The ancient city of Lucknow in India is not only famous for Nawabs; but also for its exquisite embroiderywork known as Chikankari. Lucknow's Chikankari embroidery issynonymous with the city's heritage. This is a delicate and intricate shadowwork type of embroidery practiced mainly by the skilled craftsman of Lucknow, capable to create a magical effect on its own. This work is generally done usingwhite; untwisted yarn on muslins, but nowadays it is also done on georgette,chiffon, cotton and other fine fabrics. The word chikan is a Persian origin ofchakin meaning making delicate patterns on fabric. Existence of thistraditional craft dates back to 3rd century BC by Megasthenes, aGreek traveler who has mentioned in his book about the use of flowered muslinsby Indians. Legends state that this craft was originated in Persia, and Queen NoorJehan; Mugal Emperor Jahangirs wife got impressed by this embroidery, andintroduced this needlework in India.
This work basically consists of a number of processes namelycutting, stitching, printing, embroidery, washing and finishing. After cuttingand stitching the fabric printing is done by using wooden blocks that aredipped in dye, which is then followed by embroidery. The last step is washingand finishing which takes around 10 days. This process involves bleaching, acidtreatment, stiffening and ironing. The stitches of Chikankari are unique andcan be divided into three categories:
- Flat stitches: with delicate and subtle embroidery. It will appear as if the embroidery is itself, the texture of the garment.
- Embossed stitches: which are highlighted from the fabric surface, and
- Jali work: in which holes are made in the fabric by teasing the warp and weft yarns and holding them in position by small stitches to give it a net effect.
Done in three main ways, hundreds of different stitches are usedin this embroidery; which through their individual excellence provide theornamentation. Floral and paisley motifs are the most popular ones withjasmine, rose, vines, and flowering stems. Creepers are used throughout thegarment or just for decoration in the corners. Its charm lies in its miniaturesize and evenness. The craftsmen known as chikankar take 15-20 years oftraining and it takes around 15-20 days to complete a Chikan ensemble. Over thepassage of time, this unique craft has diminished and been confined to verylittle. Due to its time consuming process, and multifarious design patterns,these exclusive designs and thread works are not commercially viable. The chikankarsare paid very little; less than half a dollar for a days work. There is a gapbetween the chikankar and the market that is bridged by the middlemen orbrokers. They pay very less wages to the craftsmen and sell the end product in themarket for a very good margin. Due to this, most families involved in this worklive in abject poverty.
Chikankari garments as a Contemporary Fashion:
The demand for this etiquette and rich embroidery craft is now rising in the international market. It has acclaimed international fame and is in great demand in the western countries. This craft has caught the fancy of international fashion designers who are now working to revive decade old stitches and patterns that were elegantly used during the periods of the Nawabs. The antique designs used by the descendents of the royal families of Lucknow are collected and refurbished currently. These intricate floral patterns generate massive interest among noted designers and foreigners. Calico printing on fine cotton fabrics along with kalamkari art (a traditional method of painting with natural dyes on cotton cloth with a bamboo stick called kalam) was a grand hit in the European markets. They are now being revived through chikankari to give a new and enhancing look to the garments.
Traditional chikan work on the ramp shows
Resurrection of traditional chikan work on the runways:
Chikankari garments have now become a statement of high fashion, and are worn by celebrities to the Oscars. This ethereal embroidery works are used by high profile designers, and are seen on runways. Apart from saris, they are creatively applied on sarongs, blouses, trousers, tops, crepe skirts, scarves etc. Fashion gurus like Abu Jani, Sandeep Khosla, Vivek Narang, and Rina Dhaka have contributed to the magic transformation of ordinary chikan to a fashion garment. Traditional designs are being modified to make it more fashionable. Stones and bead work are used with silver thread to embellish its look further. High end clothes enriched with traditional designs are being exported to Australia, Italy, Spain and many other countries. Customers of European countries, USA and Latin America prefer good quality work done with high expertise like fine, and clear stitches. These standards are available with the workers of Lucknow as their skills are passed down through many generations. The exports are still very low and the main reasons for this are lack of effective packing, lack of new developments in the area of designs, low wages, and lack of standardization.
Constraints for this Elite Craft:
This craft is also facing another obstacle of tough competition from the Chinese manufacturers. Though the chikankari works of China and Lucknow look similar at the first sight, a closer view and professional analysis would reveal a vast difference in the quality. Endowed by its own grace and elegance of the royal origin, Lucknowi works have proved its worth since long back. Chinese-chikan is done by machine whereas; Lucknowi fabrics are hand worked, its dexterity being inherited from the forefathers passing it through several generations. Despite the quality aspect, Indian market is now being invaded by Chinese products. Easy availability and very low prices are the reasons of; the Indian markets being flooded with Chinese-chikan fabrics. Quality is not a constraint for most of the buyers who take the price tag into consideration. This craft is thus facing a stiff challenge.
Craftsman of the chikankari industry are striving to acquire a patent of the embroidery that it belongs to India. Still, in the present world of cut-throat competition, the industry should be modernized to keep abreast of the competition. More efforts are needed from the Governments side to introduce necessary changes so as to generate further revenues by exports. Workshops are needed to educate the workers to apply advanced technology. India is the cusp of aesthetic embroidery, unique to its location. It is rather disappointing that this beautiful craft is on the verge of extinction. Time is yet to reveal the impact of changes in the local chikan industry.
References:
- http://www.fabindia.com
- http://www.littleindia.com
- http://news.bbc.co.uk
- http://www.utsavdirect.com
- http://eurindia.pc.unicatt.it
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