Abstract
Chikankari is a craft which
probably started as white embroidery 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 but
was later revived and restored post independence by efforts of various organizations
and individuals.
With the craft becoming a support for domestic
finances, this heritage lost touch with its endurance and creativity catering
to the market expectations of swiftness, sameness, regularity, and
standardization. This
paper takes an insight into this craft from historical context to its revival
in contemporary time, which has made it a tool for women empowerment. The paper
would broadly discuss:
· Transformation in motifs
· Efforts for revival of stitches and effects
· Concern and reprisal of problems of artisans
The paper has its findings from
ethnographic studies on this craft and artisan
survey in the identified regions it was analyzed and discussions with craft
revivalist and educationist undertaken to synthesize a structure of extinct
traditions.
Since Chikan is currently a mass-market commodity, cheap, coarse work is far more common than fine work (Clare, 1999) the revival efforts need a rephrasing as empowerment of villagers as centre of excellence for revival and innovation.
Since Chikan is currently a mass-market commodity, cheap, coarse work is far more common than fine work (Clare, 1999) the revival efforts need a rephrasing as empowerment of villagers as centre of excellence for revival and innovation.
