ShalinVogue: Embroidered Saris

November 01, 2008

Embroidered Saris

The western region also has a rich embroidery (bharat) tradition, much of which is created by ethnic groups like the Rabari and Sodha Rajputs who do not wear saris, and whose work has not yet been transferred to modern ‘designer’ saris. Saris with metallic-thread embroidery are commonly found in the west, although most of this type of work is created throughout northern India. Originally associated with wealthy (often aristocratic) Muslim communities, metallic embroidered saris are frequently worn by Rajputs, Lohana (Sindi traders), Marwaris (Rajasthani traders), and other wealthier, often urban, women for weddings and special occasions. Some scholars believe that when the Mughal court collapsed in the late eighteenth century, court embroiderers emigrated to the Rajput kingdoms where their work continued and spread. However, the fact that in the thirteenth century Marco Polo praised Gujarat’s gold and silver embroidery, albeit on leather, suggests that this tradition may have already been well established prior to Mughal times.