Exports and Revival of Chickankari

Exports Generally considered a cottage industry, Indian Chikankari Industry has outgrown its image to get into a rapid growing industry with a turnover from US $ 1. 2 million to US$ 1. 9 billion in the croak decade. There has been a consistent annual growth rate of more(prenominal) than 15 per cent over a 10-year point, from 3. 6% to a upright 10% sh atomic number 18 in global embroidery exports. In 2008-2009, the exports of Indian handicrafts has shown an increase of US$ 298. 87 million, i. e. the exports increases by 10. 02% over the similar period during 2008-2009.The industry is expected to triple its export turnover to Rs. 39,000 crore by 2009-10 that in turn will also create around 2 lakh new job opportunities. Revival The industrial revolution and the increasing productiveness had slowed down the growth and the quality of arts and crafts, but for some decades now, the scenario has changed and machine-made products no longer attract the citizenry. Presently handicrafts a re being considered as vocational media and it is also opted for style statement and the leisure pursuit.Today, the crafts and craftspeople have a vital role to play in modern India not retributive as part of its cultural and tradition, but as part of its sparing future. The children in front of their small dingy houses play in the dust, and force and cry through the day. But their noise hardly deters the women from stitching thin designs on sarees, kurta pyjama, salwar kameez, shirts, bed-sheets, pillow covers, cushion covers, etc. Love for stitching It is their love for stitching which keeps the rich chikankari tradition alive in the culturally vibrant city of Lucknow. Around 2. lakh chikankari journeymans in Lucknow and nearby Malihabad, Kakori, Unao, Bilagram, Alam Nagar, Bijnaur and Bilaspura villages acquire Rs 15 to Rs 50 a day from chikankari fail. Chikankari exports fetch more than $12. 5 million a year for the State and supports a million people in the entire supp ly chain.Though there is huge demand for chikankari sue in the domestic and international markets, maintaining the crafts popularity is becoming a big problem. large-scale mechanisation, entry of similar embroidery works from neighbouring countries, catch of middlemen and the disinterestedness of enior artisans caste a gloom on the crafts future. Senior artisans do not get the terms they deserve. The growing societal indifference to aesthetic craft, aggressive consumerism and increasing influence of middlemen in the trade have eroded much of the skill and art many finely chikankari stitching techniques such as kaudi, jodapati, dhumkipati, khjur ki pati, recapitulate bakhia, rahejka jakha and gol murri have almost disappeared. Gone are the days when senior chikankari artisans win accolades in the courts of kings and nawabs.It is believed the Moghul queen Noor Jahan was the creator of chikankari work. In fact, the origin of chikankari work goes beyond the medieval period. Gre ek traveller Megasthenes mentions about Indians making fine embroidery work on muslin cloth in 3 BC. In three phases The exotic chikankari work is made in three phases. The artisan first imagines the motifs of different flowers, creepers, birds, animals, geometric shapes, etc. Then the wooden blocks of the motifs are prepared to restore an imprint on the cloth base.The artisans then kick the bucket different stitching techniques to instil life into those motifs which are then run up on cotton, silk, georgette, chiffon and other fabrics. Images of Taj Mahal, temples, mosques, and so on, are woven on clothe with amazing dexterity. The States handicraft department also provides computer-generated designs to artisans. Though there is no dearth of designs and innovation there is a shortage of skilled workers. Today, there are more daily wagers than real artists in Lucknow.Naseem Bano, the national portray winner from Lucknow, still preserves the skill of making anokhi chikan which i s known yet to a few artisans in Lucknow. The artisan combines morie, kali and keherki stitching to make the subject look as if it is painted with a fine brush. It is believed the storied chikankari artisan Hasan Mirza had created anokhi chikan in the 1960s. Anokhi and other fine chikan work were as costly as gold in the western and European market. The skill and artistic production of the chikankari craft must be preserved, as it has the potential to generate tax income and employment on a sustainable basis.