Chikankari (Persian for "embroidery" or "delicate needlework") traces its roots to Persia. Brought to India by the Mughal empress Noor Jahan, chikankari took root in the courts of Awadh in the late 18th century, and has been handmade in Lucknow ever since. Noor Jahan, wife of the Mughal emperor Jahangir, was captivated by Persian shadow-work embroidery. From Mughal courts to Nawabi patronage, chikankari gained fame at royal courts as art delicately embroidered by hand on cloth. Today, thousands of artisans across Lucknow's villages dance their fingers on fabric to create woven art.
Shahnisa brings hand-woven art, chikankari, to you. Made for the connoisseur of delicate craft, each Shahnisa piece is irreplaceable. A canvas of artisans' perfections and imperfections, each piece captures time, effort and craft of an artisan on fabric.
Chikankari is the most detailed style of traditional hand embroidery, with an unparalleled 32 stitches, which are worked in combination across four broad families: flat stitches, raised and embossed stitches, open trellis (jaali) work, and decorative finishing stitches, to weave designs on cloth. Shahnisa offers these intricate stitches in many materials ranging from silver metal (zari) to colored threads.
Long before a needle touches the fabric, we design the piece. Hand-carved wooden blocks stamp motif outlines onto the cloth in washable ink. Once this is done, embroidery begins on these motifs.
A hand-carved wooden block stamps the motif outline onto plain cotton, muslin or georgette in a temporary, washable dye. This is the artisan's map for everything that follows.
Working entirely by hand, often from the reverse side of the cloth, an artisan combines several of chikankari's 32 stitches to build a single motif in process that can take days.
The finished piece is washed to remove the printed guideline, then starched and pressed. This reveals clean embroidery in all its glory visible on both sides.
Worked close to the surface of the fabric, flat stitches merge so completely with the cloth that they read less like embroidery and more like the fabric's own texture. Most chikankari motifs begin with one of these as an outline.
A long running stitch worked on the right side of the fabric, catching four threads and picking up one. It forms the foundational line that most other stitches are built upon.
Chikankari's signature "shadow work," worked entirely from the reverse in a herringbone path so the thread casts a soft shadow through to the right side. Comes as Ulti Bakhiya (open, translucent) or Sidhi Bakhiya (closed, opaque).
A finer, appliqué-like cousin of bakhiya: a motif is embroidered separately, then laid over and stitched onto the final fabric.
A tightly twisted stitch used to outline motifs with a subtly coiled texture, often paired with bakhiya for definition.
A solid double-back stitch, most often doubled as "dohra bakhiya" to outline a motif with a firm, continuous line.
An interlocking, twisted stitch used along borders and motif edges for a woven, textured finish.
A stem-stitch variant used to outline stalks, vines, and bangle-shaped motif borders.
"Grass leaf" — graduated, V-shaped stitches worked in rows to fill petals and leaves like blades of grass.
Where flat stitches recede into the cloth, this family sits proudly above it — tiny knots and eyelets that give chikankari its signature dimension and texture, most often found at the heart of a floral motif.
Diagonal satin stitches knotted over a tepchi base to form a tiny rice-grain shape. Among the oldest and most prized of all chikankari stitches.
A millet-shaped knot, smaller and more delicate than murri, most often clustered at the centre of a flower motif
A rounder, fuller knot stitch used as a variation on murri for denser floral centres.
Tiny pearl-like stitches for a beaded texture along borders and motif edges
A fine chain stitch used to give leaf and petal outlines a crisp, finished edge once the main embroidery is complete
A fine detached eyelet — a small hole is punched in the fabric and the threads teased apart, then rimmed in satin stitch to form a flower's centre.
A dynamic zigzag stitch used for borders and accents mimicking a lightning bolt
A quivering, closely-set stitch that catches the light for a subtle shimmer texture
Chikankari's most technically demanding family, and the one found nowhere else in Indian embroidery: the fabric's own warp and weft threads are teased apart and secured with minute buttonhole stitches, opening a net-like lattice without ever piercing the front of the cloth.
The classic trellis stitch — threads are drawn apart, never pierced from the front, so the reverse looks as clean as the face of the fabric.
"Nightingale's eye" — a delicate, rounded variation of jaali worked in small, tight circles.
A denser, more closely-worked trellis variation, giving a firmer net-like texture than classic jaali.
A straight-line variation of trellis work, used to build geometric fill patterns within a motif.
A straight-line jaali worked in narrow bands, often used along borders and cuffs.
An angled variation of trellis work, opened on the diagonal for a woven, basket-like look.
A floral variation of trellis work, opened within the exact shape of a flower or petal outline.
An elaborate, architecturally-inspired trellis pattern, named for its intricate, monument-like symmetry.
The stitches that give a finished piece its polish — hemming, seam-work, and small motif details layered in once the primary embroidery is complete.
A fine hemming stitch that finishes raw edges with the appearance of a single, unbroken thread.
A family of decorative seam stitches — including Kohi Darz, Kamal Darz, Shankarpara Darz, Muchii and Singhbhada Darz — used to finish and embellish seams.
"Gram leaf" — a small, rounded leaf-shaped fill stitch worked in rows, tighter and fuller than ghas patti.
"Coriander leaf" — a fine leaf-shaped stitch used for delicate borders and trailing vine motifs.
A rose-inspired decorative stitch worked in small clustered florets.
A combination stitch layering two or more techniques together for a richly detailed, ornamental finish.
A dense, textured combination stitch used to add weight and detail to statement motifs.
A paired stitch, worked in twos, used to finish and reinforce borders across garments and home linen alike.
Bakhiya, jaali, murri and taipchi anchor our current edit — browse pieces built from the stitches you just read about.
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