Stories on a Handkerchief

Since cows are said to be a favourite of Lord Krishna, 'Gaudhuli', an artistic depiction of cows and their calves are also a favourite subject.

Elephants, birds, and elaborate flora, including cypress trees, shrubs and decorative plants are used to fill spaces around the main figures or story, making the Chamba rumal a delightful collector’s piece of a truly valuable textile art of India.

Detail of the lower part of the Gaudhuli where women collect water in earthen pots from the river.

An exquisite grouping of embroidered trees exhibits the high level of Chamba embroidery. This rumal is done on an unusual base fabric of bluish grey that could indicate a rain laden sky. Every tree is rendered in a different pattern, all in satin stitch in shades of greens and golden browns.

Lord Krishna is always unmistakeably painted in deep blue tones to depict a dark skin colour. Here he is not shown in his usual colouring but is lightened to merge more gently with the skies and trees.

Lord Ganesh, the elephant-headed deity, is a popular figure in Indian art and religious mythology. Art and craft depictions of Lord Ganesh are also called Ganeshas.

This Ganesha would probably be framed and given pride of place in a home. The stitches are entirely in the back and forth satin stitch of Chamba, except for the thin brown double lines encompassing the floral border pattern which are in simple stem stitch.

A detail of the Ganesha reveals the base fabric as a finer quality of jute cloth, which has a natural colour akin to the old dark cream coloured fabrics. A touch of metallic thread implies Lord Ganesh’s staff has portions made of gold on it.

Vishnu pad, or Lord Vishnu’s feet, placed within the petals of a lotus flower, are often revered in place of idols in a prayer space.

These pair of feet contain many auspicious symbols.

Lalita Vakil, an innovative, highly skilled practitioner of Chamba embroidery, stands beside her piece titled 'Dashavatar', the traditional presentation of the ten incarnations of Vishnu, the creator, who comes to earth in different forms to protect righteousness.

The tantric art style is adopted to embroider representations of male and female deities.

The goddesses are worshipped during the navaratra festival in October. Referred to as Vidya devis, a Chamba rumal like this is considered auspicious.

Colours of clothing on the figures of a Raas Lila design may change in every art work but it is always arranged in this formation.
Raas Lila is depicted similarly on any classical art piece and even woven on borders of saris or on the central part of a veil.

The corner areas of a ‘Raas Lila’ with figures dancing around Lord Krishna are elaborately designed in this rumal. The floral borders are nearly always the same on formal pieces that follow old religious themes.

A chamba rumal captures a simple moment in time: a woman standing in a village field, pointing out something up in the sky to her companion. The hills, the trees, the little stream and the birds; all add characted and depth to this delicate piece of art.

A detail of a Chamba rumal shows how effectively the needle and thread can convey the emotion of longing in the eyes of the nayika, the young maiden who anxiously awaits her lover.

Playing a game akin to pachisi, called chaupar, was a common pastime for royals in India.

The cross formation of the chaupar appears in many forms of art. The images of couples smoking hookahs embroidered on the sides depict a lack of patriarchal conservatism among the royals of that time.

A portion of a Chamba rumal tells of preparation for a ceremonial event.

All the ingredients are there; food is being cooked, music and other cultural activities are present. It is obviously some preparation for a celebration.

Her work is held up to demonstrate the fineness of the fabric and how the embroidery in silhouette is dramatic in itself.

She adds to her series of ‘Needle Art’, scenes of women enjoying the advent of the rainy season. After hot dry summers, everyone in India enjoys the rains.

Another Chamba rumal in a series embroidered on a black base fabric elaborates how effectively embroidery can depict a variety of trees.

Trees and plants are very precious to communities that live in the hills and is a recurring leitmotif of Kangra art.

In this piece, Lord Krishna looks out from among the bushes, probably at his beloved Radha.

Since temples are both significant and ubiquitous in Himachal Pradesh, Chamba embroidery expert Lalita Vakil has chosen to tell a story of spring time, happy people and a long series of steps up a steep hill which devotees have to climb as a part of their pilgrimage to reach the deity in a temple above.

The sparse embroidery (on the left) is effective in its story-telling; shows a temple with people praying to Lord Shiva, who is riding his sacred bull into the higher reaches.

Himachal Pradesh, also referred to as Devbhoomi, the abode of the gods, is culturally rich with expressions of high mountains, thick clouds, sources of holy rivers, and the abode of saints and holy men who sit for years in caves seeking enlightenment through meditation and yoga.

Read more about Chamba rumal embroidery here:

- The enchanted world of embroidered handkerchiefs
- Art merges into craft in Chamba