Shawl (phulkari)

Phulkari, literally "flower work," is a type of embroidery traditional throughout Punjab that is characterized by the use of a darning stitch, a simple running stitch in which the thread is generally woven along the grain of the fabric. Parallel rows of different lengths of stitching serve to create geometric and other designs. Phulkari textiles are embroidered by women for their own use and for other family members. As in this example, cotton cloth is typically embroidered with silk thread. Traditionally, embroidered shawls such as this one formed part of a bride's trousseau and were worn for special celebrations, festivals, and ritual occasions. Phulkari designs include geometric patterns as well as floral, organic, and animal motifs, such as the peacocks represented here.

In the last fifty years, the creation of embroidered phulkari textiles and the Punjab region has declined dramatically.