Phulkari from the realm of women. Gaatha - tales of Indian handicrafts and an opportunity of livelihood for Indian artisans. As the local legend goes, a ‘Raffoogar’ (darner) named Alibaba lived in the valley of Kashmir. He was proficient in his job of stitching and mending torn clothes and spent his days doing countless stitches and bringing dead clothes to life. One day a fowl stepped on a white cloth lying around, drying on his porch. The imprints of fowl’s feet caught Alibaba’s attention and he wanted to preserve this true to nature print. He picked up a needle with a colored thread and stitched around the print, preserving it for lifetime. An all new technique of ornamenting the fabric, which was later known by the name of ‘Kashida kaam’ was thus invented. There are millions of such stories about the origin of various forms of Indian handicrafts across the length and breadth of India.
A group of NID graduates, while researching for their academic project got to know the quality and demand of Indian handicrafts in the world. They work with 3 models of engaging with artisans. Reviving a Legacy: Traditional Indian Arts. Traditional wooden toys made in Rajasthan; Photo Courtesy: Subhadip Mukherjee, SXC Whether it is the riveting Patachitra cloth paintings born in the Jagannath Temple in Puri, the vibrant and stark lacquer work from Rajasthan or the elaborate bidri craft from Karnataka and Hyderabad, traditional Indian arts embody the highest levels of artistic excellence, with a legacy that dates back hundreds of years. A Legacy Called Art Traditional Indian arts are truly in a league of their own. "The beauty of Indian arts and crafts extends to various levels," explains Srinidhi K, Gallerist, Kalakriti Art Gallery. "There is the physical beauty which is purely aesthetic, whether you speak of the vibrant, blue hues of Rajasthani pottery or the stark symmetric designs of warli art.
On a deeper level, the Indian traditional arts are fascinating because they depict a socio-cultural narration. Through their forms and motifs, they tell stories and sagas. Seema Khurana, Director, Khurana Art Gallery, agrees. Jasleen Dhamija on the symbolism on Phulkaris. Paper presented at MANTLES OF MYTH: THE NARRATIVE IN INDIAN TEXTILESFlower fields of Textile Landscapes: The Pictorial Phulkari of PunjabSiyahi, Jaipur - 13 – 15 December, 2008 Woven fabrics, embellished and embroidered express the history of the those who weave it and of those for whom they are woven.
The women’s embroideries are often the mantles of finest fabrication of myth and reality. Created by the women from their perceptions of life, their desires, their interpretation and orientation of mythology, an aspect, which is so rarely talked of. So many of the stories of origin have deep connection with the act of spinning and weaving. Different regions of Punjab have different styles as well as varying ways of expression, which is reflected in their embroidery.
The phulkari is the joyful flower studded everyday wrap, with its rich motifs of flowers and foliage, which have a range of meanings. It is in this context that we have to see the rich culture inherited by Punjab. AIJRHASSpapers/AIJRHASS14-118.pdf. Traditional Embroideries of India - Shailaja D. Naik. Phulkari - The Traditional Embroidery of Punjab, India. The word Phulkari literally means “flower-embroidery”. The art of Phulkari originated in 15th century AD in Punjab, a north Indian state in India. Most of the women in small towns and villages are busy creating amazing Phulkari shawls, dupattas and other garments. Phulkari is basically created on shawls and dupattas that cover head whereas Bagh is created on the garment that covers the whole body. Today Phulkari has become an integral part of day today life of women in Punjab.
The embroidery is very simple but the color combination, stitches and the pattern makes it look spectacular and gorgeous. The Creation: It is a form of traditional art where it is done in simple designs with long and short darn stitches. The Colors: The bright colors are always preferred when it comes to Phulkari because it refers to flowers and garden. The fabric: In early days the cloth used for phulkari was basically cotton and khadi which was home-spun and dyed. The Variety of Phulkari: Www.cohands.in/handmadepages/book66.asp?t1=66&lang=English. Www.cohands.in/handmadepages/book66.asp?t1=66&lang=English.
Threads of Punjab. I met Lajwanti[i] Parvati Maasi[ii], Prito Aunty and Bakshi Rana in April 2013 at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts in New Delhi. They had travelled from Tripri[iii] in Punjab, to demonstrate the art of Phulkari embroidery. But while sipping chai with them and chatting, hearing their stories, I realised that they had travelled much farther than that. They had all learned Phulkari out of choice, to fulfil an aspiration but, none of them did this work today, for the love of embroidery. They said it was ‘majboori’[iv] that they had to do it to earn, to keep a roof over their heads. Parvati Maasi, as everyone referred to her, was the oldest and also the most forthcoming of them all, that is, apart from Lajwanti whom they all work for and who was miffed with the change in policy at the Punjab Emporium in Delhi because this had taken away a large chunk of her business.
Each of them had stories to tell about errant husbands and hardships borne. Ah! [iv] Necessity/compulsion. Indian,inde,himalaya,art,antique,mask,masque,primitif,primitive,nepal,tibet. PHULKARI - Ancient Textile of Punjab Frederic ROND - Indian Heritage Gallery - March 2010 Phulkari, a rural tradition of handmade embroidery, literally meaning " flower work ", was perpetuated by the women of Punjab (North-west India & Pakistan) during the 19th century and till the beginning of the 20th century. Even though the textile industry today, is imitating this art with the help of machines, phulkari work has almost disappeared in its original form, due to the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, which had a dramatic impact on the divided Punjab, as well as the obvious socio-economical reasons (schooling, lack of interest for manual work, profitability, industrialization...). Probably brought to the Indian Subcontinent by the migrant Jat people of Central Asia in ancient times, phulkari was a part of every important moment of local life (weddings, birth, religious functions...).
Techniques and patterns were not documented but transmitted by word of mouth. Threads Embroidery Thirma. Collections Object : Chope Phulkari. The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 58, No. 2 (May, 1999), pp. 361-388. What were colonial spinning bees. Reading the Punjab | Sausan Reads – Malaysia. Foreword: First, let me explain how after returning to Ireland from Malaysia, Singapore, Tanzania and London recently, my reading world became incredibly revolutionized.
It was almost as if on engaging with the photography of specific cultural elements afforded to shopkeepers, restaurateurs, streets, towns, alleyways and marketplaces, plus talking with booksellers and visiting local bookshops in numerous places so that I could purchase and indulge in my own brand of obscure literature… that I received a certain spiritual enlightenment. I derived such an insatiable thirst for cultural stories in books and films… even greater than usual, from when I first encountered this passion, once-upon-a-time in March 2008. Then my life was forever changed after viewing Tehran’s award-winning film-maker, Niki Karimi’s poignant cinematic production titled One Night, on Irish television. Clearly, my hunger to absorb such literature, seems magical. Also: How Amrita Pritam Inspired Me “There was a grief, Dr. Dalip Kaur Tiwana.
Dr. Dalip Kaur Tiwana is universally regarded as one of the leading Punjabi novelists of today and has published twenty seven novels, seven collections of short stories, the first part of her autobiography and a literary biography She has won awards, both regional and national, and is widely translated author. Born on May 4, 1935 in Village Rabbon of Ludhiana district in a well-to-do land-owing family, she was educated at Patiala where her uncle, Sardar Sahib Sardar Tara Singh Sidhu was Inspector General of Prisons. She had a distinguished academic career, getting a first class first M.A., and the first woman in the region to get the Ph.D. degree from Punjab University in 1963, Dr.
Dalip Kaur Tiwana joined the Punjabi University at Patiala, as a Lecturer and then went on to become Professor and Head of the Department of Punjabi and Dean, Faculty of Languages. She was a brilliant teacher and researcher and made a significant contributions to literary and critical studies in Punjabi. Dr. Tarlo, Emma, Goldsmiths, University of London. Position held: Professor Phone: +44 (0)20 7919 7804 Email:e.tarlo (@gold.ac.uk) Address: Department of Anthropology Goldsmiths, University of London New Cross London SE14 6NW Office hours: On leave 2013-16 Emma Tarlo has conducted long term anthropological fieldwork in India and Britain.
She has a specialist interest in the anthropology of dress, material culture and urban anthropology and has published widely in these fields. Her work engages with issues of colonialism, nationalism, diasporic identities, aesthetics, religious revivalism, identity politics, stigma and representation. Emma Tarlo is currently Chair of Learning and Teaching in the Anthropology Department. Emma Tarlo has recently been interviewed by Stefanie Sinclair (Open University) about attitudes among British Muslims towards veiling, fashion and the commercialisation of the hijab. Teaching Professor Emma Tarlo teaches the following courses: Areas of supervision Current MPhil / PhD students supervised: Research interests Hair. The Child Bride - Amrita Sher-Gil. Three Girls, by Amrita Sher-Gil, 1935 - Old Indian Arts. The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 58, No. 2 (May, 1999), pp. 361-388. Hindustan Times e-Paper. Punjabi by Nature | Millennium Post. Phulkari is the popular embroidery technique of Punjab and also a happy blend of colours and culture.
Mela Phulkari aims at reviving this art and will bring in a fresh whiff of all pretty and popular things from Punjab. Like colourful pakhis (hand fans), madanis (butter churner) tilla jutis (footwear), Manja (village cots), parandis (the festive hair accessory) and textiles and embroideries. The mela will also feature the sounds of traditional musical instruments like sarangi, nagada, dilruba and dhad as well. The show will exhibit over 150-year-old phulkaris, some of which belongs to the brand, while a few that have been borrowed from the personal collections of royal families for public viewing. Harinder Singh, the Creative Head of 1469 said, ‘From agriculture to the handmade, from the interiors of a Punjabi household to the bylanes of the glorious city, and from the literary to the musical traditions, all objects on display will give an insight into the rich Punjabi heritage’.
A ‘Phul’ House. Once the pride of a Punjabi wardrobe, phulkari has, over the years, been relegated to just the trousseau. Weddings are perhaps the only places where heirloom odhnis and dupattas now make an appearance. Looking to revive interest in the traditional craft, ‘1469’, a concept brand and well-known art historian and cultural theorist, Alka Pande are coming together to host a Phulkari Mela in Delhi this month. “Phulkari is representative of the cultural identity of Punjab. However, not everyone is aware of its intricate designs and the fact that it is crafted by hand,” says Harinder Singh, Creative Head of 1469. The last few years has seen the brand work with crafts clusters to revive the art and introduce phulkari dupattas, odhnis and accessories.
Apart from a showcase of textile and embroideries, the event promises to give a “wide angle” view of Punjab with colourful pakhis (hand fans), madanis (butter churners), tilla juttis (footwear), manjas (village cots) and parandis on display. Manish Draws a ‘Phul’ House. Bollywood's favourite designer, Manish Malhotra, gives Punjab's traditional embroidery, Phulkari, a contemporary makeover. A phulkari dupatta or odhni is among the most prized possessions in a Punjabi bride's trousseau. Phulkari literally means "art of flower" (phul comes from the word flower and kari is the technique of hand embroidery).
While, in the older days, the ladies of the house would painstakingly embroider entire odhnis, today, phulkari is a dying art. On Day Three of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week on Saturday, Bollywood's favourite designer Manish Malhotra pulled the traditional embroidery out of its heirloom status and put it on the high fashion ramp. Over the last few years, the designer has attempted to popularise craftsmanship from various parts of the country. Traditionally, phulkari encompasses floral motifs and geometric designs among others and each design has a different name and connotation. ... contd. Please read our terms of use before posting comments. The Art and Culture of the Diaspora | A Shop Called '1469' Fashion A Shop Called '1469'by NEHARIKA SABHARWAL The owner and brains behind a highly successful retail chain would surely be some corporate shark, with a no nonsense attitude - the kind of guy who is inclined toward power dressing.
Hmm ... not necessarily. Meet Harinder Singh, the man who invented the "Pure Punjabi" T-shirt. If you don't own one of his t-shirts, you must have seen them around. What sets them apart are their catchy captions: Mein Gabru Des Punjab Da, Sadke Jaavan, Vekhi Ja Pher Cheri Na, Proud by Birth - Sikh by Choice ... and many more. His stores - all in India and Punjab: New Delhi, Chandigarh, Karnal and Jalandhar - also qualify as a memorable shopping experience. But more than the store, it's the brand name that takes the cake in uniqueness. For those who weren't paying attention in class, that's the year Guru Nanak was born. Q: Was your inspiration for the store your hometown in some rural part of Punjab?
Harinder: No. Q: Okay, but why T-shirts? Harinder: Yes! Panjab Digital Library - Revealing the Invisible Heritage of Panjab through Digitization - Punjab Digital Library, First Sikh Digital Library. Phulkari : The Folk Art of Punjab (Book, 1980) A Garden of Flowers: Phulkari of Punjab | MapsofIndia Blog. 0EmailShare Punjab District Map A robust, geometric pattern of embroidery evolved in villages of Punjab.
Though there are references to Phulkari in early Hindu books such as Vedas and the Guru Granth Sahib, the form of embroidery prevalent today grew popular in the 15th Century. Phulkari or the making of flowers on cloth is a craft still practiced in Karnal, Rohtak, Hissar- parts of Haryana but historically close to Punjab- and the rural hamlets of Punjab. The embroidery, a folk art practiced by women, drew inspiration from its rustic and rural environment.
The women sat together to design whole yards of fabric with bold stitches in colorful silk thread. In Phulkari dupattas, embroidery decorates and beautifies the fabric, whereas in Baghs, the embroidery covers the cloth so completely that the base cloth is not even visible. The single stitch that works magic Originally coarse cotton Khaddar or Khadi was used as a base for embroidering with a silk and occasionally cotton thread. Phulkari : From The Realm of Womens Creativity - A Tradition Of Handmade Embroidery Of Punjab & Haryana (English) - Buy Phulkari : From The Realm of Womens Creativity - A Tradition Of Handmade Embroidery Of Punjab & Haryana (English) by Krishna Lal (Ed.) Design Resource - Phulkari - History. The origin of Phulkari has not been traced. Where, Phulkari has been mentioned in the famous, Punjabi folklore of Heer Ranjha (a love tale) by Waris Shah. “Its present form and popularity goes back to 15th century, during Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Reign”.
Phulkari plays a very important role in a girl’s life. Birth of a girl marks the beginning of the child’s grandmother of the task in creating the future bride’s trousseau, which is worn by the bride when she walks around the sacred fire during her wedding ceremony. When a woman gives birth to a boy she is given a Phulkari which is worn by her when she goes out for the first time after delivery, and during any religious festivals. Phulkari was never fabricated for sale; it was embroidered by a family for its own use, for every important moment in their local life like wedding, birth, and religious functions, therefore the birth of this handicraft was mere domestic necessity and not any artistic motive. Comments and Feedback. A WSIC Concern Home. Women Becoming Economically Independent with Phulkari in Punjab. A WSIC Concern Phulkari Facts. Chandigarh Stories. Patiala embroidery units' artisans an exploited lot.
The Patiala Handlloom Handicraft Workshop Cooperative Industrial Society Ltd in SST Nagar, Patiala | Getit. Phulkari empowers women in Punjab. Chamba Rumal - Embroidery of Himachal Pradesh - Important India. Indian Weaves NORTH. Phulkari blooms again. Phulkari | I See No Stranger. Traditional Embroideries of India - Shailaja D. Naik. HER WORLD. Phulkari workers get peanuts. Phulkari. Phulkari. Wide-awake stories: tales told by children in t... Briefing_paper_GI.pdf. Ralph Crane and Anna Johnston. “Flora Annie Steel in the Punjab.” Writing, Travel, and Empire: In the Margins of Anthropology. Ed Peter Hulme and Russell McDougall. London: I.B. Tauris, 2007. 70-95. | Anna Johnston.
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji -: Ang : 1171 -:ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਜੀ :- SearchGurbani.com. The Sunday Tribune - Books. Phulkari: a pattern unusual. Sikh books-philosophy-guru granth sahib-sikhbookclub.com | sikh books-philosophy-guru granth sahib-sikhbookclub.com. Phulkari & Bagh: folk art from Punjab. Punjab. BA BSC Semester III and IV.pdf.