Bhopal: Zari-Zardozi an art of embroidery being practiced in the capital city since the time of Begums is stoday struggling for survival. While the demand for zari-zardozi product is on the rise, there is a shortage of practitioners of this art form. Owing to low wages, most of the artisan families have discouraged their wards from taking up the skill.
Free Press talked to prominent merchants and artisans of Zari and Zardozi of Bhopal who said that the rich art form was on the verge of extinction and needed support for survival. Parekh Brothers, Chintamani Chowk Parekh Brothers’ shop is 185-year-old shop and is currently being run by 12th generation of the family. This shop is best known for its Zari-Batuas all across the world. Teapot covers, pouches, six-cornered purses, hand fans, book covers and many more Zari-Zardozi embroidered products are available here.
Sunil J Parekh, owner of the shop told Free Press that Nawab Hamidullah Khan insisted the then owner of Parekh Brothers, Poonam Chand Parekh to make Batuas (purses) so that it may be gifted to royal guests. At that time, the technique used to make purses was known Kim-Khwab (which cannot be imagined). Later After purses embroidered with gold and silver wires were made and gifted. He also said that once even Mahatma Gandhi visited their shop and a Zari batua was gifted to him by them.
Sunil further added that there is shortage of artisans of Zari and Zardozi in Bhopal and those who are still practicing are either too old or unable to take work load. People are taking more interest in readymade products as Zari-Zardozi is not a cheap work. Hence, people are migrating more towards readymade. Sunil’s son Kanha said, “Me and my father will keep this legacy alive no matter what happens.” Ahad’s Zari-Zardozi workshop, Shahjahanabad
Ahad has been running this workshop for the last 25 years. He says that neither the demand nor the quality of Zari-Zardozi work has changed in Bhopal from the time of Nawabs. Ahad gets orders from all across India. Ahad told Free Press that Zari-Zardozi is a time-taking art. As it is done by hands, it is costly. The evolution of machinery in the world of embroidery was a shocker for artisans. The market of machine embroidery has no doubt taken over the original Zari-Zardozi but still there are people who are in love with original Zari-Zardozi as the finishing done by machines is way too poor than by hands of an artisan.
Waseem Khan an artisan working at Ahad’s workshop said, “I’ve been doing this work for the last 25 years but remuneration is poor. I am paid Rs 400 on a daily basis and I work for more than 12 hours a day. My eyes hurt as one has to look very closely while doing Zari-Zardozi work.”Other artisans also gave similar response when asked. Bhopal Zari Center, Ibrahimpura
Bhopal Zari center was started by Memuna Sultan about 50 years ago and today Farah Nadeem is running it. Zari work-sarees, blouses, curtains, pillow covers, chair covers and several different items are exported from here. Farah told Free Press that currently we have orders from Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi and even Dubai.
She also said that artisans of Zari are migrating towards metro-cities and the only reason is because they get paid more there. Government is running several schemes for artisans but due to lack of awareness, they are unable to avail the benefits. She further added that earlier there were numerous artisans of Zari-Zardozi but today their number is decreasing. Irshad Ahmed an artisan working at Bhopal Zari center told Free Press that he started working 25 years ago and was paid Rs 5 at that time. He said that earlier there was more money and people used to pay good amount, even today they pay good money but we artisans get very less.
Irshad said, “We are daily wage workers, Earlier it was easy to bear expenses as were paid good and things were cheaper but today everything is so costly and we are not even paid good. How will I survive with Rs 400 a day? Even if there are government schemes, I don’t know how to avail the benefits.” Mumtaz Khan, Celebrity Designer “Zari-Zardozi is heritage art of Bhopal. The richest embroidery Zardozi’s literal translation-Zar means gold and dozi meaning embroidery.
Begums of Bhopal loved Zari-Zardozi. At the time of Shahjahan Begum, schools were opened to teach the art to girls. Today, trend of Zari and Zardozi is on a decline because of crystals which gets stuck to fabric. It is not an easy art, it is very time taking, so we are facing shortage of artisans. No parent wants their child to learn this art. There is a need to keep it alive. Government should ensure that this art should not get extinct before it is too late.”
