Textiles of Uttar Pradesh

The city of Banaras (Varanasi) in the state of Uttar Pradesh has a history of weaving that goes back to ancient times. Pali literature specifically refers to Baranseyyak or the Banarasi fabric. Besides being a religious centre for Hindus and Buddhists, the city also lies on an ancient trade route. Initially known for weaving cotton, Banaras became famous for its brocades, called kimkhab or a ‘dream in gold’, under the patronage of the Mughal emperors and the Nawabs of Awadh. The influence of both ancient Indian and Central Asian weaving traditions and designs can be seen in the motifs and vocabulary associated with the textile.

A traditional Banarasi brocade is made on a pit loom, though the power loom is also in vogue now. The warp is arranged on a framework, and the weft weaving is accomplished by using one big throw shuttle, carrying weft yarn for ground fabric. Additionally, several tiny shuttles carry the silk and zari (silver and golden threads) for the brocade designs. The zari, also known as Kalabattun, is made by mounting silk thread over silver and gold wires.

The exquisite age-old techniques of weaving brocades are known as Fekwa, Katarwan, and Kardhwan.  As the name suggests, in Fekwa the extra weft is thrown from one end of the fabric to the other in such a way that on the top only the design is seen, while on the backside the loose threads float in the remaining portion.

The Katarwan refers to the technique of cutting off the extra float threads on the backside of the saree, if the material is very fine or if the spaces between the figures have to appear transparent.

     In Kardhwan,  the designs are made in such a manner that the extra weft work is restricted on the warp threads in the required place only and no float appears between the figures on the backside. Using these techniques, brocades are made such as kimkhab (made exclusively with zari), Amru (made only with silk threads) and Abirawan (made with the cutwork method).

The motifs of the Banarasi brocades are inspired by the local natural environment and history. Sarnath provided the very first inspiration to the weavers, who imitated flowers and creepers from Buddhist monuments. The smallest motif is the flower (buti), named after the flower that it represents. When this is accompanied by a couple of leaves, it is called the jhardar pattern, and when the jhaar is set in twisted creepers it is called bel. When the whole length of the fabric has intertwined scrolls then the pattern is called jangala or jaal. The paisley or the teardrop-shaped motif with a curved upper end, inspired by Kashmiri Jamawar weaving, and the Shikargah which depicts hunting scenes, are other favourite designs. The brocades are used for making various types of clothes and household items. However, the place of pride is held by the Banarasi sarees which are available in varieties known as Katan, Tanchoi, Organza, Tissue and Jamdani, based on the material and techniques. With the weavers of Varanasi and surrounding districts getting a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the ‘Banaras Brocades and Sarees’ in 2009, it is hoped that they will get due returns for their craft.

The city of Lucknow is famous for its Chikankari which is a kind of fine hand embroidery. It is held that this art emerged during the Mughal rule and it was in Lucknow that it attained its refinement and beauty, under the patronage of the Nawabs of Awadh. The story goes that the wife of Mughal emperor Jehangir, Noor Jahan, who was a talented embroideress herself, had a particular fondness for this art. Thus it is no wonder that the flowers and creepers sculptured on the walls of the Mughal monuments bear a resemblance to those found in this embroidery.

The craft is a story of slow hard work. The designs are first printed on the cloth with wooden blocks. Then the cloth is sent to the embroiders, who are mainly located in the old parts of the city and in the adjoining rural areas, where it is mainly the women who do needlework. The embroidery is completely hand done. The designs are mainly floral and range from simple flower motifs to intricate creepers. Thereafter the cloth is washed to remove the ink of the block prints. It is then starched and ironed and is ready for the market. 

The beauty of this work stands out when the embroidery is done white-on-white, i.e. white thread on fine white cloth such as muslin or organdie. Today other materials such as silk, georgette and chiffon, and multi-colour threads and embellishments are also being used to cater to the diverse market. The stitches are the defining features of this craft. They determine the complexity of the design, the time factor and even the prices. The simple darn stitch used for making large floral patterns all over the length of the fabric is known as tepchi.

                               The inverted satin stitch or ‘bakhia’ is used for making fine outlines of the design on the right side while the herringbone stitch is done on the backside.This gives an opaque appearance on the right side and is thus called ‘shadow work’. The raised French knot is called ‘murri’ work and is used for making buds and flowerets. Applique work or the ‘daraz ka kaam’ is done by using the same fabric as the background material and the fish-shaped applique is a reminder of the royal symbol of the Nawabs (Mahi Maraatib). The jaali or the lace-like trellis is produced on the cloth by very fine buttonholing, which pulls the warp and the weft threads aside, without having to remove the threads from the cloth. 

The outstanding feature of this work is that it caters to all pockets and come the hot humid Indian summers the shops are flooded with chikankari kurtas, dupattas, salwar kameez and sarees. Besides these, tableware and furnishings are also made to cater to the niche market. Lucknow was recognized as an exclusive hub of chikankari with the award of the Geographical Indication (GI) status for chikankari in December 2008 by the Geographical Indication Registry (GIR).

Zardozi is a form of metallic embroidery done with gold thread, with zar meaning gold and dozi meaning embroidery. This craft is said to have arrived in India from Persia during the Mughal rule. In course of time, it reached various parts of the country, including Awadh. The city of Lucknow soon became the main centre of production due to the high demand from the Nawabs and the taluqdars.  

The original zardozi was done using pure gold and silver wires (kalabattun) and seed pearls and precious and semi-precious stones were used as embellishments. At present, silver or gold-plated threads and copper and brass coated threads are being used. The special wires made in Lucknow are called the dabka, a tightly wound spring-like thread, and the badla or the flat metal thread. The embellishments that are used consist of salmaa or pieces of flat wires, sitaaras or metal stars, mukaish or tiny dots made of plain wire, round sequins, glass and plastic beads. In the tilla work the thread is first twisted and then stitched down on the fabric in such intricate patterns that the surface seems almost like brocade.

Zardozi is mostly used on celebratory clothing and it is generally done on silk, velvet, brocade, crepe and georgette materials in bright red, maroon, turquoise, royal blue, and bottle green colours. The design is drawn first on tracing paper. Small holes are pierced with a needle all along the lines of the design. The paper is then kept on the fabric and a mixture of kerosene and chalk is rubbed with a piece of cloth on the tracing paper. The liquid seeps through the holes and the design is transferred to the fabric.

     Then begins  the work of embroidery, for which the fabric is stretched tightly over a wooden frame called the adda and the craftsmen sit cross-legged all around it. They use a needle with a hooked end which is attached to a wooden stick and is called aari (hence the embroidery is also referred to as aari work.). This needle enables the artisan to pass the embroidery thread both above and below the fabric. While one hand of the artisan holds and guides the thread below the fabric, the needle-wielding hand above the fabric draws the thread through. Embroidery stitches like chain stitch, satin stitch, and stem stitch are used. Since the entire work is done manually, the making of every piece of garment is very time-consuming.

Zardozi is used as decoration for a wide range of items, including clothes, household textiles, animal trappings bags, purses, belts, and even shoes and slippers. With the Geographical Indication Registry (GIR) awarding the Geographical Indication (GI) registration to Lucknow zardozi in 2013, the city and its adjoining districts have received a boost and continue to remain the finest centre of this art.