This late 19th-century phulkari was made in undivided Punjab by the woman who would wear it, and belongs to the Karun Thakar Collection. It was one of 70 wedding shawls from the collection recently shown in the National Trust's "Journeys: Global Textiles from the Karun Thakar Collection", which closed on 1 November 2026. I know the piece from the exhibition, but also from our three books in which it has featured (Indian Textiles: The Karun Thakar Collection, John Guy et al., Prestel, 2014; Indian Textiles: 1,000 Years of Art and Design, Rosemary Crill et al., 2021; The Book of Textiles: The Karun Thakar Collection, Stephen Ellcock and Karun Thakar, ACC Art Books, 2024), as well as from its numerous appearances in HALI.
Phulkari (wedding shawl), undivided Punjab, late 19th century. Karun Thakar Collection
Desmond BrambleyThere are many textiles of this type in the collection, and many more in other collections and on the market, yet this example has always resonated with me. That resonance comes from three qualities that coalesce in it: design, technique and narrative.
While many phulkaris have an all-over design, closer inspection of this one reveals many small variations. They show the care taken over the embroidery, which aimed to show as much muga, or floss silk, as possible on the front. You can see this in the subtle differences between the diamonds and in the changing direction of the silk thread. The pleasing rhythm of the repeated design, together with the character of these small variations, connects me to the act of making: the hand of the maker is evident. This is hard to appreciate when the phulkari lies flat. Displayed on a form at Osterley Park, however, the changing direction of the silk and the variations in the design came alive in the play of light, in a way that is difficult to grasp without seeing it in person.
