Zari Work
By Adeline Panamaroff
Adeline, a freelance writer/proofreader, located in Edmonton, Alberta can be contacted at www.adelinepanamaroff.com for writing and marketing requests.
Sari with classic motifs in zari - image reprinted with permission from Live History India
History: Zari work or zardozi is a very ancient form of metal thread embroidery. Its use can be traced back to 1700 BCE when it was brought to India by Persian merchants. It is thought that zari is named after a Persian village of the same name.
This embroidery fashioned from either silver or gold threads and stitched onto silk, velvet, or other heavy weight opulent textiles remained exclusively accessible to the very rich. For this reason, zari work came to be seen as a status symbol of the very elite such as royalty and their high-level retainers. Mainly used as very elaborate embroidery work on the borders of sleeves, necklines, fancy horse stress, shoes, and even on headwear such as turbans, zari work was a very eye-catching way to show the personal wealth of the wearer. The motifs used were derived from both ritualistic symbols of various gods and religions as well as from nature such as leaves, trees, and elephants.
Zardosi came to its height of popularity during the reign of Akbar during the Mughal Empire when he offered his royal patronage to zardozi artisans. Popularity of zari work spread along the Silk Road and into Europe where these truly luxurious items became fashionable among the European royalty. It was under the rule of one of his descendants, Aurangzeb, when zari work started to lose its royal popularity. Due to this large decline in demand for their work, zardosi workers moved to different areas outside of India in order to find markets for their wares.
On account of this decline, zari work came to be centralized only in a few cities such as Lucknow and Chennai. It wasn't until 1947 CE., when India declared its independence that zari work was declared an important national treasure by the new Indian government. After this time zardozi artisans were given government subsidies and grants in order to produce their craft and to offer workshops and long-term training to ensure that this embroidery art form would not be lost to history.
The silver zari - image reprinted with permission from Live History India
Nowadays this luxurious form of embroidery is now accessible to most classes of society due to the innovation of cheaper or imitation forms of gold and silver threads. This has increased the demand for zari rework and allowed its production to expand. Innovations in designs have evolved more quickly and freely as tastes in motifs and styles change. These days, motifs still use classic designs from the past but more geometric designs are gaining in popularity.
Traditionally this has been a male dominated trade. With the government's influence in wanting to spread the knowledge and skill of zari work, women have slowly but surely been introduced into learning this trade through various employment groups. Currently 10 to 15% of zari work is now produced by female zardozi.
Technique: Thin strands of gold or silver are flattened to various thicknesses and then wound around a core of silk or cotton yarn which is then polished to create a more glossy and smooth finish. After the shape of motifs to be stitched are drawn by hand onto the backing fabric these threads are then woven and stitched over pieces of prepared silk, velvet or other dense material which are stretched and secured over a sewing frame. The tension created by the use of these sewing frames is necessary to accommodate the very heavy and dense nature of the stitches used to fill in the designs. The number of different stitches fused to fill in space and to create texture are numerous and vary from region to region. They can involve simple fill-in stitches or more elaborate interweaving stitches that can create high relief 3D effects on the backing fabric.
The use of a hooked needle along with straight needles are used in combination to work the metallic threads from the back of the fabric to the front.
Innovation: There have been innovations in the quality of zari thread the last 80 years or so. This has allowed zari work to become accessible to a wider breadth of people in different economic categories. While traditional zari embroidery is still being manufactured, the nature of the materials used makes it very expensive and heavy to wear. To this end, imitation zari, which utilizes either silver or gold foil being electroplated to copper wire and then wound around silk, cotton, or polyester yarn, has been in use for several decades. This creates a lighter garment as well as a much more affordable option for people who want to enjoy the opulent look that zari work offers for embellishment. The increasing cost of copper in recent times has also caused imitation zari to become more expensive. This has caused a third class of zari to be developed. This uses synthetic-coloured metallic fibers that have very little weight to them. While this form of zari embroidery is very popular among the less wealthy for both its affordability and the light weight it offers to the wearers, it's quality can quickly be identified when its lustre fades to a dull grey or black.
These days, zari work is most commonly seen in saree used for special occasions such as weddings, festivals, and other religious events. It is also seen in certain classes of men's suits. Interest in any of the different qualities of zari work is gaining international interest in such markets as belly dance costumes.
Caring for either pure zari work or imitation zari is very important because if the material undergoes prolonged exposure to daylight, it can easily tarnish these precious metals. Storage of fabrics worked in zari must be covered with a layer of cotton and linen fabric so that they can still breathe but do not have full exposure to the sun.
References and Further Reading:
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