Mukaish Badla Embroidery
- One of the most beautiful embellishment and ornamentation art- THE MUKAISH BADLA finds its origin in Lucknow.
- Mukaish, an almost dying craft of Lucknow, is age-old embroidery where thin strips of metallic wire are inserted into the fabric and then twisted to create metallic embroidery. Initially real silver and gold was used to make threads for the embroidery, but now real raw material is not used. Craftsmen have different ways of polishing the thread to make it appear brighter.
- Over time, Chikankari travelled far and wide but Mukaish remained in Lucknow’s narrow lanes. The karigars of this craft, also known as Badla in Gujarat and Maharashtra, are a dying breed.
- Considering the amount of time that goes into making Mukaish, which is an expensive and labour intensive craft, there are just a handful of craftsmen left in Lucknow, most of them being Muslims.
The artisans are the real treasure of Indian as their work is unparalleled and authentic. No machine work or FAST fashion can replace the grandeur and regality that they can create on clothing. However, their plight is pitiable and their population is dwindling.
Interesting facts
- This type of embroidery has been around since the Rig Veda era, and it went onto prosper during the Mughal period.
- Initially, real silver and gold was used to make these threads, but now real raw material is not used. Craftsmen have different ways of polishing the thread to make it appear brighter.
- BADLA is also used at times to give the appearance of sequin work (Sequins are used as adornments on fabrics, footwear, and bags) but it requires much more intricate artisanship.
