In Photos: ‘Swan Song of the Badlas’ Unfolds Plight of a Dying Art

The story of the Mukaish Badla artisans of Lucknow – their downfall, struggle and survival.

Eight years old, Ruqsana, granddaughter of a Badla artisan shows an intricate Mukaish embroidery crafted by her, in her family workshop situated at Deorhi Agha Meer, Old Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. (Photo Courtesy: Taha Ahmad)

Mukaish Badla is a form of embroidery, which flourished in the Indian city of Lucknow. At its peak in the 18th century, the art form travelled to different parts of the world, but is now restricted to a few narrow lanes of the old city of Lucknow.

The art was originally introduced by the Nawabs, who ruled the city, to beautify another form of embroidery called chickankari – which still persists in the Indian subcontinent. Mukaish, however, ended up becoming an independent style and flourished across the city in the past.

Badla Artisan showing the superannuated handmade paper designs, which earlier were used for the reference of Mukaish work, at the ceased Chowdhary Garaiyya workshop in Old Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. (Photo Courtesy: Taha Ahmad)

This form of embroidery was first developed for the ruling class that resided in the city as part of their finery, since Mukaish work initially used precious metals like gold and silver to make metallic wires.

Badla artisans, who belong to the  Muslim community of the Hussainabad and Saadatganj area of Old Luknow, Uttar Pradesh, recite verses from the Quran ahead of starting their work every morning. (Photo Courtesy: Taha Ahmad)

The artisans who perform this art were at the time referred to as Badlas. They perform this craft by inserting metallic wires of gold and silver into the fabric, eventually twisting it to create magnificent metallic embroidery on the fabric.

The last remaining Badla artisans are seen working in their workshop in Hussainabad, Old Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. (Photo Courtesy: Taha Ahmad)

The story through these photographs is the tale of these artisans – their downfall, struggle, and survival.

Wives of the Badla artisans helping their craftsman husbands in the Sa-datganj workshop, Old Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. (Photo Courtesy: Taha Ahmad)

The artisans, who devote their lives to this art form make a meagre Rs 150-200 per day for concentrating and working under extremely harsh conditions for 10 hours everyday.

The city once had more than 3,000 Badlas, but now the number has come down to just 20-25 – all of them aged above 65.

Taqi, an 80-year-old Badla artisan working at the Sadatganj Workshop, Old Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. (Photo Courtesy: Taha Ahmad)

Badlas complain about the apathy of the government, which leads to further exploitation by their masters, who own the means of production and hence their lives, says 75-year-old Sabir Hussain, who has been working as a Badla for almost 65 years. The warehouses they work in are dingy, suffocating and tiny.

Badla artisan resting after working continuously for hours at the Sa-datganj workshop, Old Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. (Photo Courtesy: Taha Ahmad)

A woman observes the two old Badla artisans at work, in their Hussainabad workshop, Old Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. (Photo Courtesy: Taha Ahmad)

Goats near a Mukaish dress hanging to dry from a traditional bamboo roof after the final process of washing at Deorhi Agha Meer, Old Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. (Photo Courtesy: Taha Ahmad)

Two woman observe Bobby, owner of the Sa-datganj workshop, as he inspects the quality of a Mukaish fabric at Sa-datganj workshop, Old Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. (Photo Courtesy: Taha Ahmad)

Raeesa, wife of a Badla artisan, 40, is seen working in her house, while her daughter Farheen, 15, looks through a net fabric at Deorhi Agha Meer, Old Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. (Photo Courtesy: Taha Ahmad)

Lucknow’s culture has always compelled me to dig into the roots of its rich civilisation, which has always been a centre for arts and literature in the diverse landscape of India. The Gomti river, which flows through the city, always reminded me of the royal splendour of Lucknow.

Zeenat, from a traditional Lucknow family, inspects a dress made out of real gold and silver wires recalling the golden memories of the past in Deorhi Agha Meer, Chandi Khana, Old Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. (Photo Courtesy: Taha Ahmad)

As I grew closer to the city, I was introduced to the city's art and craft which became an integral part of my breath explaining why the city was highly praised for the textile culture. These art and crafts used to blossom and are still a part of each and every family of Lucknow.

Ruqsana, 8, peeps from behind a Mukaish fabric hanging in the yard of her family house as her sister Farheen, 15, inspects a mark on a dress caused by ink powder during the process of printing. (Photo Courtesy: Taha Ahmad)

Now only polished wires of gold and silver are used in this art which has played a major role in the downfall of this art. The art and the artisans might soon die a painful death amidst the frenzy driven by ‘development’ and ‘modernisation’.

Zeenat, from a traditional family of Lucknow, wears a real Mukaish dress made out of gold and silver wires crafted at the time of the Nawabs in the 18th Century at Deorhi Agha Meer, Old Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. (Photo Courtesy: Taha Ahmad)

Zeenat unfolds her Mukaish apparels casted out of real gold and silver wires. These are kept as an archive depicting the rich aura of the royal craft. (Photo Courtesy: Taha Ahmad)

These artisans are the real treasure of Indian art and craft as their work is unparalleled and authentic. The artists’ plight is something that I am trying to bring out through my photographs. Their population is dwindling and soon in not more than 20-25 years, they will become a part of history, which can only be recalled in a poignant daydream or a visual imagery.

Children and grandchildren of the Badla artisans, straightening the Mukaish fabric after the process of washing at Deorhi Agha Meer, Chandi Khana, Old Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. (Photo Courtesy: Taha Ahmad)

Young family members of a Badla artisan’s family folding the Mukaish apparels after they were ironed at Deorhi Agha Meer, Chandi Khana, Old Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. (Photo Courtesy: Taha Ahmad)

Children playing with the Mukaish fabric in the yard of their house located in Deorhi Agha Meer, Chandi Khana, Old Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. (Photo Courtesy: Taha Ahmad)

Ruqsana peeps through a broken window of her house. (Photo Courtesy: Taha Ahmad)

My work ‘Swan Song of the Badlas’ revolves around the life of these Badlas and their families, who are struggling to keep the art alive.

This project was initiated under the aegis of the Neel Dongre Grant/Award for Excellence in Photography 2016-17 organised by the India Photo Archive Foundation under the supervision of Aditya Arya and Parthiv Shah.

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