EMBROIDERY OF

GUJARAT
LOCATION ON INDIA MAP
 Introduction
❖Gujarat situated in western part of India, famous for Kutch and
Kathiawar (Saurashtra)embroidery
❖Has given its greatest contribution to Indian embroidery
❖Beauty lies in variety of motifs, stitches and rich designs
❖Village women in their leisure time after harvesting, used to
embroider their daughter’s beautiful costumes
❖Such embroidered costumes were gifted to bride during her
wedding as a part of dowry
❖Plenty of stitches are used to beautify the product
 Origin & History
❖Embroidery was introduced by Kathi, the cattle breeders, who were basically
wanderers
❖Worshipers of Lord Shiva and Lord Ganesha and used to embroider idols in small
squares called Sthapanas
❖Wanderers collected and gathered themselves in a place and contributed variety,
uniqueness in elements, patterns, themes, moods and techniques of needle work
❖As per a legend, once a demon enslaved thousands of women in a forest. They
hailed from different parts of country. These were later freed by Lord Krishna.
These women became his gopikas and were brought to Dwarka. All of them were
talented in one or other craft and stitchery and their individual contribution
nobbled into a new form of Saurashtra
❖Articles were exported to European countries in 16 -17 C
Sthapana
 Types of Embroidery
Kanbi bharat Rabari bharat

KUTCH Heer bharat Chain

work

Mochi bharat Ahir bharat

KATHIAWAR

Sindhi
Abhla bharat taropa
 KUTCH EMBROIDERY
❖ Kutch embroidery (also known as Kachchhi embroidery) is one of the
most easily identifiable styles of embroidery from Gujarat
❖ A well patronized handicraft textile in India
❖ Derives its name from its place of origin
❖ The origin of Kutch work embroidery is traced back to mochis, the
community of shoemakers, who used to work on royal textiles and
decorative objects
❖ Believed that Kutch embroidery was taught to mochis around 300 years
ago by a Muslim Phakeer of Sindh
❖ Is characterized by the use of vibrant colors, mirrors and beads and
intricate and extensive needlework that embellishes the entire fabric on
which it is based
❖Usually done on cotton or silk fabric
❖ Involves the use of silk or woolen thread in fine stitches to create elaborate
patterns
❖ Draws its inspiration from romantic, architectural and human motifs, as well
as Persian and Mughal arts
❖ The colors used are mainly green, indigo, deep red, black, yellow and ivory
❖ The embroidery is also distinctive in its use of mirrors and beads, placed
strategically in between patterns
❖ A popular and recognized example of Kutch embroidery is the ghagra choli (a
traditional skirt and blouse ensemble) of Gujarat, especially worn during
Navaratras
❖ Over the years, various clans around the region have appropriated the
essential features of Kutch embroidery to create distinctive styles of their own,
such as Rabari, Ahir, Mochi and Kanbi
 AHIR BHARAT
❖ Etymology - Word Ahir derived from Sanskrit word “Ab hira” meaning milkman
❖ Primitive peasants, regionally known as Ahirs, are expert in Ahir bharat
❖Usually prepared decorative articles and did surface enrichment of their personal
clothing
❖ Ladies of Ahir family embroidered their traditional costumes during off season
❖ Historically the tribe believed to migrated from Mathura along with Lord Krishna
to Girhar, in Kathiawar and thereafter settled in Kutch
❖Technique - Stitch appeared exactly like chain stitch, made with ahir, a hooked
needle
❖ Beautiful colour combinations along with splendor needle work and use of
mirrors is striking feature of this embroidery
❖Base material: Khaddar (hand spun, hand woven), presently
done on silk.
❖ Thread: Cotton thread on dark colored khaddar background,
twisted silken thread
❖ Motifs: Birds, flowers, creepers, foliage, parrot, peacock, bulbul,
human figure, dancing doll, etc.
❖ Articles: Choli, pajamas, jackets, bonnets, caps and other
children garments
 MOCHI BHARAT
❖ Similar to Ahir bharat, Mochi creates loops and successive lines leads to
continuous chain stitch line
❖Mostly use as filling work
❖Etymology- Said to be began by mochi community
❖ Craft was patronized by local rulers
❖Material & Technique : Ground fabric is satin with continuous chain stitch design
❖Motifs: These motifs are derived from Mughal and Persian arts and they also use
designs that are based on animal forms. small round butis (nadir shah buti), stylized
flower bushes, dancing dolls, peacocks, human figures
❖Articles- Choli, ghaghra, toran, chaklas (square wall hangings), borders, etc.
 KANBI BHARAT
❖ Etymology :Kanbis are cultivators, done by their women folk on household
articles
❖Colours used :Uses cotton thread-yellow, orange, green, white and purple
❖Material :The Kanbis, migrants from Saurashtra, prefer to use white, yellow or
saffron base cloth for creating different items.
❖Stitches: darning for outline and herringbone for filling
❖Motifs: Designs are distinctive and has Persian influence. Similar motifs are used
along with sunflower, Keveda, cactus flower, etc.
❖Articles: Covers for wooden boxes, patras, blankets, quilts, articles for decorating
domestic animals on festivals. These included back covers (rectangular and conical),
horn covers, veils to cover foreheads.
 RABARI BHARAT
❖ Etymology - Rabaris belong to Giri region
❖ Tribe usually migrates from one region to another
❖Style and technique of embroidery is distinctive
❖Material and Technique- Base material khaddar of maroon colour
❖Use small pieces of fabric of various sizes and shapes to produce effect against
bold back ground
❖ Appears like appliqué craft
❖Motifs-birds, beast, human figures, flora and fauna
❖Articles -Because of its bold design and elaborate effect , lacking delicacy, not
used to decorate costumes. Mainly used on wall hangings, door curtains, partitions,
canopies, other household articles
 APPLIQUE OR KATAB WORK
❖ Another form of decorative needlework which has gained
appreciation in most of the regions of Gujarat
❖ More noticeable in Saurashtra
❖Exclusive needlework is done with pieces of coloured and
patterned fabric, which are cut to make the motifs and patterns
❖ These cut pieces are then stitched on to a plain background to
make quilts, curtains and wall hangings.
 KATHIAWAR EMBROIDERY
❖Etymylogy -Took its name from the Kathis and shows strong folk
element in its embroidery
❖Has great influence of neighboring states and places like Sindh, Punjab
and Kutch
❖Art is used for decorating traditional costumes and household articles
❖ Embroidery traditionally done by women at home and depicts Gods
and men along with much loved animals, birds and flowers
❖ Scenes of rural life hold a mirror to the activities of the people of the
area
❖Material and Technique -Main feature of Kathiawar embroidery is
lavish use of mirrors. The base stitches used are chain stitch, heer bharat,
abhla bharat and Sindhi taropa (interlacing stitch)
❖ Articles like toran (for gracing doorway, during wedding time all the new
pieces made for bride are tied in toran which is later used for decorating
doorways), chaklas small square and rectangular pieces to decorate the
furniture, comes with the bride’s trousseau wrapped in them and are later
used to hang on walls. The bhitiya, a wall hanging, becomes especially
ornamental by being made up of a combination of Kathiawar embroidered
pieces.

Tora
Chakla n
❖The Kathiawar embroidery designs are hand-drawn on cotton cloth and
are worked with silk floss (heer)
❖ Stitches: Apart from the long stitch, chain stitch and interlacing stitch is
used
❖ Patchwork is another favorite. Appliqué is used for articles such as
festival hangings, covers of carriages and back clothes of animals. Mirrors
are often used to enhance the effect of the applique
❖ Motifs: Striking feature of Kathiawar embroidery is the movement with
which each figure is imbued. Mythological—the gajasinha (half elephant
half lion), the kinnara (half fish, half elephant), humans or Gods, etc. One
can almost see the wheels of the chariot turn as the horse pulls it
forward. Singers sing, dancers dance, devotees worship, horses gallop and
elephants move at a brisk pace.
➢Chain stitch: Similar to that of Kutch, but done with white color and
occasionally supplemented with other colors to give bold impression.
Accompanied by mirror application to emphasize eye. Hand, face, sun,
moon
Motifs: girl holding a flower, boy playing kite,
man riding horse, palanquin
Heer Bharat
➢Etymology- Derives its name from
heer, thread used to embroider
➢Embroidery done with pat thread,
➢Highly lustrous
➢Stitch used is darning
➢Influence of phulkari is evident in
stitch, thread and geometrical motifs
used
➢Resembles a bagh when composite units
of square, triangle, rectangle and hexagons
fill the ground fabric
❖Material- Mostly carried on bluish grey fabric
with deep orange, dark blue and purple colour
❖Technique- Darning Stitch is used. A square is
divided by two diagonal lines creating four
triangles. A single mirror is placed at the point
where the apexes of the triangles meet. The
long stitches are placed vertically and
horizontally in each alternating triangle to
create a rippling effect of light and shade
without changing either material or stitch.
❖Colours: off-white, yellow, madder red, black,
indigo, ivory, and green
❖ This technique is used to maximum effect in
the quilts known as gudari.
 Abhla bharat
➢Mirror inset embroidery
➢Shisheh or Abhla Bharat attaches small pieces of mirrors
➢Originated in the 17th-century in India
➢This type of embroidery lends a sparkling appearance to the brightly colored
clothes worn in the region, and is very popular for use on clothing, hangings,
tapestries, and domestic textiles
➢ Among Hindus the use of abhla bharat torana tied to the front door is believed
to ward off evil eyes. This belief is also held by Muslims and Jains living in those
regions
➢Design is traced leaving a circle to attach them. Rest of embroidery is completed
with stem stitch, buttonhole or herringbone stitch by using silk thread
➢Traditionally made in blue, red, green and pink, rust, indigo, purple, deep red
➢ Done on both personal and household articles
Sindhi taropa

➢Interlacing stitch practiced in Sindh, Kutch and Kathiawar

➢ Involves two steps of embroidery- in first step ground work is done on cloth and in
second thread is interloped through basic structure
 Moti bharat
➢Bead work
➢Not stitched on back ground but
colored motifs stitched together with
needle and thread
➢Background is usually white beads
➢Articles are stiff, hence used as purse,
wall hangings, torans, bags, play toys,
other decorative pieces
 ARTICLES
❖ Wide variety of items ranging from garments to items of home decor.
❖Toran - embroidered doorway decoration with hanging flaps. Believed to bring good
luck to the household
❖ Pachhitpatis- hanged from the corners in the Gujarati households as a welcome
symbol to the visitors
❖ Chaklas- used as furniture covers
❖ Bhitiya a wall hanging
❖ Articles of personal clothing -cholis, gaghras, odhnis
❖ Bed spreads
❖ Bags
 PRESENT STATUS
❖As with other art forms, Kutch embroidery has had to evolve with
modern times
❖ While the embroidery was essentially seen on garments, it today
encompasses a wide variety of artifacts including bags, jackets and
mobile pouches amongst others
•Shaija D Naik
•www.ishafoundation.org/.../kutch-work-embroidery-gujarat-tutorial/ Feb 17, 2014 date
of visit 14 sep 2014
•en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shisha_(embroidery)
•www.craftandartisans.com › Embroidery
•www.indianetzone.com › ... › Crafts of Indian States › Crafts of Gujarat Jul 1, 2014
•Hand Embroidery in India, Handicraft by Nayan Jha On August 16, 2013