Karigar (the Craftsmen)

Design Resource

Zardozi

Stitches of Lucknow

Karigar (the Craftsmen)

The craftsmen who create zardozi patterns are known as zardoze (pronounced zar-do-zay). Usually children are made to sit at the addas from a very early age to learn the skills. This makes them imbibe the spirit and understand the nuances of the craft as they grow up. This is how they keep the tradition alive. Women usually knit crochét for chikan sarees and suits. They don’t go to work at addas because men in this locality are firm believers of the thought that they should be the bread earners in the family.

Most of the outfits are made to order and the design is selected by the shopkeeper or the customer. The craftsmen only do a sample swatch to get it approved for colors and motifs. Then the final order is placed. No design decisions are made by the craftsmen themselves. They charge them only after the outfit is finished according to the kaam (extent of work) done on the fabric. Though the profits are minted away by the big players of the trade, none of them wants to discontinue practicing the craft because it has become more than a source of livelihood for them. The pride they feel in being associated with it is beyond commerce.

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Zardozi