Handloom and Handicraft

Maheshwar is a town located on the bank of river Narmada in the Dhar District of Madhya Pradesh. Maheshwar handloom is among one of India’s well-known handcrafted textiles loved for its fineness, comfort, delicacy, and sophistication. Maheshwari textiles were spun by expert artisans that Queen Ahilyabai Holkar brought from Varanasi, Hyderabad, and Surat to weave sarees which are traditional, unique and ethnic. These weavers follow the designs that are inscribed on the walls of Ahilya Fort. Interestingly, the handloom operations that were carried out in the 18th century are still carried out today by using natural fibers. Even today these designs can be found on the borders of Maheshwari sarees. Maheshwar Cluster has more than 4500 artisans, producing traditional products for generations. Handloom industry in Maheshwar employs people from various castes and religions, including Kshatriyas, Bharuds, Muslims, Kumhars, and Kahars. This cluster is concentrated on handloom produc...

Chikankari is a famous and popular embroidery work which is known all over the globe. Lucknow is the geographic center for Chikankari embroidery, renowned for the timeless grace and its delicacy, a skill more than 400 years old and still global sensation. Chikan Craft of Lucknow is worldwide and has a vast significance in the development of the economy of UP.  The word chikan is a derivative from the Persian word 'chikaan' meaning drapery. The simple and precise handwork on the garment gives it a very subtle, classy feel that modern embroidery techniques lack. The main concentration of the garment is a simple design and motifs which make the garment look rich, it still remains a simple and affordable fabric choice. Chikan work goes as far as the early 3rd century BC, with one tale of a traveler who taught chikan to a peasant in return for drinking water. The most popular, and the fact-based the story is that Noor Jahan, the wife of Mughal emperor Jehangir, introduced the...