Melange of Embossed Chikankari Stitches and Jali-Work

Chikankari embroidery is one of the most ancient textile decoration styles. It is a distinctive integral part of the city of Nawabs, Lucknow. It is the intricate art of doing fine and delicate embroidery on cloth by hand which is known for its sheer excellence of skill, texture and delicacy. The present investigation made an attempt to study different types of embossed stitches and their variations used by GOs, NGOs and private enterprises (PEs). Three GOs and ten NGOs in the list of Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) Office, Barabanki, Lucknow, and thirty PEs comprising of fifteen enterprises from each of the Aminabad and Chowk market areas were randomly selected for the investigation. Primary data were collected from the chairpersons/owners of chikankari organizations/enterprises through interview technique and observational method, besides the secondary data. There were seventeen types of embossed chikankari stitches and jali-work including their variations and styles, but only eight of these were being used in the embroidery. Majority of PEs (80.00%) carried out jali-work, though it was being done in only 40.00 per cent NGOs and 33.34 per cent GOs.