This document provides an overview of the ancient Persian craft of Zardozi embroidery. It discusses how Zardozi involves intricate embroidery with gold and silver threads along with precious stones. The craft originated in Persia and was introduced to India during the rule of Muhammad Bin Tughlaq in the medieval era. It became particularly popular during the Mughal era when royal families patronized the craft. Today, Zardozi is practiced in parts of Rajasthan, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh, with artisans working long hours each day to sustain their families through the craft.

2. Indiaissynonymouswithcrafts.Handsofartisansareconstantly,
what we say, in a rush for building on the craft heri-
tage and its conservation. This edition focuses on one
of the most elegant and performed crafts- Zardozi. In
awe of its every nuance, the book is a journey of bring-
ing in forefront, the story of zardoz to where and how
it is applied. We are thankful to be constantly guided by
NationalInstituteofFashionTechnology,Gandhinagar.
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3. acrossTHE BOOK
1. INTRODUCTION
2. MULAQAAT (INTRODUCTION)
3. ITIHAAS (HISTORY)
4. KAARIGAR (ARTISAN)
5. AUZAAR (TOOLS & MATERIALS)
6. KARYA (PROCESS)
7. MODERN ADOPTATION
OF ZARDOZI
8. CONCLUSION
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5. T
his an ancient Persian form of embroidery. Also spelt as Jardozi, the
Zardozi embroidery has eminence of being the most popular and elab-
orated techniques of embroidery. When done on fabrics and dress ma-
terials, the imperial metal embroidery imparts a royal look to the attire.
Not only on Sherwanis , but the Zardozi embroidery work is created on wall hang-
ings, scabbards, tent walls and impressive trappings of elephants and horses. The
embroidery pattern involves intricate patterns in gold and silver thread, bejeweled
with pearls and a variety of other precious stones. The elaborated design patterns
are meant to enhance the beauty of fabrics like silk, velvet and brocade.
The Mughal era in India brought richness to textiles and costumes, the ari work or
zardozi work is a type of hand embroidery to be introduced in medieval times dur-
ing the reign of Muhammad Bin Tughlaq. The embroidery done on sik saris, satin
is known as zardozi. It is done by laying color threads over the material. Originally
this work was done by gold threads. Since time immemorial, as it is the noble host
of all valuable metals, gold has been used for various purposes for economic trans-
action. Gold is very heavy when the weight of the fabric and metal wire used for
embroidery, are combined. Zardozi saris peak the beauty that combines wealth, but
these days instead of valuable gold other nearby imitating metals are used. Fabrics
which have been embellished by this method include velvet, satin, cotton and mus-
lin, and metal work has been used to enrich trappings, umbrellas, hangings, floor
pieces, clothing and other small articles.
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6. At the early stage of Zardozi, the artisans only need to work on Resham threads
and wire with hand embroidery on various metals. The designs were original
and were made according to the changing trend. Since Rig Vedic times, gold
Hiranya fabrics have been considered apparels befitting the gods, little wonder
why the lure of zari and brocade cuts across all cultural barriers. Indian gold
and silver threads (zari kasab) adorn garments and accessories in the fashion
capitals of the world. Varanasi and Surat are the busiest centers of this. But it
reaches the culmination in the ancient Persian art of zardozi (zar means gold
while dozi means embroidery). Under the patronage of the Mughal court and
the Nawabs of Awadh, zardozi flourished extensively. Intricate patterns in gold
andsilverencrustedwithgemswereembroideredwithstunningeffectonshim-
mering silk, velvet and brocade. Withdrawl of royal privilege and onset of in-
dustrialization lead craftsmen to seek craft employment. However, this mag-
nificent art was successfully revived in mid twentieth century Today zardozi
thrives in parts of Rajasthan, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
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8. T
he historical accounts of this craft are shrouded in romantic stories
and no accurate data is available. An imperial craft brought to India
by Delhi’s first Turko-Afghan sultans in the 12 th century, Zardozi
became equally popular with the wealthy Hindu, Muslim and Euro-
pean elite down the ages. History says that from the 13 th century, the crafts
people who worked with this medium, setting seed pearls and precious stones
with fine gold and silver wire, were known as zardos workers. Zardoz- as a
class of artisans along the other artisans followed the footsteps of the sultan-
ate conquerors in the 12 th century down the Khyber mount passes on to the
plains of the Indian sub-continent. A popular myth is found among the zardos
of Delhi related to the origins of this craft run as :
Once a mosquito entered into the kings head through his ear. The fluttering
of this mosquito caused the severe headache. Every kind of treatment failed.
Finally Paigambar himself advised the head hakim in his dream that the king
would be cured of his headache if he is hit by a shoe in the area of pain. The
hakim narrated his dream to his associates. They executed a plan. Shoes deco-
rated with gold threads were ordered to be made for the the purpose. The king
was hit with the shoe. This killed the mosquito, curing the king of his ache. He
appreciated the artistic outlay on the shoe and decided to patronize his work.
Other emperors and nobles also followed him.
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9. Retracing back Hiranyan Atkat emphasises that the garments in the vedic age
were embroided with gold. References indicate this continuity in the epic pe-
riod as well. Swarnatantu nirmata, the word was occurring in the valmiki’s ra-
mayn,meansadornedbythegoldwire.InMahabharata“Maharhavasthambra”
is the only costly robe mentioned at the time of marriage of the five pandavas
with Draupadi. Royal courts of the Valmiki’s Ramayana speaks about the Ram
and Sita’s attire in yellow clothes (ratambar) embroided with gold threads and
jewels when they went to exile. Dress of Ravana is describes as Maharvastra
sambaddh and maharavastra indicating that the kingly costumes were expen-
sive and this tradition seems to have extended to greater India.
Then there came a period when urbanization was in the process of emergence
and people traded in exchange of gold bullion and there was less demand of
gold decoration on fabric. Budhist and jain literature provided very little in for-
mation of gold and silver. Work on clothes as their sacred text says “no monk
and nun should accept golden plaids, glittering like gold, embroidered with
gold.”
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11. A
craft is non-existent without meticulous pair of body and mind,
working in absolute, unmatchable coordination. Inlight of Zardozi,
artisan is the Zardoz who does the craft. It is indeed a vision to see
them; seems like they do not even take a breath of rest for a minute.
Like a machine, with almost nil undulations on back, unlike us stooping all the
time, they work for ten to twelve hours a day constantly.
Kids and others in the family visit their karkhana or the ateliers in breaks dur-
ing the day. Be it bringing the needed awakener-chai or the fuel-lunch, to keep
the pace up, they do it all. Mohit Manke rightly said, “First Learn and then
remove L”. The artisans we interviewed gravitate to the same idea at the end of
the day. They laud their instructors as Gurus who taught them the craft of ele-
gance, Zardozi. It is through this that the zardoz earn and run the family
expenses. Much like Learn and Earn- Of course.
One of the artisans we met during the course of craft research was the thirty
nine years old Firoz Khan Salim Khan. His journey from a young pupil in 7 th
standard to self-sustained artisan is a gift of his Guru Zaheer Syed. Firoz dis-
liked studies and developed a liking towards Zardozi, the same being practiced
by his father for their living. Today, in manual support of his younger brother,
they do zardozi. When asked about customers, he answered that they ask for
specific designs to be made. So he remarked in irritation and we quote, ‘SAB
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12. CHOR HO GAYE HAIN’. Honestly, we chuckled in return and
were reminded of plagiarism that has hit the design world, with its roots deep as
into minds of end users and creators.
‘Kaana time se mil jaaye toh bohot badi baat hai, allah ka laakh laakh shukr ho”.
With seasons and demands always on fluctuation, the couple earns INR15,000
to INR20.000. In general, Firoz works for rates ranging from INR60/hour to
INR125/hour- rate being dependent on customer’s apparent status and knowl-
edge of the craft. While this was about Firoz, parallel is a story of another dili-
gent artisan- Mosheen Khan. 32 years in age, Nosheen Khan was born and now
married in Ahmedabad itself. He began to gain expertise from his guru/ustad
17 years back He works with his friend Altaf Bhai in his atelier on rent. In a fam-
ily of 11 members, he works alone and manages the expense quite well. His rate
of work starts from INR60/hour. When Mosheen Khan had begun, he earned
INR5/piece of craft that he created. But today he earns more than INR500/piece,
dependable on the load of work it requires. Ten to twelve hors a day and that is
all that he can push himself to work. Sundays are ‘no work days’. The environ-
ment supporting the craft development in each of the above cases is quite simi-
lar. Both the artisans have taken on rent a separate area. They support the act in
light of growing family and huge space that the setup of zardozi requires. With
workspace ineffectively facilitating the craft, the conditions are poor. Bound by
the expectations and family fueling, these conditions can not even be improved
so quickly, at least in a decade to come.
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