ABSTRACT
‘Sher-i-Punjab’, the first Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839) of Punjab was the great patron of arts. Maharaja had a great interest for the Kashmiri shawls, and he did a lot for its economic growth, in manufacturing, designing, and trading (domestic and international). The introduction of particular designs, and motifs, increase of shawls’ size, which were multicolour and its various uses make the shawls of the Sikh Period (1819-1839) unique. These shawls are popularly known as Sikh Shawls too. The ‘kanikar’ and ‘amlikar’ both types of multicolours ‘Sikh shawl’ or ‘long-do-shalla’ were woven/embroidered with a whole lot of new designs and with an easy flow, energy, and a bit of mystic influence, besides the traditional ones.
There is a lot of information on shawls of the Sikh period literature, and travellers’ accounts of that period, besides beautiful portrayal in miniature paintings and European paintings. In addition to this information, the actual Sikh period shawls are also preserved in many collections, making the Sikh shawl study fascinating. There is an indirect influence of social and cultural customs in the growth of the Shawl industry. Here is an attempt to look at economic, social, cultural aspects and explore the creative expression of Shawls produced during the Sikh period, which shows the regional characteristic.
ABOUT AUTHOR
Dr. Anamika Pathak
Chairperson, TCRC | Former Curator, National Museum, New Delhi
Dr. Anamika Pathak has Masters in Buddhist Studies and Ancient Indian History and Culture, doctorate in Mughal Costumes, Museum Management Course from Art Institute Chicago. More than three decades (1980-2019) curatorial career in the National Museum she has curatored three permanent {Indian Textile (1996), Wood Carving (2012) Decorative Arts, 2013} and number of temporary exhibitions, recent ones are-‘The Art of Calligraphy and Beyond (2015) ‘Rama-Abhirama: The Beauty of Rama in Indian Art and Tradition’,(2017-18) Headgear tradition of India (2018). Extensively travelled with several prestigious exhibitions like ‘Nizam’s Jewels’ (Delhi and Hyderabad), ‘Alamkara’ (Singapore) ‘The Word is Sacred and Sacred is the Word’ (Germany) are the named few. Closely associated with several academic and cultural institutes (named as National Museum Institute of History of Art, Conservation and Museology; Archaeological Survey of India, Indian Institute of Crafts and Design, Jaipur; Lady Erwin College, Delhi University; Dayalbagh University, Agra; National Institute of Fashion Technology etc.) Actively involved in delivering lectures on various aspects of Indian Traditional Textiles, Decorative Arts, Museology and Preventive Conservation etc. She has presented research papers in several national and international seminars. (recent one was at India Heritage Centre, Singapore on ‘Sacred Textiles-its tradition and variations, in 2018) Books to her credit are (‘Pashmina’; ‘Indian Costume’ by Roli Publications, ‘Arts of Calligraphy and beyond’; ‘Ramayana: the Poetic Expression on Temple hanging’ and ‘Rama-Hanuman: some selected episode from Ramayana’(in Hindi) by National Museum, New Delhi and more than thirty research articles, booklets, portfolio. These have been published in research journal like Marg, Arts of Asia, INSA Journal, Kala Purattava etc. Co-editor of book, ‘Splendors of Pahari Embroidery’ (2018) published by B.R. Publications, New Delhi
