EMBROIDERIES OF SINDH
Introduction:
Bordering both India and Afghanistan, Pakistan shares a history of exquisite crafts that contribute to the creativity and diversity across cultures. Each craft exhibits the skills of the artisans as a source of inspiration and knowledge and represents the culture and traditions of different regions. Embroideries of Sindh are the richest in South Asia, and areas such as Tharparkar offer elements of splendor ranging from traditional garments to ornamentation pieces and home textiles. This blog is a collective representation of a diverse range of articles on textiles belonging to the Tharparkar district. Details of the featured craft pieces will be described, based on the embroidery, tools, and raw materials involved, as well as the symbolism and geographical influence.
FEATURED ARTICLES:
Geographical background:
As the southernmost province of Pakistan, Sindh comprises the Lower Indus valley and the delta of the Indus at the Arabian Sea. The variation in topography has influenced the development of several costume traditions and exceptional styles of embellished textiles. While stretching across the Cholistan Desert, Thar forms a natural boundary between the Great Rann of Kutch India and Tharparkar Pakistan. The Ghagra falls under Diplo, a village in the Tharparkar District, Sindh. The map below demonstrates neighboring villages, also referred to as the ‘talukas’ of Tharparkar, and have some similar embroideries due to cross-cultural influence.
As one of the largest deserts in the world, Tharparkar is home to nomadic pastoralists, artisans, and farmers including both Muslim and Hindu groups. The embroidery has a foundation of various clans mainly, Maheshwari, Meghwars, Rabaris, Suthars, Mochis, and Noorihas from the shared borders between India and Pakistan.
Climate:
With a tropical desert climate, Tharparkar experiences extremely high temperatures extending from dry spells to extremely hot weather conditions. Similar to the climate of other deserts, the nights at the Thar Desert are cooler while the days are hot. There is very little or no rain which results in the drying of lakes and thus results in the scarcity of water.
Culture and Traditions:
Trade and migration played a major role in influencing the culture of Sindh, and thus integrated the traditions, values, and embroideries from different regions. The dress traditions followed, alongside the costumes were associated with the Tharri Culture. Also, varied political influence was represented through the culture, norms, and beliefs linked with Tharparkar.
The Pacho Lohana Group in Diplo, Tharparkar is traced back to the Hindu Community and observes Hindu rituals and practices. Hindu deities such as Krishna and avatars of Vishnu were worshipped by this cast, alongside the worship of the Sun, which was a key aspect of the culture followed.
Articles of Clothing:
The Sindhi Gajj and the Meghwar Skirt or Ghagra are both designed as female garments. The heavily embroidered borders of the Ghagra and the front of the Gaj display various motifs with individual importance and symbolism.
The Gajj: Also referred to as the upper garment or a blouse, the Gajj is typically worn by the Thari women. The Gajj features a backless design that enables the air to pass through their body.
The Ghagra: Donated to the Textile Resource Center by a woman from the Meghwar Sindh Community, this article of clothing was anchored at the waist by a drawstring. Paired with a backless blouse coupled with a chundri red and green colored dupatta, the Ghagra is a set of bridal wear that dates back to the early 20th Century. It is associated with the Hindu Caste called the Pacho Lohana Group as well as the Meghwar Community.
Home Accessories and Animal Ornamentation:
The home accessories and animal ornaments are also part of the rich embroidered textiles and culture of Sindh. The articles featured above display the Thalposh and Andheri respectively.
The Andheri: As a piece of animal ornamentation, this craft was traditionally used to adorn horses. In most cases, this ornamentation piece was designed for the groom’s horse. The dense and heavily worked embroidery incorporated within the piece is historically linked to Diplo and Mithi in central Tharparkar.
The Thalposh: Traditionally referred to as the thalposh, or rumal in the local language, this piece itself can be used for multiple purposes as a coverlet or a wall hanging craft for a newlywed couple. The piece is most likely associated with Tharparkar or Mirpurkhas or Thar Desert region (Meghwar group).
Raw Material, Tools, and Process:
Each craft requires essential resources and raw materials, and similarly, hand-spun cotton, silk floss, and mirrors were significantly utilized in the production.
The process included a step by step procedure to obtain the embroidery patterns and motifs within the pieces. Traditionally, patterns created for embroidery purposes were drawn to the fabric by utilizing ‘wooden carved stamps’. By dipping the stamps into a mixture of a paste created by combining mud, powdered resin, and soot into the water, motifs were imprinted onto the fabric and the negative areas were filled with the embroideries.
Motif Identification:
The motifs composed within these pieces include elements from nature, ranging from the environment of the Meghwars and Lohanas; their culture, along with their values and traditions. The most common patterns induced within the design are listed below and mostly stem from the lives of the female artisans.
Circular Motifs are emphasized within the Gajj as well as the Andheri and Thalposh, as Central Medallions and the mirror work. The circular patterns are composed within geometric squares to signify the importance of the Sun as the source of light and energy. The Sun is also worshipped by the community hence the mirrors may symbolize its solar power and reflect the importance of religion. The pom-poms are added as value additions and indicate the shape of the circles within the overall piece.
Mirror work also plays a key role in each of the pieces and symbolizes the sun as a source of natural light, used as an essential feature in the embroidery of Tharparkar. The mirror reflects the superstitious beliefs affiliated with the culture, granting protection against the evil eye, magic, and superstitious energy.
In secluded areas such as deserts within the Tharparkar region, the utilization of mirrors was useful for identification and illumination. In terms of aesthetics and designs, mirrors generate shine and embellishment and add to its presentability and value. Furthermore, the mirrors highlight individual motifs and vary in sizes from imperceptible dots to pear-shaped discs up to 15mm.
Floral motifs reflect the importance of elements from nature and the surroundings, highlighting the appreciation for beauty. The Thalposh incorporates the flower medallion whereas the Ghagra also exhibits floral motifs within the border.
Superstitious beliefs and ideas associated with certain animals and symbols are reflected through the patterns and ornamentation styles. The Andheri primarily features stylized versions of scorpions through the Thar embroidery whereas the Ghagra demonstrates the stylization of peacocks and reflects ideas of power, fertility, and royalty. The stylization of motifs in each of the pieces incorporates geometric patterns, such as the use of triangular shapes as chevrons in the Ghagra symbolizing the flow of water and the significance of rivers.
Colors:
Against the barren dull-colored sand, the Tharri women present an anthology of vibrant colors extending from red, black, bright orange, purple, Aegean blue, white, and pink. It is important to note how the style or color of the garment and its pattern indicated the marital status of the women, and these pieces were usually gifted as dowry in the Meghwar Community.
The base fabric in most of the pieces is red, which is used significantly within these pieces while the motifs on top are presented in multiple contrasting colors. Not only the garments but the home accessories and the animal ornaments show a similar color palette, exhibiting a similar vein of cultural and geographical influence.
The ghagra utilizes additional colors such as orange, yellow, white, and black. The pink, purple, and green is also added as highlights and accents through the use of chemical dyes. The Andheri uses a combination of green, orange, blue, white, yellow, and black on the surface. Although the piece utilizes a range of vibrant colors that are referred to as ‘satrangi’ meaning 7 colors, the use of red is primarily evident and may be linked to its use for dowry or valuable gifts.
For the Gajj, the base color of the fabric used in the front is an almost fluorescent coral color that has off-white and indigo circular printed motifs on it. The back fabric is off-white base printed cotton which has indigo and coral colored printed motifs aligned in a brick repeat.
Embroidery:
The beliefs of the Thari people have highly influenced their embroidery according to the composition and motifs created. The pieces discussed have a series of various materials and stitches used which makes them exquisite and unique.
Originating in the subcontinent, a signature of Sindhi crafts is the portrayal of mirror work known as ‘shishay ka kaam’ in Urdu. This can be observed in the Andheri, Thalposh, Ghagra, and the Gajj where geometric patterns are highlighted through the use of mirrors.
In the Andheri, herringbone stitch can be observed in pink, yellow, and other vibrant colors. A chain of herringbone stitches is also observed within the Thalposh, and in the Gajj with the metallic gold wire.
The division of the grid is carried out through a closely embroidered satin stitch in black with the inner color changing throughout the design in the Andheri. The Satin Stitch is also extensively used for filling patterns in the Ghagra.
Embroidery observed on the Gajj from Thar narrates the heartfelt tale of the inherited concept that has been passed down generations as the mothers start working on bridal dowry items. Each section of the composition is divided with the couching technique. The couching utilizes the metallic gold wire to emphasize the patterns unlike the chain stitch utilized in the Andheri and Ghagra to create borders and separate the repeating motifs.
Conclusion:
Sindhi textiles and crafts display exuberant colors and techniques while representing cultural values and traditions. Whether it’s the Thalposh, Andheri, Gajj, or Ghagra, each featured piece reflects the creativity of the artisans and are highly valued. Collectively, each piece is heavily adorned with embroidery and designed exquisitely for brides and dowry purposes. The extraordinary use of colors adds a celebratory vibe to the pieces and creates emphasis on the patterns and motifs altogether.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
- Askari, N., 2001. Colors Of Indus: Costumes And Textiles Of Pakistan. Merrel.
- Askari, N., and Askari, H., 2019. The Flowering Desert. London: Paul Holberton Publishing.
- Dhamjia, Jasleen. Asian Embroidery. India: Abhinav Publications, 2004.
- “Hindu Deities”. 2020. En.Wikipedia.Org. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_deities.
- “Meghwals And Ahirs Of Kutch — Dastkari Haat Samiti — Google Arts & Culture”. 2020. Google Arts & Culture.https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/meghwals-and-ahirs-of-kutch%C2%A0-dastkari-haat-samiti/RAJyCRkTbDtcJw?hl=en.
- Nasreen Askari, Rosemary Crill. Colors of Indus — Costume, and Textiles of Pakistan. London: Merrell Holberton Publishers, 1997.
