Tuesday 3 December 2013

History of Chikankari



An exemplary legacy of India, Chikankari traces its origin way back during the Mughal rule around the 17th Century. The name chikan is said to be derived from the Persian word ‘Chikaan’ or ‘Chikeen’ meaning drapery or embroidered cloth.

The nawabs of Lucknow loved this art of hand embroidery and perhaps for that reason, Chikankari has with time become synonymous with Lucknow. It’s also believed that Noor Jahan, the wife of the Mughal emperor, Jahangir patronized this art. The famed ‘Awadhi Empire’ exemplified this form of embroidery as an icon of cultural refinement. 

Traditionally, the work was done on a white cotton fabric called muslin or malmal. Today, colored threads have been 
incorporated into the craft ana applied on different kinds of fabrics like chiffon,georgette,silk,chandari cotton,crepe.




Elegant Art This elegant form of embroidery is traditionally practised in and around the city of Lucknow 

Team Work The production of Chikan embroidery of Lucknow brings about an integrated effort of the artisans of embroidery as well as from its subsidiary activities 

Manufacturers 
Manufacturers are the main force of the chikan industry. estimates shows that about 5,000 manufacturers involved in the Lucknow city itself 

Embroiders
These hands are the heart and soul of the art. Once the printing of designs is over, the fabrics or dress materials are shifted to the chikan artisans. They are as many as 50,000 families involved in the craftwork. Majority of  these families are involved
 in the craftwork since generations and inherit the
 skill ancestrally. 

Wood block carvers
The designs of chikan are transferred to 
the fabric by means of carved woodblock 

Printers
 The printers job is to transfer the designs carved in the woodblocks onto the cloth 

Tailors
 Some specialised tailors are also used in the process. Once the stitching work is over, traders give it to the printers for printing different designs of the Lucknow chikan craft 

Washermen
They carry out the responsibility of refining the product and restoring the glaze of chikancraft 

For more details check our facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/saadgichikanstore
or mail us on :  saadgichikanstore@gmail.com

Sunday 17 November 2013

Chikan Embroidery

Chikan embroidery continues to be practiced as a handicraft, as all the workmanship is hand embroidery done by skilled karigars (workers). For those who like the royal taste, chikankari would certainly add to their personalities. The patterns and effects created depend on the types of stitches used on a particular garment , henceforth giving it a unique look. Finer the fabric, exclusive is the embroidery. Some varieties of the stitches commonly used are shadow work, funda , Ghas patti,Tepchi etc.