ABSTRACT
Skill plays an imperative role in Punjabi society. Every girl needs to acquire skills in hand-crafted products, be it culinary skills, embroidery, creating textiles, home décor products, etc. Trousseau holds a significant place in the life of a Punjabi girl. Creating the pieces for her trousseau requires the abilities she learned as a young girl. Phulkari and Baghs are bridal embroidered textiles as the trousseau’s key components. She starts learning needlework at a very young age and tries her hand on small pieces like handkerchiefs or pillow covers or some other daily-use products. She begins her collection of items she wishes to carry in her trousseau after she has mastered a talent.
Every step is critical for her to prepare the bridal textile—Phulkari, a wrap decorated with silken floss work and radiating feelings of love—starting with picking cotton from the fields, learning to spin from the elders, practising and competing with friends to complete the spinning for her personal wrap, preparing warp and weft yarns, setting up a loom at home, weaving the coarse cotton—Khaddar—at home or giving it to a local weaver. Older women used to order silk yarn for young girls’ Phulkaris. Young women have always enjoyed preparing the base fabric and then creating the embroidery with their creativity or by imitating one another. Creating these textiles with dexterity and detailed motifs or stitch work creates a name for her in the family and society, hence building an identity for her. The fabrication of these customary bridal tapestries, which resemble a silk tapestry and are embellished with elaborate and innovative themes and designs, is explored in the current research work. The study highlights the development of fabric, designs and the varied stitches that are used for creating Phulkaris and Baghs.
Keywords: Khaddar, Silk, Designs & motifs, Bridal
ABOUT AUTHOR
DR. ANU H. GUPTA
Dr. Anu H. Gupta, Chairperson, University Institute of fashion Technology & Vocational Development, Panjab University, Chandigarh
Dr. Anu H. Gupta is Chairperson, University Institute of Fashion Technology & Vocational Development, Panjab University Chandigarh. She has PhD in Social Anthropology and a Master’s degree in Clothing and Textiles. With over twenty-five years of expertise in Fashion education, research, and skill development, she has worked extensively on artisan training and skill and design development. She has presented and published researches, undertaken workshops at national and international forums. She has authored a book titled “Embroidery in Transition: Phulkari from Punjab”. She is also a member of numerous academic boards in Indian Universities. She has undertaken many industrial and research projects and assignments with organisations like Vardhman; Tynor Orthotics; Khadi and Village Industries Commission; Phulkari Cluster Rajpura; Silk Mark Organization of India; International Dolls Museum; Rotary Club; Social Welfare Department, Chandigarh Administration; Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Chandigarh; Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, O/O Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Hoshiarpur; Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board and Punjab Small Industries & Export Corporation Limited.
