indian horizons vol 63 No. 2(april to june edition)

100 Pages·2016·5.3 MB·English

Indian
Horizons

Volume 63 No. 2
April-June 2016

Indian
Horizons
Indian Contents
Horizons
Volume 63 No. 2, April-June 2016
Foreword 5
Amb. C. Rajasekhar
From Our Archives 6
Editor
Vastrakala: The French Connection with
Subhra Mazumdar
Embroidery in India 12
Malavika
Embroidery: A Woman’s History of Kutch 22
Judy Frater
Kasuti: Karnataka Kashida 36
Published by the Director General, Sunita Shahaney
Indian Council for Cultural Relations,
Azad Bhavan, Indraprastha Estate,
Chikankari from Lucknow: Origin of a Legend 47
New Delhi-110002. The opinions
Paola Manfredi
expressed or implied in this magazine
do not necessarily reflect the views
or policies of the ICCR. No part of Photo Essay: Embroidery for the Home 62
the magazine may be reproduced Sreoshi Chatterjee
without the prior permission of the
Editor.
Kantha 71
Shabnam
Contributions for consideration may
please be sent in dupliate – typed
in double space, with a minimum Bagh, Phulkari and Sainchi: The Punjabi
of footnotes to the Editor, Indian Women’s Creativity 82
Horizons, Indian Council for Cultural
Jasleen Dhamija
Relations, Azad Bhavan, Indraprastha
Estate, New Delhi-110002.
Chamba Rumal: Embroidered Paintings 88
Purnima Rai
E-mail : [email protected]
Website: www.iccr.gov.in
Indian Horizons is also available
on website
Designed and printed by M/s Sita Fine Arts
Errata: In the Article “Through theEyes of Vasily Vereshchagin” published in the Indian Horizon, Vol. 63,
Pvt. Ltd., A-16, Naraina Industrial Area-II, No. 1, January-March-2016, the writer name is published Savita Devi. The correct name of the Writer
New Delhi-110028. www.sitafinearts.com is “Dr. Savita Kumari”.
Editorial
The current issue owes its beginnings to penned an elaborate account of Punjab’s
a telephone conversation with a perfect signature needlework tradition in her essay on
stranger. Usha Hooda, the voice at the other Phulkari. Her vast research has given readers an
end, I gathered was a keen trekker and that was insight into the many varieties of the phulkari
reason enough for her to relocate in Himachal,
chadar and the significance behind every motif
I reasoned. But no! It was Aari work, a form of
that is created on the base cloth. Besides giving
needlework done with fine needle-like hooks and
us readers an in depth knowhow, it was also a
which had select band of collectors. Her findings
discovery of sorts to learn of the nomenclature
led me into discovering the many styles of needle
of the finished product.
art prevalent and thriving countrywide and which
have been a defining component of our culture.
Travelling south in this journey of threads and
needles, I learnt of the tradition of making Kasuti
One of the first researchers in this field has been
work, an art form practised by generations of
Judy Frater, whose work with the tribal women
women to adorn trousseau wear and special
in Kutch, has received accolades widely. She
was gracious enough to pen a complete saga wear. I was specially impressed to learn of the
of her findings, her bonhomie with the women generational bonding this work has led to, where
makers, and the economic resurgence which the eighty-year-old grandmothers sit along their
simple tools of coloured threads and needles granddaughters plying this art, for the elitist
have brought into their lives. Judy’s article also market. The motifs, one can see, are culled from
updates readers about their graduation from associations round their homesteads and their
handwork to machine work, all the time keeping aspirations, and adorn the cloth so closely that
the creativity angle paramount.
one can barely see the background.
Though each one of us has had at least one
Back in the hills once again, one was introduced
brush with the art of Chikankari either as a
to the tradition of making rumaals or large
personal garment or as an item of linen, prior to
pieces of embroidered cloths as ritual covers for
Paolo Manfredi’s exhaustive research reflected in
the carrying offerings to temples or for special
her contribution in this issue, I had given scant
occasions at home. What struck as eye opener
thought to the historicity of the art. Laced with
was the closeness between the miniature painters
catchy anecdotes and backed by photographic
and these specimens for what the women had
specimens of exquisite finery in the Chikankari
mode, I am now better informed, particularly created was a throwback to the figures and
about the different levels of finesse that settings one can identify in a Pahari painting.
Chikankari can be classified into. This closeness, one gathers in Purnima’s Rai’s
account was due to the royal patronage that the
A veteran guru in the matter of Indian textiles two groups had received from the royals of the
and weaves, Jasleen Dhamija has graciously kingdom.
4 Indian Horizons Volume 63 No. 2
My special takeaway from the issue was the a cooperative enterprise that runs a flourishing
account of the growth and development of two school for children of the village and a kantha
major needlework enterprises based in two making outfit where every worker is employed
different regions of the country. In Alwarpet in in an aspect of kantha that she is best suited
Chennai, is a thriving needlework outlet under for. Thus the end product that comes forth is
the Vastrakala logo, which has been making a coveted item of export to the West as well
needlework as an unbroken tradition, for elitist as Iran and elsewhere. In the midst of a kantha
clients the world over, recreating specimens of centred bonhomie, irt is not uncommon to
needlework culled from portraits of Napoleon see baklava and cookies passed around as buyers
1, embroidering the hanging, upholstery and bring gifts that everyone shares.
curtains of the Ashoka Dining Hall at Rashtrapati
Bhavan and innovating fresh specimens based on Sreoshi Chatterjee’s shots of vintage items
the Zardosi tradition to simulate a Nizam-era commonly in use in middle-class Indian homes,
bedroom. More than just propagating an Indio- narrates a lifestyle around needlework, dating
French needlework connection that goes back to back a few decades. One learns of how in
1860, this venture is a role model in craftsmen’s her grandmother’s time, the convents made
welfare initiatives as staff are not migrants but needlework a part of school curriculum and
dedicated workers from a traditional needlework trained their charges with the characteristic
community, who enjoy social and economic forms of European embroidery prevalent in their
benefits, health insurance as part of their native countries.
employment terms.
All this and more has gone into making this issue
Shabnam’s enterprise around the Murshidabad a colourful read of success stories hemmed and
kantha is more than a success story around adorned by generations of women across the
needlework. It is a saga of social upliftment not country.
of the individual woman worker but an entire
community, who are now the proud owners of Happy reading.
Editor
Subhra Mazumdar
Foreword
Amb. C. Rajasekhar
Director General, Indian Council for Cultural Relations
This volume of Indian Horizons is dedicated Besides documenting various styles and their
to a study of Indian embroidery, a long-time methodology of production, these essays
integral aspect of Indian culture, which is visible strive to give a glimpse of the economic and
in every corner of the country. The outlay of social derivations that are hinged to that
this issue has been an attempt to portray how form of embroidery production. Noteworthy
Indian embroidery has now become a continuous observations include how embroidery has
success story for its makers. While the tools for brought dignity and pride among its makers as
its perpetration continue to be basic and rooted, also stemmed the migration of workers to menial
notably needles, hooks and threads, the outcome options at the cost of neglecting these age old
of its production has triggered a revolution of heritage productions. The economic benefits that
sorts in the country. At a time when some craft accrue, as embroidery becomes a lucrative item
forms are seeing a setback, the progress of of export, is given due importance by our writers.
embroidery in India is unearthing fresh outlets
and innovative uses for both domestic and The volume also contains exhaustive pictorial
international consumption. evidence of embroidered varieties garnered from
the various regions. The contents are thereafter
To document this transformational role the rounded off to a delightful tinge of nostalgia
volume records the findings of persons who by the inclusion of a few archival shots of ICCR
have been dedicated researchers and workers happenings over the years, in the starting pages
with a hands-on engagement with their chosen of the issue.
form of embroidery,. All of them have kindly and
exhaustively recounted the saga of development, The attempt to provide a well researched and
the trials on the way and the onward vision viable reading experience has remained paramount
they have envisaged for their chosen forms of in our minds all through this production process.
needlework. The ICCR is grateful to all of them This dedication has enabled us to present a truly
for their painstaking effort to share their know- iconic salute to Indian embroidery through our
how with our readers. efforts, into your hands.
Amb. C. Rajasekhar
6 Indian Horizons Volume 63 No. 2
From our Archives
Scene from Alladin puppet play performed by Calcutta Pupper Theatre during their visit to Poland in May, 1980.
Indian Horizons Volume 63 No. 2 7
Yaksgana : Sonar Chand Troupe visited F.R.G., Holland, U.K., Czechoslovakia, Belgium and France in June, 1980.
8 Indian Horizons Volume 63 No. 2
Scene from Garud Vahan: Mayur Bhanj Chau Troupe visited Portugal, Spain, Netherlands, Italy in October, 1980.
Geeta : Mayurbhanj Chau Troupe visited Portugal, Spain, Netherlands, Italy in October, 1980.