Chikankari So Fine

Chikankari is mainly a white on white shadow embroidery which traces its origins back to the Mughal times. Lucknow is the home of this craft and its intricate jaals or mesh-like structures, paisleys, floral creepers, and elaborate archways may inspire the delicacy of the design. Chikankari is believed to have existed in India for about 400 years and is said to have originated from Persia, brought to India by Noor Jahan, the wife of Emperor Shah Jahan. Tracing back through history, there are various viewpoints where some said that this technique developed as a less expensive imitation of the Jamdani from Bengal while others said it developed under the patronage of the Mughals in the Royal courts of Lucknow.

Beautiful dense compositions of Mughal floral patterns often incorporate intertwined creepers, flowers, intricately embroidered paisley motifs called keiri, tiny buds, tendrils, leaves mostly the paan leaf, a status symbol in Lucknow and the fish motif make the Chikankari garments exquisite.

Chikan work is a combination of many different embroidery stitches, flat, raised and knot stitches. In chikan work, some of the designs are worked from the back of the fabric and others from the front.

There is also a tale that mentions how a traveller taught chikan to a peasant in return for water to drink. Chikankari produces stunning effects on sheer fabrics for the shadowy effect that it gives and mostly done on Malmal cotton, Cambric, muslin, voile, organza, silk, crepe, organdy chiffon, and tassar. When this work is done on net it gives a lace-like look

The Process 

Block Printing – The initial phase where the design is made on the cloth of choice. The cloth is cut according to the garment it will form and using multiple wooden block stamps, designs are imprinted in blue ink on to the fabric.

Embroidery – This fabric is tightly fixed within a small frame called ‘Adda’, part by part. The needlework is done on the outline of the patterns. Chosen stitches are based upon the region, the type and size of motifs.

Washing – Once the embroidery work is complete, the fabric is soaked in water to remove the pattern outlines. After this, it is starched to obtain the right stiffness depending on the fabric

The patterns and effects created depend on the stitches and the thicknesses of the threads used. Some of the stitches include backstitch, chain stitch and hemstitch. The result is an openwork pattern, jali (lace) or shadow-work. Often the embroiderer creates mesh-like sections by using a needle to separate threads in the ground fabric and then working around the spaces.

Chikankari-Tepchi is a long-running or darning stitch worked with six strands on the right side of the fabric taken over four threads and picking up one. Thus, a line is formed. It is used principally as a basis for further stitchery and occasionally to form a simple shape.

Bakhiya — 'Shadow work' or bhakia is one of the stitches of chikankari. The reason for the name shadow is that the embroidery is done on the wrong side and we see its shadow on the right side.

Hool is a fine detached eyelet stitch. A hole is punched in the fabric and the threads are teased apart. It is then held by small straight stitches all around and worked with one thread on the right side of the fabric. It can be worked with six threads and often forms the centre of a flower.

Murri is the form of stitch used to embroider the centre of the flowers in chikan work motifs. They are typically French knots that are rice-shaped. Murri is the oldest and most sought-after form of chikankari. The use of this stitch is depleting due to a decrease in the artisans doing this embroidery.

Jali stitch is one where the thread is never drawn through the fabric, ensuring that the back portion of the garment looks as impeccable as the front. The warp and weft threads are carefully drawn apart and minute buttonhole stitches are inserted into the cloth

More on the Stitches

Chikankari has flourished owing to its variety in stitches and designs. There are 10 principal stitches made from raw skeins of thread and employed. There are another 26 or so more, making it about 36 different stitches that adorn fabrics with Chikankari.

Herringbone stitch

Double back stitch

Running stitch, the most common stitch that is worked on the right side of the fabric

Stem stitch

Couched running stitch

Combination of buttonhole stitch and satin stitch

Chain stitch– used to design the outline of leaves and petals especially when they are connected within their pattern.

Detached chain stitch

Satin stitch

Fishbone stitch

Pulled thread work

Romanian Stitch

Detached eyelet stitch – used to design the heart of the flower.

Different knot stitches used to make vines of flowers and grapes

Delicate Lucknow

"Lucknow" is the anglicised spelling of the local pronunciation "Lakhnau". According to one legend, the city is named after Lakshmana, a hero of the Hindu epic Ramayana. The legend states that Lakshmana had a palace or an estate in the area, which was called Lakshmanapuri (Sanskrit: लक्ष्मणपुरी, lit. Lakshmana's city). The settlement came to be known as Lakhanpur (or Lachhmanpur) by the 11th century, and later, Lucknow.

A similar theory states that the city was known as Lakshmanavati (Sanskrit: लक्ष्मणवती, fortunate) after Lakshmana. The name changed to Lakhanavati, then Lakhnauti and finally Lakhnau. Yet another theory states that the city's name is connected with Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth. Over time, the name changed to Laksmanauti, Laksmnaut, Lakhsnaut, Lakhsnau and, finally, Lakhnau

Lucknow celebrates the colour white

Two Lucknow desserts. Both White

Malai ki Gilori

Slowly boiling milk for an hour or so and allowing a film/layer to form at the top. This soft milk layer is then shaped into a leaf and mixed with almonds, saffron, sugar and edible silver

Makhan Malai

Milk and Cream are churned, then bathed in Winter Morning Dew. This dessert has to be purchased as the process is long

Credits

Unnati Silks

Wikipedia

Blog by 

Bhupen Thakker

His novel debuted in Top 10 Amazon'

Metaphysical and Visionary Fiction