Term in Kantha embroidery, Bengal. With eight triangles or segments; term derived from aatchala, meaning eight-roofed. Chala refers to the sloping roofs of huts. Thus a roof can be dochala - with two segments, or charchala with four segments.

A wedding shawl, embroidered in silk or cotton with motifs of flowering bushes on a red, white or brown cotton ground by the Dars and Pali landowners and the Lohana and Memon merchant castes in Thar Parkar, Sind. Examples of these shawls can also be found in Banni Kutch.

A ritual spoon of brass, copper, or five-metals often made with great ornamentation. It consists of a circular bowl- usually a plain hemisphere or an ornate flower-cup- to which a long handle is attached. The handle is often in the form of Vishnu, Kaliya damana Krishna, Hanuman, entwined snakes, or a multi hooded cobra. These spoons were used in household and temple rituals for symbolic purification with sacred water by transferring ritual water from one container to the other, or for sprinkling water in various directions, or for pouring ghee into the lamp, or sacrificial fire or for drinking ritual water as prasada for the grace of god.

A chemical compound, with a sour taste, that releases hydrogen ions when dissolved in water. The strength of the acid depends upon the concentration of hydrogen ions. Acids react with bases, forming salts. Acids have a pH less than 7. Acids can be organic - such as critic, tartaric, tannic, oleic and acetic - and inorganic or mineral - such as sulphuric, hydrochloric, nitric, and phosphoric.

In contrast to the religious patas, which are mainly devotional in character, the secular patas of Bengal are satirical and are based upon the chitrakars’ profound recognition of the contradictions in society and depict modern themes. These scrolls, known as adhunik patas or modern paintings, depict for instance, India’s independence from colonial rule or satirise the prevailing system of rationing and loss of moral values among the young.

Brahmin community of stone sculptors of Gujarat and Rajasthan working in the Hindu and Jain tradition of temple architecture and sculpture.

The adya katti sword was used in Coorg and Malabar. It has a heavy, single edged blade which is inclined forward. The blade is generally 2 feet in length and is narrow at the root and broader towards the point. The hilts have no guards and are made of ivory, horn or wood.

The attraction between the fibre and dyestuff. Some dyestuffs have a natural affinity, e.g. wool and basic dyes, whereas others require the use of a mordant.

Adjectival form of the Persian word aftab, the sun. Used for a type of inlay where the design is cut out of silver and appears silhouetted against the black ground of the object. The surface is therefore brightly reflective.

Fixing of printed colour by means of heat or steam. Originally induced by the action of air, sunlight and dew, this process gradually came to be carried out in large ageing rooms, and now in a ‘rapid ager’ (or hot-air or steam cabinet)

Cloth, of predominantly indigo colouring, block-printed (usually on both sides) with geometric patterning in Sind, Pakistan, Barmer in western Rajasthan and Kutch in Gujarat. Worn by Muslim men in these districts as turbans and/or lungis.

Al is a plant of the madder family. The young roots and root barks yield valuable red dye, wherein the root sugar is changed into red dye stuff. Till 1886 cultivation of madder was a monopoly of the Orient. Dried roots were imported in Italy under the name 'LIZARI' or 'ALIZARI'. The Al root was being extensively used as a dye till the synthetic alizarine was discovered in the year 1889.

The chief colouring principle matter of madder (Rubia tinctorum L) and other red dye plants and their synthetic equivalent. Synthetic alizarine is also the name for an extensive series of chemical colours produced from anthracene, a constituent of coal tar hydrocarbons. Discovered in the year 1889, by two German scientists Graebe and Litchermann. The synthetic Alizarine red dye stuff has now replaced the Madder and Al Munjeet of the Madder family.

A chemical compound, with a bitter taste, that releases hydroxyl ions in solution. The strength of the alkali depends upon the concentration of hydroxyl ions. Alkalis react with acids, forming salts, and have a pH greater than 7. Common alkalis include ammonia, sodium and potassium hydroxides, and carbonates.

In engraved roller printing, a small space between areas of colour, so carefully calculated as to be just closed on printing - to avoid bleeding. Alternatively, in screen printing, often a small overlap planned so as to avoid possible gaps of white cloth if registration of screens is not accurately accomplished.

Traditional symbolic floor drawings painted with colours made from ground rice paste, turmeric, and vermilion. The designs are ritualistic, symbols of auspiciousness and signify worship or invocation of various deities through codified abstract design. Variations of these floor paintings exist all over India.

Angular floral pattern with the Holbein stitch in nakshi kantha embroidery, imitative of the pineapple surface; also known as lik phul.  

Oily liquid compounds, colourless when pure. It was isolated in 1826 by distilling natural indigo with lime and discovered in coal tar in 1834. In 1841 it was found that it could also be obtained by heating caustic potash with indigo, and it then received its name, which is derived from nila (Sanskrit for indigo), an-nil (Arabic) and anilera (Portugese). In 1856 William Henry Perkin revolutionized the dyeing industry by using aniline to produce the first synthetic dye, 'mauveine'. Obtained from coal tar derivates, it provides the chemical base of many modern synthetic dyes.  

The superimposition of areas of accessory fabric on a ground fabric, usually by stitching, for patterning purposes. Also the application of any accessory fabric or object to the ground fabric usually with stitches.  

The tartar deposited from wines completely fermented, and adhering to the sides of casks as a hard curst. When purified it becomes Cream of Tartar.  

A small awl with a notch near the point, used (in the manner of the European tambour hook) to embroider in chain stitch.  

A narrow embroidered wrapper to roll and store away a woman’s comb, mirror, eye kohl, vermilion, sandal paste and oil bottle etc. Often a tying string is seen to bind the wrap, as in later day satchets.  

Andhra Pradesh has long been known for its Asia rumals, usually red and black in colour, with large borders. Also known as chitti- rumals, chitti meaning "small" in Telugu, or telia rumals, telia meaning "oily", these are square kerchiefs having geometric and figurative designs such as birds, animals and flowers. Worn as turbans and lungis by men, they are used as dupattas, or shawls, and as saris by women. Executed in the ikat technique, locally known as pagdu bandhu or tie-dyeing, these rumals have a characteristic oily smell and lustrous finish. This is due to the yarn being soaked in an emulsion of sweet oil and alkaline earth for several days before it is ready to be dyed.  

In wooden hand blocks used for printing on fabric the Asl is part of the set and forms the fine outline of the pattern. It is intricately carved in relief from the wood of choice. The best wood for asl is obtained from the oil extracting press (chakki) used in the villages. The most delicate block in the printing set, asl it is the first block to be carved and the print of this is then used for the filler blocks of dattas and gad.