R u m a l s

of
Topics to
study
• about chamba
• what are chamba rumals?
• history and origin
• traditional usage
• materials used
• technique of embroidery
• types of stitches used
• designs found
• motifs
• process of making
• costing
• present day situation
• picture gallery
 About
Chamba
CHAMBA IS A TOWN IN HIMACHAL PRADESH.
IT IS SITUATED ON THE BANKS OF RAVI
RIVER. THIS TOWN HAS A BEAUTIFUL
HISTORY. CHAMBA IS WELL NOTED FOR ITS
ARTS AND CRAFTS, PARTICULARLY ITS
PAHARI PAINTINGS. CHAMBA IS THE
HEADQUARTERS OF THE CHAMBA DISTRICT,
BORDERED BY JAMMU AND KASHMIR TO THE
NORTH-WEST AND WEST, THE LADAKH AREA
OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR AND LAHAUL AND
BARA BANGHAL TO THE NORTH-EAST AND
EAST, KANGRA TO THE SOUTH-EAST AND
PATHANKOT DISTRICT OF PUNJAB TO THE
Introducti
CHAMBA RUMALS IS A CRAFT THAT

on
BELONGS TO THE CHAMBA REGION OF
HIMACHAL PRADESH. BASICALLY A
RUMAL MEANS A HANDKERCHIEF, BUT
CHAMBA RUMALS ARE NO COMMON
HANDKERCHIEFS THAT WE USE IN OUR
DAY TO DAY LIFE. IT IS TOO RARE AND
TOO PRECIOUS TO WIPE YOUR FACE
WITH. PATRONISED BY THE ROYALTY
OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, THE CHAMBA
RUMAL IS A FINE DISPLAY OF
HIMALAYAN EMBROIDERY AND CRAFTS
TRADITIONS. THESE ARE MAINLY
INSPIRED BY PAHARI PAINTINGS.
H i s t o ry
CHAMBA RUMALS GET THEIR NAME FROM A
SMALL TOWN IN CHAMBA, A HILL STATION
IN HIMACHAL PRADESH, WHERE IT HAS
BEEN PRACTICED FOR CENTURIES. RUMALS
WERE DEVELOPED AROUND LAST OF 16TH
CENTURY. NOT ONLY IN CHAMBA, BUT IT
WAS PRACTICED IN UNDIVIDED PUNJAB,
PARTS OF JAMMU, PARTS OF HARYANA AND
HIMACAL PRADESH.
ONE OF THE EARLIEST SAMPLES OF THIS
CRAFT HAS BEEN FOUND IN PUNJAB, IN
POSSESSION OF BEBE NANKI (SISTER OF
GURU NANAK). SHE IS SAID TO HAVE
EMBROIDERED ONE IN 16TH CENTURY AND
IT HAS BEEN PRESERVED IN HOSHIARPUR
contd
IN THE 17TH CENTURY, THE CHAMBA
RUMAL EMBROIDERY WAS DONE BY THE
QUEENS AND ROYAL LADIES OF CHAMBA AS
THEY HAS ACCESS TO PROFESSIONAL
SERVICES OF TRAINED MINIATURE ARTISTS.
THE FINISHED PIECE WAS AESTHETIC,
STYLIZED, DELICATE AND AN IMAGE OF
MINIATURE PAINTING ON FABRIC. IT HAD A
SOPHISTICATED COLOR PALETTE. THE FOLK
VERSION PRECEEDED THIS AND WAS
CHARACTERIZED BY BOLD COLORS. IT WAS
MAINLY DONE BY PEASANT WOMEN. IT IS
USED TODAY FOR THE SAME PURPOSE IT
WAS USED A CENTURY AGO.
THE ELITE VERSION BECAME ASSOCIATED
WITH THE TERM CHAMBA RUMAL AND IS
NOW CONSIDERED A DECLINING CRAFT.
 CHAMBA RUMALS WERE GIVEN AS
A GIFT DURING A GIRL'S WEDDING.
THEY WERE GIFTED TO THE GROOM
BY THE BRIDE'S FAMILY TO EXHIBIT
HER EMBROIDERY SKILLS. THEY
BECAME AN INTEGRAL PART OF
WEDDINGS AND WERE EXCHANGED
AS A SIGN OF GOODWILL. NO
WEDDING WAS CONSIDERED

Traditiona
COMPLETE WITHOUT GIFTING
THEM.
THEY WERE ALSO USED AS
COVERINF OF OFFERINGS MADE TO

l Usage
DEITIES. RUMALS WHICH DEPICT
RUKMINI HARAN ARE OFTEN USED
IN WEDDING CEREMONIES.
 Materials
Used
Chamba Rumals are made using very fine hand-made
silk obtained from Punjab, or muslin. Women created
highly ornamnental patterns using untwined silk,
obtained from Sailkot, Amritsar and Ludhiana.
The materials used still consist of muslin, malmal,
khaddar (a coarse fabric), fine charcoal or brush, and
silk threads without knots.
 THE PICTURE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE
RUMAL IS ALMOST THE SAME. THIS IS
DONE USING A SPECIAL TECHNIQUE
CALLED "DO RUKHA TANKA". FIRST A
DRAWING IS MADE USING CHARCOAL
OR FINE BRUSH. THEN, A DOUBLE SATIN Embroid
ery
STITCH IS CARRIED FORWARD AND
BACKWARD ALTERNATIVELY, SO THAT
THERE IS NO 'WRONG SIDE'. ONCE THE
INSIDE PART IS DONE, "BANDI TANKA"

Techniq
OR STEM STITCH IS DONE TO OUTLINE
FIGURES AND FLORAL BORDERS. THIS
WAS THE FIRST ONE. THIS TECHNIQUE
CAME FROM KASHMIR AND SET UP

ue
HERE IN CHAMBA.
THE SECOND ONE REFLECTS FOLK
STYLE. IT HAS SMALL SUBJECTS, VIVID
 Types of
Stitch
• LONG AND SHORT DARNING
STITCH
This stitch was most commonly practiced by artisans even to
present day. The double sided stitches were worked from
bottom to top in area to be filled. This technique was used to
create patterns in costumes of female forms and horse riders
and animals skin

2. BRICK STITCH
It was another variation of double long and short darning
stitch where there is more structured arrangement of stitches.
This is no longer practiced.
 contd
3. ENCROACHING SATIN STITCH
This is variation of satin stitch where individual rows of
stitches are made. This stitch was generally observed in folk
style rumals using multiple directions and colours.

4. OUTLINE STITCHES
Running stitch was used for highlighting, separating and
defining designs and motifs used in embroidery.

5. STITCHES USED FOR FINISHING

NEAR EDGES
Stitches were used to enclose the embroidery as well as used
for finishing edges. The stitches used were buttonhole stitch,
cross stitch, herring bone and double satin stitch.
Co m m o n
d e s i g ns
fo u n d i n
ham b a
THEY HAD THEMES FROM DAILY LIFE
CHAMBA, ITS LANDSCAPES, PAHARI
WOMEN PLAYING MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS, MEN SMOKING HUKKA,
AND MANY MORE.

THE WAY IN WHICH THE MOTIFS WERE DRAWN

WAS DIFFERENT. THE DRAWING TECHNIQUE OF
THE EMBROIDERERS WAS NOT THE SAME AS
THAT OF THE MINIATURISTS BECAUSE THEY
WERE NOT MINIATURE ARTISTS. FOR EXAMPLE,
THERE ARE CHAMBA RUMALS WITH PARROT
BEAK-LIKE SHAPES FOR A HUMAN MOUTH AND
SMALL ROUND FACES WITHOUT PROMINENT
FEATURES.
A GREAT INFLUENCE OF MYTHOLOGY
CAN ALSO BE NOTICED. IT DISPLAYS
STORIES LIKE MARRIAGE OF KRISHNA-
RUKMINI, GANESHA, VISHNU IN A LOTUS,
VISHN-LAXMI, RAGA RAGINI AND
BARAMASA. IT INCLUDED DRAWINGS OF
SHIVA, RAMA, AND KRISHNA.

THE RUMALS CARRY THEMES ENCOMPASSING

STORIES LIKE GITAGOVINDAM (A TWELFTH-
CENTURY TEXT ON KRISHNA BY THE POET
JAYADEVA) AND MANY MORE, WHICH WE'LL
DISCUSS IN UPCOMING SLIDES.
 • RAASMANDAL
Centre of the theme depicts Lord
Vishnu sitting in the Padma, the lotus
has four arms,each holding a Padma
(lotus bud), a gadaa, shank (conch
shell)and his weapon, the Sudarshan
Chakra and is surrounded by gopis.
4. BARAMASA
A folk song of the region.
2. KALIYA DAMAN 3. SAMUDRA
MANTHAN
The ocean was churned by Devas (gods) and
Krishna killing the kaliya kalinga sarpa Asuras (demons) using a serpent, Vasuki as rope, and
(serpent), who lived in the Jamuna river. mountain Meru as the churning rod. Both nectar and
poison were the products of Samudra Manthan.
5. BATTLE OF
6. PARIJATA HARAN
KURUKSHETRA
Mahabharat is one of the
great epics of India and many themes of this epic are
Episode of Krishna uprooting the
chosen for Embroidery. However, the most commonly
parijata tree for his wife.
found ones are the Battle of Kurukshetra and the exile of
Pandavas.

7. RAAGAMALA
An illustration of Chamba rumal based on
the ragas can be found in the Bharat Kala
Bhavan, Banaras Hindu University, where
a preserved rumal shows Todi, Gauri,
Madhumadhavi, Gaur Malhar, Patmanjari,
Malkauns, and various other ragas through
various scenes and tales involving deities,
hero-heroine set against different seasons,
places and times to bring out the rasa
(essence) unique to each raga
8. RUKMINI HARAN 9. LOCAL STORIES
The rumals also carry themes from local
The elopement of Rukmini and her
stories and customs like the Minjar Mela
marriage is the zest of the theme. It
Jalus (monsoon festival of Chamba where
is an elaborate theme, embroidered
people throw minjar [tassels] in river Ravi
on Rumal depicting
to ward off the evil and pray for
the various ceremonial activities
prosperity), Gaddi Gaddan Yatra (an
performed on one part and
annual pilgrimage undertaken by
preparation of the Rumani wedding
worshippers of Lord Shiva Chamba), Ved
on the other.
Vedi (wedding pavilion/mandap), Til
Chauli (a traditional ceremony at Chamba
weddings where women dance and sing;
black sesame seeds and rice form an
integral part of it), folk tales like the love
story of Sassi Punnu, and so on
THE MOTIFS ON THESE HANDKERCHIEFS ARE
DRAWN FROM VARIOUS INDIGENOUS STORIES,
SUCH AS RAMAYANA AND RAMAYANA. THE
SUBJECTS OF THESE HANDKERCHIEFS ARE ALSO

Moti
DRAWN FROM THE BHAGVAD PURANAS. LIKE
KRISHNA SURROUNDED BY HIS GOPIS, KRISHNA-
RADHA ALLAINCE AND MANY MORE. DAILY
ACTIVITIES LIKE COURTROOM, ROYALHUNTS OR
GAME OF CHAUPAD. MARRIAGE CEREMONIES
ARE ALSO MADE.
THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF FLORAL PATTERNS IN
CHAMBA RUMAL, WHERE ONE SEES DENSE TREES
WITH VARYING STYLES OF FLOWERS AND LEAVES.
THE BARRENNESS OF THE TREES IS INSPIRED BY
THE PAHARI-MUGHAL ART BANANA TREES.
ANIMAL MOTIFS ARE ALSO MADE TO DEPICT
CHARACTERS' MOODS WHILE TELLING
STORIES.ELEMENTS LIKE PEACOCK, CHAKOR,
 Process of
Making
VISUALISATION
OF DESIGN.
2.
OUTLINING OF THE
DESIGN BY USING
CHARCOAL, DONE
BY A MINIATURE
ARTIST.

3. 4.
PREDETERMINATIO EMBROIDERING
N OF COLOR OF RUMAL, DONE
PALETTE BY ELITE WOMEN.
Embroid
ery
Process
 Costing
CHAMBA RUMALS ARE EXPENSIVE, AS ITS
MAKING INVOLVES INTENSE WORK. THE COST
ALSO DEPENDS ON THE SIZE, AND THE MATERIAL
OF CLOTH USED. THERE ARE SEVERAL WEBSITES
FROM WHERE THESE CAN BE BOUGHT LIKE
'RUMALS OF CHAMBA' AND 'JAYPORE.COM'
Present day
Situation
NOW THE CRAFT IS A DECLINING ART
AND IS PRACTICED ONLY IN CHAMBA.
EVEN AS LOCAL ARTISANS LIKE
NATIONAL AWARD WINNER MAHESHI
DEVI, LALITA VAKIL, CHHIMBI DEVI AND
OTHERS HAVE WON LAURELS FOR THEIR
EMBROIDERY, THE CHAMBA RUMAL
FADED FROM PUBLIC CONSCIOUSNESS,
EVEN MAKING WAY FOR CHEAP AND
INAUTHENTIC IMITATIONS.
contd
KAMALADEVI CHATTOPADHYAY, CRAFTS
REVIVALIST, WHO WAS AMONG THE
EARLIEST, TOOK UP THE ONUS OF
KEEPING THE ART FORM ALIVE AFTER
INDEPENDENCE.
IN 1992, THE DELHI CRAFTS COUNCIL
STEPPED IN TO REVIVE THE DYING ART
FORM AND PROMOTE THE LITTLE-KNOWN
ART FORM AT A NATIONAL LEVEL. THE
FIRST EXHIBITION RECREATED THE
RUMALS AND WENT TO MANY CITIES
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
THE REVIVAL PROCESS GRADUATED TO
OPENING A CENTRE, CHARU, IN CHAMBA,
IN 2001. WOMEN COULD NOW GO THERE
TO TRAIN, BUILD ON THEIR SKILL AND
MAKE THE CHAMBA RUMAL ON ORDER.
contd IN RECENT TIMES, ONE OF THE GREATEST
IMPETUSES TO THE ART CAME IN 2007 WHEN
THE CHAMBA RUMAL WAS ACCORDED THE
GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION (GI) PATENT BY
THE GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS
REGISTRY. IT HELPED TO CURB THE SALE OF
INAUTHENTIC ITEMS AND ALSO BROUGHT
THE ART FORM BACK INTO THE SPOTLIGHT.
AT THE 2017 REPUBLIC DAY PARADE,
HIMACHAL PRADESH SHOWCASED A
TABLEAU FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOUR
YEARS, SHOWCASING A MASSIVE
INSTALLATION OF THE CHAMBA RUMAL
DESIGNED BY PROF HIM CHATTERJEE, HEAD
OF HIMACHAL PRADESH UNIVERSITY’S
VISUAL ART AND PAINTING DEPARTMENT.
THE HAS THE CAPACITY TO GROW IN THE
FUTURE. CURRENTLY IT IS USED ONLY FOR
Galler
SCENE DEPICTING
ELOPMENT OF KRISHNA AND
RUKMINI

KRISHNA WITH GOPIS IN

FOREST
KRISHNA AND GOPIS

KRISHNA AND RADHA ARE

SEATED IN A PAVILION AS
WOMEN MUSICIANS
SERENADE THEM
RAMA AND SITA ARE SEATED
IN THE CENTRE OF THE
FOREST AND LAKSHMANA
AND HANUMAN ATTEND TO
THEM

MARRIAGE OF KRISHNA;
BRAMHA IS THE PRIEST
OFFICIATING THE WEDDING;
THERE ARE OTHER GODS
ATTENGING THE WEDDING
A COLOURFUL DEPICTION OF A
GAME OF CHAUPAD OR DICE IN
PROGRESS. NOTICE THE
COUNTERS AND THE BRIGHT
COLOURS

A GAME OF SHIKAR IS IN
PROGRESS HERE; IT HAS NO
BORDERS
A CHAMBA RUMAL DEPICTING
A SCENE FROM THE
RAMAYANA.

CHAUPAR GAME
KRISHNA VIVAH

THE DESIGN DEPICTS A

PALACE SCENE WITH
GANESHA IN THE
BACKGROUND; ITS FROM
19TH CENTURY
THIS RUMAL DEPICTS SERIES
OF KRISHNA IMAGES; IT WAS
MADE IN 19TH CENTURY

A DESIGN OF KRISHNA AND

ATTENDANTS WITH
PEACOCKS AND HORSES
WITHIN FLORAL BORDERS;
MADE IN 19TH CENTURY
THE RASA-LILA; MADE IN 1880

RUMAL, MADE IN CHAMBA,

LATE 19TH CENTURY-20TH
CENTURY; DEPICTS THE
RASLILA
Bibligrap
hy
• DR. ROHINI ARORA'S WEBSITE AND RESEARCH
PAPER;HTTPS://SUDHAGEE.COM/2016/02/24/CHAMBA-RUMALS-PAINTED-EMBROIDERIES-OR-
EMBROIDERED-PAINTINGS/
• HTTPS://WWW.SAHAPEDIA.ORG/CHAMBA-RUMAL-INTERPLAY-LITERATURE-AND-PAINTINGS
• HTTPS://WWW.THEBETTERINDIA.COM/95481/CHAMBA-RUMAL-HIMACHAL-PRADESH-CRAFT-
EMBROIDERY/
• HTTPS://GGSCW.AC.IN/DOWNLOADS/ARTICLE_7.PDF
• HTTPS://WWW.RUMALSOFCHAMBA.COM/
• HTTPS://WWW.UTSAVPEDIA.COM/MOTIFS-EMBROIDERIES/CHAMBA-RUMAL/
• HTTPS://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/CHAMBA_RUMAL
• HTTPS://ASIAINCH.ORG/CRAFT/CHAMBA-RUMAL-EMBROIDERY-OF-HIMACHAL-PRADESH/
• HTTPS://WWW.SAHAPEDIA.ORG/CHAMBA-RUMAL-EMBROIDERY-ART-HIMACHAL-PRADESH
• HTTPS://PHILAMUSEUM.ORG/
• HTTPS://WWW.METMUSEUM.ORG/
• HTTPS://WORLDARTCOMMUNITY.COM/SHOPS/CHAMBA-RUMAL/
• HTTPS://WWW.SAFFRONART.COM/CUSTOMAUCTIONS/POSTWORK.ASPX?L=22498
• HTTPS://COLLECTIONS.VAM.AC.UK/SEARCH/?Q=CHAMBA%20RUMAL