My Research Topic: Kutch Embroidery

Hey guys!

All over again I am sitting with my laptop on my lap and a cup of Nescafe accompanying me. Oops! Not to forget my spectacles as well, typing typing and typing with absolutely nothing in my head. But for starters, I know we will be talking about my favorite kind of embroidery today which comes from Kutch district of Gujarat (India) i.e KUTCH EMBROIDERY or SINDH EMBROIDERY as it is known in some regions.

So,

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when I say KUTCH, GUJARAT?

Well, whenever I think of Gujarat, colorful images of the exuberant garbha, decorated camels in the great Rann and everyone enjoying clothed in colorful embroideries. Gujarat can be called one of the biggest contributors to the image of India as a colorful country.

Kutch is one of the most prolific regions in India in the area of textile art. The Kutch Embroidery is a handicraft and textile signature art tradition of the tribal communities of Kutch District of Gujarat.

Kutch embroidery has been there for centuries. It is believed that mochis or shoemakers were taught Kutch embroidery 300 years ago by a Muslim wanderer in Sindh and that is what started the tradition.

This colorful embroidery practiced mostly by women is crafted over fabrics of cotton with threads of mostly cotton and silk. Some commonly used colors of threads used are RED, YELLOW, BLUE, GREEN, and ORANGE etc. . . 

Entering into a bit of technicalities, the procedure adopted for stitching with needles is by inserting them into the fabric and bringing it up in one motion and then pulling the thread. The types of stitches adopted are square chain, double buttonhole, pattern darning, running stitch, satin and straight stitches. The sparkling effect is added up to this kind of embroidery when abhla (mirrors) are added up to the beautifully sewn geometrical shaped designs.

There are various sub groups/ communities residing in kutch famous for their own style of embroidery – Suf, Khaarek, Paako, Mutava, Garasia Jat, Rabari, Banni, Ahir etc.

The embroidery designs created on the cloth relate to the themes of daily lifestyles, animals and birds (like elephant, camel, parrot, peacock, etc.), flora, religious places such as temples, and figurines of women in dancing postures. In short, what they see, is what they embroider.

Let’s have a look on the fascinating embroidery now…..

Kaushik P.K , 2017

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Ahh i had seen a lot of them on the internet well these were a few of them which i personally love but i really wanted to go out and explore such articles or fabrics myself and then i decided to rush by butt to a few interesting places out in Delhi where i could easily find the material and also. I went to Chandani Chowk, Kinari market, Chawri market, Gurjari (a Gujarati emporium at Cannaught Place) and collected a plenty of materials for my in progress process book and yeah clicked clicked and clicked!  

Have a look...

its the famous mud art of kutch known as Lippan work done on the walls of the houses

Gujarati Dream Catcher! 😅

A Toran (wall Hanging)

U know what i have realized during this is when you actually go out to field visits and explore the markets you really get to know a lot of things, gain experience which is not really possible sitting at home scrolling through web pages.

I now take a leave, bidding you all lovely people a GOOD NIGHT !

Keep looking for more updates because in the next post i will be sharing my own in progress process book work. 

Thank you guys!

Toodles! 🙋