RESTORING THE ESSENCE OF HERITAGE- CHIKANKARI
JASPAL KALRA
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
PEARL ACADEMY OF FASHION
NEW DELHI
INDIA
jaspal@pearlacademy.com
ABSTRACT
 |
| Chikankari sample courtesy State Museum, Lucknow |
Embroidered
textiles of India have long drawn history starting from Harappan era(Pathak, 2008, p.11). to present time.
This decorative art has since evolved as a medium of ornamentation for various
occasion, household or temple decoration, rituals, for patrons or just as a
support for weaving. The embroideries of India speak of symbolism of motifs in
customs and hand skills with processes of dyeing, washing, painting that are
rooted in Indian tradition of organic and natural origin.
Chikankari
is one such craft which probably started as whitework
in the era of Harshvardhana (Dongerkery,
1954) in gangetic land and
reached its zenith under the Nawabs of Oudh. It always remained as a patronized
craft and its decline started with abolition of feudal system.
The craft was later revived and restored
post independence by efforts of organizations like SEWA, Dastkaar, U.P. Export Corporation and the
U.P. Handicraft Board
and numerours other individuals who
have managed to give chikan global recognition and acceptance; Abu Jani and
Sandeep Khosla, Rina Dhaka and Vivek Narang have all contributed to the
transformation of ordinary chikan into a fashion statement. Then there are
people like Ashok Rai who have made Chikan an integral part of their Life
Styles export line and given Chikan a place in some of the most fashionable
homes across the world(Chakraborty,2010) besides
agents, who owing to high margins became a means of sustenance during the lean
period.
 |
Recent washing process incorporating use
of chemicals as against
traditional washing process with natural elements |
·
Evolution and restoration of
motifs
·
Documentation and revival of
stitches
·
Sustainable processes that call
for restoration
·
Learners and scholars role in
revival- projects undertaken by academic institutes and art historians
Since chikan is currently a mass-market commodity, cheap,
coarse work is far more common than fine work(Clare, 1999) and this has led to extinction or deterioration of numerous
traditional processes associated with it, which has rarely been quoted by
historians.
The
paper is a tribute to numerous master craftsmen who have preserved this craft, but
are a witness to the slow death of the very essence this art-form, which was an
expression of cultural heritage than just being an embellishment.
REFERENCES
The lesser known history
of Lucknow (Part 1). (2011, May 11). Retrieved February 2, 2012, from Lucknow- City of
Nazakat and Nafasat-City of Culture- City of Nawabs: http://www.lucknow.me/blog/?p=57)
Pathak, A. (2008). Pashmina.
New Delhi: Roli Books.
Chakravarty, R. (2010).
The Story of Chikan. In K. Vatsyayan, Embroidery in Asia: Sui Dhaga-
Crossing Boundaries through Needle and Thread (pp. 28-37). New Delhi:
Wisdom Tree.
Clare, M. W.-W., &
Clare, M. (1999). Embroidery Lives: Women’s Work and Skill in the Lucknow
Embroidery Industry. New York: State University of New York.
Paine, S. (1989). Chikan
Embroidery, the Floral Whitework of India. Aylesbury: Shire Publications.
Dhamija, Jasleen (2004) Asian Embroidery,
“Chikankari of Lucknow” Paola Manfredi, New Delhi: Abhinav Publications
Chattopadhyay, Kamladevi (1977). Indian embroidery, Wiley
Eastern