Chikankari (Hindi: चिकन की कढ़ाई, चिकनकारी) is a traditional embroidery style from Lucknow, India. The muted, yet magnificent Chikankari of Lucknow has stood the test of time. The embroidery, treasured by yesteryear royals and contemporary designers alike, is a reflection of aesthetic choices, craftsmanship and inventiveness over the ages.
There are some speculations though, about the origin of Chikankari embroidery. The word ‘Chikan’ is derived from the Persian ‘chikin’ or ‘chikeen,’ meaning beautifully embroidered fabric. One set of narratives attribute the name to a distorted version of ‘chikeen’/’siquin’ – a coin worth four rupaiyya, the fees paid by the Mughal Empress Nur Jahan to Persian artisans for the first embroidery. Some other accounts trace the origins of Chikankari to East Bengal where the word means ‘fine’ or ‘delicate.’
There is also a tale that mentions how a traveler taught Chikankari to a peasant in return of water to drink. The most popular origin story credits Noor Jahan, Mughal empress and wife of Jahangir, with introducing Chikankari to India.
Chikankari Embroidery Technique, a painstaking process
Chikankari is an ancient form of white floral embroidery, intricately worked with needle and raw thread on a variety of fabrics like cotton, muslin, silk, organza etc. First, the fabric is cut by a tailor into the required garment shape, after which the basic pre-embroidery stitching is done so that the correct shape is available to the block-printer to plan the placement of the design. The design (pattern to be embroidered) is printed on the semi-stitched garment with a mix of ‘neel’ powder and gond (gum). Color containing trays are covered with a bamboo frame. On top of this a felt piece is kept to avoid excessive sticking of color. Through this the color is picked up in appropriate amount by the portion of the block that is to be printed. The color dries off very quickly, making the garment ready for its next stage – embroidery! Some of the block patterns are called chadi, patti, golbooti, gutka, kairi (paisley) in their local language.
References
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