kashida embroidery

Sowmya. A
B. Des fashion design
4th semester
Faculty: Prof.Padmini Balaram
Sasi creative institute of design
TABLE OF CONTENTS

01 Introduction

02 Origin and History

03 Importance

04 Techniques

05 Design Aspects

06 Products

07 Makers

08 Users

09 Inspiration

10 Sample and Prototype sketches

Introduction

Kashida embroidery is traditional form of embroidery originating from Kashmir in northern

India. It is created by using colored threads to create different patterns. In this form of
embroidery, most of the motifs are inspired by nature such as vines, birds, leaves and flowers.
It is created using chain stitch, satin stitch, herring bone stitch, stem stitch, knot stitch and
Buttonhole stitch. This embroidery is done on cotton with wool [Dasuti] and on wool with
wool or cotton + wool embroidered using wool [Gabba]. Kashida embroidery is done on
garments like shawls, regional garments, sarees as well as traditional namdas and gabbas.
Presently, home decor items such as rugs, cushion covers, and bedspreads, are also
embroidered using kashida embroidery. The fabric that is used is usually white or cream
colored while the threads are mostly pastel and bright colors. (Naik, 1996)

FIGURE 1 KASHIDA EMBROIDERY (TANABANA, 2007)

Origin
Kashida embroidery is one of the oldest traditional embroideries that originated in the state of
Jammu and Kashmir by the residents of Srinagar.

Source: https://homescience10.ac.in/storage/pages/ecurriculum/Bsc_FD_Sem_4/Kashida%20of
%20kashmir.pdf

History

During the Mughal period, Kashida embroidery was patronized by the emperors and the
royals of that era in the 15th century.

But the history of the Kashida embroidery goes way back and is said to
be initiated by the people in Srinagar. It was men who initially started
hand embroidering this work on shawls and sarees. Women also helped
the men by selecting the right kind of fabric for this embroidery.

Sultan Zain-Ul-Abidin who ruled Kashmir is one of the of patrons who

revolutionized Kashida embroidery from the year 1420. Then the
embroidery underwent some changes over the centuries due to the social
and political scenarios. (Traditional Indian Textiles , 2014)
FIGURE 2 SULTAN ZAIN-
In 1803 there were only a few craftsmen available with the necessary UL-ABIDIN

skill for the work. Twenty years later, there were estimated to be five thousand – many of
them having been drawn from the ranks of former landholders, dispossessed of their property
by Ranjit Singh in 1819, when Kashmir was invaded and annexed to the Sikh kingdom.
There is, no evidence to trace the exact time of origin since textiles are perishable. Very few
pre-17th century pieces have survived but paintings have proven to be evidence. 11th
Century wall paintings found in the Alchi monastery of Ladakh shows embroidered garments
worn by the figures.

Embroidered shawls were highly sought after during the Mughal period (1586-1752). There
were court workshops set up by the Mughals in Delhi. There is a mention of the shawls in
the Ain-i-Akbari book. The Mughal empire declined and in 1752 the Afghan ruler Ahmed
Shah Durrani conquered the valley. His rule was tyrannous and the people faced many
hardships. The Afghans utilized the shawl industry to derive maximum revenue, but
overlooked the conditions of the craftsmen. The Mughals, like Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin, created
initiatives to develop the shawl further. They implemented policies that assessed the quality
of the material; the colors used to dye the fabric. Each subsequent Mughal ruler reassessed
techniques and methods of creating shawls, honing them into finer, luxury products. This
created high demand and growth in the industry. The Afghans subsequently ruled after the
Mughals, greatly modifying the traditional shawl and introducing the square or moon shawls,
with distinct colors and patterns that differed vastly from the Mughal era.

Meanwhile, the Sikhs slowly gained power and were acquiring their foothold in the valley.
The coming of Sikhs introduced bold colours in the embroideries, as well as human figures.
Shawls called Shikargah came into being with embroidered depictions of Shikar / hunting
scenes on silk. By the end of the 17th century, the shawls were not only well recognized in
Kashmir and the Asian subcontinent but also in Europe and Far East Asia. (Kashmiri
Embroidery Srinagar, n.d.)

The Dogras ruled after the Sikhs of Kashmir and contributed heavily in the embroidering
aspect of the shawl. They improved techniques, designs, and colors. It was during their era
that the do-rukha shawls came to exist, where the embroidery is visible and wearable on
either side of the shawl. The French trading companies later introduced two styles for export,
which were popular in Europe. One was where the entire surface of the cloth was covered
with intricate thread work consisting of florals and human figures. The other one was the
standard square shawl pattern with a medallion in the centre and quarter medallions in the
four corners. By the end of the 19th century, there was a decline in demand for the
embroidered shawls. This led to the craftsmen taking up carpet weaving. The rest resorted to
making cheaper versions. Since embroidery was not a domestic craft, it was concentrated in
the workshops. Master craftsmen spearheaded these. After a slump, these had slowly
developed into small manufacturing units. The units had the weavers, pattern makers, dyers,
and embroiderers all under one roof. The products came to be marketed in outlets in the city.
To aid the process, they started to give embroidery work to small groups who could work at
home. It was done parallel to farming, in the winter months when the fields could not be
worked. (Kashmiri Embroidery Srinagar, n.d.)

Importance of the Kashida

embroidery
The motifs of Kashida embroidery symbolizes the cycles of
season and prosperity. ‘Fanciful blooms, twirling vines, and
delicate leaves come to life on fabrics, capturing the essence
of Kashmir's verdant surroundings. Every stitch is a whisper
of the land's storied beauty, transformed into threads of silk and wool that dance across
textiles.’

Kashida embroidery tells us the tales of nature's cycles in FIGURE 3 KASHIDA EMBROIDERED NAMDA
RUG (CRAFTS OF INDIA, HANDMADE IN INDIA,
Kashmir – the bloom of spring, the warmth of summer, 2007)
the fall of autumn, and the hush of winter through the
motifs used. There are numerous motifs based on the flora and fauna of Kashmir like Cypress
cone. Thus, every embroidered piece becomes a storyteller, connecting the wearer to the
land's heritage.’ (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/fashiTracing the story of the
beloved kashida embroidery through the threads of time, n.d.)

Trade

The Mughal courts became patrons, spreading this embroidery across the Indian
subcontinent. It also traveled along the Silk Road to other places, and created a rich tapestry
of cross-cultural exchange.

The technique is still used in contemporary fashion. Designers nowadays use the embroidery
into modern silhouettes. A lot of embroidered jackets, dresses, and sarees are seen on
designers’ collection and runaways highlighting the Indian traditional embroidery. (Naik,
1996)

Technique

CHOOSING THE FABRIC AND WOOL:

• The base fabric for Kashida embroidery is

pashmina, raffal, cotton, wool depending
upon the style of embroidery in a variety of
colors like white, blue, yellow, purple, red,
green, and black.

• The embroidery threads used for

embroidering Kashida are wool, cotton on the
material to be embroidered.
FIGURE 4 DYED WOOL YARNS (CRAFTS OF INDIA, HANDMADE
IN INDIA, 2007)
• The wool is obtained from the animals found
in Kashmir, such as the Goat of Angora from Tibet.
 SELECTING THE DESIGN AND COPYING
• The design is chosen by naqqash.
• Naqqash selects and transfers the designs on to the cloth so that embroidery can be
done
• Transferring of pattern on the fabric to be embroidered is
done in two ways as followed:
(1) By printing using blocks made from walnut wood, and
(2) through perforations on paper of the design.
• A rice paste, fixed with natural animal glue is used for
printing and it washes out after the embroidery is completed.

FIGURE 5 NAQQASH
TRANSFERRING THE DESIGN
(CRAFTS OF INDIA, HANDMADE
IN INDIA, 2007)
STITCHES FOR THE EMBROIDERY

• The main stitches used for Kashida embroidery are stem stitch, satin stitch, and chain
stitch. Special stitches like Zalakdozi (chain Stitch done using Aari needle), Dori
(openwork), Talaibar (Gold Work).

• A single sided embroidery pattern is called Aksi, meaning reflection in a mirror. The
thread is split into half by a fine needle. Then only that portion of weft thread is
picked up which is visible on one side. When the same technique is done on both
sides, it is called Dorukha.

Almost all Kashmiri craftsmen embroider using their right hand.

There are very few or no left-handed craftsmen. The craftsmen use
a thimble called Nyatth, on the fourth finger of the right hand. This
is used to push the needle into thick cloth. When the thimble is not
used, the finger is dipped in mustard oil to enable the smooth FIGURE 6 CRAFTSMAN USING NYATTH TO
movement of the stem. THE NEEDLE INTO THE CLOTH
‘Zangvaitth’ is the posture in which the embroiderers sit while working. They sit with their
knees up, with their back against a wall. A thick hard cushion or a wooden plank at an angle,
act as backrests. Men are said to be mostly working on Kashmiri embroidery while women
prepare the yarn. (Kashmiri Embroidery Srinagar, n.d.)

FIGURE 7 A CRAFTSMAN SITTING IN ZANGVAITTH POSTURE WHILE

EMBROIDERING

Style of embroidery:

There are 3 styles of embroidery followed in Kashmir that are as follows:

SOZNI: It is an intricate and delicate needlework done on shawls-

mainly pashmina and raffal. Using a single strand, the outline of
designs are embroidered. Not more than five colours are used for
the Sozni embroidery. The shawl is placed on a plank and rubbed
with agate to smoothen the surface. The pattern is transferred onto
cloth using charcoal or coloured powder. Stem stitches are used to
make patterns which are flat against the ground. Individual threads
of the warp are taken up in the stitching. The threads are of single
strand of either silk or staple.

There are three basic stitches. FIGURE 8: A SOZNI EMBROIDERED

CLOAK OF LATE 19TH CENTURY
SOURCE: VICTORIA AND ALBERT
MUSEUM, LONDON, ACC. NO. T.75-1964
– One is a straight line and can be varied in length. It can also be made into a continuous
curved line or even small dashes of stem. Smaller stitches are done over these for
reinforcement.

– The second is a simple diamond outline stitch for petals and leaves.

– The third one is the filling stitch. These stitches are also reinforced with smaller stitches.
(Kashmiri Embroidery Srinagar, n.d.)

CREWEL WORK: Crewel work uses a thicker ari and is done on

unbleached fabric. The stitches are bolder in Crewel work. The
patterns are usually linear abstractions of the local fauna. The
craftsmen make his own hook by turning a steel rod and fitting it into
a wooden handle. The thread, in hook work, is held under the surface
of the fabric to be embroidered. The hook is pushed in, along the lines
of the design. There is a mark on the wooden handle. The point of the
hook is always towards the right. The mark of the hook remains on
top when this happens, as an indicator. The thumb and the index
finger are the major steers in this technique. The craftsmen rub
FIGURE 9: CREWEL WORK DONE ON
mustard oil on the index finger to enable smooth movement of the FLOOR COVERING (TANABANA, 2007)
needle against it. Some also use a Nyatth or a thimble. (Kashmiri
Embroidery Srinagar, n.d.)

TILA AND DORI WORK: It is executed with gold or silver zari

(tilla) or silk (dori) thread and is mostly done on Pherans, sarees and
shawls. The zari thread is laid on fabric along the pattern and is
secured by a thin cotton thread. This is also known as Kashmir
couching. The zari is stitched on using three different movements –
looped stitch, straight stitch or the spiral stitch. Outlines are mostly
done using the looped stitch and the filling is done with the others.
The Dori work is done on woollen material in slightly darker shades.
It is usually a plain staple yarn stitched on with fine thread. (Crafts
of India, Handmade in India, 2007) FIGURE 10: TELIA WORK EMBROIDERED
ON A SHAWL.
SOURCE: TALKING THREADS.IN
Design Aspects

COLORS

Traditionally, the colors used were inspired by the natural surroundings—soft and subtle
shades of Kashmir’s landscape. It is mostly done on pastel and light shades on a white
background traditionally and fine embroidery is done in shades discreetly. However
nowadays, the color palette has expanded to include brighter and more vibrant hues, to suit a
diverse range of preferences.

MOTIFS

In this form of embroidery, most of the motifs are inspired by nature such as vines, birds,
leaves, and flowers. Badam (almond) is used mostly in all the embroideries. This form is seen
on almost every product in different variations that is embroidered in Kashmir. The Sarav
(cypress cone) is another popular seen motif. It is a bit like the badam motif. The 5-pointed
leaf of the Chinar tree commonly found in Kashmir is also another motif. Another dominant
motif in Kashmiri embroidery is the Boteha (flower) that became popular during the middle
of the 19th century. There are numerous other Motifs based on the flora and fauna of Kashmir.
(Traditional Indian Textiles , 2014)

FIGURE 11 STYLISED MOTIF OF CHINAR LEAF, BADAM AND

CONE. (NAIK, 1996)
Products
Kashida embroidery is traditionally done on

 Regional garments [Pheran]

 Shawls
 Namda
 Gabba
 Dasuti

Nowadays it is done on
FIGURE 12: EMBROIDERED WOOLLEN
SHAWL
 curtains SOURCE: WWW.KASHMIRBOX.IN

 sarees
 rugs
 cushion covers
 bedspreads

Source: https://homescience10.ac.in/storage/pages/ecurriculum/Bsc_FD_Sem_4/Kashida%20of
%20kashmir.pdf

Makers

Most of the craftspeople who do this form of embroidery

are men. This is believed to be due to the influence of
the Sayyids, who strove to propagate the Muslim way of
life – which included separate spaces for men and
women. The work is carried about privately in
households or in groups at the workshops. (Kashida
FIGURE 13: A CRAFTSMAN EMBROIDERING A SHAWL (CRAFTS
embroidery Srinagar, n.d.) OF INDIA, HANDMADE IN INDIA, 2007)
Users

Rulers like the Mughals, Afghans, Sikhs, and Dogras who occupied Kashmir over the
centuries are the main users. The rulers of all these empires patronized Kashida embroidery
shawls for the royal family to wear and gift them among the royalties. These were intricately
embroidered. These shawls soon started getting famous among the residents of Kashmir and
were embroidered according to the materials and weight. During the eighteenth century the
shawls were exported to European countries and were gracefully draped by the European
ladies over their outfit.

By the end of eighteenth century the shawl

industry was deprived because cheaper
copies were made using lace making
mechanised looms in England due to
industrial Revolution. The British rulers also
levied heavy taxes on handmade Kashmiri
shawls to make them more expensive in
hands of Europeans, to sell their machine- FIGURE 14 PASHMINA EMBROIDERED SPREAD,19TH CENTURY
SOURCE: (PATHAK, 2003)
made copies, which broke the thriving trade
of Kashmiri shawls and the Kashida embroidered products. because of high taxes and directly
affected the cost of production. (Balaram, 2024)

Inspiration

I used this traditional motif as my inspiration.

Prototype
References
Balaram, P. T. (2024, March 09). Why did shawls made using Kashmiri Kashida embroidery
lost its international market? (Sowmya, Interviewer)

Crafts of India, Handmade in India. (2007). New Delhi : Council of Handicraft Development
Corporations (COHANDS).

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/fashiTracing the story of the beloved kashida

embroidery through the threads of time. (n.d.). Retrieved from Times of India :
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/fashion/buzz/tracing-the-story-of-the-
beloved-kashida-embroidery-through-the-threads-of-time/articleshow/103252353.cms

Kashida embroidery Srinagar. (n.d.). Retrieved from Gaatha: https://gaatha.org/Craft-of-

India/research-embroidery-craft-srinagar/

Kashmiri Embroidery Srinagar. (n.d.). Retrieved from gaatha: https://gaatha.org/Craft-of-

India/research-embroidery-craft-srinagar/

Naik, S. D. (1996). Traditional Embroideries of India. New Delhi: S.B.Nangia.

Pathak, A. (2003). Pashmina. Roli books.

Tanabana. (2007). Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.

Traditional Indian Textiles . (2014). Delhi: Cental Board of Secondary Education .