From the era of the Chalukyas

The kings of Chalukya Empire were great connoisseurs of art and culture. Under the Chalukyans, who ruled between the 6^th and 12^th century, a renaissance in the field of art and architecture was observed. It is believed that the Karnataka Kasuti Embroidery was born out of this very renaissance. Religion too seems to have played an influential role in shaping the development of this art. One can easily observe the prevalence of architectural temple designs such as the Gopuras, Pushkarnis, Tulasi, and Brindavan amongst others in the Kasuti patterns. Though Kasuti has been around for ages, it only came to be known popularly in the late 20^th and 21^st century after Kasuti embroidery work on salwar kameez (Indian two piece suit worn primarily by women).

The elegance of Kasuti patterns

Kasuti embroidery stands out with its precision and complexity of patterns, featuring geometrical and symmetrical forms which form mesmerizing grids of stitches. The secret behind the perfect execution of complex designs lies in the meticulous counting of the threads of the warp and weft and the designs that can be traced as outlines. Traditionally, Kasuti has been practiced on Ilkal sarees and blouse pieces with alluring motifs which include peacocks, creeping lotus flowers, elephants, and palanquins with threads that are hued in stark contrast to the colour of fabrics onto which the embroidery takes place. Primarily, four types of Kasuti work is practised by artisans – the Nyege Kasuti, Muragi Kasuti, Menthaye Kasuti, and Gavanthi Kasuti. More than 700 designs are embroidered on cotton and silk fabrics. Kasuti adds grace not only to garments worn or home decor items with its intricate yet delicate stitch work, it transcends borders!