August

The word 'Phulkari' (meaning 'flower work') originally referred to the distinctive embroidery style of rural Punjab. A scene within the medallion (above) is inspired by a 15th century embroidered fabric known as a 'Rumala,' attributed to Bebi Nanaki (the sister of Sikhism's founder, Guru Nanak). It is thought to be the earliest example of phulkari work. 'Phulkari' later came to describe more specifically, the hand-spun, woven and embroidered head coverings and shawls made by young girls of the Punjab region as part of their wedding trousseau. Depicted (left), is a Punjabi Sikh girl at her spinning wheel dressed in traditional Punjabi bridal attire including a red phulkari shawl. The carpet beneath her is decorated with moths and plants representing the raw materials (silk and cotton) as well as the dyes (madder red and indigo blue) commonly used in phulkaris. Around this artwork are a range of designs most typically associated with phulkari textiles. These include stylised floral as well as geometric block patterns and motifs (in red, yellow, orange, white and green) inspired by Punjabi agricultural village life.

In the 19th century, Europeans commonly used phulkaris as home furnishings. Stripped of their traditional ritual and cultural significance, their use in this way became an expression of Anglo-Indian colonial identity as well as fashionable 'Oriental' taste in the West.