Gota patti or gota work is a type of Indian embroidery that originated in Rajasthan, India. It uses the applique technique. Small pieces of zari ribbon are applied onto the fabric with the edges sewn down to create elaborate patterns. Gota embroidery is used extensively in South Asian wedding and formal clothes.
Gota is basically gold and silver lace from Lucknow. This metallic lace is made up of metal-coated weft yarn, while the warp yarn includes ribbons of fibres like cotton and polyester. Small pieces of zari are stitched onto the fabric, with edges sewn down to create patterns.
Surface texturing and embroidery enhances the value of traditional textiles. Worn by Mughal and Rajput royalty of yore, gota patti is unique for its colour and intricacy of technique. Traditionally the Gota work was done on the pure fabric like Georgette, Chiffon, Velvet and Silk but now is also done on both semi- pure and pure fabrics.
The Gota Patti was cut according to natural motifs like birds, human figures, animals and attached to cloth decorated by gold and silver wire. It resembled with the Kundan and Meenakari jewellery of Rajasthan. These outfits especially worn on auspicious days, weddings.
The different forms of gota patti include seekhi, phool, bijiya, mothda, bakhandi and lappa, among others. Seekhi gota is categorised by a silver and gold ribbon of gota used as a lace trim, while phool gota spotlights gota circles that are pleated on the ensemble.
The special feature of this embroidery involves placing woven gold cloth onto fabrics such as georgette or bandhini to create different surface textures.
The crafting of Gota patti is a time-consuming procedure. After tracing designs on paper, setting it on wooden frames, outlining the design on the fabric the gota patti is attached with a back stitch, and finally securing it with a wooden hammer. Takaayi, which is the process of stitching the leaves to the base fabric, is the most tedious of all the steps. The time taken often depends on how elaborate the outfit is—a heavy bridal ensemble can take up to a week, while a seekhi work sharara can be made in half a day as well.
This craft needs encouragement and support to avoid extinction.
