INDIGENOUS CRAFT BELONGING TO SINDH, PAKISTAN
Compiled By: Ayesha Alam, Ayesha Malik, Bakhtawar Talpur and Eysha Kashif
Introduction:
Pakistan is one of the most culturally rich country, comprising of different languages, traditions and festivities. Sindh is a resourceful land, where civilizations like indus valley, Harappa etc were discovered; in fact, history begins with them. Tharparkar, also known as Thar, is a district located in the south of Pakistan’s Sindh province, which is headquartered at Mithi, appearing to be the largest in Sindh. Geographically, it is enclosed by three districts as the district Umerkot and district Mirpur Khas are towards the North-Western side of Tharparkar, whereas, Badin joins the boundaries of the Tharparkar on its western side. The border of India is towards the eastern side of Tharparkar and the Rann of Kutch.
Embroidery is a set combination of stitches, pattern and color in which folk style is deeply inspired by religious ideas and spiritual experiences. Embroidery is a rich tradition which dates back to pre-historic times.
A striking depiction of a patterned cloth from the Mohenjo-Daro is seen in the stone statue of a bearded man, possibly a priest, wearing a garment with distinctive trefoil design which is said to represent printed Ajrak (a form of Block printing found in Sindh -Pakistan Kutch-in India, Barmer and Rajasthan-India. The Shalwls made from such block printing have special designs and patterns which over the years have become symbol of Sindhi culture and traditions) or embroidery this sculpture confirms that patterned cloth was in use in the Indus Valley at this early date.
The folk embroideries of Sindh used to be done on different textile articles including shirts, head wear, animal ornamentation etc. The embroideries were done by the women of these regions as a labor of love for their families and animals. The embroidery is still done in these regions and is also used for commercial purposes now since they also need sustain their livelihood. Although the techniques, design elements and usage of these articles are similar, each community has a unique touch in terms of colors, motifs, etc.
Embroidery Stitches:
The embroideries of Tharparkar are done in two basic styles, the Pakkoh and the Kacho or Soof. Pakkoh is a style of dense, heavily worked embroidery that has historically been linked to the areas surrounding Diplo and Mithi in central Tharparkar. Pakkoh embroidery technique is done on all of the four textile pieces.
Culture:
Sindh is a culturally rich province, deriving its culture and craft from its surroundings. It is a province where many Sufi saints come from, furthermore it is also a province within which one the most ancient civilization existed, Indus Valley Civilization. When we talk about Sindh, we also furthermore talk about the influences that come from various places and people. The colors are also derived from its surroundings. However, Tharparker is one of the most welcoming and least developed areas of Pakistan but it continues to produce some of the most amazing folk embroideries. The majority of its inhabitants are tightly knit groups artisans and farmers from both, Muslim and Hindu communities. There are many different castes in this desert where textile functions as a nonverbal form of communication for them. Whereas motifs, colors and compositions signify an individual group identity. The women of Sindh used to do intricate embroideries as part of their daily rituals. The women would sit together in groups or by themselves to embroider these pieces with love and affection in their free time.
The dress code in Tharparker depicts a quintessential Sindhi style. Shalwar kameez (a pair of light, loose, pleated trousers that fits around the ankles,worn alongside a long shirt-kammez by South Asian men and women) is worn by men. But the Thari women are a bit more lavish in their dress wear. Ghararas (Petticoats), Cholis (a short-sleeved bodice worn under a sari) are worn at festive occasions. Their dresses designed for both daily wear and for special occasions are entirely embroidered as shown in fig:5.
The Thari music is also being inspired by Rajasthani music, though it has its own feel and music. Thar Desert is very rich in culture, folk music, folk dance, colorful traditional dresses, and jewelry. Tharparkar natives have a few folk dances including Dandan Rand, Mitco, Chakar Rand and Rasooro. The art of carving and art created by camel hair can be found in abundance in the region of Tharparkar.
Climate:
The climate of Sindh tends to be hot mostly, hence the clothes were made accordingly. People here wear ornamented clothes while also designing them according to their comfort. Since the district is a tropical dessert, during summer days, the weather is extremely hot (April, May, June) while nights are cooler (December, January, February). Not much rainfall is reported and since 1997, highest recorded rainfall was 1306mm in 2011. Since quite some time Tharparker is experiencing droughts due to which it has been labelled by the Sindh Government as a drought effected area. Consequently, agriculture is barely possible and livelihood depends upon livestock. Sheep are an important livestock for them in terms of food and wool gained from it with three million kg wool being produced annually and hence, handicraft is also a great source of livelihood for them.
Handicrafts:
Handicrafts of Tharparkar are renowned and mostly include Rillies (traditional quilts), Pottery, Puppet making, Carpet making, Block Printing, Cobbling, Embroidery, Mirror work etc.
Furthermore, in embroidery, small mirrors are usually attached on a tight double Buttonhole Stitch and provide focal point on the overall pattern. Originally, pieces of naturally occurring mica were used but now mirrored glass is specially manufactured. The ground fabric which is cotton or silk is either almost covered with embroidery or sometimes completely covered with embroidery. Most of the time even when the ground fabric is worn away, ythe embroidery yet remains intact hence the name of this embroidery is Pakkoh which means strong. Pakkoh embroidery consists of a combination of closely packed Double Buttonhole, Square Chain, Interlaced Square Chain, Couched, Satin and Stem stitches.
Gajj:
A Gajj is backless shirt worn by the women of Thar to deal with the harsh heat of the region. Ornamented as it is, it is also a smart way to keep it backless to avoid heat and for the air to pass through. Since they wear Dupattas (a cloth of length, worn in two folds over the chest, and head, then, thrown back around the shoulders) on their heads that already covers their back, they did not need an additional piece of fabric at the back to avoid extra heat. Although these people worked with whatever they found from their surroundings, they tried to make the best out of it for their loved ones and for themselves. The chosen article is also a Gajj but it is a fully ornamented Gajj with a back. Design and culture alters with time, if it’s designed for a different types of customers. In this case, it is assumed that the Muslim population of Sindh also started wearing Gajj while also having a back, taking into consideration the religious context. This is an example of how design intervention or just simply designs works. It changes according to its customers, what we really have to be careful about is the craft itself to remain intact in this case it’s Pakko embroidery done on a shirt article.
Thalposh:
A coverlet is traditionally used for covering food items and sending to relatives, neighbors or for personal use. Thalposh (a coverlet) which in Interior Sindh is mostly used as a dowry cloth, is made by a bride’s mother for her wedding. It is a fancy embroidered cloth used for ceremonial, festive purposes, where the base fabric of the coverlet is cotton and the material used for ornamentation is “Silk Floss’’ (Kacha Resham in Urdu). This textile piece is rectangular in shape with a base color of Maroon in front and Plum Purple at the back. The back is attached with a lining of block printed pattern of circles on it. The colors used for embroidery include Black, Yellow, Purple, Olive Green, and Brown with Black outlines making a motif prominent.
Bujki:
A purse or an envelope shaped dowry bag that has been traditionally made by grandmothers and mothers of a daughter’s family, since the time she is born; they start to collect it for her dowry. The Bujki is often tied around with a cord or a thread and its motifs come from the surroundings. The base of Bujki is of Cotton, made in Plain Weave and the threads used on it are of Cotton and Silk Floss (Katcha Resham in Urdu).The finishing options (pompom’s are made of Cotton material) adding value to the piece. The color palette of the piece include Off-White, Yellow, Green, Red, Maroon and Black.
Doshalo:
Doshalo is the most outstanding wedding garment, a large mordant-dyed and resist printed Cotton shawl, embroidered in the Pakkoh style by the bride and her family for the wedding day. On their wedding day, the groom throws Doshalo over his shoulder which is given to him by his female family members. He continues to wear it with the ends thrown forward over his shoulders on his way to the bride’s house for all the festive rituals. Occasionally, it can also be worn around his head as a Turban but mostly it is worn like a shawl. The Meghwar community, who produces these pieces of Doshalo, are professional embroiderers, leather workers, tanners, builders and farmers who do the embroidery work in Tharparkar for their bride groom and these shawls are densely embroidered in a distinctive Pakkoh style at both ends and the four corners. The image above portrays what a Doshalo looks like and image below shows how it can be worn by men.
The two apparel pieces that can be worn are Doshala and Gajj. Doshala is shawl worn by men with Shalwar Kammez (a pair of light, loose, pleated trousers that fits around the ankles,worn alongside a long shirt-kameez by South Asian men and women), however Gajj is worn by women with Ghagra and Odhni on head as shown in the figures above.
Similar Motifs in the pieces:
Floral:
These motifs symbolize fertility and prosperity for the newlyweds in all over the district of Tharparkar. The flowers represented on the Meghwar Doshalo and Bokano are usually renditions of dedirions of desert flowers shown in fig 2, most commonly the Golharho (Coccinia Cordifolia) and Rohirho (Rechoma Undulaca), embroidered in the Pakkoh style using combination stiches like Elongated Square Chain, Interlaced Square Chain, Double Buttonhole and Satin Stitches. The flowers are predominantly Red, Orange and White Floss Silk or Cotton thread with centrally placed mirrors. These floral motifs can be seen on all pieces (Gajj, Talposh, Bujki and Doshalo).
Geometric Pattern:
Geometric shapes such as Squares, Diamonds, Circles, Semi-Circles, Triangles can be seen in all four articles (Gajj, Talposh, Bujki and Doshalo).These geometric shapes repeat in such a way that it forms a pattern and these shapes often come from the surrounding such as a circle representing the Sun.
Doshala : Circles,Diamonds with Squares are mini Traingles are seen in a straight row.
Peacock:
Peacock motifs are the most renowned motifs of Tharparker, found all over the region. The peacock is a metaphor for a groom who comes to claim his bride from her parents. The peacock is referred as a noble bird, it is the embodiment of good and is often represented as a vehicle for Saraswasti in Hindu community (goddess of wisdom, poetry and the arts). This motif can be seen on Doshalo and Thalposh.
Botton Hole stitch:
Buttonhole Stitch, otherwise called Kaaj Silai is the stitch commonly used to embellish round ornaments, rings and mirrors onto a base fabric. The needle is inserted at the top of the stitch that is being made and then it is made to emerge next to the lower limit of the stitch. The needle is brought out over the working thread, so forming a long straight stitch with a looped edge on the lower line. This stich has been used in all four pieces, (Gajj, Talposh, Bujki and Doshalo).
Satin-Stich:
The Satin Stitch is a widely used embroidery technique worked in close, parallel row. The stitch is worked by carrying the thread across the space to be filled and returning underneath the material next to the stitch just made. The process is repeated until the area is filled in and is locally known as Atlas Silai or Mosum. This stich can be seen in Gajj,Talposh and Doshalo.
Running-Stich:
Running Stitch, also known as Straight Stitch, is termed as Rawan Bakhiya in the local language. A simple embroidery stitch in which the needle is passed in and out of the fabric in a series of even stitches in a straight row. This stitch is present in Thalposh and Doshalo.
Stiches in each piece:
Gajj:
Chain Stich (outlining of geometric shapes) and Buttonhole Stich (Kaaj Silai in Urdu) with open chain stich is done in fillings of geometric shapes giving an embossed look. Zigzag Chain Stitch, Rosette Chain, Marori and Satin Stich.
Thalposh:
Double Buttonhole Stitch around the mirrors to hold it together onto the piece and in floral motifs (Kaaj Silai in Urdu), Square Chain Stitch (floral motifs), Interlaced Square Chain (floral motifs), Couched, Satin and Stem Stitch in fillings of geometric shapes and floral motifs.
Bujki:
Chain stitch (geometric shapes), French knots (near mirrors) (called Francicsi Gira in Urdu), Romanian (within two yellow circular strips within the mandalian), and Button hole (Kaaj Silai in Urdu) in fillings of floral motifs.
Doshalo:
Buttonhole Stitch (Kaaj Silai in Urdu) is used to embellish mirrors onto the fabric. French knots (Francicsi Gira in Urdu) are used around the mirrors and flowers as decorative stitches used to create one or more small knots or dots on the ground material. Running Stitch (Rawan Bakhiya in local language) is used to divide the geometric patterns, Satin and Surface Satin Stitch for the filling of Black and White floral motifs, Interlacing Stitch (Kheelo in Urdu) dividing the embroidery into two symmetrical halves and Fly stitch (Perwaz Silai in Urdu) separating the central embroidered area with the borders at both ends.
Conclusion:
The villagers of Tharparker express their feelings by using vibrant colors and symbolic motifs within their embroidery. All four textile pieces have their own distinct identity and significance. The style of embroidery is carried out from one generation to another. Even if it’s evolving with time, its value should remain intact as it reflects the respective society’s individuality. It is not only an appealing work of craft but also sets a great example for labor of love.
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