What is Lucknowi Chikankari? A Buyer's Guide

If you've shopped for Chikankari online, you've probably noticed that prices range from a few hundred rupees to several thousand for what looks like the same fabric and the same embroidery. The difference is almost always in the craft itself — and once you know what to look for, you'll never confuse hand-embroidered Lucknowi work for its machine-made cousin again.

This is a short guide to understanding what real Lucknowi Chikankari is, where it comes from, and what to look for when you're buying.

The origin: 400 years of stitch craft

Chikankari is a hand-embroidery technique from Lucknow, traditionally attributed to the Mughal era. It's said that Empress Nur Jahan, wife of Emperor Jahangir, introduced the craft to India in the 17th century — though many traditions of fine white-on-white embroidery had been practised in the region for centuries before that.

Today, Lucknow remains the centre of Chikankari production, with skilled karigars (artisans) often working from home in clusters across the city. A single suit set can pass through 5–8 different artisans, each specialising in a specific stitch.

The stitches that define Chikankari

Real Chikankari uses 30+ distinct stitches. The most common you'll see:

• Tepchi — long, running stitches that outline motifs
• Bakhia — shadow work, stitched from the reverse side to create a soft shadow effect on the right side
• Phanda — small knot-style stitches
• Murri — rice-grain-shaped raised stitches
• Jaali — open net-like cutwork that creates a lace effect

A piece with multiple stitch types — especially jaali and murri — is usually a higher-quality, more time-intensive piece.

How to tell hand from machine

This is the single most important skill for a Chikankari buyer:

• Look at the reverse side. Hand-stitched Chikankari has a slightly irregular reverse — knots, small variations, neat-but-not-uniform finish. Machine work is perfectly uniform on both sides.
• Look for slight variations in motifs. Two flowers in hand Chikankari are never identical — each has small differences in size, angle, and density. Machine work repeats exactly.
• Feel the fabric. Hand Chikankari sits on the fabric softly, almost like the threads are part of it. Machine work feels more raised and stiff.
• Check the thread count. Real Chikankari uses fine cotton or silk thread that blends with the base; machine work often uses thicker, glossier thread.

Fabrics: what to look for

Traditionally, Chikankari is done on lightweight fabrics that let the embroidery breathe:

• Mul mul cotton — the softest, most breathable base. Ideal for summers.
• Mal chanderi — slightly more structured, with a soft sheen.
• Pure cotton — the most everyday-friendly.
• Cotton-silk and silk chanderi — for slightly dressier pieces.

Synthetic blends do exist but won't drape or breathe the same way. If a piece is suspiciously inexpensive and described as "Chikankari", check the fabric label.

Stitched vs. unstitched

Many Chikankari suit sets are sold unstitched — meaning you get the kurta fabric, bottom fabric, and dupatta as separate uncut pieces, with the embroidery already done. This lets you tailor to your fit, which often gives a far better silhouette than off-the-rack stitching. If you're buying online and the piece is unstitched, plan for 7–10 extra days for tailoring.

Price as a quality signal

A genuinely hand-embroidered Chikankari suit set takes anywhere from 4 weeks to 6 months of artisan work depending on the density of embroidery. Anything priced below ₹2,000 is almost certainly machine work or very minimal hand stitching. A good-quality hand-Chikankari suit typically starts around ₹4,000–₹6,000 and rises with stitch density and fabric quality.

How to start

If you're buying your first piece, start with a lightly embroidered mul mul Chikankari suit — usually a flat-stitch design with a single neckline cluster and scattered motifs across the kurta. It's the most versatile, the most everyday-friendly, and the easiest way to fall in love with the craft.

Browse RITAURA's Chikankari edit for hand-embroidered mul mul and mal chanderi pieces.