Phulkari

Phulkari has been part of Punjabi culture for centuries, with references in the poetry of Waris Shah. The tradition was passed from mother to daughter, with girls learning to embroider from childhood.

The Partition of 1947 was catastrophic for the Phulkari tradition, dividing Punjab and disrupting the communities that practised it. However, the tradition survived and has undergone significant revival in recent decades.

Today, Phulkari is a symbol of Punjabi cultural identity. The most elaborate form — the Bagh, in which embroidery covers the entire cloth surface — is particularly prized.

Phulkari uses the darning stitch worked from the reverse side of the cloth, creating a smooth, raised surface on the front. Silk thread in vivid colours is worked on handspun cotton.

The Phulkari stitch creates geometric patterns — horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines combining to form flowers, stars, and complex geometric fields.