TALE OF PIPLI

Orissa is one of those states of India that is world renowned for its handicrafts. One of the most popular crafts of Orissa is the gorgeous Appliqué technique work that comes from the town of Pipli. In the local slang, This technique of patching cloth design is usually known as “Chandua”. Pipli is a small town, situated about 40 kilometers from Puri, Orissa. The income of this town is essentially dependent on the sale of its handicrafts of which the appliqué works are the main source.

Appliqué is a French technique that basically cuts up various colored fabrics which are then sewn on to the surface of another foundation fabric. It was first discovered when clothes were ripped and they needed to be sewn over in order to fix them. But essentially it has now developed into a needlework technique in which smaller pieces of fabric, materials like small mirrors and other forms of embroidery are sewn onto a bigger piece of cloth to create designs and patterns.

There has been a lot of demand for Pipli works and one of the major sources of income for these artisans are the Pipli appliqué lamp. A lot of effort goes in the making of something that looks really simple and stylish. There’s a lot of cutting and sewing involved apart from the embroidery and mirror work that goes into the making of a lampshade.

KaaRu also introduced the PIPLI art in her works, Specially in Sarees and Dupattas.