Chikankari sarees of Lucknow

Chikankari is one of the most elegant embroidery art works of India known for its beautiful finish in threads. Chikankari art has been traditionally practiced by the people of Lucknow in the State of Uttar Pradesh, India and therefore called as Lucknow Chikankari work. Also known as shadow work or white embroidery work, traditionally chikan work was done on the white muslin or mulmul cloth. But now this work is also done on georgette, chiffon and other fabrics.

Introduced by Noor Jahan, the wife of Jahangir, the Mughal emperor, Chikan is the fine art done using white braids. Lucknow weavers mainly use three types of stitches, they are the flat stitches (a stitch, which remains close to the fabric), embossed stitch (a stitch, which gives shadow effect) and jali work (a stitch popular for giving a net effect).