The Secret to a Wholesome Bridal Outfit

Have you ever wondered beyond the radiant smile and love, what else made Kiara Advani spark like the north star in her wedding? Didn't her attire make her look splendid? Badla Embroidery is done with metallic thread known as 'Kalabattu' and forms the zari which is known as Zardozi. The magnificence of Indian embroidery is how it is embedded in rich cultural history and art.

The ravishing Kiara Advani and Siddarth Malhotra in their wedding attire; source: Indiatoday

Indian weddings, or rather the authentic bridal wear, go unfinished without the starry dots adorning the beautiful fabrics. It is the bright dots that give the princess or fairy-like look to any outfit. Apart from bridal costumes and designs, Badla is also used to weave glamour into home furnishings like cushion covers, bedspreads, or even curtains. Any simple kurta, sari, or cushion cover becomes alluring with style if it has a touch of Badla embroidery. What makes this kind of stitching so versatile in its use is that it is not limited just to clothes alone, but can be used on accessories as well.

A style of metal thread embroidery characterized by the use of thin, flattened gold or silver wires called badla, which are threaded through a delicate base fabric such as malmal without the use of a thread or glue. Badla wires are used to create two distinct types of embroidery: kamdani, in which entire patterns are filled using badla, and mukaish or fardi ka kaam, in which the metal wires are inserted and twisted into the fabric to create small dots of floral and geometric patterns. Badla embroidery is also referred to as sachcha kaam due to its traditional use of pure gold and silver.

This style is believed to have been introduced to India by the Mughals. It flourished in Lucknow and surrounding areas in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, under the patronage of the Nawabs and the upper classes of Awadh. By the nineteenth century, the practice also became widespread among embroiderers in West Asia and southeastern European regions, including Greece, Egypt, Syria and Turkey. Unlike other intricate forms of embroidery, badla work does not use a frame to hold the fabric taut; instead, artisans use their fingers to control both the fabric and the badla wires. To prepare the fabric, a design is first traced on it by hand. A porcupine quill or a sharpened ivory stick is then used to create perforations, called fardi, along the traced patterns, through which the sharpened badla is then inserted, to preserve symmetry on both sides of the fabric. As the last step, the embroidered fabric is laid flat and a cowrie shell is rubbed over the embroidered parts to flatten the wire against the fabric and burnish it to a shine.

Since the mid-twentieth century, gold and silver badlas have increasingly been mixed or replaced with other, less expensive materials such as copper or metalized polyester film. Today, the number of artisans who practice the original technique — many from Muslim communities in Uttar Pradesh — has dwindled, and newer generations of artisans are apprehensive to take up the practice owing to long work hours, lack of government support and poor working conditions. Currently, badly-based embroidery is also practiced in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad. This type of embroidery has been around since the Rig Veda era, and it went on to prosper during the Mughal period. Initially, real silver and gold were used to make these threads, but now real raw material is not used. Craftsmen have different ways of polishing the thread to make it appear brighter. This kind of embroidery is also used at times to give the appearance of sequin work.  Zari work or in other words metallic thread embroidery is something that has been passed on from generation to generation. The Mughal period, an era full of opulence and luxury, reaped the richness of this art the most, and it was during this period that Badla embroidery found its roots, which to this date play a strong influence in the world of fashion and style. This type of embroidery does not pertain to any one state or region. Depending on the city, the kind of needlework practiced may vary in style and demand. For example, in Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh) the work is basic and less elaborate. On the other hand, in Delhi, the Zari work done is heavy and rich. The Muslim community in Uttar Pradesh is predominantly involved in practicing this art.

Common designs in badla embroidery include jaali patterns, paisleys, bel and floral motifs, and depictions of animals such as fish and peacocks. This style of embroidery is often rendered on fine, semi-transparent fabrics; for instance, sarees with badla work feature gold and silver threadwork over delicate fabrics such as pure chiffon and georgette. Badla work can also be combined with other embroidery techniques such as chikankari and tilla. It has also been used for decorating curtains, bags, and saddles used on horses and elephants. These basic to complicated designs of Badla add a scent of celebration and richness to all the fabrics. However, it brings unique values to the bridal outfits, i.e., it completes every Indian woman's Bridal outfit. In other words, Badla embroidery is the secret to a wholesome Indian woman's Bridal outfit!