Abstract
Stitch art allows for the creative expression and economic support of countless women throughout India. This article examines four notable styles: chikankari, flora and fauna stitched in white thread on fine white cotton, rabari, the stitching of mirrors into colorful cloth, phulkari, resplendent flowery motifs sewn into shawls in Punjab, and kantha, Bengali patch work yielding quilts and seating mats. In addition to describing each technique, this article discusses how women have been economically empowered through this art by such organizations as Self-Help Enterprise (SHE) in Kolkata and Adithi, a women’s cooperative, in Bihar.
Recommended Citation
Madhok, Punam
(2023)
"Indigenous Stitch-Arts of India: Tradition and Revival in a Global Age,"
Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal: Vol. 2:
Iss.
1, Article 8.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/monsoon-sasa-journal/vol2/iss1/8
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