The expression of feelings through art is a common human trait across civilizations. It is also a complex mixture of social, cultural, aesthetic, psychological, and political spirit of the time and place. The art of adornment is associated with human beings since prehistoric times. With evolution, expression through art became inherent character of various cultures.
Primitive humankind improvised the stitches used to join animal skins together and started using them also as decoration. And thus began a journey of the art of embroidery. Clothing has been used as a statement for cultural, social, and aesthetic standing. And the art of embroidery has been an intrinsic part of it across cultures.
In India, each state enjoys the pride of having a rich heritage of unique textile styles, weaves, and embroidery. This article intends to discuss the art form of tradition of pictorial embroidery, known as "Chamba rumaal".
Origin of Chamba rumaal
This craft originated, got refined, and thrived in the erstwhile state of Chamba in the 17 – 18 century AD, around the time when the art of Pahari paintings was at its peak. The image of miniature paintings was transformed into embroidery by women artisans and with time, it became a celebrated craft tradition of Chamba.
"Rumaal" is a Persian word for the handkerchief. And as the name suggests, this visual art refers to embroidering on handkerchiefs; quintessential to the region of undivided Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and some parts of Kashmir. Unfortunately, now this art form is practiced mostly in Chamba, Himachal Pradesh.
Acclaimed for the fine, double-sided embroidery, the Chamba rumaal is used in multiple conventional ways. These traditional rumaals are made in various shapes and sizes to serve different purposes. A kerchief for men and women, covers for books, for musical instruments, fruit baskets, or gift platters to wallhangings, these rumaals were part of daily life by common people as well the aristocracy.
The craft of Chamba rumaal is a collaboration between two art forms; the Pahari painting and the fine art of embroidery. In one art form, the painter uses a brush and in another, it is replaced by a needle. In a Chamba rumaal, handmade paper is substituted by fabric and colorful threads replace the beautiful pigments of a Pahari painting. Traditionally, the drawings of the Chamba rumaals were never traced. They were done in freehand style without breaking a line by the skillful hands of the Pahari Painters. Painters invariably guided the embroidery artisans on palettes of silk threads.
History of Chamba rumaal
The fabric used for the embroidery was handwoven and handspun unbleached muslin, khaddar, or silk. This handicraft thrived due to it being a pivotal part of social customs. The Chamba rumaal was one of the "must-have" items in the dowry. No wedding ceremony would be complete without the gift of finely embroidered Chamba rumaal from the bride's side to the groom and his family. The bride was considered exceptionally meritorious if she had mastered the art of Chamba rumaal embroidery! People loved to flaunt the Chamba rumaals in some form or fashion during social/religious festivities. Usually, the elite class preferred the intricate designs and work on exquisite silk fabric and collected them for aesthetic purposes.
How the Chamba rumaal is made
Creating a Chamba rumaal involves painstaking handwork. This art form demands precision in the skill of double-sided darning (satin stitch carried forward and backward alternately), and satin stitches embroidery on a varied range of delicate cotton fabrics with natural dyed untwisted silk yarns. The primary art, characterized by intricate lines, is traditionally drawn by miniature art experts based on traditional themes. Once the drawing part is over, the embroidery work is usually carried out by accomplished women artisans. The inherent character of the Chamba rumaal embroidery is that both sides of the cloth are stitched simultaneously to fill up space making the design on both sides look uniform, impactful, and identical in content. That is why the technique is known as "do-rukha" (two-faced). The finish of the embroidery is so fine that it is impossible to spot the knots. The rumaal can be viewed from both sides and it looks almost identical.
In olden times, Pahari painters drew the outlines of the basic picture with a fine brush or charcoal. Sometimes, the embroidery artisans preferred to draw the patterns, figures, and designs themselves. This practice resulted in two uniquely different styles and aesthetics of Chamba rumaal. One elegant and refined in draughtsmanship, and another one, raw, and audacious in treatment.
Colors and motifs of the Chamba rumaal
Purple, red, pink, orange, lemon and deep yellow, dark green, parrot green, ultramarine, and Prussian blue, black, and white were the preferred colors. Silver wire known as badla is also noticed on the old Chamba rumaals. Traditionally, the motifs on the Chamba rumaal have been drawn from indigenous tales; the Ramayana and Mahabharata, the Bhagwat Puranas, Nature, and the local life of a community the artisans belonged to. The figures of Krishna along with his Gopis was a common theme.
Current status of Chamba rumaal
The art form of Chamba rumaal was practiced till about a hundred years back. With the decline in the patronage from the royal and noble class of the society, the art form slowly became extinct. There are very few artisans left who practice this art form today and despite their measures to revive this embroidery tradition, it is difficult to continue without eager buyers. The only consolation is, after being awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) in 2007, there is a surge in interest from some government bodies and NGOs in its revival. Let's just pray the Chamba rumaal can adapt to contemporary times, receives the much-needed boost, and retain its erstwhile grandeur.
***All the pictures shared here are taken from Google.
