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Exquisitely styled and intricately embroidered,
Abhas, the traditional costume of the region of Kutch, has entered
the world of high fashion. Successfully adapted to modern styles by
Anjali Mangaldas, this beautiful garment has become a rage with the
fashion conscious women.
In the village of Kutch,
the women looked beautiful in their fabulous Abhas as they swayed to
the music. The twinkling lights played mischievously over the gold
and thread embroidery while the sequins and badla work sparkled
continuously. A woman in an abha, the traditional costume of the
Khatri, Memon and Korja Muslim communities of Kutch is a sight to
behold. This garment from Kutch, a district in Gujarat, has a history
that is as colourful and exciting as the garment. In ancient times
the women wore the abha embellished with beautiful tie-dye designs,
zari thread embroidery that was very minute and intricate embroidery
in coloured silk or cotton thread in a combination of a variety of
stitches, integrating minuscule mirror discs into its elaborate and
distinct pattern.
The word abha-has been
derived from aba a word commonly used in the middle eastern countries
which means a top garment or a mantle. The abha based on an age-old
traditional classical cut and style, is basically a kalidar kurta
without a slit on the sides, with a lose flair and it hangs lower
than a normal kurta. The abha has been a collector’s item since
the last four generations. The abha has been a collector’s item
since the last four generations. The best have even been part of
collections auctioned in the west by Christy’s and Sotheby’s
Research scholars have not yet been able to pinpoint the historical
period or influence on these costumes. Unfortunately modernity has
compelled these lovely costumes into museums or wooden boxes in far
off villages. The genuine abhas could be date back nearly a century.
Anjali Mangaldas from the
well-known family of Hutheesing of Ahmedabad has worked tirelessly to
revive the abha from its forgotten past. A student of textile
designing, from the Royal College of Art in London and the Yale
School of Art and Architecture in New Haven, USA, Anjali’s
interest in costumes has been constant. In 1983 she decided to
project the abha as it was meant to be. There is a new rage for
ethnic Indian styles in the fashion market and the word abha is used
for all kinds of embroidered garments which have no relation to the
true abha. Over the past 30 years old authentic garments and costumes
are becoming scarce as new mixed up versions keep appearing. Anjali
however was not interested in cutting up folk embroidered pieces to
patch up garments. She worked meticulously-for two years with tailors
and craftsmen measuring and studying numerous abhas. What started off
as a challenge developed into a small business. Soon word spread and
people began to come to her for specially designed garments some her
own and some belonging to others. But Anjalis emphasizes that the
total revival of the abha is not possible because the highly refined
and intricate tie-dye designs are not possible to recreate. Moreover
there are no craftsmen left and the Atalas, Gaji and Chinese silks
used are not available and real zari thread is extremely expensive to
use. Also, sequins and other metallic material is not easily
available in real gold or silver, which restricts the design. And so
the only possibility left open for tapping the resources of
craftsmanship in embroidery was to use the next best zari thread and
material available to develop the new abha for the modern age. In her
experiments, Anjali has retained the cut and style of the abha and in
the embroidery she has explored the avenues of chain stitch and aari
work in coloured silk thread as well.
The total garment
consists of three parts, the abha, the kumbhi and the ijar.
The characteristic design
of the abha is the tie-dye work on boarders of the hem and sleeves, a
round medallion on the upper part of the sleeve, a yoke starting from
the shoulder, both on front and back and making a typical geometrical
form ending in a large half-stylized floral motif in the center of
the abha. The simplicity or the intricacy of the tie-dye work and
the amount of area it covers, denotes the degree of richness of the
abha as per its use and by the age of the wearer. There are simpler
ones for daily use and elaborate ones for special occasions. The
materials used for the abha were Atalas of Gaji or a fine variety of
Chinese silk and muslin cotton for the simpler ones. The garment is
adorned with gold thread embroidery around the neck and shoulders.
Even he seams which join the center portion to the two side pieces
are adorned with embroidery or zari lace in the front and back. A
typical neckline is a slitlike opening over the shoulder, equal on
both sides fastened with a loop and a cloth ball-button to hold it in
place. A few however do have front openings. The wedding abha is
intricately embroidered on the entire yoke front, full sleeves, hem
and seams and is a wonder of supreme craftmenship. Simpler abhas are
embellished with golden tape or teiwork. The ancient abha is a
tribute to the women of Kutch whose mastery over needle craft and
aesthetic sensitivity were beyond compare.
The kumbhi or odhani is
always a square with tie-dye work that is arranged in a pattern quite
different from other odhanis. It is made of a single long piece of
material like a sari with a zari pallu (corner) at one end. Woven
straight on a loom and then cut in half and joined lengthwise
together to make a slightly longish square with the pallu. The richer
kumbhis have gold or badla sequins embroidery over the seam. The
simpler ones have only zari lace attached over the longer borders.
Very often the cruinkles of the tie-dye are retained to create an
unusual effect.
The ijkar or the trousers
were made of plain Atalas tie-dyed or plain Gaji or lined mushroom
embellished with gold embroidery. The ijar borders are often
embroidered to match the neck pattern of the abha. The more elaborate
being embroidery upto 10-20 inches above the ankle border in various
patterns.
The ancient abhas were
embroidered with a special quantity of gold thread. A single thread
was continuously arranged to fill out the pattern. Attached on the
top surface of the material with yellow or saffron cotton thread
stitched from underneath to form a uniform design of stitches. The
whole area of embroidery was then beaten with a wooden hammer to
flatten the thread, filling up the slight spaces in between and
brightening the luster of the gold. Depending on the imagination of
the craftsman and requirement of the design, sequins and other
metallic embroidery were often added to the gold-thread embroidery.
Today an abha can be valued in thousands. Anjali’s creations
range from Rs.3500/- and Rs.25,000/-. The ancient abhas are of course
priceless and those who value their worth are reluctant to part with
them.
Anjali’s has
experimented with hand-operated machine embroidery by itself and in
combination with hand embroidery. She has evolved her own design
arrangements within the limits of the cut and style of the garment
without losing the essence of the costume.
No doubt those earlier
abhas, now extinct in the region and mostly museum pieces, were
refined and sophisticated to perfection in Banni region embroidery.
There are innumerable beautiful and intricately embroidered folk
costumes which have adorned the women of different cultures and
communities around the world but the abha today is quite unique and
distinguished by its special features from all other folk costumes of
that region as well as anywhere else in the world.
It is remarkable that the
abha holds its own high place even in a region renowned for its rich
and varied tradition of embroidered costumes. Anjali Mangaldas ahs
been responsible for organizing and establishing the Folk Art Museum
of Gujarat which opened in 1976, which became a tourist attraction
soon after. Today, the abha and Anjali mangaldas are synonymous as
she has plunged all her energies into putting together a collection
for the appreciation of the connoisseur and sharing the joy of
creating something beautiful with all those who understand beauty.
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