Wishlists

As the summer rages, here is a pick of some soft pastel shades. Do you know that the chikankari embroidery has more than 30 stitches that give it that distinct look. Some of the popular ones are bakhiya, murri, phanda, jali, makra, ghaspatti and many many more. And the embroiderers today embellish it with other crafts like mukaish, kamdani, sequins, beads and also mirror work.

Now how do you figure out whether the chikankari item you are buying is machine work or the real stuff in hand embroidery? Just flip the fabric over and if the back side is a mesh of knots and threads, know for sure that it’s done by hand. Machine-made will have a neat and even backside.

Lucknow is where you will get the best chikankari in India. The Lucknow chikankari can be purchased from the Aminabad market, Chowk, Hazratganj market and Bhootnath market. From the cheapest to the most expensive. From hand made to machine made, head to any of these markets if you happen to be in the City of Nawabs or the Golden City of the East, Shiraz-i-Hind and also verily known as the Constantinople of India.