Chakankari Craft
DESIGN DEPARTMENT U.P. Institute of Design, Noida
STUDENT NAME: Mr.Piyush mani 2017-2021 FACULTY NAME: Ms Shraddha Chaddha, Mr Nitendra Singh, Ms Awani Sankritya and Ms Prerna Narayan
Title: Chikankari HandiCraft DESIGN DOCUMENTATION (I) REPORT Design Department at UPID NOIDA Student name: Mr. Piyush Faculty guide: Ms. Shraddha Ms. Prerna Narayan Ms. Awni Sankritya Asst. Professor
Acknowledgement I would like to thank U.P.Institute of design, Noida for allowing me to undertake the craft documentation course on chikankari handicraft that is practised in Lucknow, I would like to thank my faculty Ms Shraddha Chaddha, Mr Nitendra Singh, Ms Awani Sankritya and Ms Prerna Narayan for their guidance and monitoring throughout this project. Furthermore, I would thank the artisans and shop owners who helped me in understanding this craft. lastly, I would like to thank my parents, batchmates and all those who helped me complete this project.
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Abstract This report gives an overview of the renowned craft of the city of nawabs i.e Chikan work, chikan embroidery or in local language "chikankari". In this report, we will be knowing about the entire process related to chikan embroidery from cutting, block-printing, washing and up to the finishing process. Also, we will be talking about what challenges and difficulties the artisans are facing in the current scenario while making the beautiful products.
Contents Introduction ...............................................01-06 Materials and tools.........................................07 Process...........................................................08-17 Range of Product...........................................09 Marketing and Packaging...........................19 Design Intervention........................................21
Introduction Chikankari or chikan work is a very delicate type of embroidery done by hands of artisans. It consists of 5 basic types of stitches and rest are the derivatives of these 5 basic stitches, it is believed that chikankari incorporates a total of 36-40 types of stitches. It is also called the shadow type of embroidery. In older times the chikan work was done with a white thread or yarn on plain white cotton cloth, traditionally the work was done on kurtas and other wearables but nowadays the work finds its way to other things like pillow covers, table cloth, handkerchief and cushion cover.
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Place The craft cluster for chikankari is mainly in Lucknow(near chowk) and its neighbouring cities. To be precise, the block printing is done in the Lucknow itself and the embroidery of chikan work is done in studios of different shops within Lucknow but a ma jor chunk of work is outsourced to the outskirt of the Lucknow, namely in Malihabad, Hardoi, Shahabad and other adjoining towns. Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh and popularly known as the City of Nawabs, the city has always been a multicultural city, Polite manners, good hospitality, beautiful gardens, architectures, art and crafts, poetry, music, and fine cuisine are in itself the trademark of this city, influenced by the different culture the city got its core value and uniqueness, in current times the city is well known amongst Indians and students of South Asian culture and history and all over the world.
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History If we have to find the origin of chikankari or chikan embroidery, we would find traces of the two different but promising origins for the work. One of the believed origin stories elaborates like this that, “a traveller who was travelling and passing through a village in Lucknow, stopped and requested a poor peasant for water. Delighted at the hospitality of the peasant, the traveller taught him the art of Chikankari, which would ensure that he would never remain hungry in life.” However, the most popular story is that Noor Jahan, the wife of Mughal emperor Jehangir, introduced the Persian art in India in the 17th century. She herself was said to be a talented embroideress, and had a particular fondness for this alluring art. Her husband is said to have loved chikan work too.
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History continued.. Started as a white-on-white embroidery form, back in the day, the favoured fabric was muslin or mulmul as it was best suited to the warm, slightly humid climate. After the downfall of the Mughal Empire, chikankari artisans spread all over India, but Lucknow remained the main centre. They captured the beauty of intricate patterns of marble 'jaali' and inlay work of the Mughal period monuments and developed this indigenous form of artistic embroidery called Chikan.
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Comperative Study Chikankari literally means embroidery work and might have been introduced by Noor Jehan, Jahangir’s wife. Chikan is a very delicate, intricate, hand-worked embroidery, which originated as a white-on-white style but now, uses coloured thread as well, evolving to suit modern tastes. Chikankari has the occasional embellishment of beads, artificial pearls or shining disc. Zardozi is another handi-craft with Persian origins, which means ‘gold-work’. Zardozi is a metal embroidery style that uses fine gold or silver threads to embellish textiles, sometimes combined with pearls or precious stones.
Image source- self clicked
Image source- google image[1]
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Materials and tools Types of fabrics like cotton, silk, chiffon (smoother and more lustrous than the similar fabric georgette.), georgette(lightweight, dull-finished fabric), wool are used to do the embroidery work. Cotton thread is traditionally used to create the design patterns over the cloth. Needle Indigo colour (Neel) used in the printing process. Embroidery rings Wooden motifs/bocks. Starch is used to obtain the stiffness for cotton clothes. Scissors for the initial cutting and cutters for final finishing.
Processes Following are the stages involved in making process for chikan work are: Cutting Block printing Embroidery work Washing Block Printing Finishing
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Now let us understand the whole process in-depth
Cutting process (10-15minaprox.) In this process, the single piece of cloth is cut with the help of scissor into several pieces in accordance with the garment to be made. For kurtas, the piece count is 4 (front, back and two arms). This process is done by a tailor which take up about 10-15min.
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front
back
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[2][3] Image source-google image
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Block printing (duration 5-10min) In this process the design that is to be worked upon is printed on the plain fabric with the help of wooden blocks. Firstly the wooden block is dipped in the blue color solution which is made by mixing water and indigo powder, then it is printed on the fabric. There were several different kinds of blocks for floral patterns and borders which one can choose according to ones liking. The average cost for block printing ranges from rupees 20-50 for a simple print for more intense and print which requires combination of blocks for printing the charge can be even more. In Lucknow, the printing process is done by separate group of artisans who mainly concentrate in block printing. After the block printing the fabric is ready for the embroidery work.
Image source-self
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This process helps the embroider in guiding and hinting that which type of stich he/she has to do and also it helps him/her in maintain the consistency of the stiches even and up to the mark. Image source-self
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Embroidery work The embroidery is done over the block printed design pattern using needle and thread (generally white thread). The artisan creates traditional patterns using different techniques. It requires several different types of stitches to make a single product. It is said that there is total of 36-40 stitches practised in chikan embroidery work.
The following are the most used stiches from which other stiches are inspired or derived: Tepchi-running stich Phanda/Keel Bakhiya Ghaspatii Jaali
jaali
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Tepchi-running stich It is also known as the running stitch as it is done with less labour and can be achieved in less time.
Ghaspatti This stitch resembles ghaspatti and the stich on both side of the fabric seems to be identical.
Bakhiya This stitch creates the shadow effectwhich is speciality of chikankari, and the stich on both side of the fabric is different. 13
jaali Jaali This stitch is used to create net(jaali) that helps in better air flow.
Phanda The circular knot type of stich is called Phanda.
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Some other stiches are: Dhoom, Gol-Murri, Janjeera, Keel, Kangan-bangle, Dhania Patti, Murri lambi -the murri stich ends with sharp point, Karan Phool, Karan, Kapkapi, Bijli, Ghas Patti, Rozan, Meharki, Ka j, Phool chameli, Chane ki patti, Bald a, Jora, Penchni, Kauri. Sidhaul jaali, Makra, Mandrazi, Bulbul Chashm, Phool Jaali and Ta jmahal are the varieties of Jaali work. Hathkati and bank jaali are the straight line jaali works.
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[4] Image source-google image
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Washing, Drying and Starching In this stage of the production process, the fabric is first soaked in water after embroidery work and then washed to remove the marks of block printed blue colour. Then it is starched, dried and ironed to obtain stiffness final finish.
Washing
Dhobhi Ghat
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Starch solution
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[5][6][7][8]Image source- google images
Drying
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Finishing In this process the artesian notices for any imperfection and any loose thread and if he/she founds that than he/she removes that using scissors or tweezers. After finishing the final product is now ready to go to the market and spread the joy.
Image source-self
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Range of Product As we see around us there are tremendous varieties of Chikankari garments in demand, not only for women as well as for men. This includes everything from long and short Kurtis, Tunics, Sarees, Anarkalis, palazzos, Skirts, and Capri pants for women and for men kurtas and shirt. Also range of accessories such as shoes, bags, belts, lamp shades, and table cloths and cushion covers. Now a day’s not only in India but all over the world Chikankari is in demand. So if you like it get up, dress up and have fun.
Skirts
Kurti
Dress
Scarf
Wallet
Bags rs 2000
[9] Image source-google image
Pillow covers
rs400
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Marketing and Packaging The outsourced work is brought by the help of dealers to the stores where they again check for any imperfections and finishing of the products and if they found minor imperfections they have it corrected there itself. The most of the work is transported and carried through the roadways back and forth several times from Lucknow city to the neighbouring towns and villages in the entire process. The marketing and packaging is done in the Lucknow city itself with each shop having its unique way of showcasing and packaging the final product, some utilise boxes of different textures, some just pack the product in polybag or cloth bag. The marketing is done through different channels like in house brick and mortar store, some
shops or studios also utilises the online channel and have their personal blogs and websites also.
The marketing is done through different channels like in house brick and mortar store, some shops or studios also utilises the online channel and have their personal blogs and websites also.
Design Intervention We can produce or invent a kind of mat or platform on which the artisan can block print the cloth which prevents smudge marks obtained through successive depositing of ink. The block can be modified or made with composite materials to give better working. Like the imprinting part can be made up of porous wire type material that can be shaped easily. Also, the ink can be stored and used with a detachable block
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References [2][3] https://fridaymagazine.ae/life-culture/people-profiles/how-can-a-tailor-cut-fabric-using-his-ey-1.2091884 [5][6][7][8] httpwww.dsource.ingallerychikankari-dhulayi-washing [9] https://okhai.org/collections/buy-latest-hand-embroidered-cotton-kurtis-for-women-online [4] https://vrittidesigns.com/handcrafted-chikankari-embroidery
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