Sujani Embroidery, Bihar

Traditionally, Sujani is a special quilt made In Bihar by recycling a number of worn out sarees and /or dhotis together in a simple running stitch that gives it a new structure while ornamenting it. It is sometimes stitched in white and sometimes in colored threads of red and black, drawn from the borders of saris. Quilters of Bihar outline and fill the motifs in a circular manner with colored quilting stitches, while the background is covered with white stitching. The circular stitching creates a dimensional distortion that gives these quilts a unique surface character.

This technique of sewing together pieces of old cloth, layered together, has its old age function in two belief systems.

First, cloth bound together by sujani served a ritual function- it invoked the presence of a deity, chitriya Ma, the lady of the tatters. In it is enshrined the holistic Indian concept that all parts belong to the whole and must return to it.

The other purpose of stitching old pieces of cloth together was to wrap the newborn; to allow it to be enveloped in a soft embrace, resembling that of its mother. New cloth is considered to be harsh on its skin. When dissected the term sujani reflects above mentioned functional nature of this practice- su means easy, while jani means birth. A woman would be attributed as a sugrahini if she recycled the used cloth and make it into new, to be meant for not just her children, but grandchildren as well.

Apart from the straight running long stitches, sujani has also been used as representation of vivid geometric patterns and motifs. These motifs and patterns became purposeful and ritualistic creations, becoming primary component for the kobarghar (nuptial chamber) and gifts to family members. For example, one could find sun and cloud motifs signifying life-giving forces, fertility symbols, animal and bird motifs and fantastic winged animals for protection against destructive forces, and motifs to attract the blessings of their gods. Different colored threads were also contextually used, such as red, signifying blood, a life force, and yellow for the sun.

This tradition of needle-craft has also taken several directions since the last two decade. For Example, under the guidance of organizations like Adithi, unique narrative elements were incorporated in sujani. Women stitched there experience, their sorrows and their realities on the fabric, transforming a mundane quilt into a testimony of their lives. Each sujani told a tale- the trauma of being a woman in a man's world, domestic violence, female infanticide, effects of alcoholism and gambling on a family and similar issues.