A Presentation on

Traditional Indian Embroidery

KANTHA & sujANi

iNTRODuCTiON

India has a rich heritage of the Art, Music,Dance, Sculpture, Architecture, Carpentry,Metalwork, Paintings, Embroidery and so on.Among them Indian embroidery expressesunity in diversity because the art of embroideryexhibited by Indians who lived widely regionwise.

HisTORY

Bangladesh is the country which appeared on the map just 25 yrs. ago, KANTHAS have been made in the area, using the same technique and motifs, for centuries. Traditionally a Kantha is made of old used cloth, generally a worn out sari; it is also essentially a domestic item, made by poor women for domes tic use rather than display. Only recently has Kantha making been “discovered”, and is now considered to be a craft worth preserving and interest has been revived in traditional motifs and colors.

Introduction

Kantha is a fascinating household craft, practiced by the rural women of Bengal, is also the most creative of all embroidery styles in this part of India. Previously the artistic fineness of kantha was manifested on layers of old cotton dhotis or saris on which the embroidery was done with threads drawn out from the sari or dhoti border. The number of layers used to vary according to the use for which the kantha was meant. Kantha is characterised by the patterned running stitches. The kantha in its simplest form was used for laying newborn babies in the courtyard while they were massaged with mustard oil. The idea of using this embroidery commercially, originated more in urban groups.

HisTORY Of KANTHAThe Sanskrit word kontha means 'rags.' One legend links their origins to Lord Buddha and his disciples, who used to cover themselves with garments made from discarded rags that were patched and sewn together. Rags displayed at Indian shrines or tied to tree limbs symbolize prayers and wards off the evil eye. The oldest Kantha date from the early 1800s and is embroidered with blue, black and red threads that were unraveled from sari borders. Because they were salvaged from used garments that had been frequently laundered, the colors tend to be muted.

The oldest reference to Kantha is in Sri Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita" by Krishnadas Kaviraj Which was written some 500 years back. Kantha was said to be a lady's self expression. The real Kantha narrates a story, the emotions and the life of the artist.

PROCeDuRe :The Kantha embroidery of West Bengal has for its base discarded sarees piled on top of one another and quilted. The thread for the stitches is drawn from the old saree borders. The design is first traced, then covered over with running stitches. Kantha, has limitless designs, for every woman who works on it can make almost any innovations that she fancies. But some basic traditional designs usually figure in the work. Another style of Kantha has a border with a repeat design done in darning stitch giving it almost a weave. A good bit of Kantha is done in white thread on a white background. To bread the monotony of this perhaps, use is made of open work by drawing out threads or pulled stitches and pierced hole, that is cut ornamentation.

Places Of Practise :Kantha are basically produced in Hugli , Satagon , Faridpur , Jessor and other parts of East and West Bengal .

Topographic ClassificationBihar

(Sujani)Gujrat

(Gudri)

Types Of Embroideries

The old and discarded cotton saris or dhotis were piled upon top of each other , quilted and embroidered.

Quilted by using the discarded cotton bed spreads and the embroidery was done

with silk thread .

Colours

n

Stitches

The colors used are red , green , black and blue .

The simple running stitch was earlier used to join all the layers of cotton material together .Later other stitchesenhanced the surface enrichment . Fewmore stitches like Back stitch , Satin stitch and Herringbone were alsointroduced

The basic stitch used is running stitch , though a wide :variation f this simple stitch is also applied and these are

Reinforced stitch : It is normally used few outlines where parallel rows of running stitch are worked , keeping equal titch size .

Terchi : The running stitch are worked in a step form to reate a diagonal , used more for filling .

sTiTCHes useD :

Baspatta : It forms a V shape for filling of motifs

Vajra : It is like a spiral used for depicting centers or radiation.

Chatai : It gives a checker board effect and number of stitches in each unit is equal .

Interlacing thread : A thread is passed though running stitches is used for outlines .

MOTifs :Each Kantha is unique and no two are same . Their inspiration may be same but the interpretation is different .

Kantha was considered to be representation of the universe where Lotus was the central motif with hundred petals and was termed as“Satadal Padma” on 4 corners where trees depicting stages of life and were known as “Jiban Vriksha”

From Epics & Folk Tales :

THe MOTifs CAN be ClAssifieD As :

Scenes from Ramayana and Mahabharata etc . A common sceneis the fight between Rama and Ravana , where Ram is standingon the chariot & Ravana on the ground .

Flora and Fauna :Lotus Floral Creepers , Neem Leaf , Star shaped flowers ,Tamarind flowers .

Religious Tantrik:

Sun , Moon , Water , deities with their vahanas Eg: Mushak and Ganesh .

Vajra , Swastik , Spiral ( In center ) :

Vajra SwastikSpiral

Everyday Articles :

cissors , Umbrella , Bothi ( Curved Knife ) Beetleut cutter ( Jati ) , Tongs ( Beri ) , Hand Fan ( Kula )

Mirror , Comb Je , Vesselsm etc .

Social Scenes :Depicted scenes from daily ife like Jamindar collectingaxes , man rejoicing under ree of life soldiers with guns

fishers in boats .

…… there are different types of Kantha named according to its utility . According to Jasleen Dhamijathere are seven types of Kanthas……

Arshilate :Used as cover for Mirror , comb ,and other such toilet articles . It is a narrow rectangular piece of8” wide and 12” length . It has wider border and a central motif is taken from scenes ofKishan leele . The Lotus , trees , creepers etc .

bAiTON :

A three feet square piece serves as a warp for books andother similar valubles . It has a central motif , usualy themotif with hundred petals called “Satadal padma” . The other motif commonly seen are water pots , trees , birds , Chariot , human figures etc.

DuRjANi KANTHA :Also known as Thalia . It is a square piece Kantha , a central lotus motif with an elaborated border . The three corners of this piece are drawn together inward to make the tips to touch at the centre and are sewn together like an envelope . It has open flap to which a string , tussle or a decorated thread is either stitched or mechanically fixed .

leP KANTHA :

A relatively thick quilt , having more numbers of layers , placedOn top of each other to provide warmth during winter season .Simple running embroidery is used .

OAAR : The Katha serves as Pillow Cover . It is a rectangular piece whose size is about 2’ and ½’ . Simple designs like trees , creepers , birds etc .

RuMAl : Rumal is nothing but a hankerchief and is the smallest among all the Kanthas . Lotus is the core and other motifs embroidered around it . Sometimes plant and animal motifs are also embroidred .

NAKsHi KANTHANakshi Kantha or embroidered quilt is a folk art of Bangladesh and West Bengal, India that has been passed down through generations.[1] The art has been flourishing in rural Bengal for centuries] The name nakshi kantha became particularly popular among literate people after the publicaton of Jasimuddin's poem Naksi Kanthar Math

The colourful patterns and designs that are embroidered resulted in the name “Nakshi Kantha”- derived from the Bengali word “naksha” which refers to artistic patterns.[

The early kanthas were of white ground reinforced with red, blue and black embroidery; later yellow, green, pink and other colours were also included.

The running stitch called kantha stitch is the main stitch used for the purpose.[

Traditionally kantha used to be produced for the use of the family. Today after the revival of the nakshi kantha these are produced commercially and have gained popularity.

Generally large rectangular piece of 3’ / 6’ , used as a spread during ceremonial occasions . The rectangular piece is divided into nine equal parts and the motifs are distributeed in all these equal sized ractangular blocks . The motifs are scenes are from Ramayana , Mahabharata , folk tales etc .

sujANi :

It has probably some thing to do with their symbolic meaningThe patterns are scenes from every day life, from a bride in a palanquin to a palanquin to a boy flying a kite, from fishes swimming to peacock dances

These scenes have a flavour of the local folk paintings. Ritualistic figures are also made like Durga in sombre brown, ochre and black, with many arms, riding a tiger taut with ferocity. In striking contrast is Manasa Devi in glowing rainbow hues.

ProcedureThe sujani is a special quilt made in Bihar similar to the kantha of Bengal.

A number of old worn-out saris and dhotis are stitched together with white (sometimes coloured) threads drawn from borders of sarees.After the quilting is done, the central portion is stitched with coloured thread from borders or old dyed material, with the result that it is attractively worked with various motifs and designs.

Sometimes the embroidery is worked right through with cotton yarn, the ornamentation being in chain stitch while the background is filled with running stitch in a scale pattern.

Sample

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Sujan

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Apparel . . .

HOME D

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bibliOgRAPHYTraditional Embroideries of India –Shjaila D. Naik

Google search likewww.indian-embroidery.comwww.folkartmarket.orgwww.chitralakshana.comwww.handicraftswholesaler.com

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