Chikankari - The History and Its Making - Chikan Embroidery

India is known in the design world for its hand embroidery skills. Chikankari is one of the most
popular hand embroidery work which originated in India, during the Mughal rule around 17th
Century. The name chikan is said to be derived from the Persian word "Chikaan" or "Chikeen"
meaning drapery or embroidered cloth. It is believed that the wife of the Mughal emperor
Jahangir, Noor Jahan patronized this art. It thrived during the early days in Bengal (around
Calcutta) and even in southern India in Madras (Chennai). The Nawabs of Lucknow were lovers
of this art and it was their keen interest and initiative that made this craft flourish in and around
Lucknow in the Northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Now chikankari or chikan embroidery is
synonymous with Lucknow.
Traditionally the work was primarily done with white cotton thread on white muslin cloth (called
tanzeb). Now chikan work is not only done with colored threads but on all kinds of fabrics like
silk, crepe, georgette, organdie chiffon, and tassar to produce some mesmerizing, contemporary
and fashionable apparels and accessories. Apart from wearable garments Chikankari embroidery
can be found on home décor furnishings like curtains, bed sheets, table cloths, pillow covers and
cushion covers.
Like many of the embroidered arts of India, Chikankari designs or paisley motifs (also called
buta and butis) take their inspiration from nature and the fauna in the local region. Floral
bunches, supported by leafy creepers or the traditional mango shaped kairis along with dots,
triangles, squares and their permutations are designs which are embroidered on fabric. The actual
production of Chikankari starts with the design to be embroidered being printed on the fabric
using wooden sheesham blocks dipped in colors made by mixing a glue and indigo (neel) with
water. Metal blocks are used for finer designs.
Finally the printed garments reach the artisans who use these outlines as a pattern and guide.
They labor over it for days (and sometimes months for finer and more elaborate work) with their
skilled hands and use various stitches as the beautiful pattern slowly emerges. The work requires
a lot of patience, diligence and concentration. The artisans, mostly women in villages, involved
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in making these extraordinary, intricate and mesmerizing designs, form probably the largest
artisan cluster in the world and this work is a source of livelihood for several families.
Next, the clothes are hand washed and starch is applied (for a crisper fabric) and then ironed
before the product is finally ready. Given the laborious process it takes for its creation, each
chikankari garment is unique and a piece of art and consequently costs more than the mass
produced machine embroidered apparels. In the next article on chikankari we look at the
different types of stitches used in Chikan Embroidery.
About the Author
www.chikanbarn.com is an online store retailing select chikan work apparels, accessories and
home decor merchandise. We are focused on brining this hand embroidery craft to the
international market and making it easily accessible to people all over the globe. We endeavor to
co-create a positive ecosystem for the overall benefit and growth of the industry and its
participants (including the most important ones "the artisans"). Please do visit our store and also
do help us reach out by giving us a like on our Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/chikanbarn
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