Chikankari is a fine and intricate shadow-work
type of embroidery done by white yarn on
colorless muslins called tanzeb (tan meaning
body and zeb meaning decoration). The word
'chikan' according to one school of thought
appears to have had its origin in Persia,
being derivative of chakin or chakeen. It
may also be a distorted form of the work
chikeen or siquin, a coin valued at Rs.
4 for which the embroidery was sold. Another
explanation ascribes its origin to East
Bengal where the word chikan meant 'fine'.
The earliest reference in literature to
chikan dates back to the 3rd century B.C.
In his records Megasthenes, a Greek traveler,
had mentioned the use of flowered muslins
by the Indians.
Folklore attributes the origin of chikankari
to various sources. It is believed by many
craftsmen that a traveler while passing
through a village near Lucknow asked for
water from a poor peasant. Pleased with
his hospitality, the traveler taught him
the art of chikankari that would never allow
him to go hungry. The craftsmen believe
that the traveller was a prophet. Another
story imputes its origin to Queen Noor Jehan,
who inspired by Turkish embroidery, introduced
this needlework. The origin of this craft
is also ascribed to the harem's of Avadh's
Nawab where a seamstress from Murshidabad
embroidered a cap for the Nawab to please
him. Jealous of the attention she received
from the king, other inmates of the harem
followed her and thus the art of chikankari
was evolved.
Stitches
Stitches employed in chikankari are unique
and can be divided into three categories:
Flat stitches, which are delicate and subtle
and lie close to the surface of the fabric
giving it a distinctive textural appearance;
Embossed stitches which are highlighted
from the fabric surface lending it a characteristic
grainy texture and Jali work which is the
most striking feature of chikan embroidery
and which creates a delicate net effect.
The fabric is broken into holes by 'teasing'
the warp and weft yarns and holding them
in position by small stitches.
Process
The chikan industry has five main processes
namely cutting, stitching, printing, embroidery,
washing, and finishing. Cutting is carried
out in the lots of 20-50 garments. The layouts
are done to minimize wastage of materials.
Stitching, often done by the same person,
may be 'civil', done exclusively for higher
priced export orders or 'commercial', which
is done for cheaper goods. Printing is carried
out by the use of wooden blocks dipped in
dyes like neel and safeda. After this, the
fabric is embroidered by women. The last
process, which is washing and finishing,
takes about 10-12 days. This includes bleaching,
acid treatment, stiffening, and ironing.
The most common motif used is that of a
creeper. Individual floral motifs may embellish
the entire garment or just one corner. Among
the floral motifs embroidered, the jasmine,
rose, flowering stems, lotus and the paisley
motif are the most popular.
In recent years, the beautiful and wide
variety of stitches and designs that were
on the decline, have been revived. Concerted
efforts by government and various private
organizations have paid off and today the
art of chikankari is flourishing, enriching
both the domestic and export market.
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