Modern lifestyle is eating into the one and only craft of hand stitching of traditional Lambada garments in the tribal hamlets of Krishna district. The attire, comprising ‘Kali’ (blouse), ‘Petia’ and ‘Tukira’ (Chunni), is now worn only by older women.
Sitarampuram Tanda of Mylavaram mandal near Khammam in Telangana bears testimony to how the rich craft is slowly vanishing. The Lambada hamlet is nestled in Barlabodi and Molugula hills.
“Of the 110 families in the village, just nine women wear dress. The rest of them have stopped learning the craft, thanks to their addiction to modern lifestyle,” says Peempli Bukha (50), a Lambada woman. The style and design, particularly Kali, have exclusive features with embroidery work. It requires dyed cotton threads of various colours, mirror pieces and red, green or yellow cloth. However, failing vision is prompting older women to discontinue the work.
Says Azamera Bithalu, a village elder: “Young women and girls have absolutely no idea about the craft. Also, lack of patronage for revival of the unique craft is driving it into oblivion.”
