Phulkari Treasures

I went visiting Adesh's relatives in the interiors of Punjab during the second leg of the vacation. It was hard core Punjabi culture at its full. Since I was visiting them first time after our wedding, (though its seems a lifetime ago to me!), the ladies were all decked up to welcome me. And I, the supposedly new bride, was dressed in summer casuals. Thank God I was in right mind to dress in Salwar Kameez. Anyways, back to the relatives. They welcomed me with Phulkaris, my favorite. And I was already loving them. Generation old phulkaris adorned by these beautiful ladies.

Each Chachi had a different story to tell about her phulkari. How and when it was made? Who gifted it to her? What was the occasion? I was enthralled. How I love these tales, they did not even know.

Since it was peak summer, with no rains and long power cuts, the hand fans or pakhhis were out. These pakhhis were also embroidered with phulkari and had been in the household since ages. The ladies still make these hand fans on their own, and they even showed me a couple of these with work in progress. I could not help requesting them to make some for me as well. I was going crazy and Adesh was just laughing at me.

In the evening when we left I still had those beautiful treasures in my eyes.

Tryst with Phulkari

My tryst with Phulkari began years back when as a young girl I accompanied my mother to the market while she was scouting for a Phulkari dupatta for her bottle green suit. And years later when I was looking for a dupatta to complement my suit of similar shade, I could settle for no less. Somewhere in the back of mind, that outing had stuck and I somehow convinced Ma to give me her dupatta. I eventually wore the same dupatta for my wedding celebrations, during the ceremony. mehndiPhulkari is considered to be auspicious and forms an essential part of wedding celebrations in Punjab, a must for any Punjabi girl’s trousseau.

A reference to Phulkari in literature comes from Guru Nanak Devji who wrote: "Kadd kasidha paihren choli, tan tu jane nari" (only when you can embroider your own choli, will you be accepted as a woman)

Discovering the family heirlooms: Phulkari

I am writing this post on our way back from trip to Patiala, while Adesh is driving on NH1.
During my last visit, I had discovered some Phulkaris at home and I continued from where I had left last time.

Beeji often tells tales of how as a bunch of young girls, she, her sisters, cousins and friends, they used to sit together and embroider their Phulkaris. Phulkari, literally means, embroidery of flowers, and is usually done in geometric patterns. She recalled that they used to get a special fabric called tool, from the town of Bathinda as they could not get it anywhere else. She showed one of her creations on tool. This one is in red colour with embroidery in mustard thread. It also has her name embroidered. It says: “Dari buni Gurdial Kaur Harnam Kaur Chatan Kaur te Jasmer Kaur.” (This piece was embroidered by Gurdial Kaur, Harnam kaur, Chatan Kaur and Jasmer Kaur). The piece of art also had some stains and marks on it. Beeji explained that this is on the part which was used to cover the head, and the stains are of wet earthern pitchers, which were used to carry water in those times.



I got the piece dry cleaned, and wow, it has some original sheen still left on it. I am going to use this piece of family heirloom as a dupatta for myself.


PS: We just crossed Karnal. iPod playing ABBA song I had a dream...

Bagh and Phulkari- Traditional Treasures

I went home to Patiala last week and this time I was on a mission. I wanted to re-discover the traditional stuff of Patiala- Phulkari, Salwar, Jutti, Parandiyan. Though I have been using all of these in my day to day life, but the beauty of these never fails to enthral me. So, off I went to the local market, tagging along Bhuaji. And, there was beautiful antique stuff to chose from.

When I reached back home and showed my new acquisitions to Beeji, she said, "Aide layee bazaar jaan di ki lorh si. Eh sabh ta ghar hi bathera peya hai." (Why did you have to go to market for such stuff. All this is lying at home in abundance). And was I surprised!!

I went into the attic and started exploring th

e old stuff that had come from village when they shifted to the city. What came out was absolute treasure, wrapped in everlasting memories...

Among other things, I came across my favourite, 7-8 Baghs. Beeji saw me draping around myself and got nostalgic.

Traditionally, Baghs were woven and embroidered for the trousseau of the bride. During Beeji's childhood and times before that, young girls were taught the intricate Phulkari so that they could decorate the furnishings and apparel. The patterns could be floral (phul) or geometric or animals. Actually, the name Phulkari comes from Phul, which means flower. Young girls would first weave the cloth- red, orange, brown- and then start the embroidery. One Bagh would take at least a month for the entire start to end process. Baghs are full length dupattas covered entirely with phulkari.

I brought a couple of them with me. These one's are really special as they are not just family heirlooms, but a labour of love and gifted with love.