Chikankari, a traditional embroidery art form originating from Lucknow, India, is known for its delicate, intricate, and detailed handwork. Over centuries, artisans have developed various types of stitches and techniques, resulting in different varieties of Chikankari. These variations cater to diverse tastes and styles, ranging from simple, everyday wear to elaborate, festive pieces. Here's a detailed description of the different varieties of Chikankari work:
### **1. Tepchi**
- **Description**: *Tepchi* is one of the most basic and easiest forms of Chikankari stitching. It involves simple running stitches made along the borders of a design.
- **Look and Feel**: The stitch is straightforward, creating linear, flat embroidery that is less raised than other types.
- **Usage**: It's used as a base or filler stitch in larger, more intricate designs. Tepchi is commonly seen in lighter, more casual garments such as kurtis and cotton sarees.
- **Significance**: Due to its simplicity, Tepchi-embroidered Chikankari garments are affordable and often used for day-to-day wear.
### **2. Bakhiya (Shadow Work)**
- **Description**: Also known as *shadow work*, *Bakhiya* is one of the signature styles of Chikankari, where stitches are done from the reverse side of the fabric to create a shadow-like effect on the front.
- **Look and Feel**: The front side of the fabric shows the faint design, creating a soft, shadow-like appearance, while the reverse side has the actual stitching.
- **Usage**: Bakhiya work is widely used in making kurtas, sarees, and dupattas for a soft, elegant look. It's most popular in pastel fabrics where the shadow effect is most visible.
- **Significance**: This is a subtle and elegant style, perfect for those who prefer understated fashion.
### **3. Phanda**
- **Description**: *Phanda* stitches are small, knot-like stitches that create a grainy, raised texture on the fabric. It requires a great deal of skill as the knots must be uniform and perfectly round.
- **Look and Feel**: These stitches resemble tiny dots or pearls, often used to form floral motifs or to highlight other designs.
- **Usage**: Phanda work is often used to give texture and depth to flowers, buds, and smaller design elements. It's a popular choice for more intricate, decorative pieces.
- **Significance**: Phanda is one of the more complex stitches, giving a garment a more traditional and intricate appearance.
### **4. Keel Kangan**
- **Description**: *Keel Kangan* is a variation of the *Phanda* stitch. It's a finer, more detailed version, typically used for intricate motifs.
- **Look and Feel**: The stitches are tighter and more elaborate, creating a heavier, more raised effect than Phanda.
- **Usage**: Keel Kangan is commonly used in bridal and festive Chikankari outfits, where detailed embroidery is needed for an ornate look.
- **Significance**: This stitch adds richness and intricacy to a garment, making it ideal for formal or festive wear.
### **5. Jali (Net) Work**
- **Description**: *Jali* or net work is one of the most distinctive and complex forms of Chikankari. The fabric is worked in a way that small, delicate holes are created, resembling a fine net.
- **Look and Feel**: The result is a lattice or mesh-like effect, which appears delicate and almost transparent in some areas.
- **Usage**: Jali work is often used in sarees, kurtas, and dupattas to create an airy, lightweight look, often on fabrics like muslin or chiffon.
- **Significance**: Jali work is highly revered for its intricacy and difficulty. It adds a regal, ethereal quality to the garment.
### **6. Murri**
- **Description**: *Murri* is a type of stitch where small, rice-shaped knots are embroidered to form the petals of a flower or other similar motifs.
- **Look and Feel**: The stitches appear as small grains, closely packed to create textured, raised designs.
- **Usage**: Murri is usually seen in detailed floral motifs and is a hallmark of high-quality Chikankari work.
- **Significance**: Murri work is labor-intensive and requires highly skilled artisans, making it one of the most sought-after styles of Chikankari for bridal or luxury garments.
### **7. Hool (Eyelet Stitch)**
- **Description**: *Hool* is an eyelet stitch used to create small, open holes that resemble the center of a flower or small buds.
- **Look and Feel**: These small holes are embroidered carefully to maintain their shape, surrounded by finer stitches to enhance their appearance.
- **Usage**: Hool work is used to create the central part of flowers in floral patterns. It adds a delicate, airy touch to the overall design.
- **Significance**: Hool stitches are delicate and precise, often combined with other techniques to give the garment a refined and artistic look.
### **8. Ghaspatti**
- **Description**: *Ghaspatti* is a leaf-shaped stitch used to fill patterns and motifs, giving them a dense, fuller appearance.
- **Look and Feel**: It resembles tiny, overlapping leaves or grass blades, creating a full, lush effect on floral patterns.
- **Usage**: Ghaspatti is often used to fill leaves or petals in floral motifs, adding texture and depth to the design.
- **Significance**: Ghaspatti work adds volume and richness to a garment, making it ideal for festive and heavy embroidered pieces.
### **9. Hathkati (Cut Work)**
- **Description**: *Hathkati*, or cut work, involves cutting small parts of the fabric to create patterns, which are then embroidered over for a raised effect.
- **Look and Feel**: The cut areas are intricately embroidered with stitches to give a raised and textured feel, often creating bold and standout designs.
- **Usage**: Hathkati is mainly used in sarees, dupattas, and lehengas to create ornate and bold patterns.
- **Significance**: It's a more modern take on Chikankari, used for larger, statement-making motifs.
### **10. Khatao (Appliqué Work)**
- **Description**: *Khatao* is a unique style of Chikankari where pieces of fabric are sewn onto the main garment and embroidered over to create a raised design.
- **Look and Feel**: It gives a 3D effect, with the appliqué fabric forming the base of a motif, adding depth and texture.
- **Usage**: Khatao is used in festive or special occasion garments where a more elaborate and pronounced look is desired.
- **Significance**: This type of work is relatively less common but is highly appreciated for its artistic quality and craftsmanship.
### **11. Jaali Dar (Net Filling)**
- **Description**: *Jaali Dar* refers to the fine network of stitches used to fill spaces within a motif. The stitches are placed in a way that forms a delicate net within the design.
- **Look and Feel**: The net effect gives the garment a semi-transparent, airy look, adding intricacy to the pattern.
- **Usage**: Often used in the detailing of sarees, dupattas, and anarkalis, Jaali Dar gives the garment a light and breathable feel.
- **Significance**: Jaali Dar adds a layer of complexity and is perfect for those looking for a balance between elegance and intricacy.
### **12. Kauri (Shell Work)**
### **1. Tepchi**
- **Description**: *Tepchi* is one of the most basic and easiest forms of Chikankari stitching. It involves simple running stitches made along the borders of a design.
- **Look and Feel**: The stitch is straightforward, creating linear, flat embroidery that is less raised than other types.
- **Usage**: It's used as a base or filler stitch in larger, more intricate designs. Tepchi is commonly seen in lighter, more casual garments such as kurtis and cotton sarees.
- **Significance**: Due to its simplicity, Tepchi-embroidered Chikankari garments are affordable and often used for day-to-day wear.
### **2. Bakhiya (Shadow Work)**
- **Description**: Also known as *shadow work*, *Bakhiya* is one of the signature styles of Chikankari, where stitches are done from the reverse side of the fabric to create a shadow-like effect on the front.
- **Look and Feel**: The front side of the fabric shows the faint design, creating a soft, shadow-like appearance, while the reverse side has the actual stitching.
- **Usage**: Bakhiya work is widely used in making kurtas, sarees, and dupattas for a soft, elegant look. It's most popular in pastel fabrics where the shadow effect is most visible.
- **Significance**: This is a subtle and elegant style, perfect for those who prefer understated fashion.
### **3. Phanda**
- **Description**: *Phanda* stitches are small, knot-like stitches that create a grainy, raised texture on the fabric. It requires a great deal of skill as the knots must be uniform and perfectly round.
- **Look and Feel**: These stitches resemble tiny dots or pearls, often used to form floral motifs or to highlight other designs.
- **Usage**: Phanda work is often used to give texture and depth to flowers, buds, and smaller design elements. It's a popular choice for more intricate, decorative pieces.
- **Significance**: Phanda is one of the more complex stitches, giving a garment a more traditional and intricate appearance.
### **4. Keel Kangan**
- **Description**: *Keel Kangan* is a variation of the *Phanda* stitch. It's a finer, more detailed version, typically used for intricate motifs.
- **Look and Feel**: The stitches are tighter and more elaborate, creating a heavier, more raised effect than Phanda.
- **Usage**: Keel Kangan is commonly used in bridal and festive Chikankari outfits, where detailed embroidery is needed for an ornate look.
- **Significance**: This stitch adds richness and intricacy to a garment, making it ideal for formal or festive wear.
### **5. Jali (Net) Work**
- **Description**: *Jali* or net work is one of the most distinctive and complex forms of Chikankari. The fabric is worked in a way that small, delicate holes are created, resembling a fine net.
- **Look and Feel**: The result is a lattice or mesh-like effect, which appears delicate and almost transparent in some areas.
- **Usage**: Jali work is often used in sarees, kurtas, and dupattas to create an airy, lightweight look, often on fabrics like muslin or chiffon.
- **Significance**: Jali work is highly revered for its intricacy and difficulty. It adds a regal, ethereal quality to the garment.
### **6. Murri**
- **Description**: *Murri* is a type of stitch where small, rice-shaped knots are embroidered to form the petals of a flower or other similar motifs.
- **Look and Feel**: The stitches appear as small grains, closely packed to create textured, raised designs.
- **Usage**: Murri is usually seen in detailed floral motifs and is a hallmark of high-quality Chikankari work.
- **Significance**: Murri work is labor-intensive and requires highly skilled artisans, making it one of the most sought-after styles of Chikankari for bridal or luxury garments.
### **7. Hool (Eyelet Stitch)**
- **Description**: *Hool* is an eyelet stitch used to create small, open holes that resemble the center of a flower or small buds.
- **Look and Feel**: These small holes are embroidered carefully to maintain their shape, surrounded by finer stitches to enhance their appearance.
- **Usage**: Hool work is used to create the central part of flowers in floral patterns. It adds a delicate, airy touch to the overall design.
- **Significance**: Hool stitches are delicate and precise, often combined with other techniques to give the garment a refined and artistic look.
### **8. Ghaspatti**
- **Description**: *Ghaspatti* is a leaf-shaped stitch used to fill patterns and motifs, giving them a dense, fuller appearance.
- **Look and Feel**: It resembles tiny, overlapping leaves or grass blades, creating a full, lush effect on floral patterns.
- **Usage**: Ghaspatti is often used to fill leaves or petals in floral motifs, adding texture and depth to the design.
- **Significance**: Ghaspatti work adds volume and richness to a garment, making it ideal for festive and heavy embroidered pieces.
### **9. Hathkati (Cut Work)**
- **Description**: *Hathkati*, or cut work, involves cutting small parts of the fabric to create patterns, which are then embroidered over for a raised effect.
- **Look and Feel**: The cut areas are intricately embroidered with stitches to give a raised and textured feel, often creating bold and standout designs.
- **Usage**: Hathkati is mainly used in sarees, dupattas, and lehengas to create ornate and bold patterns.
- **Significance**: It's a more modern take on Chikankari, used for larger, statement-making motifs.
### **10. Khatao (Appliqué Work)**
- **Description**: *Khatao* is a unique style of Chikankari where pieces of fabric are sewn onto the main garment and embroidered over to create a raised design.
- **Look and Feel**: It gives a 3D effect, with the appliqué fabric forming the base of a motif, adding depth and texture.
- **Usage**: Khatao is used in festive or special occasion garments where a more elaborate and pronounced look is desired.
- **Significance**: This type of work is relatively less common but is highly appreciated for its artistic quality and craftsmanship.
### **11. Jaali Dar (Net Filling)**
- **Description**: *Jaali Dar* refers to the fine network of stitches used to fill spaces within a motif. The stitches are placed in a way that forms a delicate net within the design.
- **Look and Feel**: The net effect gives the garment a semi-transparent, airy look, adding intricacy to the pattern.
- **Usage**: Often used in the detailing of sarees, dupattas, and anarkalis, Jaali Dar gives the garment a light and breathable feel.
- **Significance**: Jaali Dar adds a layer of complexity and is perfect for those looking for a balance between elegance and intricacy.
### **12. Kauri (Shell Work)**
About the Author
Rehmaan Siddiqui is an ethnic fashion expert and the Founder of Chikankari Official. With over 7 years of specialized experience in authentic Lucknowi embroidery, he is dedicated to making premium, hand-embroidered ethnic wear accessible across India. Under his leadership, Chikankari Official has become a trusted wardrobe destination for over 50,000 satisfied customers. Rehmaan writes to share his deep industry knowledge on fabric quality, traditional craftsmanship, and modern ethnic styling.
