Aditee Zalte, Lecturer, MGM IFD
In our day to day life we go through magazines, TV channels, and obviously your favorite bollywood channel and Social media stuff, we can see many celebrities using some Net fabric stuff. You must be having quracitiy about it. So here I am with some information which can be helpful to improving your style statements. Basically this art from is known as Chikankari in Fashion industry. This is the art behind the traditional Lucknowi Embroidery. This traditional embroidery style is one of Lucknow’s most ancient and well- known art forms. It is believed that this embroidery has been introduced by the Mughals. The word ‘Chikan” derived from the Persian word ‘Chic’ means ‘Jali’ work, it is also famous as ‘shadow work’ or ‘white work embroidery’.
Chikankari is one of the most traditional embroidery styles from Lucknow, it is believed that this embroidery has introduced in the 17th century by Noor Jahan, Mughal emperor Jahangir’s wife in India. Noor Jahan was a known talented embroiderer with a particular found of Chikankari work. In this era, the mostly fabric were used like Muslin or Mulmul as they were best suited for the warm, humid climate. In the 18th and 19th century, after the loss of the Empire Chikankari artisans spread all over India and founded various re-established centers.
The beautiful Chikankari technique can be broken down in two parts, the pre and the post preparation stages.
The pre-work involves the design and carving of the wooden blocks, which are used for block printing on cloths with the help of neel dyes. The cloth is then cut according to the requirement of garment design.
The post-work involves the embroidery process, where the fabric is set in the wooden embroidery ring, and then the needle work started from traced pattern. The type of stitches used depends on the specialty of the region and the type and size of the motifs. Motifs are a unit of design, a significant theme which includes natural, geometrical, stylized and abstract motifs. Some of the popular stitches in Lucknow Chikankari include the backstitch, chain stitch and hem stitch. Usually there is a combination of different Lucknow Chikankari stitches used in one pattern. There are 32 stitches made from raw silk thread and some of them are:
- Jali: it is a specialty of Lucknow; this technique use especially for the Chikankari work which gives a delicate net effect. This is achieved by (tinny buttonhole stitches) pulling the threads with the needle, and then taking tiny stitches to hold them apart the jail is normally worked by teasing the wrap and weft threads of the cloth apart, to make a minute hole for a jail.
- Tepchi: This is used for the highlighting outline of the motif, it is a long running stitch that is weaved on the right-hand side of the fabric.
- Murri: This is a small French knot rice shaped design used in intricate patterns.
- Bakhiya: it is also known as ‘Shadow work. The reason for the name shadow work is that the embroidery is done on wrong side and we can see its shadow o the right side of the fabric.
- Zanzeera: This is chain stitch use to design the outline of leaves and petals. Phanda:
- Hool: Is a fine detached eyelet stitch. It is then held by small straight stitches all round and worked with one thread on the right side of the fabric. It can be worked with six threads and often forms the center of a flower.
As we know originally Chikankari work was done on semi-transparent Muslin and Mulmul with white thread. According to the upcoming fabrics, changing in demands and fashion, Chikankari is now also done on different types of fabric like Silk, Chiffon, Georgette, Net, Kota Doriya, Organza, Cotton, etc. As we see around us there are tremendous varieties of Chikankari garments in demand, not only for women as well as men. This includes everything from long and short Kurtis, Tunics, Sarees, Anarkalis, palazzos, Skirts, and Capri pants for women and for men kurtas and shirt. Also range of accessories such as shoes, bags, belts, lamp shades, and table cloths and cushion covers. Now a day’s not only in India but all over the world Chikankari is in demand. So if you like it get up, dress up and have fun.
