Gota patti

Indian Wear Project

Priyanshi Arora

Gota PattiThe royalty of Rajasthan

This presentation is about the craft of Rajasthan Gota Patti. This is the craft I would like to work on for my Indian Wear project. The craft is very old and has been going on from the centuries in Rajasthan.

What ?

Gota- The ribbon

● A gold and silver lace from lucknow. The metallic

lace or ribbon is generally made up of metal

coated weft yarn, while the warp yarn is made of

fiber like cotton, polyester in ribbon.

● Earlier these metal coated weft were used to be

made of original gold and silver.

● Gota ribbons are available in different colors as

well.

● The ribbons are woven on Satin and Twill weave.

● The Gota available these days is known as “ plastic

Gota”. It is highly durable as is its made of

polyester yarns.

Types of gota that are used at Nyla village jaipur

1. Seekhi

2. Phool (flower)

3. Bijiya

4. Mothda

5. Bakhandi

6. Lappa

Other Gotas that can be found around India are: Shikhiya

Gota, Chaumasa, Panchmasa, Athmasa, Lappa, Thappa,

Gokhru, Lehru Gotta, Nakshi, Bijbel, Bijiya, Chiru, Kiran,

Chatai, Chip

Types of Gotas

Patti- The leaf

Patti is the local name of a leaf. The leafs are

the most important part of motifs which are

used to create a motif and then a pattern. All

the work is done around a leaf.

The gota ribbons are cut into these leaves

and the thread work is done around it.

Royal Embroidery

If we look into the history we will find Gota Patti as

the royal craft of Rajasthan. The embroidery was

done on the garments of kings and Queens.

Although it is still unsure where the craft came from

and how it reached India. Apart from Jaipur, traces

of the work was found cities like Surat and Ajmer.

Royal Garments of Gota Patti can still be found in

the museums of City Palace, Jaipur

Embroidery

It is type of Indian embroidery originated in

Rajasthan worn by the royalties in the earlier days.

The embroidery is mostly seen in Indian ethnic

wear especially the bridal wear. This evergreen

craft is gaining its popularity day by day and marks

itself in the trends of India.

Applique Work

The applique work is used as a technique of surface

ornamentation of the fabric. Hence the name,

Lappe -Ka_kaam

The Gota ribbons are cut into various shapes and

placed on the fabric and the edges are sewn to fix it

with the zari threads.

The work can be seen mainly on Chiffon, Georgette,

Velvet and Silk fabrics. These days synthetic fabrics

are also used. The common colors include Red,

Orange, Pink, Magenta, Maroon and Yellow.

Motif are generally inspired by nature, human

figures, animals.

The motifs that remains in trends are

structured into, buta, buties, shapes like flower

pot, Keri, and champak flower.

These motifs are then stitched to the base

fabric by chain stitch and hemming

Some other motifs are inspired from

architecture like temples and taj mahal.

Motif Language

When?

The Mughal Connection

Gota Patti can be connected with the Mughals.

Similar embroidery Zardozi which is also done

with the Zari was brought by the Mughals in the

16th Century to India.

Some of the gota patti motifs can be found alike

to that of Zardozi.

It is also believed Jodha Bai (Wife of great

Mughal emperor Akbar) used to wear Gota

embroidery on her garments.

Where?

India

The Gota ribbon production can be found in

Lucknow, Rajasthan, Surat etc.

Nyla Village at jaipur is district of Rajasthan is a

cluster area where we can thousands find

specialized suppliers and service providers the

artisans of this embroidery.

Other districts of Rajasthan include Kota,

Bikaner, Ajmer and Udaipur.

How?

Materials Required

Wooden frame: The Gota Patti work is done on

Wooden or metallic Frame also known as adda

over which base fabric is drag tightly to provide

uniform tension and that prevents pattern

distortion. Needle: Awe or ari needle used for the

process. it is type of crochet needle. Base Fabric :

The light weight fabric used for this process like

Chiffon, Georgette, silk, satin etc. Other materials:

Scissors, Wooden Hammer, Iron tool known as

Pitan Kutan, beads, stones, crystals, tracing Paper,

Chalk Powder.

The Process

Gota Embroidery is a pain and time taking

process.

Process Fabric selection Tracing the design on

paper Setting fabric on the wooden frame

Making a design on base fabric Attachment of

Gota Patti by back stitch, Compacting the

design with wooden hammer Finishing the

fabric

Fabric selection

Gota results best on the light fabrics like

chiffon, Georgette, Tussar silks, crapes and

satin.

The selection of fabric also depends on the

trends in the market

Tracing the design on paper

A design is created on the paper using the

motifs according to the client’s choice.

The design is usually made on the tracing

paper with the help of carbon paper so it is

easy to trace on the fabric

Setting fabric on wooden frame

The edges of the fabric specially the hard

sides are attached to the wooden frame

called ” Adda”. This step is necessary to be

done as it holds onto the fabric which makes

it easier do the embroidery

Making design on base fabric

The next step is to trace this design to the

fabric. The process is known as “Chapayi”

The design is traced on the fabric with the

help of tracing paper with the holes.

Chalk powder paste is rubbed over the

tracing paper which leaves in imprint of

the desired pattern on the fabric.

Sticking the patties

The patties are stuck on the fabric in the design. This is done with the help of mild glue.

Attachment of the patties with stitches

After the patties are glued to the fabric the next step is

known as “takaayi”. It is the process of stitching of leaves

on the base fabric to create the earlier traced design.

To enhance the beauty of these designs outlines are made

from threads like silk, cotton and metal

Stitching is known as “silaayi” the additions sequences,

buttons, beads are attached to it.

Compacting the design with wooden hammer

Completing the design and stiched of zari

around it, the wooden hammer is patted on

the design to fix the design and assuring it is

done properly.

Finishing

Final finishing is done which involves

checking the whole work again.

The mistakes are identified and rectified to

create a breathtaking piece.

Craft then and now THEN

Gota was woven using gold and silver threads

Weaving by manual machines

It was a hobby of women

Base fabric was pure

Red, Orange, Green colour base fabric

Only royal families people use to wear Gota work

dresses

Only the Gota of silver and Golden colour was

used

NOW

Gota is woven using polyester coloured threads

Weaving using electric machines

Commercial activity by both men and women

The base fabric not necessarily pure (synthetic)

Every color is used as per the market demand

Now every person Gota work dresses

To make it more attractive coloured fabrics are

used on gota

Who?

Some known designersAnita Dongre

Abhinav Mishra

Taniya O’Connar

Swati Ubroi

Nidhi Tholia

Hansa Khatwani

Anita Dongre

Abhinav Mishra

Taniya O’Connar

Swati Ubroi

Nidhi Tholia

Contemporisation of craftThe craft is contemporised to the suits, cushion

covers, jewellery, kurtas koties men’s jackets

Ideas and interests

Long back I did a research for this craft for some other assignment. I always

wanted to work on this craft as a part of collection. But the authentic and traditional motifs like flowers are not my place of interest.

Motifs like Taj and Temple which are

inspired by the architecture catched my attention in a whole new way becoming my idea of inspiration.

I want to use European architecture as my inspiration here mixing them with the geometrical shapes to contemporize the motifs of the craft.

Some of the pictures of European things that caught my attention