Banarasi
Phulwar Banarasi Jamdani
“A hand-embroidered sari adorned with chikankari, the traditional embroidery art of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.”
The sari features intricate kairi (paisley) patterns, a hallmark of chikankari design. The main stitches used for the embroidery include stem, herringbone, chain, murri, phanda, and siddhaur jali. The embroidered circular patterns on the body of the sari resemble chakri crackers swirling when lit, with the murri stitch giving them a lifelike appearance.
A narrow border with floral and leaf motifs runs along the edges, forming four width-wise panels on the pallu (end-piece). These alternate panels are adorned with rows of kairi motifs and jaal floral patterns. Large embroidered kairi motifs, enclosed by climbers, embellish one lengthwise and one widthwise border on the pallu.
The use of monochromatic colours adds elegance to the sari.
Mango or cypress; eternal fertility and life. Identified across the body butis and border of this object.
Open motif entryContinuity; the rhythm of nature. Identified across the creeping borders of this object.
Open motif entryEmbroidery in India is regionally codified to an extraordinary degree: each tradition has its own stitches, its own colour palette, its own placement on the garment, and often its own historical practitioner community. The Krishna Lal Collection holds eight major embroidery traditions — from the running-stitch lyricism of Bengali kantha to the floral darning of Punjabi phulkari and the white-on-white delicacy of Lucknowi chikankari.