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Phulkari

Phulkari, meaning flower work, is a spectacular style of embroidery peculiar to Punjab, and an essential part of everyday life. Almost every ceremony in which women participate is given a touch of addi-tional colour and richness by the use of Phulkari on account of its being considered auspicious and a sign of 'Sohag'.

This embroidery lends itself to making large surfaces. The process is slow and laborious. The art is acquired with a great deal of effort.It has infinite patterns testifying to the creative ability of the needle-women, made up of vertical, horizontal patterns. Its remarkable feet is that with the skilful manipulation of the darning stitch, so many varieties of complicated designs are created: The total effect is that of floral magnificence. It is essentially a feminine craft and very domestic in all its essential features. It is an art because of its capacity to give satisfaction through design and blending of harmonious colours.

This type of embroidery is so excellently done that it is hard to disting-uish between the left and, right sides or upward and downward sides. It has the look of a carpet. The patterns are not restricted or controlled, but bold, free and highly imaginative. The designs and motifs are an expression of the embroiderer's thoughts and aspirations or obser-vations of life around her. These women embroidered a railway train, motor car, lorry or even Ratha (chariot) out of sheer curiosity. Birds, domestic and wild animals in different sizes and from different angles are common. In the whole composition, one often comes across several ornaments such as hansali, tika, karda, ponchi, singhar-patti and guluband.

This handicraft did not arise out of any pure artistic motive, but mainly to satisfy a domestic necessity. The inborn talent and spontaneous approach of the uneducated village woman, her deft hand and resourcefulness have raised such works out of the realm of necessity into the domain of art, pleasing in colour and design as they are. Another peculiarity of this embroidery is that no two Phulkaris are alike.