Embroidery seems to be
a way of life in Gujarat. It compliments the ornaments jallis of the
main gate in homes of Gujarat. Toran as this craft is called is the sign
of good omen hug over doorways . it is made up of thread led beads, that
are decorated to form small flaps. Each flap holds delicate motif of
flowers, geometric or composite animal forms. The method of craft entail
working on a tribe ad system developed row by row. The motifs are
planned beforehand with a variety of tiny colorful beads creating an
attractive design.
The triangular flaps on
an embroidery ling cloth are called pachitattis, besides these door
decoration forms, square embroidery pieces made of beads are used to
decorate furniture. Rectangular forms named chandrawas are prepared and
hugh on walls. A combination of diamond shapes hugh on the wall are
called bhitiyas.
The beauty of the craft
lies in the motif. The animal forms used for decoration are stylized,
which give the image a kind of movements. Loins, hoirses and dogs are
drawn with threadled beads. But the most delightful image are those of
the sun god on his chariot, a marriage procession, a cavalry or
charioteers with trumpeters. This delicate Gujaratri tradition of
embroidery is coming to the Mela for the first time.
Crochet
& Embroidery
The small Union
Territory of Goa is famous for delicate crochet work and spider fine
lace embroidery. This craft may not sound a traditional occupation, but
the craft came into existence in and around Kerala with he arrival of
the Portuguese in India. Since then, the craft has spread, and is a
vocation for people of this region.
The fine craftsmanship
in this tradition is displayed in attaching patches of needless work.,
woven flowers in lace and net patterns with gossamer fine thread. At
times lace is embroidered onto curtains, bed spreads or dress material,
showing off the magic of deft fingers.
Hand
Embroidery
The craft first arrived
into the country from Syria through trade and exchange. the present form
of this needle-work however evolved under the tutelage of London Mission
Societies in the first quarter of the 19th Century AD. With Shadow work,
colourful flower patterns and cut out motifs, craftpsersons embroiders
on linen and sarees.
Kantha
Embroidery
Kantha embroidery is a
fine needlework tradition of West Bengal. The word kantha denotes piled
patch work. The embroidery is unique in the hand of every craft person
for it highlights the personal symbols used to denote everyday objects.
The flower, vegetation and local legends take unique shapes on long
cloth lengths, table tops, even saree borders and pallu. Elephants
,chariots, flowers and fish forms in unique dimensions delight with the
simple stitch pattern. The kantha has moved from te hearth to the
forefront of embroidery fabrics due to the dedication of crafts persons.
In days of old, women of the home piled used and oold pieces of cloth,
and with thread pulled out of old sarees and cloth pieces, they outlined
motifs on the piled up cloth which was usually of 2 to 3 layers. Once
the cloth pieces were tacked into place, the kantha craft is de designed
entirely of tiny running stitch in different colours. Today the craftman
has experimented with tussar saree and veils, bringing this simple craft
up from the level of an ordinary chore for the women at home.
Phulkari
From the fertile plains
of Punjab, come some of the finest embroidery traditions of the country.
No wedding in rural Punjab is considered complete without the colourful
phulkari veil for the bride. The beauty of the crafts lies in its simple
daring stitch laboriously done from the reverse of the cloth. Drawn out
threads are designed by counting warp threads. A single error can throw
the entire surface of the cloth with intricate manipulations by the
crafts person. The thread used for embroidery is silk and patterns are
given formal names. The bagh phulkari is so refined, that one can barely
spy the forms giving a rich floral effect. Stitches are iin green,
golden yellow and white. The best of Phulkari work comes from Patiala,
Jullundhar and even parts of Hisar, Karnal and Rohtak in Haryana. The
quality of this tradition is judged from the reverse of the garment,
which should be as smooth in texture as the front. The cloth used is
usually brown, rust or indigo. But the embroiderer of today is
experimenting with other motifs. Animal, bird, flower and medallion
motifs are also being used for decoration.
Rabri
Embroidery
The pastoral
communities of Ahirs and Rabaris in Gujarat design very rich embroidery;
the craft has been in theses ribes since generations and is passed on to
daughters from their mothers. Whole communities embroider in traditional
motifs that distinguish this particular genre of tribal embroidery. The
Rabari bride must own three heavily worked clothes and a woolen tie-
dyed shawl embroidered with borders and medallions in chain stitch,
mirror and plastic buttons. Rabari motifs are flowers, medallions,
geometric stylized horse and rider, peacock and scorpions, worked in the
chain stitch, with round, petal shaped and triangular mirror pieces
interspersed between them. The craft gains beauty from the combination
of coloured threads, mirrors and embroidery that sets off a pattern. The
craft is made more beautiful with the work being done on a dark back
ground like night blue maroon or deep red. Theses colours reflect the
glitter of mirror pieces.
Suzni
Embroidery
Embroidery in India has
a hoary past. We find the earliest mention of needless in very ancient
books. Interestingly excavations of the period as far back as 2300-1500
B.C. showed the use of borne needless used for embroidery, and figures
dressed in embroidered textiles was the sculpture of Buddhist stupas.
And so, it was with the beginning of the simplest of stitch, embroiders
of various regions began the ornamentation of cloth. One fine region
where the very beauty of the natural landscape, the majesty of snow
peaks, the presence of flowering shrubs and cypress tress finds a
delightful reelection , is the Suzni embroidery of Kashmir. The suzni
coming to the Mela is a very simple form of stitch, which shows uniform
threads form both sides. With this simple stitch the embroidery usually
decorates shawls.
