INDIAN

TRADITIONAL EMBROIDERY

Chamba Rumal

Submitted by: - Snigdha Singh

Roll: - 53
 Chamba Rumal

Alternative Chamba
names handkerchief
Description Handicraft

Type Embroidery

Area Himachal
Pradesh
Country India

Registered March 2010

Material Silk and cotton

(muslin or
mulmul)

Chamba Rumal (handkerchief)

 Chamba Rumal

 The Chamba Rumal or Chamba handkerchief is an embroidered

handicraft that was once promoted under the patronage of the former
rulers of Chamba kingdom. It is a common item of gift during
marriages with detailed patterns in bright and pleasing colour schemes
 This product has been registered for protection under the Geographical
indication of the Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)
agreement. On 22 January 2007, it was listed as "Chamba Rumal"
under the GI Act 1999 of the Government of India with registration
confirmed by the Controller General of Patents Designs and
Trademarks under Classes 24 as Textile and Textile Goods, vide
application number 79.
 History

 Earliest reported form of this rumal is the one made by Bebe Nanki,
sister of Guru Nanak in the 16th century, which is now preserved in the
Gurudwara at Hosiarpur. The Victoria Albert Museum, London has a
rumal which was gifted to the British in 1883 by Raja Gopal Singh and
it has an embroidered scene of the Kurukshetra war of the
epic Mahabharata However, from the 17th century the women of the
erstwhile princely state of Chamba (now part of Himachal Pradesh),
including members of the royal family, indulged in embroidery of the
rumals or handkerchiefs as a part of a marriage gifts or dowry to their
daughters.
 Process
 Known as a "needle
wonder" Chamba Rumal is
now made in square and
rectangular shapes. The
materials used still consist
of muslin,
malmal, Khaddar (a coarse
fabric), fine charcoal or
brush, and silk threads
without knots. Using a
double satin stitch for the
embroidery, both faces of
the cloth are concurrently
stitched by a forward and
backward technique to
maintain uniformity of
design on both faces of the
rumal. After completing
the embroidery, the fabric
is stitched with a border of
Chamba Rumal Design
  Styles & Variety

 Chamba embroidery mainly revolved

around deities, such as Shiva, Ganesha,
Durga, Vishnu, Parvati, and Lakshmi.
One of the favorite themes of a painter
was the cheerful antics of
Lord Krishna with Radha. He is shown in
various poses with Radha while
the gopis (devotees) dance around them.
Some scenes of battle and hunting are
depicted with great finesse. Various
attacks which show guns, swords, spears,
etc are shown. The embroiderer
creates Chaupar, a game of dice played on
two long bands of cloth joined together to
form a cross, on the rumal with four sets
of players seated on the four sides.
Embroidery also showed elements of
nature comprising banana, lotus flower,
peacock, parrots, shrubs, monkeys, deer,
fish, clouds, cranes etc. The canvas teems
with life giving a tremendous sense of
movement to the composition.
Location of Chamba
 Fabric and Colors

 Khaddar, which is basically a rough,

and hand woven cotton,
and malmal, also known as fine
muslin, were the fabrics used in
creating Chamba rumal. The reason
being that the off-white fabric creates
a clear base for the embroidery while
highlighting the vivid hues of the
silken threads used for filling up the
line art. Khaddar was used
for Chamba rumal due to its
availability, viable cost, and
durability. The figures and floral
patterns drawn on the Chamba
rumals are filled with pat, a type of
untwisted silken floss.
 The most popular colors used
in Chamba rumal are ultramarine,
Persian blue, carmine, parrot green,
deep red, pink, brown, black, white,
Chamba Rumal Motifs
 Traditions

 Gifting embroidered rumals at a girl’s wedding was customary in the

hills and valleys of Himachal Pradesh. The most common subjects used
as inspirations for the embroidery were wedding scenes. The rumal was
an essential part of the bride’s dowry who was expected to have learnt
this craft at a very tender age. As it was a dowry luxury, the handicraft
depended solely upon occasions such as weddings and marriages and
the ceremony would not be rendered complete without the
presentation of the Chamba rumal by the bride’s relatives.
 Brides were considered to be all rounders if they were well trained in
the craft of embroidery of the Chamba rumal. The rumals were
adorned by men and women alike. People of every class produced
these rumals and hung them proudly across their shoulders. Those
belonging to the elite classes preferred more intricate, complex and
beautiful designs.
Stitches
Criss Cross Stitch
 Maintenance

 Chamba embroidery in done in shawls and quilts, therefore, it is

recommended to dry clean the Chamba rumal and its products and
keep it away from harsh sunlight which might damage its silken
threads.