Zardozi is a type of carefully designed and detailed metal embroidery – polished copper, silver or gold – on a shiny, soft, or elastic drape – usually silk, satin, or velvet – made using thin Aari needles (fine crochet needles with wooden or metallic handles). Zardozi work also uses dabka (a spring-type thread), kora, katori, tikena, and sitara (sequins) for decoration. It often incorporates semi-precious stones, beads or pearls to embellish clothes, accessories and household textiles.
This type of embroidery is especially popular in the Middle East, Central and South Asia. The word comes from Persian: zar or zarin meaning gold, and dozi meaning sewing.
Origins and History
Gold embroidery has existed on the Indian subcontinent since the time of the Vedic Sanskrit hymns, between 15th - 12th century BC. The use of gold and silver thread work is mentioned in Rigveda and they have been discovered on statues of the cave walls of Ajanta.
Under the royal patronage of the Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great (reigned 1556 – 1605 AC) Zardozi embroidery reached its highest popularity and was largely used to complement the garments of the court, wall hangings, sidewalls of regal tents and even trappings of elephants or horses. The more aesthetic and evolved forms of embroidery were used on court costumes, especially on shoes and sword scabbards.
Lucknow became a central hub for this embroidery technique and later Zardozi artists spread throughout India. However Lucknow remained the main center of production due to the high demand from the city of Nawabs. Over time, due to rising gold and silver prices, artisans resolved to use synthetic threads or copper wires polished in gold and silver. Zardozi was commercialized as a technique, some of the glory of the traditional heritage of this craft was lost. Around the 18th and 19th centuries, it became popular with the wealthy Hindu, Muslim and European elite in various urban centres such as Hyderabad, Kolkata, Varanasi, Bhopal, Kashmir and Delhi. Modern day usage is especially prominent in Indian style fashion and at wedding occasions when looking at bridal and groom outfits.
Zardozi is an important handicraft in Persian culture as well. Iran is where the traditional technique has been first created and improved throughout generations of skilled artisans. Some Iranian artists sew the basic fabric with suture (Bakhie) in order to produce novel patterns and colours, others sew with less density on the original fabric, crossing the strings to form a colourfully patterned lattice. A third way is to sew a variety of patterns on the original fabric with gold and silver strings. Persian zardozi appliqués usually bring to life floral motifs and sacred Quranic verses.
The process of making
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Motif design
Designs are first sketched on a tracing or butter paper by the artist often using traditional patterns in a creative way that later will be used to fill and outline different areas on the textile.
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Preparations
A wide range of materials have to be collected and selected. Only the finest quality drapes will be used: velvets, brocades and silks. Durable silver and golden threads, beads, spangles, pearls and sometimes gemstones are all chosen carefully.
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Tracing
The tracing paper is placed on top of the drape on a flat surface. The Zardoz (Zardozi Artisan) rubs a cloth dipped in dye on the paper to leave a washable mark on the drape so that the design gets traced on the surface.
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Setting the frame
The marked drape is stretched tightly on an adjustable wooden, bamboo or metal bar (adda). This ensures that the material stays in a fixed position, has a uniform tension and can be worked on.
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Embroidery
Aari needles are used by Artisans who sit around the frame with their box of coloured threads, sequins and sew the patterns required to create the appliqué. The awl enables the zardoz to pass the thread both above and below the fabric.
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Finishing moves
Once the embroidery has been completed, the artisans cut any extra threads, remove the drape from the frame and then wash and iron it. The embroidery is ready to be sold or sent to the client.
Interesting Zardozi Facts
- Lady Curzon's peacock dress: is a gown made of gold and silver thread designed by Jean-Philippe Worth for Mary Curzon, Baroness Curzon of Kedleston to celebrate the 1902 Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra at the second Delhi Durbar in 1903. (Source: Wikipedia)
- Sword, scabbard knife and scabbard - Royal Collection: presented to King Edward VII, when Prince of Wales, during his tour of India in 1875-76 by Ali Murad Khan I Talpur, Amir of Khairpur. (Source: Royal Collection Trust)
- Artisans are traditionally men but in modern times more and more women get involved in the creative process.
- Zardozi is a fine and sophisticated craft. It can take 25 years for a craftsman to become an expert practitioner.
- The process to complete a more complex appliqué can take months.
- In present days zardozi is often used to enhance wedding outfits, coats, cushions, curtains, canopies, bags, purses, belts, shoes and slippers.