KASHIDA

Meaning

The name ‘Kashida’ has been derived from Persian and means free-flowing cursive writing.

Origin and History

• According to a historian from Srinagar, Dr. Abdul Ahad ,weaving in Kashmir was known as early as 3rd century BC.

• It was flourished by Sultan Zain Ul Abidin during 15th century who identified selected and brought the most talented craftsmen and weavers from Persia to Kashmir.

• Thus Kashida though born in the north most state of India has its roots in Persian craftsmenship.

Types of stitches

• Zalakdozo : It is a chain stitch done with hook in long and flowing designs.• Vata – Chikan : Buttonhole stitch used only in thick fillings seen in

landscapes,garden and crowded scene.• Doria : Open work done on all type of fabrics.• Talaibar : Gold work done on brocades and silks.• Jaal : All over embroidery designs are worked in trellis pattern.• Amli : Delicate filling in stitches in multi coloured threads in Kari shawls.

Types of stitches - Examples

Satin Stitch

Herringbone Stitch

Stem Stitch

Darning Stitch

Chain Stitch

Motifs

• Nature is the biggest influence. The chinar leaf is the motif most abundantly used along with the Cyprus tree.

• Bird : Parrot, wood pecker, canary, magpie and kingfisher.• Floral : Iris, lotus, lily, tulip and saffron flower.• Fruit : Grapes, plums, cherries, almonds and apple blossoms. • Kalka or Badami Buta : Cone shaped mango motif

Motifs - Examples

Embroidery threads

• Embroidery thread employed earlier was fine quality woolen yarn. • Gradually woolen yarns were replaced by rich & lustrous silk threads. • The bright, gorgeous inexpensive art silk (rayon) thread has entered the

industry by replacing the expensive silk threads.• Cotton threads of bright colours with good colour fastness are also used

abundantly.

Colors

The embroidery is comprised of wide spectrum of colors of light and dark shades such as • White (Sufed)• Green (Zingari)• Purple (Uda)• Blue (Ferozi)• Black (Mushki)• Crimson (Gulnar)• Scarlet (Kirmiz)

Fabrics

Different types of fabrics are used for Kashida of Kashmir. The most commonly used fabrics are• Silk • Cotton• Wool

Types of Woven Fabrics• Shawls:• Pashmina Shawl: these are superior quality shawls. They are made from wool of the• Capra Hercus, a species of wild Asian mountain goat. So, that the name given.• Do Shawl/ Double Shawl: these are solids in pairs. Two identical shawls were stitched• together so that when draped over shoulders wrong sides were not visible. Do Rookha: Double side work

in which there is no right & wrong side. Simple patterns• were reproduced on both side, but sometimes with different colours.• Kasaba Shawls: Square in shape and produce on account of European demand. They• are generally twill weave/ damask in plain work.• Jamewar Shawl: Woven in wool and some cotton. The floral designs and brocaded• parts are generally in silk.• Refoogari: (Darning): It is worked with the same type of material as that of the base so• that interweaving produces a fine texture in the fabric.

• 4.1.7 Embroidery on shawls:• The embroidery on shawl is done at different parts like border, corner, centre,• allover scattered. They are:• · Hashia: Border design, which runs all along the length of the shawl on either• side.• · Phala: It is done on both the ends of the article, popularly known as Pallu.• · Tanjjir or Zanjir: Border with chain stitch running either above or below the• Phala.• · Kunj Butta: Cluster of flowers in the corner.• · Butta: Generic name for the floral design.• · Appliqué: Another variety of Kashmir embroidery, which is very unique done• on carpets, shawls & woolen blankets.• · Tapestry work: It is done with a blunt tapestry needle, were the material is• stitched on a wooden frame with the tracing kept along its side.• · Zalakdozi: Resembles crochet. Various articles are prepared by hook embroidery• and one of them is Namda, a felt carpet.

• Different types of fabrics are used for Kashida of Kashmir. The mostcommonly used fabrics are-SilkCottonWoolLike the fabrics, different types of threads are used in Kashida of Kashmir.The most commonly used threads are-WoolSilkCottonArt silk,i.e, yarns of synthetic fabrics.• The most commonly used colors for Kashmir shawls are as

followsalongwith the terms used for them in local language-White[sufed]Green[zingari]Purple[Uda]Blue[Ferozi]Black[Mushki]Crimson[Gulnar]Scarlet[Kirmiz• The outstanding feature of this embroidery is the fact that it is made

withsingle threads, resulting in a flat, formalized appearance to the design.The stitches used in Kashida of Kashmir are very simple.

• The outstanding feature of this embroidery is the fact that it is made withsingle threads, resulting in a flat, formalized appearance to the design.The stitches used in Kashida of Kashmir are very simple.• They are-1-The satin stitch-• used to cover large surfaces without pulling or puckering the cloth in any way.• 2-The stem stitch-• used only on boundary of the motif.• 3-The chain stitch-• used only on inferior pieces and never on anexpensive piece of work.• 4-The darning stitch5-The herring bone.

Colours used:• The embroidery is comprised of wide spectrum of colours of light and

dark shades, such ass crimson red, scarlet red, blue, yellow, green, purple, black & brown. Earlier the yarns were locally dyed with indigenous natural colours. But nowadays all the threads used in the industry are invariably mill dyed with synthetic dye staff.

Types of Woven Fabrics:• Shawls: • Pashmina Shawl: these are superior quality shawls. They are made from wool of

the Capra Hercus, a species of wild Asian mountain goat. So, that the name given. • Do Shawl/ Double Shawl: these are solids in pairs. Two identical shawls were

stitched together so that when draped over shoulders wrong sides were not visible.• Do Rookha: Double side work in which there is no right & wrong side. Simple

patterns were reproduced on both side, but sometimes with different colours. Kasaba Shawls: Square in shape and produce on account of European demand. They are generally twill weave/ damask in plain work. Jamewar Shawl: Woven in wool and some cotton. The floral designs and brocaded parts are generally in silk. Refoogari: (Darning): It is worked with the same type of material as that of the base so that interweaving produces a fine texture in the fabric.

Embroidery on shawls:• The embroidery on shawl is done at different parts like border, corner, centre, allover scattered.

They are: • Hashia: Border design, which runs all along the length of the shawl on either side.• Phala: It is done on both the ends of the article, popularly known as Pallu.• Tanjjir or Zanjir: Border with chain stitch running either above or below the Phala. • Kunj Butta: Cluster of flowers in the corner. • Butta: Generic name for the floral design. • Appliqué: Another variety of Kashmir embroidery, which is very unique done on carpets, shawls &

woolen blankets. • Tapestry work: It is done with a blunt tapestry needle, were the material is stitched on a wooden

frame with the tracing kept along its side. • Zalakdozi: Resembles crochet. Various articles are prepared by hook embroidery and one of them

is Namda, a felt carpet.

• Kashmiri or Kashida (Kashmir)[edit]• Kashmiri embroidery(also Kashida) is used for phirans (woollen kurtas) and namdahs (woollen rugs)as well as stoles. It draws inspiration from nature. Birds, blossoms and flowers, creepers, chinar

leaves, ghobi, mangoes, lotus, and trees are the most common themes. The entire pattern is made with one or two embroidery stitches, and mainly chain stitch on a base of silk, wool and cotton: the colour is usually white, off-white or cream but nowadays one can find stoles and salwar-kameez sets in many other colours such as brown, deep blue, sky blue, maroon and rani pink. Kashida is primarily done on canvas with crystal threads, but Kashida also employs pashmina and leather threads. Apart from clothes, it's found on home furnishings like bed spreads, sofa and floor cushions, and pillow covers.

• The base cloth, whether wool or cotton, is generally white or cream or a similar shade. Pastel colors are also often used. The craftsmen use shades that blend with the background. Thread colors are inspired by local flowers. Only one or two stitches are employed on one fabric.

• Kashmiri embroidery is known for the skilled execution of a single stitch, which is often called the Kashmiri stitch and which may comprise the chain stitch, the satin stitch, the slanted darn stitch, the stem stitch, and the herringbone stich. Sometimes, the doori (knot) stitches are used but not more than one or two at a time.

• Sozni embroidery (dorukha) is often done so skillfully that the motif appears on both sides of the shawl with each side having a different color. Consequently, there is no wrong side. This is done by a fine needle and generally a single or at the most double thread is used.

• 'Papier maché' embroidery. Here flowers and leaves are worked in the satin stitch and employ the bright colors that are found in papier maché objects. Each motif is then outlined in black. This design is employed either in broad panels on both sides of a shawl or on the entire surface of a stole. The final effect of this type of embroidery looks translucent and has a “stained-glass work” look.

• Aari (hook) embroidery; motifs include the well-known flower design finely worked in concentric rings with the chain stitch. The Aari is a hook needle which gives an even and machine like finish of embroidery. The cloth is firmly set of a wooden frame & the aari is maneuvered over the pre-drawn pattern or design. Thoridaar is yet another variation of the aari work. It is generally the first step to learning the art of hook embroidery.

• Shaaldaar and Chinar-kaam are other popular forms• Kashida is inspired by nature. The designs and colour combinations of motifs and patterns showcase the flora and fauna of Kashmir.• The motifs depict the trees, chinar- maple leaves, lotus, creepers & twigs, flowers, blossoms, badaam (almond), other fruits and birds.• Samovar (the antique Kashimiri tea-pot) is a very typical & popular design used in Kashmiri embroidery. The Samovar patter is then filled up with intricate flowers and leaves and twigs.• “Kashir-Jaal” implies fine network of embroidery, particularly on the neckline and sleeves of a dress material. “Naala Jaal” implies embroidery particularly on the neckline and chest/yoke, because

“Naala” means neck in the Koshur dialect of Kashmiri language.• “Jaama” A very dense embroidery covering the whole base fabric with a thick spread of vine/creepers & flowers, badaam and heart shapes, A variation of this form is “Neem-Jaama”, where neem

means demi or half, because the embroidery is less dense, allowing a view of the fabric underneath.• “Jaal”. It consists of “bel-buti“: a fine and sparse net of vine/creepers & flowers. Variation of this form is “Neem-Jaal”, where again the work is less dense.

• Kashmir is a melting pot of art and culture and has influenced the world of fashion since the Mughal era. Kashida embroidery is an intricate craft that was patronized by the royals and was initiated by the local residents of Srinagar. If one sees kashida work in detail, nature has been one of the biggest influences. The hints of gorgeous flowers and intricate impressions of petals and creepers give Kashida a wholesome look.

• What is Kashida? Kashida work consists of detailed needlework and primarily involves two styles of embroidery stitching. Single-stitch style is commonly considered to be classic kashida work. Besides that there are many other types of stitching involved such as satin stitch, chain stitch or knot stitch. There are many other styles as well, which make kashida a more intricate, time-consuming, yet luxurious embroidery.These include sozi work and andari work which involve traditional motifs such as animals, birds, flowers and fruits in the threads of gold, silver and metal. We can see extensive kashida work on shawls, suits and saris, which have motifs in multi-coloured strings.

•  Kashida and Contemporary Fashion: Indian fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee, who is known for reviving a number of Indian embroideries, often plays with kashida in his collections. He has carved a niche for himself by bridging the gap between Indian crafts and Western silhouettes by making palazzos, jackets, saris and sherwanis by using kashida work over khadi and net. He has even used gold kashida work over velvet.

• • Another major Indian designer who plays with kashida is the Kashmir-born Rohit Bal. Last year at Indian Bridal Week, he presented a spectacular

collection called ‘Mulmul Masquerade’, which was a gorgeous tribute to kashida work. The collection consisted of saris in ebony and ivory, lehengas and gowns loaded with beautiful kashida work in gold thread over red and navy blue velvet. Muslin blended with velvet provided a feel of luxury. International brands such as Etro and Blumarine have also created beautiful outfits using Kashimiri kashida work.

• How to Wear Kashida: As kashida is primarily very colourful, we suggest you play with separates. In summer, go for a kashida embroidered tunic or a kurti over white linen pants or regular denims. Kashida prints are also trending, so if you do not want to sport anything heavy yet want to look regal, try kashida printed saris and shawls. Winter is a very appropriate season to flaunt your kashida-embroidered outfits. One needs to be careful when accessorizing with kashida outfits. Play with heavy pendant silver jewellery and neckpieces to complement the look of this embroidery. Pearls can also be a great option to enhance the beauty of the embroidery by maintaining the ethnicity of the entire look.

• Kashida: Iconic to the region, Kashida is known commonly as Kashmiri embroidery. It is defined by a single or a maximum double stitch on a fibre and is usually done on a pastel coloured fabric. The motifs of the same were always inspired by the nature and flowers and buds were used to adorn the kurtas and pherans. Today, the Kashida is a ramp favourite. The embroidery has transgressed beyond the pherans and is often created on stunning shirts, jackets and kaftans; designers like Sabyasachi and Manish Malhotra have particularly favoured Kashida.

• Kashmiri embroidery is well known for the beauty of its colour, texture, design and technique. Probably, the best-known Indian embroidery is the 'Kashida of Kashmir'. This embroidery is revealed in shawls and in cottage industry done by the members of families in Srinagar. Kashmiri embroidery is practiced by men and it is essentially a commercial craft.

• According to Ramala S. Dongekery, the shawl industry in Kashmir was introduced by Zain-ul-Abedin. Akbar was also responsible for introducing a new type of shawl - the Dowshala meaning “Twin shawl”. In this two similar shawls were woven together, then sewn back to back. So the under surface of the shawls were not visible. Khwaja Yusuf during his stay in Kashmir got the idea of producing shawls with help of 'Rafoogar'. These were later known as “Amli Shawls”. Amli shawls were plain-woven shawls, which were ornamented with needle wholly. The plain- woven cloth of the amli was placed smooth and flat and then rubbed with a piece of polished agate till it becomes perfectly even.The design is drawn on paper and with needles lines are pricked through. The charcoal powder is rubbed on the perforated holes to transfer the design on the fabric. The stitch used was the darning stitch, the thread being made to pick up the loops of the warp thread. The technique has made the embroidery look as prepared on the loom.

• The motifs were mainly taken from nature; animal and human figures were not seen in this embroidery. Bird motifs were seen on the shawls (like parrot, woodpeckers and kingfishers). Floral motifs like lily, lotus, iris, saffron flower and tulips were mostly seen on the shawls. Other designs like grapes, cherries, almonds and The stitches used were simple, the chief being satin stitch, stem stitch and chain stitch. Occasionally, the darning and herringbone are used. Crewel embroidery is done with the use of hook. Kashida is general term for Kashmir embroidery, which includes other stitches as Zalakdo (chain stitch), Vatachik (Buttonhole stitch), Talibar (Gold work). One outstanding feature of the embroidery is the fact that it is made with a single thread giving a flat, formalized appearance to the design. The satin stitch has been adopted to cover larger surface without pulling the cloth. It has become the variation of long and short stitch. Chain is used only in inferior places and never on expensive piece of work. The Indian customer sets a great store by embroidery which displays the same fineness on both sides so as to make the wrong side distinguishable from right and Kashmiri workman has made himself adapt at this art.

This embroidery is done on silk, cotton and wool fabrics. Colourful fabrics like white (sufed), green (zingari), purple (uder), blue (ferozi), yellow (zard) and black (mushki). The threads used were wool, cotton and silk.apples were their favourites. The chinar leaf is considered as an important motif.

• Thus, this embroidery enhanced the beauty of Kashmiri shawls, silk sarees, dress materials, cushion covers, bed covers, purses, veils and articles of personal and daily use. There is no way one can compare the Kashmiri embroidery with any thing else.

• Introduction:• Kashmiri embroidery is extraordinary for the excellence of its color, surface, configuration and method. Likely, the best-

known Indian embroidery is the ‘Kashida of Kashmir’. This embroidery is uncovered in shawls and in cabin industry done by the parts of families in Srinagar. Known to be a standout amongst the most antiquated and customary kind of inherent workmanship, Kashida Embroidery, likewise spelled as Kasida characterizes its social substance through the medium of dot and crochet, which has picked up greatest prominence, notoriety and recognition in the valley of Jammu and Kashmir. Motifs like feathered creatures, leaves, trees and a lot of such characteristic themes are recreated in this weaving with multi hued strings and dabs woven into the fabrics like shawls, suits and saris.

• Origin and History:• Kashmir carved its excellent embodiment of Kashida embroidery into the design world way back in the Mughal period

which was disparaged by the heads and the royals of that time. However in the event that we go further up along the ways of recorded chronicles of design, it can be discovered that this art of embroidery was additionally innovatively launched by the occupants of Srinagar. Intrinsic embroidery and quality was webbed into the finest maze of inventiveness and development utilizing innovative patterns of colors and examples.

• Style:• Single line style is the trade-mark style of Kashida Embroidery. Other than there are numerous different stitch style like

satin stitch, herringbone, stem stitch, chain stitch, knot stitch and a lot more which are additionally innovatively executed.

Current Trends and Usage1.Revival of Kashida embroidery :• Bed Spreads, Cushion Covers, Rugs, Shawls, Dress Materials etc.

2.Kashida Embroidery at Fashion Week :• Rohit Bal - The Mulmul Masquerade• Manish Malhotra – Gulaala and Giltoor, The Blue Runway• Ritu Kumar – Tree of Life• Abu Jani & Sandeep Khosla• Sabyasachi Mukherjee• Naeem Khan

.

3.Cinematic Influence : • Rockstar• Kashmir Ki Kali• Fitoor

4.Global Recognition :• Michelle Obama• Sonam Kapoor• Jemima Khan• Blumarine & Etro for Kashmiri embroidery

Conclusion