Sodha Embroidery
The Sodhas of Kutch migrated into the region during two different periods of time. References to the Sodha tribesmen are found in the writings of bards during the reign of Maharao Desalji (mid 18th century). In the course of time, Sodha settlements started mushrooming in various regions like Kuran, Kotdi, Dholavira and Roha Kotada. The Indo-Pak war of 1972 drove more Sodhas into Kutch as refugees and thirty three refugee camps were set up in the district to rehabilitate them. They received Indian citizenship in 1976 and were given one thousand rupees and ten acres of land per family, by the Indian Government. This aid helped to set them on their feet and at present, they are primarily involved in agriculture. Some of them have set up shops, while the less financially secure among them have become hired labourers.
The Sodhas speak a special language called Thari affiliated with the Marwadi language. It is a spoken dialect and has no script.
Sodha women take pride in their needlecraft, showcasing innate artistic ability and talent. The resourcefulness and aesthetic dexterity of Sodha men too, cannot be underestimated. Their collection of artistry includes woven woollen mats and decorative articles crafted for their animals.
Soofe embroidery is not an isolated stylistic entity and their Satin Stitch patterns applied with floss silk in a kaleidoscope of colours bears a distinct similarity to the Phulkari and Bagh embroideries of Swat valley, Hazara, Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Sialkot and Lahore in Pakistan. Their figurative motifs reveal an unexpected commonality with Cretan embroidery of Greece, in which a similar technique of constructing figurative designs with straight edges is followed. The stitch could be an ancient indicator pointing to the presence of Greek settlements in Kutch during the first century AD.
The embroidery is rendered on the reverse side of the fabric in such a way that the required pattern is formed on the right side of the material. This type of embroidery is also referred to as Kacho, meaning weak, not durable. The inherent colour scheme may be monochromatic or polychromatic. This stitch is also referred to as Thread Saver Stitch, as it uses much less thread.
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