Phulkari
Punjabi embroidery that covers cloth in bright silk thread, worked from the back in long stitches.
Also: bagh, phulkari embroidery
Phulkari means flower work. It is the embroidery of Punjab, worked on coarse cotton cloth, often handspun, with untwisted silk floss called pat. The embroiderer works from the back of the cloth in long darning stitches that follow the weave, and the stitches catch the light from different directions. When the design covers the whole cloth it is called bagh, meaning garden. Phulkari was traditionally made for dowries and festivals as a shawl or head cloth. Phulkari borders and motifs are now used on sarees, dupattas and blouse pieces, often on light fabrics like georgette.