Traditional Embroideries in India

Indian dresses reflect the ethnicity of culture of India. The typical Indian attires will be found heavily embroidered and brocaded. The traditional embroideries of India are now fused with some modern fashion trends. As a result, the fashion world has very elegant ethnic Indian costumes. Each state of state has contributed in its own way to the traditional embroidery. Let us have a look at some of the famous embroideries of India:

Aribharat: It is traditional embroidery from Kutch which has a picturesque and ornament like quality. It takes its name from ari. As it was also used by the cobblers it became to be known as Mochibharat.

Bagh: The bagh is a result of phulkari. You will find bagh with green color as a base and geometric designs. The coarse cloth of cotton is made beautiful by the use of bagh stitch.

Banjara: Andhra Pradesh has contributed to this style of embroidery where Lambadas nomadic tribes use a fusion of appliqué with mirrors and beadwork. The crisscross stitches of red, yellow, white and black colored cloths makes it elegant.

Chikankari: In this blog itself I have spoken Chikankari – the famous form of embroidery from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. You will many kinds of stitches in the embroidery like murri, taipchi, shadow work, jaali, fanda etc. done on mainly cotton cloth.

Zari Work: The elegant zari work has now captured the fashion market where the fabrics of zari are much adored and preferred when it comes to traditional Indian dresses. You can have beautiful costumes like sarees, odhinis, lehanga cholis, bridal lehangas of zari work.

Kashida: Done in varied forms, Kashida is a type of embroidery that is typical to the Indian state of Bihar. The beautiful work enhances the elegance of the dress.

Kasuti: The varied themes and motifs ranges from geometric patterns to birds and animal images, blossoming trees and shrines of God etc. This form originally belongs to Dharwar region of Karnataka. You can have lovely handloom saris of this art with two techniques gavanti and murgi.

Kantha: Coming all the way from Bengal, Kantha is a kind of patchwork embroidery. A series of dotted lines appear on the cloth surface as small stitches are done on it. The fillings are done from the opposite side of the cloth by using longer floats.

Karchobi: You can have this beautiful work by raising the zari metallic thread and sewing it by flat stitches on a cotton padding. In India is mainly used for bridal dresses and formal costumes. Apart from this, you will also find cushions, curtains, tent hangings and chariot coverings.


Kathi: The gypsies of Gujarat have originated this form of embroidery. This rural art form is typical to the Kathi tribes of Gujarat. It is a kind of fusion of chain stitch, appliqué work further accentuated by mirror work. The main themes of this embroidery are Hindu scriptures.

Phulkari: As the name suggests, the embroidery is flowery in nature. This stitch is apparently a darning with countable stitches. One stitch missed, the whole pattern gets wrong. You will all kinds of motifs in Phulkari like animals, birds, flowers etc. Done by silk thread, the best of the Phulkaris are from Delhi, Hissar, Gurgaon, Karnal and Rohtak.

Pichwai: The most vibrant state of India, Rajasthan is a home to this stitch. The beautiful embroidery enhances the grace of simple cloth.