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History & Origin

The origin of Phulkari can be traced back to the 15th Century AD. According to some people, Phulkari has its origins in the famous love story of Heer and Ranjha written by Waris Shah (1725-1790). Heer had many costumes which also included Phulkari items, many of them presented to her at her wedding according to legend.  Some believe that this craft migrated from Persia. The Persian embroidery form ‘Gulkari’ having similar literal meaning, ‘gul’ meaning flower and ‘kari’ meaning work, resembles Phulkari – ‘phul’ meaning flower and ‘kari’ meaning work. Another study shows that the Jat tribes of East Punjab, basically peasants who migrated from central Asia are the pioneers of this craft.

Themes

Phulkari is the art of making beautiful intricate designs and motifs on fabrics with different coloured threads.  Phulkari literally means ‘flower work’. A variation of Phulakari is Bagh work, literally meaning garden, a variation where the embroidery completely covers the base cloth.  Popular in northwest and east of Punjab, Phulkari embroidered apparel is integral to social ceremonies. Throughout Punjab, in the Hindu, Muslim and Sikh communities alike, women embroider veils or wraps with Phulkari work.The fabric originally used was khaddar (heavy cotton) that is locally woven in narrow widths of 45 to 60 cm joined either before or after the embroidery to form the desired size. Aside from their everyday use as veils, the Phulkari is integrated into the lives of the women and is an indispensable element in ceremonies, especially those concerning birth, death and marriage. Birth of a girl marks the beginning of the child’s grandmother’s task of creating the future bride’s trousseau, which is worn by the bride when she walks around the sacred fire during her wedding ceremony. When a woman gives birth to a boy she is given a Phulkari veil which is worn by her when she goes out for the first time after delivery, and during any religious festivals. Likewise when a lady dies her body is covered with Phulkari embroidered cloth.

Modern Day Variations

New designs for new trends and outfits are being innovated by several modern designers and exporters to reach out to the new segments of customers. Presently, machine-made Phulkari products are being manufactured in Ludhiana and Amritsar which is cheap and affordable for low end customers. Twelve Phulkari suits can be made in one day by machines which further lowers the product’s price. The practitioners of Phulkari are of the opinion that machine made products have not reduced the sale of traditional Phulkari. Instead new markets have opened up popularizing Phulkari and making it available universally to masses.

Frequency of Practice

Women in the villages work for 4-5 hours in a day and complete a stole with light Phulkari work in 15-20 days. However, one month is required to weave a stole with heavy Phulkari work.

Associated Festivals

The artisans get a chance to participate in festivals around India facilitated by DC Handicrafts. Phulkari is also available at the retail stores of Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC). However, at the national level availability of Phulkari is less.