Europe
84-521: North America Oceania The Punjabi ghagra ( Punjabi : ਘੱਗਰਾ ) is a four-piece outfit known as tewar or 'ti-or' which was traditionally worn by Punjabi women throughout the Punjab region with the outfit comprising a head scarf ( Phulkari ), kurta or kurti, ghagra (long skirt) and either a suthan (baggy trousers with a tight band around the ankles) or the Punjabi salwar (trousers). In modern times,
168-532: A British official). Birds, trains, circuses as well as scenes from popular Punjabi legends like Sohni Mahiwal and Sassi-Punnun were often depicted The style also incorporates jewellery designs of bracelets, earrings, rings and necklaces. Pal (1960) believes that such designs did no form part of the traditional method of embroidering Phulkaris but expressed a woman's wish to have such items of jewellery. The term tilpatra ( til + patra ) means 'the spreading of seeds'. The tilpatra has decorative embroidery which
252-661: A Phulkari cluster in 1997. 880 Phulkari artisans are now part of the cluster and over 10,000 women have been trained in Phulkari embroidery. There are several non-profits in Punjab that promote Phulkari to empower women by providing a source of livelihood. The Nabha Foundation launched the Phulkari Traditional Craft Program in 2007 to "empower the marginalized rural woman, generate sustainable home based employment." The Phulkari Makers of Bassi Pathana
336-849: A base for the embroideries. White was used in Bagh by elderly ladies and widows. Black and blue were less preferred in Western Punjab , whereas white was less commonly used in East Punjab . Geometrical patterns are usually embroidered on the Phulkaris. Phulkari depicted scenes from everyday life in the villages. Animals and birds represented success, beauty, pride, and goodwill and different fruits symbolized wealth, prosperity, and fertility. Wheat and barley stalks with ears were also common motifs . No religious subjects or darbar (Sikh temple hall) scenes were embroidered. The decorated end of
420-463: A brides dowry. The items would be gifted by the bride's father, uncles and mother-in-law. Blurton further states that it took many years for the baghs and phulkaris to be embroidered. Traditionally women would begin to embroider the bhagh when their grandsons were born to be give to their future brides. Accordingly, in the past, as soon as a girl was born, mothers and grandmothers would start embroidering Baghs and Phulkaris, which were to be given away at
504-411: A central motif and four motifs on the corners. Darshan dwar is a type of Phulkari which was made as an offering or bhet (presentation). It has panelled architectural design. The pillars and the top of the gate are filled with latticed geometrical patterns. Sometimes human beings are also shown standing at the gate. This is the only style where the outlines of the figures are drawn using black ink. It
588-476: A charpai (jute cot), playing chaupar (a cross and circle board game), smoking hookah, or guests drinking sharbat (sweet cordial). Common themes also include women performing chores like churning milk, grinding wheat flour on the chakki (hand mill), and working on the charkha (spinning wheel). Women also embroidered scenes which they found interesting, such as a British official coming to a village or women carrying an umbrella and walking along with memsahib (the wife of
672-580: A chest band, which is mentioned in Sanskrit literature and Buddhist Pali literature during the 6th century B.C. A choli ( Hindi : चोली, Nepali : चोलो ), ( ravike in South India Telugu : రవికె, Kannada : ರವಿಕೆ) is a midriff -baring blouse commonly worn with a sari attire (worn in India , Pakistan , Sri Lanka , Bangladesh , Nepal and other surrounding countries). It evolved from
756-481: A geometric style for their embroidery. The Garacia Jats are experts in tiny embroidery on the yoke, which intermingles with red, orange, blue and green threads. The Dhanetah Jats love embroidering broad pear-shaped mirrors using orange, black, yellow and red in chain stitch. The lehenga choli is the favourite female apparel worn during festivals, weddings or special events in India. This is due to traditions as well as of
840-455: A girl reaches puberty. She wears langa voni during the first part of the ceremony and then she is given her first sari, which she wears during the second half of the ceremony. This marks her transition into womanhood. The tradition of presenting langa voni begins with the girl's first naming ceremony called Namakaran and her first rice feeding ceremony called Annaprashana . She receives her last one at her coming of age ceremony. Langa voni
924-494: A heavy material. Lighter versions called halvaan were also used. Pal noted that khaddi material was also becoming popular. The colours were red, white, golden yellow, green, and deep blue. Natural methods would be used to dye the material w such as utilising flowers. A popular method was to use the Rubia cordifolia tree known as Indian madder and Majith in Punjabi. Unspun silk thread known as patt would be used to embroider
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#17327809546471008-491: A scarf or shawl, the pallu , has separate panels of exquisite Phulkari workmanship with striking designs. Despite the fact that this embroidery was not originally done on a commercial scale, some of it did find a market abroad in the 19th century. The embroideries for shawls or ghagras (a long full decorated skirt) were used to make curtains for European homes. Specimens of phulkari cloth from different regions of Punjab were sent to Colonial and Indian Exhibition , held under
1092-453: A shirt like dress for men and women from the neck to the thighs. Candataka continued as a popular female dress in the seventh century. The Punjabi ghagra is part of a four-piece ensemble: Phulkari , kurta /kurti, ghagra and suthan/salwar. The term tewar or ti-or suggests that the outfit was originally a three-piece ensemble which would have comprised the head scarf, kurta/kurti/angi and the ghagra. However, when preparing clothes to give to
1176-413: Is Pal's chapter that triggered a serious interest in preserving the dying tradition of Phulkari. People began to take note of the folk art. Thind also noted private collectors preserving traditional Phulkaris. In his visit to the U.K. in 1980, Thind saw a private collection of Phulkaris with various motifs. He also mentions work by local organisations in Punjab (India). Various books have also been written on
1260-555: Is a financially independent self-group which evolved from the vocational training initiatives at Mehar Baba Charitable Trust in 2009. Artisan markets like Dilli Haat in New Delhi feature stalls by India several National Award winners like Mrs. Lajwanti Devi from Patiala who was awarded the Rashtrapati Award in 1995 for her embroidery. Phulkari products can also be found at occasional bazaars at Dastkar, at Diwali melas, at
1344-428: Is a form of skirt that is long, embroidered and pleated. It is secured at the waist or hips and leaves the lower back and midriff bare. The ancient version of skirt or ghagri evolved from bhairnivasani , which in turn evolved from the antriya when stitching on one side became tubular and was worn gathered together at the waist, and held by a girdle. This was one of the earliest forms of a clumsily stitched skirt. It
1428-534: Is a painstaking and time-consuming art that strains the eyes, and, as many women work indoors with poor lighting, it leads to the deterioration of their eyesight over time. Relatively low remunerations have made it an economically unviable option for many young women who do not want to take it up as a means of livelihood. There are limited books on Phulkari available online or in bookstores for purchase. The library at Punjabi University, Patiala has extensive reading material on Phulkaris. Indira Gandhi National Centre for
1512-508: Is a scarf that is like a shawl and is worn with the gagra and choli. It is also used as part of the women's shalwar kameez costume. It is an evolved form of the Uttariya . Until the early 21st century, the dupatta was the most decorative part of gagra choli, while the rest of the garment was plainer, especially if the gagra was an everyday one. Dupatta is worn in many regional styles across India. The most common style since early medieval times
1596-503: Is a short cotton coat or a mini anga (dress) without side slits which is believed to have descended from the tunic of the Shunga period (2nd century B.C.). The kurti during the early 1700s buttoned to the right but later versions buttoned down the centre. The angi is the Punjabi name for the bodice which is a short sleeved vest which covers the breast but leaves the chest partly bare and the abdomen wholly exposed. The angi can be worn with
1680-498: Is a type of ethnic clothing for women from the India , notably in the Indian states of Rajasthan , Gujarat , Madhya Pradesh , Uttar Pradesh , Bihar , Haryana , Punjab , Himachal Pradesh , Uttarakhand , Jammu and Kashmir . In Punjab , the lehenga is traditionally worn with a kurti . It is a combination of the ‘’ghagra or lehenga (long skirt) and the choli (blouse). In contemporary and modern usage lehenga choli
1764-493: Is called adha bagh (half garden). The work done with white or yellow silk floss on cotton khaddar that starts from the center of the fabric and spreads to the whole fabric is called "Chashm-e-Bulbul". Historically, the exquisite embroidery for baghs are known to have been made in the districts of Hazara , Peshawar , Sialkot , Jhelum , Rawalpindi , Multan , Amritsar , Jalandhar , Sialkot , Ludhiana , Gujranwala , Kasur , Gujrat , Chiniot and Chakwal of
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#17327809546471848-415: Is embroidered on red with yellow. Two fabric panels are joined that have similar patterns embroidered on both ends. The only motifs embroidered on both selvage are a series of triangles with the base towards the selvage and pointing inwards. The design is worked with small squares in a step-ladder fashion. Only the borders and the four edges of the cloth are embroidered in fine embroidery. The subhar has
1932-418: Is embroidered. By working with darning stitch, numerous designs are made by use of horizontal, vertical, and diagonal stitches. Some make the distinction that phulkari only refers to sparingly-embroidered flowers, whereas a large, intricately embroidered flower pattern is known as a bagh. That is to say, in other varieties of phulkari, the base cloth is still visible, whereas in a bagh, the embroidery covers
2016-678: Is heavier in pearls, silk, sequins and zari. Kutch embroidery is an evolving expression of the craft and textile traditions of the Rabaris , a nomadic tribe in Gujarat. Kutch embroidery is unique in the sense that a net is woven on a cloth using thread. The net is then filled in using the same thread by intricate interlocking stitches. The patterns are usually built around geometric shapes. This embroidery follows its own traditional design logic and juxtaposition of colours and motifs. The Rohanas tribals of Kutch specialise in skirt work. The Sodhas use
2100-497: Is reference to phulkari in ancient texts, folk legends, and literature of Punjab. In Harishcharitra , the biography of the Emperor Harshavardhana (590-647 CE), the last ruler of great ancient Indian Vardhana empire, the seventh-century chronicler Bana wrote, "Some people were embroidering flowers and leaves on the cloth from the reverse side," which is a technical description of Phulkari embroidery. However,
2184-521: Is spread out as if spreading sesame seeds. Neelak phulkari is made of a black or red background with yellow or bright red embroidery. The color of the phulkari is mixed with metals. The Chhaamas phulkari hails from Rohtak , Gurgaon , Hissar , and Delhi . The Chaamas Phulkari incorporates mirrors which are sewn into the cloth with yellow, grey, or blue thread. The phulkari of south and southwestern Punjab in India and Pakistan has wide edges upon which designs of animals and birds are embroidered. As
2268-408: Is still the preferred fabric. Apart from the fabric, decorative stitching patterns also play a role. Lehengas come with a wide variety of decoration and embroidery work like Gota , Phulkari , Shisha , Chikankari , Zari , Zardozi , Nakshi , Kundan , etc. For festivals like Navratri , the ethnic Shisha embroidery is popular with a bit of patchwork. For formal wear and weddings, the embroidery
2352-455: Is that the market is flooded with relatively inexpensive machine made Phulkaris manufactured in factories in Amritsar and Ludhiana. As consumers become less discerning and as there is improvisation and innovation in machine embroidery, even stalls at Dilli Haat have begun retailing machine made Phulkaris on synthetic fabrics along with high quality hand embroidered Phulkaris. Phulkari embroidery
2436-445: Is the case of the chope, the edges are embroidered on both sides of the cloth. Traditionally, phulkari garments were part of a girl's wedding trousseau . Its motifs were expressive of her emotions and the number of phulkari pieces defined the status of the family. According to Blurton (2003), "angular satin-stitch baghs (shawls) and phulkaris (shawls similar to baghs, but less heavily embroidered)" up to 20 pieces would form part of
2520-495: Is the widely used term by fashion designers, trend setters, and boutiques in India, since ghagra is synonymous with the half-slip (petticoat) worn as an undergarment below the sari . Historically, the gagra choli evolved from the three-piece attire worn by women in the Indus Valley of ancient India. The attire consisted of the antriya lower garment, the uttariya veil worn over the shoulder or head and stanapatta
2604-476: Is then filled by embroidering with darn stitch. In other styles, there are no patterns drawn and the work was done only by counting the threads from the back. Sainchi was popular in Bathinda and Faridkot districts. Sainchi phulkari was also popular in and around Ferozepur . Sainchi embroidery draws inspiration from village life and depict various scenes of everyday village life such as a man ploughing, lying on
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2688-484: Is tied at the back with strings. In the middle of the choli, a kubba is dangled which is a hollow knobby ornament with a pendant fixed onto the centre of the choli. The item used is the tukma which is a silver pendant fixed on to the ends of the choli. The choli was a popular alternative to the kurta in the 20th century, and was in use in the Punjab region since at least the 16th century. It is still popular in Multan where
2772-416: Is traditional clothing for unmarried girls in southern India. Luanchari ( Hindi : लुआंचणी) is a full-dress garment. The luanchari is made up of two parts. The upper part is called choli, and is made of the same fabric as of the lehanga, but it is not uncommon to find the two pieces of the garment in different colours. The choli is stitched to the lehanga, to make a one-piece luanchari. This is commonly worn by
2856-532: Is traditional to wear either a suthan or a salwar under the ghagra. The Punjabi ghagra was envogue in West Punjab and East Punjab on a wide scale during the 1960s. However, during this time, the Punjabi ghagra began to decrease in popularity and the Punjabi Salwar Suit came to be worn on its own, albeit in some villages in East Punjab the Punjabi ghagra is still worn at funerals. Further,
2940-436: Is traditionally seen as a symbol of modesty, as its main purpose is to serve as a veil . There is no single way of wearing it, so as time passed and fashion changed, the styling of the dupatta also evolved. The Ghagri-Choli are made of a number of fabrics such as silk , cotton , khadi , georgette , crape , net , satin , brocade and chiffon . Although designers have successfully used various fabrics for lehenga, silk
3024-478: Is worn on special occasions. Older Punjabi women living in the United Kingdom recall wearing the ghagra over the salwar. The materials used for making ghagras can either be chiffon or cotton. The edge is finished with either a row of pin tucks, embroidery, gota or by putting a border of daryai (stiffened cloth). The soft cotton ghagra is traditionally starched (maandi) along with mica or vark which shines in
3108-458: The Punjab region . Ghunghat bagh Originating in Rawalpindi , the ghunghat bagh is heavily embroidered around the centre on the edge to be worn over the head. The embroidered centre is then pulled over the face so as to form an embroidered veil. The two styles of chope and subhar are worn by brides. The chope is embroidered on both sides of the cloth. Chope traditionally
3192-490: The ghoonghat veil. Gagras were made out of two to three layers of coarse khadi fabric which created the large flared look and remained largely plain but were decorated with gota and badla embroidery on special occasions. Most commonly used dyes were indigo, lac and turmeric. This style can still be seen in rural areas of Haryana , Uttar Pradesh , Bihar & Madhya Pradesh particularly during folk festivals. The dupatta ( Hindi : दुपट्टा, or chunri (known as odni )
3276-727: The British regime. By the end of the 19th century, Phulkaris and Baghs had found a market in Europe and America. There were firms in Amritsar where Phulkari work of any shape or size could be ordered. Some of the firms procured orders from Europe for supplying Phulkari on a commercial scale. The newer market dictated the changes in designs and color combinations. Some commented that the Europeanized versions of Phulkari were not Indian at all. The embroideries were in black, green, and red and
3360-434: The Indian fashion industry has also been partially blamed for its decline. Noting the value of traditional phulkaris, Aryan (1983) collected the garments noting their spectacular artwork. Such efforts to preserve the art of Phulkari has influenced its revival. Pal (1960) states that, despite there being a reduction in the art for the last 50 years in undivided Punjab, girls and women still continued to embroider phulkaris in
3444-763: The Lota Shop at the National Crafts Museum in New Delhi, the Punjab Handloom Emporium in Ludhiana, and in some private chains like 1469. Garg (2017) in her study of the prevalence of the Phulkari craft in Punjab (India) notes that there are various units set up in Patiala district where mainly women reported that they have been carrying on the work set up by their mothers and grandmothers. The respondents also stated that Phulkari work
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3528-454: The Multani choli is embroidered in different colours or hand printed, tied at the front or the back. Modern versions of the choli are also worn. The ghagra is a long full skirt which can vary from 9 to 25 yards The picture on the right shows the styles worn by Saraiki speaking women in west Punjab . The ghagra is traditionally worn by women of all communities. In Lahore and East Punjab ,
3612-406: The Punjabi suit, a three-piece ensemble. The head scarf generally consists of a large Phulkari embroidered using local designs. The upper garment is traditionally either a long kurta or a kurti which is a short coat. The kurta is a remnant of the kurtaka which was short and had side slits. It was in use in the 11th century C.E.and provides a link to the kurta of the Punjab region . The kurti
3696-514: The ancient Stanapatta (also known as Kanchuki ) and is cut to fit tightly around the body with its short sleeves and low neck. The choli is usually cropped, allowing exposure of the navel ; the cropped design is particularly well suited to wear in the hot summers of the Indian subcontinent . Lehenga , gagra / ghagra ( Hindi : घाघरा ghāghrā ) also chaniya (known as pavadai in Tamil : பாவாடை)
3780-523: The ankles. This version is traditionally worn in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh but began to lose popularity during the 1960s. In the plains of Punjab, the ghagri was an indoor item. Luanchari is a full-dress made of two parts stitched together: the upper part is the choli and the lower is the lehanga. It is traditional garment worn by Gaddis of Himachal Pradesh . Ghagra choli Ghagra choli (also known as lehenga choli and chaniya choli )
3864-544: The base cloth is still visible, while an intricately embroidered flower pattern that covers the entire garment is known as a bagh ('large garden'). The craft of phulkari has undergone changes over the centuries. According to Pal (1960), the traditional method of embroidering a phulkari and its widespread use in Punjab, India , declined by the 1950s. Traditionally, women would embroider phulkaris without using stencils . Pal (1960) states that women would clean their courtyards and invite friends and family to ceremonially begin
3948-400: The bride, the suthan/kurta or salwar kameez outfit is counted as bewar, comprising two articles, with the head scarf not being included. Randhawa (1960) suggests that the only difference between the ghagra ensemble and the Punjabi suit outfit is the addition of the ghagra in the ghagra outfit. Accordingly, even though the Punjabi ghagra is referred to as tewar/ti-or, it is a four-piece outfit and
4032-470: The country as far back as the 7th century CE but survived only in Punjab. Motifs similar to the ones found in Phulkari are also found in Kashida of Bihar and some of the embroideries of Rajasthan. Another thought is that this style of embroidery came from Iran where it was called Gulkari , also meaning floral work. However, Pal (1960) notes that the styles of Phulkari are distinct to Gulkari work. There
4116-400: The creator for future generations. Originally Phulkari was done with real flowers. Silk and Mulmul (soft cotton muslin) fabrics were used because of their purity and longevity. It was believed that the virtue and character of a woman gave shape to the Phulkari. There are different theories about the origin of phulkari. One such belief is that this embroidery was prevalent in different parts of
4200-435: The designs include not only flowers but also cover motifs and geometrical shapes. The main characteristics of phulkari embroidery are use of darn stitch on the wrong side of coarse cotton cloth with coloured silken thread. The traditional varieties of phulkaris are large items of cloth and include chope, tilpatr, neelak, and bagh. Some make the distinction that phulkari only refers to sparingly-embroidered flowers, where
4284-411: The designs using the double stitch known in Punjabi as dasuti tropa, herringbone stitch and satin stitch . Long and short stitches would be employed. No stencil would be used to embroider the designs. Women would gather to embroider phulkaris. Traditional folk songs would be sung by the group. Pal also gives one instance of a woman putting one grain of wheat to one side for every stitch she made. When
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#17327809546474368-401: The designs were inspired by what the embroiderer saw around them. The kitchen provided the designs of many baghs—belan (rolling pin) bagh, mirchi (chilli) bagh, gobhi ( cauliflower ) bagh, karela (bitter gourd) bagh, and dabbi (metal container) bagh. Others like Dilli Darwaza, Shalimar Char, and Chaurasia Baghs depicted the layout of well-known Mughal gardens . The scattered work on the fabric
4452-404: The earliest reference to the word phulkari is in Punjabi literature in the 18th century Waris Shah 's version of Heer Ranjha , a legendary Punjabi tragic romance, which describes the wedding trousseau of the female protagonist Heer and lists various clothing items with phulkari embroidery. The first extensive English publication on phulkari was by Flora Annie Steel in 1880 where she describes
4536-476: The embroidery of Gujarat known as heer bharat in its use of geometrical motifs and stitchery. Phulkari is made of two words: phul means 'flower' and akari means 'shape'. Phulkari meant the shape/direction of flowers which symbolized life. In Punjab, it was popularly believed that the birth of girl child in the family was auspicious. The mother and grandmothers would start embroidering Phulkari dupattas upon her birth because they believed that she would be
4620-505: The entire garment so that the base cloth is not visible. Similarly, in contemporary modern designs, simple and sparsely embroidered dupattas (long scarf), odhinis (oversized long scarf), and shawls , made for everyday use, are referred to as phulkaris, whereas clothing items that cover the entire body, made for special and ceremonial occasions such as weddings are called baghs. There were many kinds of bagh depending on its usage, such ghungat bagh and vari da bagh. In many cases
4704-737: The fact that it is available in a number of fabrics with many different decorative choices. Traditionally the sari and the lehenga choli are the most popular garments for the bride in India. This is a common bridal attire mostly in North India and is also the traditional wear of Garba festival in Gujarat . Traditional Rogan hand painted (by Ashish Kansara) and embroidered Chaniya choli wear of festival and wedding in Gujarat. In southern India, coming of age ceremony or rites of passage ( langa voni Telugu: లంగా వోని, Pattu Pavadai Tamil: பட்டு பாவாடை, Laṅga Davaṇi Kannada: ಲಂಗ ದವಣಿ) are celebrated when
4788-518: The fields to collect crops and being used as rags. Phulkaris were being sold at cheap rates to collectors from overseas who would then sell them at higher rates. Women would give away lighter Phulkaris to servants. Pal believed that the Punjab is a progressive state of India but it did not value its traditional crafts. Renewed interest has only resulted from the refugee crisis after the 1947 partition whereby organisations encouraged women to embroider Phulkaris to make ends meet. Thind (2005) believes that it
4872-433: The ghagra however was only worn when going outdoors or in some areas, when going to another village in which case the kurta/kurti would be replaced by a choli. Women were expected to continue to wear the ghagra over the suthan or the salwar until old age or until at least the eldest child got married. It was also customary to wear the ghagra on festive occasions and when attending funerals. It is still used by elderly ladies and
4956-407: The ghagra is still worn in parts of Haryana , parts of Himachal Pradesh and West Punjab . A variation of the ghagra is the lehenga which is traditionally made of finer material than the ghagra as noted in 1878. The lehenga was traditionally popular in urban areas and it is still customary for Punjabi brides to wear the lehngha. A shorter version of the ghagra is the ghagri which does not drop to
5040-455: The ghagra is worn by women in parts of Haryana , rural parts of south West Punjab , parts of Himachal Pradesh and during performances of Giddha in East Punjab . The ghagra has its origin in the candataka, which had become a popular garment in the Gupta period. The candataka was a men's half trousers which eventually developed into the ghagra. The intermediate formation has been described as
5124-454: The homes of Punjabis as well as Indian handloom aficionados. Kaur and Gupta (2016) state that the traditional khaddar material has now been replaced by fine materials such as chiffon and silk for the base. The traditional Pat thread has been replaced by synthetic silk thread. All types of dark and light colours are used. This revival can be used to design the interiors of buildings such as Phulkari style curtains or Phulkari work on lamps to enhance
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#17327809546475208-409: The kurti. The angi when worn on its own is called the choli , which covers the chest and has a slip running further down in front. It has short sleeves and is tied behind. The angi differs from the choli only in having no front slip. One design of the choli is made of strips (or patches) of many coloured silk or other material. The arms are generally bare and the stomach is left uncovered. The choli
5292-624: The market. Thus, it was purely a domestic art which not only satisfied their inner urge for creation but brought colour into day-to-day life. In this way, it is a folk art . Fifty-two different types of phulkari existed at one point in time, but they have now been reduced to less than a handful. In olden days, women could embroider without the use of the tracing blocks. Most contemporary embroiderers can no longer do so and use tracing blocks. According to handloom and handicraft traditions expert Jasleen Dhamija , "The embroidery form became more or less extinct. Nobody promoted these." Poor treatment from
5376-405: The phulkari was complete, the lady donated the grains away. Sometimes, different styles can be seen on one phulkari. This is because each girl would use her own imagination to stitch a design, perhaps to remind the girl when she gets married of her friends who helped stitch the phulkari. Thind (2005) mentions another variety: the bawan bagh where more than one bagh style is used on one cloth. Many of
5460-413: The process of embroidering a phulkari. Folk songs would be sung on this occasion. "Ih Phulkari Meri Maan Ne Kadhi / Is Noo Ghut Ghut Japhiyan Paawan" ('This Phulkari was embroidered by my mother, I embrace it warmly'). Folk songs like these are indicative of the emotional attachment the girl had to the Phulkari embroidered by her mother or grandmother, or aunts. Phulkari and bagh embroidery has influenced
5544-449: The states of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan would be able to use the term for the traditional craft, and the patent information centre (PIC) of Punjab State Council for Science and Technology would issue a logo or hologram to distinguish the product. Over the years, the Indian and Punjab governments have been working towards promotion of phulkari embroidery, by organizing special training programs, fairs, and exhibitions. Since most of
5628-443: The stitches of embroidery were an inch in length. Pal (1960) describes the following traditional varieties of Phulkari: bagh (' garden '), chope , subhar , sainchi , tilpatra , neelal , ghungat bagh , and chammas . He also describes the materials used, colours, and stitching techniques. The traditional cloth would be khaddar using hand-spun cotton. The cotton would be weaved professionally to create
5712-524: The subject either wholly dedicated to the subject or in chapters. The renewed interest can be seen in girls and women wearing Phulkari scarfs and carrying Phulkari bags. However, the new method of embroidering Phulkaris is distinct from the traditional method. Phulkaris are now embroidered using machines and modern materials. In 2011, after a five-year-long legal case, Phulkari was awarded the geographical indication (GI) status in India, which means that after that only registered traders and manufacturers, from
5796-431: The sun. Vark is similar to thin layers of stiff paper which is crushed and added to maandi (starch). Other materials used for ghagras are hari-shael, latha, saatan (satin), embroidered phulkari , parachute cloth etc. Parachute cloth is a silky material and perhaps similar to the textile used to make parachutes. For formal occasions the ghagra is made of expensive material with some embellishments like gota or embroidery. It
5880-451: The then Punjab comprising modern Punjab, India , Haryana and parts of Himachal Pradesh to at least the 1950s. In villages far away from the cities, Phulkaris such as the chope were still given to brides hailing from traditional families. However, he noted a marked loss of interest in the craft as a whole. Phulkaris could be seen hanging on walls using nails, being placed on the ground when religious figures attended villages, being used in
5964-412: The time of marriage. Depending on the status of the family, the parents would give dowry of 11 to 101 Baghs and Phulkaris. It was also passed from one generation to the next as an heirloom. Phulkaris and bagh were worn by women all over Punjab during marriage festivals and other joyous occasions. They were embroidered by the women for their own use and use of other family members and were not for sale in
6048-545: The use of Phulkari. In Pakistan, Madan and Phul (2016) noted that the Phulkari work of the Punjab was revived in Hazara (of undivided Punjab but now in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ) on the initiative of an NGO. However, the Phulkaris produced on a commercial level are not of the same quality as the traditional craft. But the revival has helped poor rural families. The biggest challenge to hand-embroidered Phulkaris today
6132-481: The varieties are part of museum exhibitions and private collections. Thind makes reference to the contributions made by Mohinder Singh Randhawa in promoting the preservation of Phulkari art. He also mentions private collections where he has seen various motifs including the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) embroidered in a Phulkari. Bagh (meaning ' large garden ') is a style wherein the entire surface
6216-567: The various styles and exhibited the varieties in picture form. In its present form, phulkari embroidery has been popular since the 15th century. Pal (1960) believes that no matter its origin, phulkari work is distinctive and uniquely Punjabi. Various coarse structured fabrics such as khaddar , dasuti , and khaddar casement were used for embroidery work, including phulkari. According to the employment of phulkari types "chaddar," "bhagh," or "chope," these khaddar characteristics vary in thickness, weight, and loose or firmly woven structures. The first
6300-575: The women artisans creating phulkari are in the unorganized sector or work through middlemen, they do not make much money compared to an actual selling price of their product. To overcome this, Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC) formed women self-help groups and cooperatives to sell directly and make more profits. Their products retail at PHULKARI- Punjab Government Emporiums in New Delhi, Chandigarh, Patiala, Kolktata, and Amritsar. The Patiala Handicraft Workshop Cooperative Industrial Society Ltd. (Society for Rural Women Empowerment) founded
6384-574: The women in Pahari miniatures, and is quite similar to lehanga. It may take over 21 yards of cloth to make a complete luanchari. It is a traditional garment worn by Gaddis of Himachal Pradesh . Phulkari Europe North America Oceania Phulkari ( Gurmukhi : ਫੁਲਕਾਰੀ ; Shahmukhi : پھلکاری ) refers to the folk embroidery of the Punjab region and Gulkari of Sindh in South Asia . Although phulkari means 'floral work',
6468-437: Was a loosely woven khaddar with coarse yarns, which stood in contrast to "Halwan" (a lightweight and finely woven Khaddar), and the third was "Chaunsa Khaddar," which was woven with finer yarns and was chosen for "Bhag". Phulkari was essentially a product of domestic work done by the women of the household. The fabric on which Phulkari embroidery was done was hand spun khaddar (a handloomed plain-weave cotton fabric). Cotton
6552-412: Was dyed in the big cities by the lalaris . The best quality silk came from China . The village ladies obtained the thread from hawkers or peddlers who went from village to village selling daily needs items. The most favoured colour was red and its shades, because red is considered auspicious by both Hindus and Sikhs of Punjab. Madder brown, rust red, or indigo were the usual background colours for
6636-499: Was grown throughout Punjab plains and after a series of simple processes it was spun into yarn by the women on the charkha (spinning wheel). After making the yarn it was dyed by the lalari (dyer) and woven by the jullaha (weaver). Traditionally, use of coarse khaddar fabric made it easy to count the yarn. The base khaddar cloth used in Western Punjab was finer than what was used in Central Punjab . The fabric
6720-481: Was particularly carried out after the arrival of refugees in Patiala after 1947 from West Punjab. Some modern fashion designers are incorporating this embroidery into their designs, and its use has spread beyond traditional salwar kameez and dupatta to accessories like jackets, handbags, cushion covers, table-mats, shoes, slipper, juttis , and children's clothes. Phulkaris are now sold online on popular retail and fashion websites and apps and can be found in
6804-414: Was to pleat the dupatta on one end, so it could be anchored by tucking it into the front waist of the gagra. The loose end is then wrapped across the waist and/or draped diagonally across the upper body to fall over the shoulder, or up and over to cover the head. This is similar to the way a sari is generally worn. Women farming or doing manual work tuck both ends of the dupatta into their choli. The dupatta
6888-418: Was worked entirely from the reverse of the fabric. The designs were not traced. Techniques and patterns were not documented but transmitted from word of mouth and each regional group was identified with the style of embroidery or design The embroidery is done with floss silk thread. Soft untwisted silk floss called patt , was used for embroidery. The thread came from Kashmir , Afghanistan , and Bengal and
6972-503: Was worn using a nada or drawstring. The ghagri was a narrow skirt 6 feet (1.8 m) long—the same length as the original antriya —and can still be seen worn by Jain nuns in India. Until the early 20th century, women irrespective of class largely wore gagras that reached down to ankles, especially in the Hindi belt . This was largely due to jeweled toes indicating the marital status of women, as both married and unmarried women observed
7056-714: Was woven in widths, which were narrow, as the width of the loom was such. Thus, the fabric had to be stitched lengthwise to make the desired width, which was later embroidered. This practice of stitching two pieces was common among textiles of Punjab in the early 20th century. In West Punjab (now in Pakistan), two or three pieces of cloth were first folded and joined, leading to distorted designs. In East Punjab (now Punjab, Haryana, and part of Himachal Pradesh), they were joined first and then embroidered. The hallmark of Phulkari is, making innumerable patterns by using long and short darn stitches. There were no pattern books and embroidery
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