fine brush
strokes that created the exquisite miniature paintings of Kangra is
shared by the needle and thread of chamba.

Though the Chamba Rumal has a very old history but it was
in 1884, under the patronage of Raja Umed Singh that this piece of
art got a new thrust. Thereafter the traditional needlework on the
Chamba Rumal became famous in the country and even abroad.

Some of the best Chamba Rumals can still be seen at the

Victoria and Albert Museums in London. One such 'Rumal' at one
of the two museums is in the form of a wall hanging which depicts
scenes from the Mahabharata.

Technical Details
The shape of 'rumal' is varied with square and oblong shapes;
they are ranged from small to a bed-sheet length. White Khaddar
(cotton) cloth as the base and untwisted, unspun raw silk threads in
various hues are used in the rumal. Double satin stitch technique is
deployed, which give identical impression to the Rumal on both
sides of it.

Dr. Parul Bhatnagar 3

Besides handkerchief, other products in this craft include wall
hangings, hand fans, dice board, bodices, cushion & pillow covers,
caps, fans (pakhi) and many other things depicting religious,
historical & social themes on the Rumal such as Radha-Krishna,
Krishna Ras Leela, Nag Leela, Shikargah, Gaddi & Gaddan with
lamb, Minjar fair of Chamba, etc.

A drawing of the pattern is done by an artist before starting

the embroidery work. The choice and distribution of different
colors is also done by the artist. Various themes are depicted on the
rumals. The central space is occupied by the figures of deities,
especially of Lord Vishnu in multiple forms. Some pieces have
writings on them. Trees, birds, and animals are also depicted.

A kind of thin hand spun cloth called mal-mal is used for the
embroidery work. In some cases hand spun fine quality khaddar is
used. The rumals are mainly used as a covering piece on the
figures of deities.

Fabric- used is Tussar or fine cotton faric, it is white or cream in

colour. The cloth is generally unbleached and thus appears off-
white in colour. Material used is hand spun thin fabric like Malmal
or hand spun hand woven khaddar. Machine made cloth is also
used which remains unbleached.

Thread- used is untwisted silken floss in a variety of colours. It

makes the pattern appear smooth and glossy.

Colors- Colors used are many and vary. No Chumba Rumal is

found in one color. Blue was predominant in earlier samples. Other
colors are green, orange and yellow. If a motif of the figure of
Lord Krishna was used, the body was embroidered in blue and the
hands and feet were embroidered in crimson or mauve. Colors
were chosen based on variety rather than appropriateness.

Dr. Parul Bhatnagar 4

Stitches used were- Double satin stitch, carried forward and
backward alternately, done on both sides of the fabric
simultaneously. The embroidery appears same on both sides. The
intricacy of the work on both sides of the fabric is such that you
cannot tell the right side from the wrong. Stem Stitch is used when
necessary and buttonhole stitch is used to finish the edges.

Motifs Used: Animal and bird motifs along with human figures
are used. Bird motifs include parrots, peacock, duck and swan.
Animal motifs include leaping tigers, horses, rams, running boars.
Tree Motifs include the cypress and the plantain trees bent, laden
with flowers and fruits. The motifs were usually stylized in nature.

The themes are mostly inspired by paintings and depict scenes

from Indian mythology, Ramayan, Mahabharat, Ras lila, Krishna
lila, Pahari paintings, hunting, marriage scenes, and game of dice.

The Subject of Embroideries

The subject of the embroideries has been based mainly on religious
themes comprising Hindu deities, floral motifs, birds and animals.
The Raas Mandal and Krishna theme have been particularly
favored. The fabric used for the embroidery was normally hand-
spun or hand-woven unbleached mul-mul or fine khaddar produced
in Punjab. The rumal varied in
size from one and a half to four
feet in size. The embroidery itself
was done in a double satin-stitch
called Do-Rukha. Its beauty lies in
the fact that the stitch becomes
reversible and embroidery viewed
from both sides is similar and
equally effective.

The Raslila in an
old Chamba rumal rumal also

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owes a debt to Phulkari embroidery of Punjab. In both cases
untwisted silk yarn was used. The colours of thread used in the
Chamba rumal varied and no rumal was ever embroidered in a
single colour. In the folk style, the colours used tended to be bright

and bold and included pink, lemon yellow, purple and green.

The more sophisticated colour palette included ochre, dark green,

blue and paler shades. In the last few years, the rumals' importance
is being gradually realized in Chamba. Some women have started
embroidering them based on earlier designs. While they are skilled
in embroidery, the cloth, threads and colours used as well as the
compositions lack in artistry.

Reviving the Art

With the efforts of the government, Chamba Rumals are now
available at all the emporia of the Himachal Pradesh government at
Shimla, Delhi, Banglore, Chandigarh and Mumbai. The price of
this artistic piece of art ranges from just Rs 250 per 'rumal' to Rs
10,000. Besides the government, a few NGO's have also come
forward to save this traditional art of Chamba. The efforts of the
government and the NGOs have generated interest amongst local
residents and presently there are about 500 women/girls who are
receiving training in embroidery at the government training centre
here.

With the efforts of the state government's science and

technology department, the Chamba Rumal has now been patented.

As objects of art, the rumals available today are either sub-

standard or too expensive. The cost of genuine work ranges from
Rs 250 Rs 10,000.

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