Kasuti embroidery

Born in 7th century Uttara Karnataka, Kasuti is centred today around the region of Dharwad. Originally, the delicate geometric embroidery was used only on the fabrics worn in the royal court of Mysore. It later came to embellish black ilkal saris gifted to brides on their wedding day, making its way into the cultural life of Uttara Kannada.

The word ‘Kasuti’ is a compound of two words, rooted in the Kannada lexicon--‘kai’ and ‘suti’. ‘Kai’ means hand and ‘suti’ means cotton or thread. Today, the design is first block-printed onto the fabric. The artisan then embroiders over the outline, which is later washed off.

The embroidery continues to be done by women, and features motifs drawn from the surroundings. Common religious motifs include temples, or the ceremonial rath. Animal motifs include elephants, deer, and swans. Floral motifs are most commonly jasmine, marigold and chrysanthemum. Motifs drawn from village life typically draw on the kolam or rangoli art of Karnataka.

Kasuti embroidery has seen a decline in recent decades, with a reducing number of artisans who continue to practice the form. Cheaper, machine-made imitations of Kasuti abound, meaning that only discerning consumers are willing to pay for the traditional art form.

In the last few years, however, there are small communities in Dharwad where efforts are being made to train women in this embroidery and to encourage them to see it as a viable source of income. It is these efforts that your purchase of a Kasuti product from Aalayam supports.

Shop Aalayam’s collection of Kasuti embroidery on silk and cotton saris.

Aari embroidery

Done in Jammu & Kashmir, Aari embroidery is locally known as zalakdozi and dates back to the 12th century. Cotton or silk thread is used for embroidery on garments, to create bold, elaborate motifs, including floral patterns, paisleys, and leaves.

The fabric to be embroidered is first printed with the design to be embroidered and then stretched on a frame. Aari embroidery is done with a pen-like hooked needle that resembles a crochet hook, held in one hand. It is inserted from the top, and the other hand held below the fabric, feeds the thread from the underside. The hook brings it up, making a chainstitch. Embroiderers use ‘nyath’ to protect their fingers.

Shop Aalayam’s collection of Aari embroidery on silk and cotton saris.

Tilla embroidery

Tilla is a type of needlepoint embroidery, originally done using real silver or gold, Today, however, it uses copper thread, plated with 18k gold or 92.5 sterling silver. This increases the craft’s accessibility, in an effort to undo an ongoing decline in demand for this beautiful art form, which happens to be one of Aalayam’s personal favourites.

While a Tilla sari evokes the look of a perennial Kanjeevaram or Banarasi, the three-dimensional embroidery has a luxurious, bejewelled appearance that is unique to the craft.

The process of Tilla begins with the naquash, who draws the design on tracing paper, and then initiates trombun—a process of perforating this paper with a specialized needle,  Next is chaamp traavun—the tracing paper is placed with care on the cloth, weighted down and a cloth with ink is swiped over it, transferred the design onto the cloth.

The printed cloth is then given to an artisan who stretches it onto a frame and embroiders the design using two threads: one cotton, and one copper—the latter plated with 18k gold or 92.5 sterling silver.

Shop Aalayam’s collection of Tilla embroidery on silk and cotton saris.

Zari embroidery

Zari embroidery, though superficially similar to Tilla, is strikingly different. It is done using silk thread covered with a metallic colouring. This means that the thread is thin and pliable, and can be used to create uniquely intricate and delicate motifs. It is done using a needle a smaller version of that used in Aari, which gives it an ethereal, filigree-like look. Zari also appears flat, as one with the fabric, giving the appearance of being a part of the weave—in contrast to Tilla’s embossed finish.

The process of naquashi, and subsequent stages, are similar to the other traditional Kashmiri hand embroideries.

Shop Aalayam’s collection of Zari embroidery on silk saris.

Sozni embroidery

This delicate, sophisticated needlepoint embroidery is from the region of Jammu & Kashmir.

It is done in satin stitch, using a tiny 1” needle on fine fabric—traditionally pashmina shawls. It is now also done on crepe silk and other fine, smooth fabrics.

There are several stages in the process of creating a work of Sozni art. First, the printer or naquash transfers the design to be embroidered onto graph paper. Based on this design, a specialist wood carver prepares a wooden block, for the naquashi or printing. The printed garment is then taken to a tarah-guru—a master artisan who decides whether the colours we have chosen are suitable for the embroidery, and replaces them at his expert discretion.

 The voste is responsible for collaborating with us, and discussing any changes in the design made by the tarah-guru. The garment is then taken to the artisan or group of artisans who actually complete the embroidery, and are responsible for the minutiae of the final colour combinations when several colours are used. The result is an often stunning display of an interplay of colours done with very fine, dense stitches that look rather like the fine brushstrokes of a painting.

Shop Aalayam’s collection of Sozni embroidery on silk and cotton saris.

Bhil Adivasi art

Traditionally, Bhil art decorated the clay walls of homes in the Bhil community of Western Madhya Pradesh. Large, un-lifelike shapes of everyday characters painted with neem sticks and other twigs, with natural dyes from turmeric, flour, vegetables, leaves and oil, conveyed the community’s experiences and lives.

The paintings are filled in with earthy, yet bright colours, then covered with an overlay of uniform dots in patterns and colours that contrast against the background. The dots on a Bhil painting are not random, but are used by individual artists to represent anything they wish, from ancestors and deities, to constellations in the night sky. Because these patterns are akin to a signature of the artists who create them, the work of every Bhil artist is unique.

Shop Aalayam’s collection of Bhil art on silk and cotton saris.

Gond Adivasi art

This form of art was originally painted as an invitation to good fortune on the mud huts of the Gond tribal community. Motifs were drawn from the surrounding forests, and from the community’s myths and legends. 

Gond art uses fine and curved lines to imbue still images with a sense of movement. Dots and dashes further enhance this dynamism, and add to the details of the imagery. Other techniques include patterns of fish scales, drops of water and geometrical shapes. Bright colours are typically used.

Earlier paints were naturally derived from charcoal, coloured soil, plant sap, mud, flowers, leaves and even cow dung. Today, Gond artists largely use commercially available acrylic paints to paint on fabric.

Shop Aalayam’s collection of Gond art on silk and cotton saris.