Kutch Embroidery
Kutch, situated in the border region of Gujarat state is a drought-prone area which is famous across the world for the 'mirror work' embroidery done by the native women. Embroidery, of various kinds, are part of their traditional dresses, turbans, shawls and other accessories. Exclusive embroideries are done during marriages as part of the wealth given for the bride.

In Kutch, the embroidery is always done by the women. Specific stitches are done in a defined order and sequence to create a particular style of embroidery. Various tribes/communities of Kutch have their own styles of embroidery. They can, infact, identify the particular sub-community and social status of a person from the embroidery on their clothes! Some styles that are very popular are paako, ahir, suf, khaarek, rabari, garasia jat and mutava. The motifs and patterns are not traced - they are directly transferred from the imagination of the artisan to sticthes on the cloth!!

When the end-user belongs to the same geographical or social segment, the artisans know the purpose, taste and style that is preferred. But when the work has to be marketed in a different society, making a product conducive to their sense, taste and fashion becomes a challenge for the artisan. NGOs like Kala-Raksha and Shrujan are working with the women of Kutch to address such issues, helping them showcase their splendid work to a larger market and thereby making a positive change in their lives.

Styles of Kutch Embroidery (Courtesy: Kala-Raksha)>>>

Suf is a painstaking embroidery based on the triangle, called a 'suf'. Suf is counted on the warp and weft of the cloth in a surface satin stitch worked from the back. Motifs are never drawn. Each artisan imagines her design, then counts it out --in reverse! Skilled work thus requires an understanding of geometry and keen eyesight. A suf artisan displays virtuosity in detailing, filling symmetrical patterns with tiny triangles, and accent stitches.

Khaarek is a geometric style also counted and precise. In this style, the artisan works out the structure of geometric patterns with an outline of black squares, then fills in the spaces with bands of satin stitching that are worked along warp and weft from the front. Khaarek embroidery fill the entire fabric. In older khaarek work, cross stitching was also used.

Paako literally solid, is a tight square chain and double buttonhole stitch embroidery, often with black slanted satin stitch outlining. The motifs of paako, sketched in mud with needles, are primarily floral and generally arranged in symmetrical patterns.

Rabari embroidery is unique to the nomadic Rabaris. Essential to Rabari embroidery is the use of mirrors in a variety of shapes. Rabaris outline patterns in chain stitch, then decorate them with a regular sequence of mirrors and accent stitches, in a regular sequence of colors. Rabaris also use decorative back stitching, called bakhiya, to decorate the seams of women’s blouses and men’s kediya/ jackets. The style, like Rabaris, is ever evolving, and in abstract motifs, Rabari women depict their changing world.

Garasia Jat work similarly 'belongs' specifically to Garasia Jats, Islamic pastoralists who originated outside of Kutch. Garasia women stitch an array of geometric patterns in counted work based on cross stitch studded with minute mirrors to completely fill the yokes of their churi, a long gown. This style, displaying comprehension of the structure of fabric, is unique in Kutch and Sindh.

The Mutavas are a small culturally unique group of Muslim herders who inhabit Banni, the desert grassland of northern Kutch. The exclusive Mutava style comprises minute renditions of local styles: paako, khaarek, haramji and Jat work, though these are known by different names. Specific patterns of each style, such as elongated hooked forms and fine back stitch outlining in paako, and an all-over grid in haramji, are also unique to Mutava work. Though technique varies, Mutava style is uniformly fine and geometric.

Patchwork and Appliqué traditions exist among most communities. For many embroidery styles, master craftwork depends on keen eyesight. By middle age, women can no longer see well enough and they naturally turn their skills and repertoire of patterns to patchwork, a tradition that was originally devised to make use of old fabrics.