A Dying craft from Bihar- Sujani Embroidery
Sujini or Sujani needlework, a hidden jewel of the textile world, can be found in the heart of India, lying among the rich plains of Bihar. This complicated and captivating technique, passed down through centuries, has converted basic, worn-out clothing into stitching marvels, bringing new life to wasted fabrics. Not only is the fabric and its construction sustainable, but it also has historical and cultural strands that distinguish rural Bihar.
A Baby Mattress cum quilt in Sujani Embroidery (Image credit – X Account-Shifali Vaidya)
Historical Backdrop
The colorful needle work of Sujani originated in a small village in Bihar named Bhusara. From here it later spread on to other parts. Sujini is derived from the terms “Su” meaning “easy and facilitating” and “Jani” meaning “birth”. Patches of different colored cloth from ancient saris and dhotis were traditionally stitched together with a simple running stitch during childbirth to create a product. The future mothers also embroidered different designs in colorful threads, weaving their hopes and wishes for the baby onto the quilt.
Aside from being excellent for draping babies, the act of creating such objects employing Sujani stitching was seen as a ceremony intended to invoke a deity known as Chitiriya Maa, the ‘Lady of the Tatters’.
What does it symbolise:
Sujini embroidery represents the combination of discordant bits of cloth into a harmonious whole. Stitching each piece of cloth to the one before it expresses the tenderness and care inherent in a mother’s love. When a newborn is swaddled in a quilt made using the Sujini technique, they are not only warm but also protected by the good intentions and prayers that their mother embroidered into the cloth’s foundations.
Themes, Icons and Motifs
Sujini embroidery’s most traditional designs feature sun and cloud motifs, which represent the life-giving process. Other popular motifs include fertility symbols, sacred animals, and legendary creatures stitched to protect the newborn from evil influences. The designs are predominantly drawn in threads of crimson and yellow, with red representing blood and yellow representing the sun. Geometrical designs such as hashiya (line patterns), phul-patti (graphic florals), and chaupad (checker game) are also employed in the craft.
Nature Scenery and Animal motifs in Sujani Embroidery (Image Credit-Tiff’s Adventures)
Sujani is a traditional women’s craft that also serves to transmit social and political concerns. Domestic violence, female infanticide, the effects of gambling and drunkenness, gender inequality, the evils of dowry, girl education, health care lessons, AIDS awareness, and other themes are shown to demonstrate women’s standing in the male world.
Method:
Sujini needlework, an art style distinguished by its simplicity and grace, employs a distinct running stitch. The procedure begins with picking a base fabric, usually cotton or silk from old garments that have softened from years of wear and washing, and cutting it to the desired length and shape.
A design is then carefully sketched onto the top layer with a tracing sheet, tracing wheel, and blue chalk. The stitching begins with a fine-running stitch and progresses from the background to the foreground. Motifs are highlighted using a Herringbone stitch and chain stitch by outlining them with black or brown threads and bright threads for filling.
Sujani stitching is simple, but a labor-intensive and time-consuming craft. While smaller items can be easily manufactured by a single artist, bed sheets and curtains require three or four artisans to work together, beginning at the end and working towards the center. The final steps include hemming the fabric’s edges, washing with kerosene to erase blue chalk markings, and ironing.
Rural Women Showcasing their work (Image Credit-Gaon Connection)
Revival and Diversification of the Craft
The original tradition of making Sujini embroidered baby quilts had nearly died out by the turn of the twentieth century, but it was revived in 1988 by Nirmala Devi, a member of the Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti (MVSS), a grassroots organization that promoted rural women’s economic independence and championed the cause of female financial empowerment. The women continued to make baby quilts, but they shifted their focus to bedspreads and adult quilts to appeal to a bigger and more modern market. Product diversification has given this lovely embroidery a new lease on life.
Sujani embroidery has been overshadowed by the growing popularity and vibrancy of other Bihar-based crafts such as Madhubani and papier-mache. But the Sujini needlework is now protected by a GI badge and has received the 2019 UNESCO Seal of Excellence. It has had a dramatic impact on the lives of many rural women in Bihar.
Durga idols are adorned with exquisite decorations, including Sholar and Daker Saaj ornaments, gold foil embellishments, and traditional sarees. Some idols feature elaborate jewelry, crowns, and weapons like the trident, sword, and bow, signifying her divine power. In some cases, real fabric is draped over the idols, while in others, the saree itself is intricately sculpted from clay, adding to the grandeur.
Bibliography:
- Tripathi, Ragini, Ekta Sharma, and Nargis Fatima. “A Review on Journey of Sujani: Handicraft.” International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts 11, no. 5 (May 2023): b247–b248.
- Singh, Sukhvir. “Traditional Indian Textile Techniques Used to Upcycle and Recycle Textile Waste.” Journal of Textile Science and Fashion Technology 1, no. 1 (December 2021): 14.
- INTACH. “Lesser Known Crafts of India: Sujini Embroidery.” Accessed February 23, 2025.
- “All About the Sujini Embroidery of Bihar.” The Times of India, November 24, 2023.
About the Author:
Author: Sadia Shakil
Sadia Shakil is a post graduate in History and an independent researcher with specialisation in the field of art and cultural history. Her work spans heritage sites, historical literature and art and craft blogs.
