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Crafts / Banjara Embroidery

Banjara Embroidery

State
Andhra Pradesh
Material
Cotton · Thread · Mirrors
Rarity
Popular

Mirrors, coins and shells stitched into every seam

About

Colourful, heavily decorated textiles of Banjara women, with geometric stitching, patchwork and mirror work.

Banjara embroidery, also known as Lambani, Lambada or lepo embroidery, is the textile decoration of the Banjara people, a community of former nomads who now live in several states, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. It combines patchwork, appliqué, beadwork and embroidery on cloth, and the work is done by women.

The patterns are mostly geometric, in grid-like layouts, and are often set against strong colours. Small pieces of mirror, beads, buttons, shells, cowries and coins are stitched onto clothes, so the cloth is both coloured and textured. The costume of Banjara women, which includes a gathered skirt called a phetiya and a blouse called a kanchali, is among the most elaborate of any community.

In the community the embroidery is a daily craft, taught to girls by their mothers. It is also made for sale as cushion covers, bedcovers, wall hangings, bags, belts, headbands and sarees. Sandur Lambani embroidery of Karnataka has a Geographical Indication.

How it’s made

Banjara embroidery begins with the cloth, usually cotton, that will be decorated. Pieces of colourful fabric are cut and sewn together as patchwork, creating bands and blocks of colour. These strips are often used for borders and panels.

The embroiderer then works stitches on top, often in bold geometric patterns that follow the grid of the fabric. Several kinds of stitches are used together. Appliqué, in which small cutouts of fabric are sewn on top of the base, adds further shapes.

Finally, embellishments are attached: small mirrors held down with stitches, beads, cowrie shells, coins and buttons. The finished cloth has an uneven, handcrafted look and a lot of surface decoration, and a single skirt or blouse is slow, patient work.

Key features

  • Patchwork, appliqué, embroidery and beadwork combined
  • Bold geometric, grid-like patterns
  • Mirrors, beads, shells, cowries, coins and buttons stitched on
  • Done by Banjara (Lambani/Lambada) women
  • Elaborate dress including the phetiya skirt and kanchali blouse
  • Taught from mother to daughter
  • Sandur Lambani embroidery is GI-registered

History

The Banjara were historically pastoralists and traders, who moved goods over long distances by bullock carts, oxen and other animals across inland India. The community has also been known by other names such as Lambada, Lambani or Lamana. Their travelling life is part of why they developed portable, colourful, durable textiles and elaborate dress that identifies the community.

Banjara embroidery is a hand-stitched craft which has been taught within families for generations, and its dress is tied to the community's identity, to marriage, and to festivals. Because it was an everyday practice among women of the community, written records of its early history are limited.

In recent decades the craft has been supported by craft organisations and programmes, such as the Sandur Kushala Kala Kendra in Karnataka. The Sandur Lambani embroidery received a Geographical Indication in 2010. Embroiderers now also produce items for urban markets and designers.

Facts

  • Many names Lambani, Lambada, lepo. The embroidery is known by several names, including Lambani, Lambada, Banjara and lepo.
  • Mixed craft Four techniques in one. Banjara embroidery combines patchwork, appliqué, beadwork and embroidery on the same piece.
  • Mother to daughter A family tradition. Lambani girls are often taught the embroidery by their mothers.
  • GI 2010 Sandur Lambani embroidery. Sandur Lambani embroidery of Karnataka was granted a Geographical Indication in 2010.

Market

Textiles, bags and accessories

Banjara embroidery is sold as sarees, cushion covers, bedcovers, wall hangings, bags, belts, headbands and jewellery, from cooperatives and craft fairs and by designers. Machine-embroidered 'banjara-style' items are widely available; hand embroidery shows uneven, individual stitching and costs more.

Sustainability

Patchwork that reuses fabric

Patchwork and appliqué make use of small pieces of cloth, so the craft naturally reuses fabric. Look for cotton bases and buy from women's groups and cooperatives, which return more income to the artisans.

Products

  • Banjara sarees: Cotton sarees with embroidered borders and panels
  • Bags and pouches: Embroidered and mirrored bags
  • Cushion covers and bedcovers: Patchwork and embroidery for the home
  • Wall hangings and toran: Decorative cloth pieces
  • Belts, headbands and jewellery: Small accessories with beads, shells and coins

Words to know

  • Lambani / Lambada: Other names for the Banjara community and its embroidery.
  • Lepo: A name for Lambani embroidery with mirrors, beads and coins.
  • Phetiya: The long skirt of a Banjara woman's costume.
  • Kanchali: The blouse of the costume.
  • Appliqué: Cutting shapes of cloth and sewing them onto a base cloth.
  • Cowrie: A small glossy shell often stitched onto textiles.

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