Chikankari Kadhai or embroidery is a craft characterised by the delicate use of white cotton thread on fine cotton fabric, which finds its roots in the City of Nawabs, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
This legacy of Chikankari in Lucknow spans over two centuries and was nurtured under the generous patronage of the Nawabs. More than 5,000 families residing in and around the remote villages of Lucknow are deeply engaged in the Chikankari embroidery industry, and the process of creating these beautiful garments has remained largely unchanged since the Mughal period.
It's a journey that supports the livelihoods of countless humans at different manufacturing stages.
Through our lens, we attempt to capture a glimpse of these artisans, who commit their lives to the art form and get a bare minimum income for focusing and working in incredibly tough conditions for more than 10 hours every day.
(Mirza Shaina Beg and Saqiba Khan are students, pursuing Master of Arts in Convergent Journalism at AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Milia Islamia.)
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