BOOK REVIEW - Textiles: Binding threads between Cultures from National Museum Collections

The season of books and what they reveal continue. This is from the National Museum and titled Textiles: Binding threads between Cultures from National Museum Collections.  What is good is that several books documenting collections in various museums and private collections is coming out. This makes available a vast variety of heritage textiles available in the public domain. Since most of them are not on display and need special permission to be viewed, these publications are useful for those who want to know more about the collection present. It is in this genre that the recent book brought out by the National Museum serves its purpose. This book aptly covers that. The book which has been in the making for some time now provides an interesting insight into the history of textiles and its historical significance.

Dr. Anamika Pathak, Curator, Decorative Arts, National Museum, New Delhi tells me is that a two day symposium was held on the Embroidered Art of South of India. Embroideries from the South have not received much attention in comparison to their Northern counterparts. What led to this symposium is equally interesting, a beautiful acquisition by the National Museum of a Deccani piece on Ramayana. The Ramayana Panel was acquired by the National Museum in 1962 and is a show stopper. The panel dates back to the mid 18^th century. The provenance of the piece is Tamil Nadu and the 10 meters by 2 meters long panel, divided into three sections is a marvel in itself. The intricately worked thematic description reveal the expertise of the temple panel makers in the mythological history and textile crafts. It is the textile craft used which is a visual treat, several forms of applique, embroidery covering a whole range and the natural indigo, madder and natural colour fabric makes it for breathtaking viewing. When it was displayed I was unable to capture it in frame on a camera.  This panel led Dr. Pathak to probe the embroidery of the South through this symposium.

The earlier plan had been to bring out a book with the papers presented at the symposium.

Discussions later it was decided to enlarge the scope of the book to include more aspects. Thus the outcome is very interesting for it includes pieces from the National Museum and there is a paper / article written from each of the departments throws an interesting light on their collections with the National Museum. The papers presented make for a very interesting reading.  The keynote chapter by Choodamani Nandagopal talks of the history of embroidery, the various techniques. There is a chapter devoted to beetle wing embroidery. Though banned in India today as it uses the part of an insect, beetle wing embroidery was very popular during the British Era. The paper by Smita Singh throws light on the beetle wing embroidery from India which was made for the European market in South India. A very detailed referenced account has been presented. There is an indepth article on the Ramayana panel and a stitch analysis of the panel giving out the details of the stitches used. The various embroideries from South have been listed in another article. Embroideries from the North are well known, those from the South have not received the same prominence. Apart from Kasuti which has seen plenty of revival in recent times, the Banjara embroidery from Andhar Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu is seen. The Toda embroidery, with its innumerable meanings and connotations. What does not find a mention is the Convent Embroidery. Many Nuns and Missionary workers who travelled to India taught the local women fine embroidery and lace work. Breuggen embroidery, Cluny embroidery, Mission of Charity embroideries which are clubbed under Convent Embroidery. It is still being done in the country, of this Petit point embroidery is the most popular and most expensive. Jewish Embroidery from Kerala. There are also references to how the Zamorin of Travancore had initiated fine zari embroidery. 

What though adds value to the book is the article by the various departments of the National Museum highlighting their collections. The authors have written extempore and not quoted from other authors. This makes for very interesting and informative reading. Extensive paras quoted from other’s research is useful but interest is lost. The article on the collection with the Anthropology Section is lively. It talks of how the collection was made, it brings out the collection of shawls – Naga, Dongria Kondh, Embroidery of the Bishnoi, halwan – a finer form of khaddar and more. The story of the inscribed jacket is fascinating. It talks of how the calligraphy was done on the fabric which was then calendared so that it could last. It also brings out the technique of calendaring which was popular a few centuries ago. The collection of the Decorative arts section, tracing of costumes via coins from the numismatic section all add to the interesting theme – textiles that bind culture.