19-12-2019: Phulkari Embroidery A commemorative postage stamp

Phulkari is the most famous rural embroidery tradition of Punjab, mentioned in the Punjabi folklore of “Heer Ranjha” by Waris Shah. Its present from and popularity goes back to the 15th Century during Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s reign. Phulkari also means headscarf and it comes from the 19th century tradition of carrying an odhani or a head-scarf with flower patterns. Its distinctive property is that the base is a dull hand-spun or khadi cloth with bright coloured threads that cover it completely leaving no gaps. Cities famous for Phulkari include Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ambala,Patiala, Nabha etc.