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The glory of the gara

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Trendee Pravin
Trendee Pravin

The document provides information about Parsi embroidery known as Gara embroidery found on traditional Parsi sarees. Some key points: - Gara embroidery originates from Bronze Age Persia but developed into its current form around 150 years ago when Chinese embroiderers incorporated Parsi symbols and motifs. - Gara sarees feature intricate embroidery along all four sides that can take up to 9 months to complete. Fine silk threads and natural dyes are used. - Motifs draw from Parsi, Persian, Indian and Chinese influences and represent nature, longevity, and Parsi cultural history. - Gara sarees were historically prized family heirlooms but

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The Glory of the Gara Presentation By : Prof. Pravin Pavhare (Fashion Design)
(The word Gara (also ghara) actually stems from the Gujarati word for sari. )
Parsi Embroidery: A Fading Art Parsi embroidery is yet another example of how a century-old art can be so relevant, without putting up with those bleeding colors. Parsi embroidery is a unique part of Indias diverse textile heritage. This unique artistic tradition has its roots in Iran during the Bronze Age but with time it has drew influences from European, Chinese, Persian and Indian culture. .
The glory of the gara
A very famous example of Parsi embroidery is the Parsi embroidery sarees also called as Gara embroidery sarees. Parsi embroidery sarees have been renowned since last bygone centuries for its striking beauty and also demonstrates a cultural Parsi tradition of embroidery and ethos. These saris come in many colors, are offset by delicate embroidery in pastel shades and pale white and are testimony to the superior craftsmanship of the Parsi embroiders. Realistically pictorial, lyrically composed, aesthetically colorful and delicately embellished Parsi Gara embroidery is an emblem of style and elegance. Uniqueness
The glory of the gara
These sarees are indeed worth a treasure and take almost 9 months for completion as the embroidery work is crafted on all the four sides of the saree making it one of the most tedious and intricate task. The khaka stitch is so fine that women who do the needlework start suffering from failing eyesight, which has given it the name of the forbidden stitch. Mostly the threads used for embroidery are violet and pink combination. Parsi sarees are comparatively more costlier but their appeal and style are so immensely enchanting that it overcomes all the hurdle of price tag for a avid buyer.
History: Although Parsi embroidery traces its origins to Bronze Age Persia, the gara itself is not more than 150 years old. Its concepts and symbolism, which lay in the Zoroastrian psyche coupled with an innate sense of aesthetics, were translated into embroidery on sari and apparel by Chinese master embroiderers. In the 19th and early 20th centuries there was brisk trade between Parsis of Western India and China. Back then, Chinese pherias, or craftsmen, travelled with big chests of embroidery across the seas to Persian lands and sold them to Parsi women. Some of the Parsi women were also taught the craft by these pherias, and the women later skilfully interwove the new style with their own.
The story of the gara, goes back to 633 AD when the Arabs invaded Iran. Parsis were driven out of Persia and they used the sea route to reach the western coast of India, with the largest group reaching Sanjan in Gujarat. The Hindu king there, Jadi Rana, was willing to give them refuge in his kingdom, on the condition that the newcomers adopted the dress and language of the land. That is how, initially, the Parsis came to wear the sari and speak Gujarati.
The glory of the gara
Heirloom The rich gara embroidery, originally considered a Parsi familys heirloom, has become rare, collectors items because of the intricate work and beauty. Since its not a machine embroidery one of the most prized possessions of Parsi families (read women) is their Gara saree or sarees! Not only are they possessions of pride and boy, these beautifully embroidered sarees are often worth more the rest of the entire family wardrobe put together!
The glory of the gara
Motifs Parsi embroidery incorporates motifs that have deep meanings. The reverence of the Parsees towards nature is evident in their embroidery work. The fleeing Parsis brought Persian symbols like the cypress tree, chakla chakli or contradictory birds, represented with delicacy. A tree called the divine fungus is used as a symbol of longevity and immortality.
Lotus and peacock brings the fragrance of the Indian soil in which Parsi culture blossomed. Raj flavour incorporated floral baskets, the Chinese pheria stitched in vignettes of Chinese court life, beautiful gardens and flowers such as peony, rose, and chrysanthemum. Some or all these motifs fill up a typical gara or jhabla with an overriding feel of harmony, richness, grandeur and delicacy.
The glory of the gara
EMBROIDERY For many it is the exquisite and intricate hand-embroidery work that makes a gara a gara. The embroidery work is often so fine that it is often difficult to distinguish which side is right side up. A gara can contain a woven design in addition to the embroidered design. Embroidery is the surface decoration placed on a fabric by stitching using needle and thread. Embroidered designs are therefore different from designs woven into the body of the fabric itself. One form of weaving in a design creates a self- patterned or figured fabric cf. Printing a design on to the fabric is not an option for a gara.
Silk, cotton and sometimes gold thread, sometimes in as many as 20 to 30 different colours or shades within a single pattern, are used in the embroidery. While some garas only have the borders embroidered, other 'over-the-top' (this authors words) garas called akho-garohave hand-embroidered work on the entire body of the sari - or at the least on all the visible portions including the pallav (meaning leaf) or pallu - the portion or panel that drapes over the shoulder and chest - and the exposed bottom half of the gara.
The glory of the gara
FABRIC In a section above, we introduced the reader to Chinese hand- woven silk called gaaj and paaj. In addition, we also understand that a type of silk used for the gara was called 'gajja'. Perhaps 'gaaj' and 'gajja' are synonymous and may have had some influence on the name gara. The texture of these silks include crepe, satin and self- patterned or figured silk . A particular variety of figured handmade silk made in India is called tanchoi.
The glory of the gara
The gara saris are hand embroidered, on a rich, thick silk - sometimes on chamois silk (a very soft satin than has the look and feel of chamois) - sometimes, self-patterned silk was used." [Orthodox satin was made from warp-dominated silk giving it a glossy surface. Regarding self-patterned silk used for the body of the sari . Since the original Chinese fabric was originally woven on narrow looms, the gara sarees were made up of two separate pieces stitched together to make the required width. These saris were referred to as dor-pat or do-patti or two-strip gara sarees. The use of modern artificial silk make the gara look-alikes more affordable and also easier to clean and maintain.
FABRIC COLOUR Garas come in various solid colours. The original Chinese silks were dyed with vegetable colours which would run if the fabric were to be washed. Shirinmai Mistry states, "the colours used would bleed and so washing them was out of the question - garas were aired after use and in extreme cases dry cleaned only. purple is one of the most sought after colours." Indigo has universally been the 'royal' colour and the shades around it are a good substitute. Red has always been acknowledged as the most fugitive of colours and my own four bordered one has already got some streaks along the waist from too close a contact with the skin. One would think that a hundred years ago, the darker shades would be favoured for natural silk sarees especially because of the inability to wash or otherwise clean them before the advent of dry-cleaning.
The glory of the gara
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The glory of the gara

  • 1. The Glory of the Gara Presentation By : Prof. Pravin Pavhare (Fashion Design)
  • 2. (The word Gara (also ghara) actually stems from the Gujarati word for sari. )
  • 3. Parsi Embroidery: A Fading Art Parsi embroidery is yet another example of how a century-old art can be so relevant, without putting up with those bleeding colors. Parsi embroidery is a unique part of Indias diverse textile heritage. This unique artistic tradition has its roots in Iran during the Bronze Age but with time it has drew influences from European, Chinese, Persian and Indian culture. .
  • 5. A very famous example of Parsi embroidery is the Parsi embroidery sarees also called as Gara embroidery sarees. Parsi embroidery sarees have been renowned since last bygone centuries for its striking beauty and also demonstrates a cultural Parsi tradition of embroidery and ethos. These saris come in many colors, are offset by delicate embroidery in pastel shades and pale white and are testimony to the superior craftsmanship of the Parsi embroiders. Realistically pictorial, lyrically composed, aesthetically colorful and delicately embellished Parsi Gara embroidery is an emblem of style and elegance. Uniqueness
  • 7. These sarees are indeed worth a treasure and take almost 9 months for completion as the embroidery work is crafted on all the four sides of the saree making it one of the most tedious and intricate task. The khaka stitch is so fine that women who do the needlework start suffering from failing eyesight, which has given it the name of the forbidden stitch. Mostly the threads used for embroidery are violet and pink combination. Parsi sarees are comparatively more costlier but their appeal and style are so immensely enchanting that it overcomes all the hurdle of price tag for a avid buyer.
  • 8. History: Although Parsi embroidery traces its origins to Bronze Age Persia, the gara itself is not more than 150 years old. Its concepts and symbolism, which lay in the Zoroastrian psyche coupled with an innate sense of aesthetics, were translated into embroidery on sari and apparel by Chinese master embroiderers. In the 19th and early 20th centuries there was brisk trade between Parsis of Western India and China. Back then, Chinese pherias, or craftsmen, travelled with big chests of embroidery across the seas to Persian lands and sold them to Parsi women. Some of the Parsi women were also taught the craft by these pherias, and the women later skilfully interwove the new style with their own.
  • 9. The story of the gara, goes back to 633 AD when the Arabs invaded Iran. Parsis were driven out of Persia and they used the sea route to reach the western coast of India, with the largest group reaching Sanjan in Gujarat. The Hindu king there, Jadi Rana, was willing to give them refuge in his kingdom, on the condition that the newcomers adopted the dress and language of the land. That is how, initially, the Parsis came to wear the sari and speak Gujarati.
  • 11. Heirloom The rich gara embroidery, originally considered a Parsi familys heirloom, has become rare, collectors items because of the intricate work and beauty. Since its not a machine embroidery one of the most prized possessions of Parsi families (read women) is their Gara saree or sarees! Not only are they possessions of pride and boy, these beautifully embroidered sarees are often worth more the rest of the entire family wardrobe put together!
  • 13. Motifs Parsi embroidery incorporates motifs that have deep meanings. The reverence of the Parsees towards nature is evident in their embroidery work. The fleeing Parsis brought Persian symbols like the cypress tree, chakla chakli or contradictory birds, represented with delicacy. A tree called the divine fungus is used as a symbol of longevity and immortality.
  • 14. Lotus and peacock brings the fragrance of the Indian soil in which Parsi culture blossomed. Raj flavour incorporated floral baskets, the Chinese pheria stitched in vignettes of Chinese court life, beautiful gardens and flowers such as peony, rose, and chrysanthemum. Some or all these motifs fill up a typical gara or jhabla with an overriding feel of harmony, richness, grandeur and delicacy.
  • 16. EMBROIDERY For many it is the exquisite and intricate hand-embroidery work that makes a gara a gara. The embroidery work is often so fine that it is often difficult to distinguish which side is right side up. A gara can contain a woven design in addition to the embroidered design. Embroidery is the surface decoration placed on a fabric by stitching using needle and thread. Embroidered designs are therefore different from designs woven into the body of the fabric itself. One form of weaving in a design creates a self- patterned or figured fabric cf. Printing a design on to the fabric is not an option for a gara.
  • 17. Silk, cotton and sometimes gold thread, sometimes in as many as 20 to 30 different colours or shades within a single pattern, are used in the embroidery. While some garas only have the borders embroidered, other 'over-the-top' (this authors words) garas called akho-garohave hand-embroidered work on the entire body of the sari - or at the least on all the visible portions including the pallav (meaning leaf) or pallu - the portion or panel that drapes over the shoulder and chest - and the exposed bottom half of the gara.
  • 19. FABRIC In a section above, we introduced the reader to Chinese hand- woven silk called gaaj and paaj. In addition, we also understand that a type of silk used for the gara was called 'gajja'. Perhaps 'gaaj' and 'gajja' are synonymous and may have had some influence on the name gara. The texture of these silks include crepe, satin and self- patterned or figured silk . A particular variety of figured handmade silk made in India is called tanchoi.
  • 21. The gara saris are hand embroidered, on a rich, thick silk - sometimes on chamois silk (a very soft satin than has the look and feel of chamois) - sometimes, self-patterned silk was used." [Orthodox satin was made from warp-dominated silk giving it a glossy surface. Regarding self-patterned silk used for the body of the sari . Since the original Chinese fabric was originally woven on narrow looms, the gara sarees were made up of two separate pieces stitched together to make the required width. These saris were referred to as dor-pat or do-patti or two-strip gara sarees. The use of modern artificial silk make the gara look-alikes more affordable and also easier to clean and maintain.
  • 22. FABRIC COLOUR Garas come in various solid colours. The original Chinese silks were dyed with vegetable colours which would run if the fabric were to be washed. Shirinmai Mistry states, "the colours used would bleed and so washing them was out of the question - garas were aired after use and in extreme cases dry cleaned only. purple is one of the most sought after colours." Indigo has universally been the 'royal' colour and the shades around it are a good substitute. Red has always been acknowledged as the most fugitive of colours and my own four bordered one has already got some streaks along the waist from too close a contact with the skin. One would think that a hundred years ago, the darker shades would be favoured for natural silk sarees especially because of the inability to wash or otherwise clean them before the advent of dry-cleaning.