RAMPUR & LUCKNOW ROHILKHAND & AWADHshabdachitra.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Rampur_-Lucknow1.0.pdfRAMPUR & LUCKNOW – ROHILKHAND & AWADH EMPEROR’S EMBROIDERY – HANDCRAFTED

RAMPUR & LUCKNOW – ROHILKHAND & AWADH

EMPEROR’S EMBROIDERY – HANDCRAFTED ART BY TRADITIONAL

ARTISTS

The artistic rivalry between the Nawab ruled Rohilkhand & Awadh during the 18th

& the 19th

Centuries,

lead to the creation of several stylized gates & buildings in Rampur & Lucknow.

Several of the buildings in Rampur have been built in the Indo-Sarcenic style of architecture, synthesizing

elements from the Islamic, Hindu and Victorian Gothic. These buildings were designed and built by W.C.

Wright, the Chief Engineer, chosen to carry out an extensive building program in the city by Nawab Hamid

Ali Khan (1896-1930).

Prominent amongst these is the regal Raza Library with its treasure of old manuscripts. This building was

earlier the main palace and was known as “Hamid Manzil”. The Raza Library, Jama Masjid & Moti masjid

of Rampur have a design continuity in the “Acanthus Leaf” motif, which is showcased in this collection.

This ornamental pattern, inspired by the deeply cut leaves of the Acanthus Group of plants found in the

Mediterranean, has been widely used in Greek,

Roman, Byzantine & Gothic ornamentation.

Other patterns in this collection are inspired by the

fading designs of the Hamid & Wright’s gates, which

stand amidst the busy bazaar streets leading into the

old town. There are very few old photographs of

Rampur in the form of an album presented to Lord

Curzon, the Viceroy of India, by the Nawab in June

1905, to commemorate his visit to the city. Few other

old photos are in the Marquess of Reading Collection,

1911 at the British Library. It has been extremely

difficult to clearly photograph the designs remaining

on these gates today, and from these photographs, the

artisans drew out the “Khaaka” or the scaled up design on tracing paper, which would them be transferred

on the cloth being embroidered.

The Shia Nawabs of Lucknow constructed several

grand palaces, Imambaras and gates including Rumi,

Kaiser Bagh & Hossainabad darwazas. The

decorative floral, geometric and fish pattern designs

on these structures are highlighted in this collection.

The spirit of Nawabi Lucknow was captured to

perfection in the film “Shatranj ke Khiladi”, which

too is represented in this collection.

This exquisite collection of handcrafted utility home

products comprises of curtains and cushion covers.

The decorative exteriors in the architecture of

Rampur & Lucknow have been the design

inspiration for this collection. The patterns have

been hand embroidered using matted glass beads or “Cut Dana” by the traditional zardozi technique on net

fabric. The products have been hand embroidered in the old quarter of Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, a centre for

zari-zardozi embroidery since the time of the Nawabs. This ancient craft finds a mention in Vedic literature

as well.

As part of this project, the craftspersons adapted their skills to recreate a part of the heritage of their city on

new products & concepts. This “City Design” project was a way to connect local artists with their own

roots & local heritage, improving their sense of identity, well-being and sustained livelihood.

I THE RAMPUR COLLECTION:

1. .. Jama Masjid Acanthus Leaf Cushion Cover

Product Code: JMCC 01

Size: 16”*16”

Material: Net Fabric with satin lining, embroidered with glass beads

Colour: Brown and Maroon, Grey and White, Black & White

Each Cushion took 20-25 hours to embroider

2. Raza Library Acanthus Leaf Cushion Cover 1

Product Code: RLCC 01

Size: 16”*16”




3. Raza Library Acanthus Leaf Cushion Cover 2

Product Code: RLCC 02

Size: 16”*16”




4. Wright’s Gate Star Border Cushion Cover

Product Code: WGCC 01

Size: 16”*16”




5. Wright’s Gate Floral Pattern Cushion Cover


Size: 16”*16”




6. Wrights Gate Running Border Cushion Cover


Size: 16”*16”




7. Pair of Wright’s Gate Floral Pattern & Hamid Gate Geometric Pattern Curtains

This pair of curtains is inspired by the design & layout of the Wright & Hamid Gates of Rampur. Each

curtain took 25-30 hours to complete.

Product Code: WGHGC 01

Size: 240cm*145cm

Material: Net Fabric embroidered with glass beads

Colour: Brown and Maroon, Black & White

Photographs of the Wrights Gate & Hamid Gate from Lord Curzon’s presentation album, 1905

Design Details of the Wrights Gate & Hamid Gate as photographed at present

Net Sheer Curtains with designs of the gates embroidered using Glass Beads

II THE LUCKNOW COLLECTION

1. .. Rumi Darwaza Floral Motif Cushion Cover

Product Code: RDCC 01

Size: 16”*16”


Colour: Black & White, Brown & Maroon, Grey & White


It is said that the famous Sufi poet Jelaluddin Rumi met Hazrat Shams al Tabriz, a wandering dervish, for

the first time in the mid 13th

century below a gate in the market place of Konya in Turkey. This meeting

altered Rumi’s course of life and is considered as a “Grand event in the mystical evolution of the planet.”

The bond they formed was everlasting – a powerful transcendent friendship that would flow through Rumi

as his best loved ecstatic poetry. The Rumi Darwaza could perhaps have been built as a homage by the Shia

Nawabs to this great Sufi poet and his meeting with his spiritual guide and friend Shams al Tabriz.

2. Rumi Darwaza Floral Border Cushion Cover


Size: 16”*16”




3. Rumi Darwaza Geometric Pattern Cushion Cover


Size: 16”*16”




This Cushion Cover is inspired by the geometric pattern on the clock tower across the Rumi Darwaza

4. Kaiser Bagh Lakhi Darwaza Fish Pattern Cushion Cover

Product Code: KBFCC 01

Size: 16”*16”




This Cushion Cover is inspired by the fish motifs on the Lakhi Gates at the entrance to Kaiser Bagh, built

during the reign of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah.

The twin fish motif existed even in the Indus Valley iconography. In Awadh, it became part of the royal

insignia and a dominant decorative symbol in architecture and crafts. It is said that after being appointed the

Governor of Awadh, Nawab Saadat Khan Burhan-ul-Mulk.on his way to Lucknow from Farukkhabad, was

crossing the river Ganga and two fishes leaped into his lap. This was considered a good omen, coinciding with

the beginning of the golden era of the history of Awadh.

Along with the twin fishes, Jal pari or mermaids were part of the decorative exterior of buildings during the

rule of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, as can be seen on the Lakhi Gate at Kaiser Bagh.

5. Kaiser Bagh Lakhi Darwaza Floral Pattern Cushion Cover

Product Code: KBFCC 01

Size: 16”*16”




6. Shatraj Ke Khiladi Cushion Cover

Product Code: SKKCC 01

Size: 16”*16”




Inspired by Munshi Premchand’s story that was made into a film by Satyajit Ray in 1977, capturing the

essence of Lucknow’s culture under Nawab Wajid Ali Shah on the eve of the 1857 rebellion.

7. Pair of Rumi Gate Floral Pattern & Lakhi Gate Fish Pattern Curtains

This pair of curtains is inspired by the design & layout of the Rumi & Lakhi Gates of Lucknow. Each

curtain took 25-30 hours to complete.

Product Code: WGHGC 01

Size: 240cm*145cm

Material: Net Fabric embroidered with glass beads

Colour: Brown and Maroon, Black & White

Documents

RAMPUR & LUCKNOW ROHILKHAND & AWADHshabdachitra.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Rampur_-Lucknow1.0.pdfRAMPUR & LUCKNOW – ROHILKHAND & AWADH EMPEROR’S EMBROIDERY – HANDCRAFTED