Embroidery of Rajasthan :

Embroidery of Rajasthan is a needlework done by the Rajasthani women in different types of cloths and is very popular. It brings a new dimension and adds a character to the article.

Embroidery of Rajasthan brings new character and dimension to any article that it graces. It is an ancient craft, which has changed over time to reflect the prevailing social, material and sometimes even the political mood of the times. The needles on different cloths do the 'embroidery' work. The women of Rajasthan are expert in this field and can make very attractive embroidery works on various clothes like in quilting, skirts (gharries), shawl, bed covers and in many more others. 

The most particularly ornamented fabrics and articles found in Rajasthan are often those for personal adornment. In Rajasthan, some form of embroidery invariably embellishes the three garments worn by women, the kanchli, ghaghras and odhni. Similarly men's garments like the angarkha, achkan and jama also display certain elements of embroidery. It is also used to beautify the household items, like bedspreads, wall hangings and animal trappings. Where embroidery is done for domestic use, it is by custom a feminine occupation. Rajasthani Men, traditionally, were involved in embroideries like zardosi and danka. These crafts receive the patronage of royal families even today. 

Thus, embroidery of Rajasthan becomes the expression of girls, who usually never learn to read or write. These young artists begin their training at the early age of seven or eight, thus learning to create exquisite patterns on plain fabric. Initially working on simple designs, they gradually master their skills, acquiring the daintiness and refinement of accomplished needlewomen. They work as apprentices to their mothers and grandmothers, sisters and aunts, who pass on to them designs, patterns and a heritage that has evolved over the centuries. A wide variety of techniques are used in the embroidery of costumes and textiles. Some of the popular styles are, among others, metal embroidery, gota work, and suf bharat. 

Jaisalmer is the center for trading of embroidery and mirror work items. The saddle of camels and horses of Rajasthan are decorated with embroidery. Even the shoes of Rajasthan are embroidered with varieties of coloured threads. In the temples of Rajasthan, a cloth hanging named the 'pichwai of Nathdwara' can be found, which is also very nicely embroidered. In some cases, the embroidery is done with golden threads to highlight the design. Generally, the pichwai has red cotton background and the stitches are in cream, green, yellow and black, while the white colour is used for the outlines. The motifs of tree, birds and animals are generally embroidered on their skirts (ghagras). Again the women of Bikaner use chunky red woolen shawl with a running stitch in a bandhi pattern in their embroidery. 

There are several communities of Rajasthan, who are involved in making leather products and embroideries on them. In the 'knucklepad' leather products, miniature landscapes and festive scenes are embroidered like in Rajput paintings. In these embroidery works of Rajasthan, the minute details of the embroidery are worked out and the group compositions are done carefully. The scenes embroidered here are mainly of human figures as well as floral and bird designs. In Bikaner and Jaisalmer the embroidered leather saddles are very popular. The Jaisalmer embroidery also applies mirror works sometimes to provide a visual impact. 

Rajasthan is also popular for 'karchobi', a form of zari metallic thread embroidery done with needle. This kind of embroidery is done by flat stitches on cotton stuffing and can be found on bridal and formal costumes. This is also seen on velvet coverings, curtains, tent hangings and the coverings of animal carts and temple chariots. The different communities of Rajasthan have their own style of embroidery. The Jat women of Sikar and Jhunjhuna make animal figures and simple tree forms in their embroidery. In their work, all these remain juxtaposed together to form a specific pattern in the borders of their cotton skirts. The Meos of Alwarhas again their unique style of embroidering a rich pattern with chain stitch in contrasting colours and the body is roofed with the 'phulkar bagh' stitch. 

These embroidery works of Rajasthan are part of its tradition. But now, it is used mainly as an occupation. These beautiful works need to be encouraged as it is highly praised by the tourists all over the world. 

Metal Embroidery in Rajasthan :

Metal embroidery, a popular embroidery style in Rajasthan, primarily found its patrons in the royalty and the well-to-do merchant classes who wore ornately adorned apparels. They preferred gorgeous garments abundantly embroidered in gold and silver because embroidery was thought to be auspicious and also because it represented wealth, power and importance. The royalty were so impressed by this style of ornamentation that they often employed it on a wide range of fabrics other than apparel, like footwear, belts, caps, cushions and even on elephant caparisons and canopies. The embroidery on these garments is, sometimes, so extravagant that the surface of the ground fabric cannot be differentiated. 

Types of Metal Embroidery : Metal embroidery can be classified into three kinds, zardozi, gota work and danke-ka-kaam. 

Zardozi Embroidery : Zardozi embroidery is in existence since the time of the Rig Veda. Later, it was used to adorn the attires of Kings and the royals in India. It was also used for various decoration purposes. This embroidery work involves making elaborate designs, using gold and silver threads. Gold and silver are strained through a series of dies to obtain a fine thread. This can either be hammered flat or used as they are found. It could also be enveloped around a silken or cotton filament core to manufacture the thread. Nowadays, electroplating with other metals also achieves a similar effect; this process is also widely used in Rajasthan.

Gota Work : This embroidery originated in Rajasthan. Gota is a gold or silver lace from Lucknow. Various coloured ribbons of varying width, woven in a satin or twill weave may also be referred to as gota. Gota embroidery is crafted using appliqué technique. It is used along with kinari work. In the earlier days, real gold and silver metals were used in Gota embroidery. Later, the embroidery workers started using copper coated with silver as the genuine way of making it was very expensive. 

In the state of Rajasthan, people wear attires with Gota work during festivals and at auspicious functions. Gota embroidery can be observed mainly on dupattas, turban edges and ghagras. 

Danke-ka-Kaam : Danke-ka-Kaam, earlier known as korpatti-ka-kaam, is a speciality of Udaipur, a small city of Rajasthan. The danka is a small square plate, which is variable in size but is not bigger than 1.5 cm. Earlier, danka was made from pure gold but nowadays, it is made using silver plated with gold. This technique is usually worked on fabrics like satin, chiffon or silk fabric. The most popular motifs used in Danke-ka-kaam are inspired by nature. 

Pakko Bharat Embroidery :

Pakko bharat is a kind of embroidery used in Rajasthan, best known for its strength and durability. Pakko bharat is a style of embroidery, so called for its sturdiness and longevity. Pakko is derived from 'pakka', which means, permanent. In this style of embroidery, a tight square of chain and double buttonhole stitch is supplemented with the satin stitch and fly stitch that are used to create a dense pattern on the cloth. 

The motifs used in pakko bharat are both geometric and floral. These are first shaped out with a chalk like substance and then worked mainly in shades of red, dark green and gold or yellow with a characteristic black, though sometimes yellow or white borders. Mirrors, called tika are used as the centres of the flowers and to form border designs. Though embroidery threads of silk may be employed, cotton is usually favored. Trimmings like mirrors, beads, buttons and tassels enhance this style to produce richly ornamented chadars, odhnas, and kanchlis. There are several kinds of motifs in use for Pakko bharat. The border designs of this style have a variety of expressive names, such as dak mviarna, rana-ro-hand. Floral motifs like kemai-ro-gul or kulhe-ro-guland and peacock motif substitutions like buto bharat and mar are also widely used. 

Mochi Bharat Embroidery :

Mochi Bharat, a type of embroidery in Rajasthan, is actually employed to adorn the leather objects. Mochi Bharat or leather embroidery is a style of embroidery that is common to most parts of this region. Mochi Bharat was actually developed to ornament leather objects and is usually created on shoes, animal saddles and trappings. In addition, gold and silver zari is greatly employed on accessories like leather belts, bags and wallets. 

Usually, soft leather is used in this type of Rajasthani embroidery as it is easy to work on. Lately, however, Mochi Bharat style of embroidery has also found its way into the decoration of textiles like cotton, silk and velvet. Rajasthani women are often seen in a ghaghra and choli ornamented with this style of embroidery. Mochi Bharat is employed through fine chain stitch. Simple line patterns of leaves and flowers are created in zari thread. In the villages, bolder patterns are preferred, where the entire surface is covered with brilliant colours and the design is highlighted through contrasts. The design is often cut out on paper and then pasted on to the surface to guide the embroidery. In other cases, motifs are block-printed on the material with fugitive dyes, before it is embroidered. 

Suf Bharat Embroidery :

Suf Bharat is a kind of embroidery in Rajasthan that is similar to the phulkari of Punjab. The Suf Bharat embroidery style bears a resemblance to the Phulkari of Punjab, Baluchi embroidery of Iran and the needlework of Swat and Hazara in Pakistan. This embroidery work can, thus, be identified as a style of embroidery common to the wider region of Southwest Asia. 

In Rajasthan, Rabari women are well known for embellishing many household articles with suf bharat embroidery style. Among these are articles of daily use like the rela, a type of odhni, the thalphosh, which is an envelope for a plate and the bokani, which is a long embroidered strip of the fabric that can be tied at the waist or wrapped around the head. This embroidery is also popular with Jat, Bishnoi, Meghval, Rajput and Sindhi Musalman women. The distinguishing feature of suf bharat embroidery style is that it is worked from the reverse side of the fabric in surface satin stitch, forming superior geometrical motifs. The style is also known as tantik that is derived from the word tantu (thread), since the embroiderer works in the motifs by counting the warp and weft threads. 

Kharak Embroidery :

Kharak is a type of embroidery done in Rajasthan, which include clusters of narrow bands or bars with satin stitch. Kharak, another well-known style of embroidery practiced in Rajasthan, derives its name from the fruit of the desert, the date, and locally called kharak. Its characteristic feature is its clusters of narrow bands or bars of satin stitch. The embroiderer deftly counts warp and weft threads on the ground cloth, producing the perfect geometric patterns in which the bars are arranged. In case of pakka embroidery, the design is first created on the cloth. The needlewoman uses a black double running stitch as she counts. The outlines are later filled in with multi-coloured thread. Strange effects are produced using the satin stitch to form small rectangular designs. 

Mukke-ka-Kaam Embroidery :

Mukke ka kaam is a type of embroidery in Rajasthan using gold or silver thread. Mukke ka kaam, a type of embroidery in Rajasthan extensively uses the gold and silver threads to make the fabrics even more attractive. The gold and silver metal threads are known as mukke-ka-kaam that produces stunning embroideries that are used widely in Rajasthan. 

Mukka is the local name for metallic gold or silver thread that is wound around a core of cotton fibre. Both golden and silver mukka is used in this embroidery work. This style is mostly done in the Thar belt of Rajasthan, especially among the Sindhi Musalman and Meghval communities. The metal thread for Mukke ka kaam is doubled, laid on the fabric and couched down by stitching with another thread. The couching is skillfully executed so as to reveal the maximum surface area of the metallic yarn. In addition to coiling, various other stitches like the buttonhole and outline stitches are also used for tilling in the designs. 

Quilting Embroidery :

Quilting and patchwork are embroidery techniques of Rajasthan that are used on various kinds of articles. Quilting and patchwork are highly renowned textile crafts in Rajasthan. These techniques are employed in the creation of a variety of articles, starting from apparel to soft furnishings. 

The ralli or quilt is best known of all these items that involves patchwork and quilting. The ralli is made from white material, the top layer of which comprises new fabric. The lower folds that cannot be seen are made with old garments, an excellent instance of the thrifty nature of the artisans. The ralli is appliquéd in decorative designs with brightly coloured sections and cutout patterns.

As in many traditional societies, Rajasthani women lead somewhat restricted lives. With the exception of a few pastoral and tribal communities, their interactions are usually limited to the confines of their homes and villages. Embroidery, thus, becomes the expression of a woman's artistic temperament. In fact, activities focused within the household have led to development of a variety of arts and crafts. These are often leisure time activities, after the daily chores are done, around the home, in the fields and any other area that falls within their domain. It is then that the needles come out and ply busily until sundown.