Introduction

The Banjara, also called Lambani or Lambada after their migration from Marwar, are
semi-nomadic people who reside in south, west and central India. The word 'Banjara'
comprises of two words: "Ban" which translates as jungle and "Jara" as wanderer or
mover i.e., one who moves or wanders in the jungle. In the Mughal era, the
community was engaged in transporting provisions and trading goods. Their habit of
living in isolated groups, away from others, characteristic of their nomadic days, still
persists and they live in the tanda, settlements, on the fringes of towns.

Social influences and Products

The Lambani women practice a unique mirror and embroidery craft, which they
mostly use for making their own traditional dresses or for giving to their daughters for
their weddings. The Banjara women still wear their traditional mode of dress which is
elaborately embroidered. Silver, brass, gold, cowries, ivory, animal bone, mirrors and
even plastic are used in embellishing Banjara textiles and garments. Cowries are very
auspicious as they represent Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, besides embroidering
their daily apparel also embroider pouches and bags relating to rituals of marriage,
childbirth and festivities.

Farming is a principal occupation, though some of them are also engaged in mining
and selling of handicrafts.

Technique
The Lambani embroidery is an amalgam of pattern darning, mirror work, cross stitch,
and overlaid and quilting stitches with borders of “Kangura” patchwork appliqué,
traditionally done on loosely woven dark blue or red handloom base fabric.

The 14 types of stitches used in Lambani embroidery are Kilan, Vele, Bakkya, Maki,
Suryakanti Maki, Kans, Tera Dora, Kaudi, Relo, Gadri, Bhuriya, Pote, Jollya, Nakra.
A distinctive design range is its revival and use of local mud-resist handloom fabric,
and the mirrors, shells and white ornamental trims that are a traditional part of
Lambani as well as the Ilkal saris of Dharwad-Hubli and other local fabrics. There are
13 colours that are mostly used in Lambani embroidery, out of which; red and blue
are most common. The base cloth used is either cotton khadi or power loom fabric
and is also dyed locally, thus working in harmony with the local small scale industry.
Although most of the fabric is dyed using chemical colours, vegetable dyes made
from Kattha, Rathanjot, Chawal Kudi, Pomegranate peel etc are gaining popularity.

Banjara Embroidery and Quilts

The northern districts of Karnataka abound in traditional skills of embroidery and
quilt making that form a vivid vernacular expression. Women of the various
communities make khowdhi, patch worked quilts, from old sarees and other items of
clothing. The Lingayat women make the finest quilts. Every quilt is unique although
they share a common structure - three to six layers of reused fabric, held together by
running stitches that traverse in concentric rectangles or squares. The layers are
increased depending on the thickness that is required.
Certain motifs like aakle kaal (cow’s foot) and gubbi kaal (bird’s foot) ornament and
highlight certain areas of the quilt. Certain temple like motifs are also patched in the
corners of the quilt.

Current scenario
The women of the Banjara or Lambani community use their traditional skills in
embroidery as a means of livelihood adapting those to contemorary production. Over
the years, this laborious tradition has changed considerably. In banjara qilts, the size
of the patches have become much larger and quilted stitches are worked much farther
apart than what can be found in very old samples.

Sabala, an NGO dedicated to the upliftment of lambani women has been instrumental
in reviving some of these techniques in a contemporary manner.

Reasons for decline:

1. Most of the women who still practice the craft are middle aged and older.
2. The younger women have given up wearing their traditional attire in many
regions and have adopted modern clothes and sarees as they do not feel that it
is a practical way of dressing.
3. Lambani embroidery is a laborious and expensive technique and hence is more
difficult to enter the mainstream clothing and accessories market

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Eds: Ranjan, Aditi and Ranjan, M.P. Handmade in India: Crafts of India series.
Ahmedabad: Mapin Publishing Pvt. Ltd, 2008

Crill, Rosemary. Indian Embroidery: London: V&A Publications, 1999

www.gaatha.com/blog
www.craftrevival.org
www.storyofkannada.blogspot.com