Banjara Embroidery, Andhra Pradesh
The tame less, bold agile grace of the poignant, Lambani embroidery plunges one into the old roaming of the worlds, in a minute. Not tied to any land or material things Banjara mind's eye was always awakened to impermanence and serendipity. Probably, Awareness of the transience, of all things around us heightens the sense of appreciation of beauty.
Lambanis being the jungle wanderers, the children of nature, have no dearth of literature and art. Lambani women particularly are a valuable source of literature and art. The Banjara community is one of the many Indian communities which are most known for their colorful garbs. Their habitation which is always away from the village is known as Tanda. Living away from towns, in communion with the nature they have been able to retain their characteristic culture and heritage for long.
The daughter of the wandering race practices a unique amalgam of pattern darning, mirror work, cross stitch, quilting stitches and patchwork appliqu&aecute; creating uncanny frugal intricacies. A typical Andhra banjara piece stands out for its use of mirrors, vibrant colours, shells, beads that create a kaleidoscopic and gay ensemble. Geometric, floral, animal motifs are integral to the banjara imagination. Vele, Doranaaki, Kalchi, Maali Kanth, Kaliya, Kodiya potte, are colloquial names of stitches, to name a few. These now settled erstwhile exotic nomads have been compromising hugely on their traditional skills, in their negotiations with urbanity.
The Chamba Rumal
The Chamba Rumal is a unique art form, a combination of painting and embroidery originating in the hill states of Himachal Pradesh,and centered mainly around the district of Chamba. They have aptly been called ‘paintings in embroidery’ as the rumal is a skillful blend of the miniature painting tradition and embroidery. Artists of the Pahari School of miniature painting, draw the outlines that guides the do-rukha embroidery.
These rumals are still used as coverings and wrappings for ceremonial and auspicious gifts. During weddings in Chamba, rumals continue to be exchanged between families of the bride and groom as a token of goodwill. The Chamba Rumal is famous for its unusual beauty and can be found in museums collections across the world.
The revival of the Chamba Rumal is the result of over two decades of sustained efforts by Delhi Crafts Council. Through its intervention, the Council has succeeded in demonstrating that this unique tradition can continue to flourish even under changing circumstances.
Ghicha Silk
Ghicha Silk is the yarn drawn by hand, out of tussar cocoons without any twisting. Burst open tussar cocoons during cooking are used to produce course and soft yarn by drawing entangled filaments by hand and giving false twist on pitcher.
Jiyo!
Sujani Embroidery, Bihar
Traditionally, Sujani is a special quilt made In Bihar by recycling a number of worn out sarees and /or dhotis together in a simple running stitch that gives it a new structure while ornamenting it. It is sometimes stitched in white and sometimes in colored threads of red and black, drawn from the borders of saris. Quilters of Bihar outline and fill the motifs in a circular manner with colored quilting stitches, while the background is covered with white stitching. The circular stitching creates a dimensional distortion that gives these quilts a unique surface character.
This technique of sewing together pieces of old cloth, layered together, has its old age function in two belief systems.
First, cloth bound together by sujani served a ritual function- it invoked the presence of a deity, chitriya Ma, the lady of the tatters. In it is enshrined the holistic Indian concept that all parts belong to the whole and must return to it.
The other purpose of stitching old pieces of cloth together was to wrap the newborn; to allow it to be enveloped in a soft embrace, resembling that of its mother. New cloth is considered to be harsh on its skin. When dissected the term sujani reflects above mentioned functional nature of this practice- su means easy, while jani means birth. A woman would be attributed as a sugrahini if she recycled the used cloth and make it into new, to be meant for not just her children, but grandchildren as well.
Apart from the straight running long stitches, sujani has also been used as representation of vivid geometric patterns and motifs. These motifs and patterns became purposeful and ritualistic creations, becoming primary component for the kobarghar (nuptial chamber) and gifts to family members. For example, one could find sun and cloud motifs signifying life-giving forces, fertility symbols, animal and bird motifs and fantastic winged animals for protection against destructive forces, and motifs to attract the blessings of their gods. Different colored threads were also contextually used, such as red, signifying blood, a life force, and yellow for the sun.
This tradition of needle-craft has also taken several directions since the last two decade. For Example, under the guidance of organizations like Adithi, unique narrative elements were incorporated in sujani. Women stitched there experience, their sorrows and their realities on the fabric, transforming a mundane quilt into a testimony of their lives. Each sujani told a tale- the trauma of being a woman in a man's world, domestic violence, female infanticide, effects of alcoholism and gambling on a family and similar issues.
Tussar silk
Tussar silk is uncultivated wild silk that grows on trees like mulberry, oak, cherry.