Phulkari is one of the richest art of the Indian heritage, which is the heart and beauty of the people of Punjab and Haryana. The shawls, known as Phulkari or "flower work," and Bagh or "garden of flowers," are embroidered shawls symbolizing the rich tradition of Punjab. Shawls with motifs embroidered in the distinctive style of the Punjab are called Phulkari. Shawls with embroidery covering the entire surface of the base cloth are called Bagh.

Both types of shawls are used by women to cover their heads and shoulders, although the less densely embroidered Phulkari shawls are used for daily wear. The Bagh shawls are mostly very popular in weddings and other festive occasions.

Style & Pattern:
Multi colored shawls are woven using traditional phulkari embroidery. Plain woolen shawls are decorated with phulkari work. The base cloth used for making phulkari is generally rough, home-spun cotton. These shawls are extremely durable and warm in winter. The unique and colorful patterns of the shawl in red, green, orange, golden, is interwoven with beautiful needlework into beautiful masterpieces.

The traditional Phulkari and Bagh were large vividly coloured shawls, embroidered in symbolic geometric patterns. The variety of colours used for embroidery were usually shades of bright orange, yellow, lime, and maroon with a smattering of white.

Design & Stitches:
Embroidered with soft untwisted silk yarn or floss, using different types of stitches, the phulkari shawls often had different ends, in different designs. The embroidery covered almost the entire length and breadth of the shawl. Most Phulkari and Bagh work were made up of two or three lengths of fabric joined together. Despite the common use of floral and geometric patterns, the shawls were unique in themselves. Images of everyday life were incorporated into the patterns such as birds, temple gates, wheat, sometimes figures, and even rolling pins, etc. There were some shawls in which the main design was featured in the centre of the shawl.

The common stitches employed to create a variation on motifs and patterns in phulkari shawls include:

• Surface satin stitch
• Cross stitch
• Running stitch

Amritsar and Ludhiana are the centres for the production of exclusively embroidered Phulkari shawls in India. These shawls are widely popular in India as well as in abroad. Known for their heavy work and unique designs and patterns, Phulkari shawls are exported to various countries of the world every year.