Tuesday, 17 January 2017

When my heart fell for Phulkari...


Anyone who has grown up in a colourful country like India knows how we breathe, live, wear and tear multitudes of different crafts. Right from the first colourful rattler that a baby holds to that beautiful dupatta an Indian bride proudly adorns, the various forms of Indian crafts have always surrounded our existence. But sadly, the omnipresence of these different art forms only dilute their importance in our lives. We wow them when people from foreign lands praise them and then, back in the grind, they become part of the routine lives we lead.


In order to learn more about the art and craft forms of India, I visited the craft museum, Dilli Haat and a few other local places to get a look at different kinds of works. The warli and madhubani paintings,the pattachitra, the chikankari and the bidriware surely stunned me but my heart was stuck on only one thing: PHULKARI.
The word 'Phulkari' literally translates to flower work. Belonging to the state of Punjab, this form of embroidery has always been a part of important and auspicious occasions such as weddings and festivals. It is like an embroidered shawl but very vibrant and attractive. 
phulkari dupatta with bagh embroidery

The main characteristics of this embroidery are the use of darn stitch on the wrong side of cloth with coloured silk thread. Finding
its first mentions in Punjabi folklore of Heer and Ranjha, owning a Phulkari is a dream for every Punjabi girl.

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