The Art of Zari/ ZardoziWork
Art is something that speaks so much about an artist’s creativity and notion, whether it’s painstaking or elementary.
Zari (or Jari) is an even thread traditionally made of fine gold or silver used in traditional Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani garments, especially as brocade in saris etc. This thread is woven into fabrics, primarily of silk, to make intricate patterns and elaborate designs of embroidery called zardozi. Zari was popularised during the Moghul era, the port of Surat was linked to the Meccan pilgrimage route which served as a major factor for re-introducing this ancient craft in India. During the Vedic ages, the gold embroidery was associated with the grandeur and regal attire of gods, kings, and literary figures (gurus){as shown in the movies}. Today in most fabrics, zari is not made of real gold and silver, but has cotton or polyester yarn at its core, wrapped by golden/ silver metallic yarn.
Zari is the main decorative material in most silk saris and ghararas. It is also used in other garments made of silk, like lehengas (skirts), cholis (blouses), kurtas, and dhotis.
The History of Zari
Persian is where the word originated. The origin of the Zari embroidery is traced back to a village by the same name in modern day Iran which was then brought to India by Persians during the Rig Veda period which is dated to be between 1700 and 1100 BC. The Zari craft truly got recognised during the patronage of the famous Mughal emperor Akbar.
The craft of Zari has been long associated with the aristocracy and royalty in India and considered to be one of the most detailed embroidery techniques in existence.
How Zari work is done?
Zari is basically a brocade of tinsel thread meant for weaving and embroidery. It is manufactured by winding or wrapping (covering) a flattened metallic strip made from pure gold, silver or slit metallised polyester film, on a core yarn, usually of pure silk, viscose, cotton, nylon, polyester, P.P., mono/multi filament, wire, etc. Nowadays, it can broadly be divided into three types. Real zari, imitation zari, and metallic zari.
Real Zari is made from fine silver or gold thread is drawn from silver or gold alloys, which is flattened by passing it under through equal pressure rotating rollers. The flattened silver threads are wound on the base yarn that is usually made of silk. These spools with silk and silver threads are further flattened for electroplating. The threads are then plated with gold by the process of electroplating. The lustre of the gilded threads is further increased by passing them through a brightener. These threads are then wound on a reel.
Read more about Zari