Phulkari literally means flower work. Densely embroidered motifs, barely revealing the base fabric is Bagh (garden). Time was, when on the birth of a son, during weddings and festive seasons, women all over Punjab sported Phulkari and Bagh odhnis. It was a personal craft, an expression of one’s creative urge. Usually a group activity for women, Phulkari means floral craft. It is traditional embroidery done in a simple and sparse design with closely packed parallel stitches arranged in geometric patterns with gorgeous glowing colors blending in a silky shimmer resembling a carpet of flowers in full bloom. The most spectaculars called Bagh or "flower garden" are embroidered with closely packed designs to resemble a dense carpet of flowers in full bloom The needlework on a particular piece is usually a labour of love of a single embroiderer, for the excellence of the embroidery lies in the uniformity of the smooth silk stitches. Originally Phulkari patterns were done...
