Phulkari
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Phulkari, an embroidery technique from the Punjab in India, literally means flower working, which was one time used for word embroidery, but in course of time, word “Phulkari” became restricted to embroidered head cloth/odini. Simple and sparsely embroidered odini and shawls, made for everyday use, are called Phulkaris, whereas garments that cover the entire body are made for special and ceremonial occasions are known as Baghs (Garden).
[edit] Overview
Phulkaris and Baghs were worn by women all over Punjab during marriage festivals and other joyous occasions. They were embroidered by the women for their own use and use of other family members and were not for sale in the market. Thus, it was purely a domestic art which not only satisfied their inner urge for creation but brought color into day to day life. In a way, it was true folk art. Custom had grown to give Phulkaris and Baghs to brides at the time of marriages. Some best Phulkaris and Baghs are known to have been made in Hazara and Chakwal, areas of Northern Punjab.
Some scholars feel that the art of Phulkari came from Iran where it is known as “Gulkari”. Some feel it came from Central Asia along with Jat tribes who migrated to India and settled in Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat. There is reference of Phulkari in Vedas, Mahabharat, Guru Granth Sahib and folk songs of Punjab.
The main characteristics of Phulkari embroidery are use of darn stitch on the wrong side of coarse cotton cloth with coloured silken thread. Punjabi women created innumerable alluring and interesting designs and patterns by their skilful manipulation of the darn stitch. The base khaddar cloth used in Western Punjab is finer from those of Central Punjab. Black/blue are not preferred in Western Punjab, whereas white is not used in East Punjab. In West Punjab, 2 or 3 pieces of cloth are first diapered and joined together. In East Punjab, they are joined together first and then embroidered.
In Phulkari embroidery ornaments the cloth, whereas in Bagh, it entirely covers the garment so that the base cloth is not visible. The end portion of pallav of Phulkari have separate panels of exquisite workmanship of striking design.
The most favoured colour is red and its shades, because Bagh and Phulkari are used during marriage and other festivals. Red is considered auspicious by Hindus and Sikhs. Other colours are brown, blue , black, white. White was used in Bagh by elderly ladies. Silk thread in strands came from Kashmir, Afghanistan and Bengal. The best quality silk came from China.
No religious subject or darbar scenes were embroidered. Phulkari encompassed life in the villages. Creative ability of Punjabi women has produced innumerable and intricate geometrical patterns. However, most motifs were taken from everyday life. Wheat and barley stalk with ears are a common motif.
International Phulkari Conference
May 26, 2008
LAHORE - A two-day "International Phulkari Conference" is being held at a local hotel on May 27 and 28 in which leading experts form India and Pakistan shall deliberate in detail on different aspects of this historical embroidery of Punjab.
According to an official handout issued on Monday, the Commerce and Investment Department, Government of the Punjab and The Heritage Association have joined together to organize this event.
The main idea is to project and promote this age-old heritage of Punjab, which has been a source of livelihood and joy for many centuries together. The stakeholders not only make a living out of this art but also gain spiritual strength through its making. Phulkari is also mentioned in history books and is also present in the folklores of Punjab. Lately, this art of embroidery has been revived by the people who have extensively written and projected Phulkari in the modern day dresses.
Phulkari has various styles and designs but each has its own individual importance; the design is in the minds of the Punjabi girls, who carefully develop the masterpiece, stitch by stitch, selecting the colour schemes as it progresses along. Phulkari designs cannot be copied or traced, they emanate from imagination of beauty and holiness stitched together to create a masterpiece. Phulkari is of sentimental value and is respected for the thought woman love infused into cloth, stitch by stitch. Today we find Phulkari being revived through different efforts. The government of the Punjab, realizing the importance of this heritage, has put together the event of the next two days in collaboration with the Heritage Association and other stakeholders to further the cause and promote its awareness. The inaugural ceremony shall be chaired by the Senior Minister Punjab, Raja Riaz Ahmed. People will witness Phulkari in its various forms from all over Punjab. Distinguished guests from India will also attend and address the function. Along with the Indian guests next two days of conference shall bring forth a display of different Phulkari art being created by the Punjabi woman. The Commerce & Investment department expects to enhance awareness about Pulkari and its valuable contribution as a revered product of Punjab. Commerce and Investments Departments and The Heritage Association have also invited prominent experts who have been associated with the art for decades. These personalities shall be sharing their views on the subject.
Phulkari a geographical indication of Punjab
LAHORE - Senior Minister Punjab, Raja Riaz Ahmad, has said that the registration of different cultural products and crops as "Geographical Indications" would help in preserving age-old heritage, saving economic interests of artisans and highlighting the indigenous products of Pakistan at the global level. It is heartening that Commerce & Investment Department is currently running a project entitled "Registration of Geographical Indications" to ensure registration of specific products of Punjab as a Geographical Indications that fulfil the criteria of being a GI as laid down in the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) under World Trade Organization (WTO). The project has identified certain products from Punjab for registration as a GI, namely; Basmati Rice, Punjab Heritage products including Phulkari, Chiniot wood work, Gujrat Pashmina, Sharakpur Guava, Multan Mango, Sargodha Kinnows and other Livestock Breeds. He was addressing the inaugural session of a two-day international conference on Phulkari here at a local hotel on Tuesday. The conference has been arranged by Commerce and Investment Department in collaboration with Heritage Association. Experts from India have also been invited to share their own experiences and cultural dimensions. The Senior Minister maintained that Phulkari is a Geographical Indication of Punjab which is an important intellectual property right of its stakeholders. "Phulkari has its history in the Indus civilization and so many styles of Phulkari have been developed, but styles of Punjabi Phulkari are more significant and because of this signification, Phulkari has become a distinctive, signifier in our literature, folklore, and folksongs."
Phulkari historical embroidery, which finds mention in the Vedas, Mahabharata, Guru Granth Sahib, Heer Waris Shah and folklores of Punjab, is important and valuable for the stakeholders who have kept the tradition alive for centuries. Raja Riaz disclosed that Trade Registrar of the federal Government has approved the basmati rice product as the first geographical indication.
The Secretary Commerce and Investment, Tahir Raza Naqvi, President Heritage Hamid Malhi and Rabnawaz also addressed on this occasion. Later, two technical sessions were also held which were addressed by Miss Iffat Batool, Miss Nusrat Batool and Qurat-ul-ain of WENGAAR, Dr Deepak Manmohan Singh, Saif ur Rehman, Dr Zafar Altaf, Dr Sutinder Singh Noor, Salahud din and Dr Vanita anchanda who dwelled upon various aspects of Phulkari.
