Originating in the royal courts of Rajasthan, Gota Patti was employed to decorate the attire of the privileged and powerful. It is believed to have developed when Mughal and Persian artisans travelled to India, sharing their expertise.

Creating Gota Patti involves meticulously cutting and shaping golden metal ribbons into a series of loops and curves, then skillfully stitching them onto fabric to create a texture and sparkle unique to Gota Patti’s aesthetic. This meticulous and labour-intensive process is typically executed by artisans trained in the craft.

Handcrafted with precision, even a small piece of Gota Patti work can take numerous hours to complete. Gradually, the Gota Patti work evolved under the influence of Zardozi Dabka, a metal embroidery technique.

In contemporary times, Gota Patti is a prominent feature in traditional Indian garments, especially in lehengas, sarees, and kurtis.

Sadly, high-end brands and middlemen sell Gota Patti work at heavily inflated prices due to their appeal to tourists. In this industry segment where heavy markups are commonplace, Jaipur-based Sidhi Garg’s principal strategy was affordability.

“When I visited local markets, I learnt that there are a lot of agents who sell the handwork but they are robbing people in the name of intrinsic value. Customers are being charged as high as Rs 14,000 per fabric piece. I did not find it ethical,” she adds.

The former techie went on to launch her startup ‘Kurta Ghar’. Her strategy involved promoting traditional techniques of her beloved Rajasthan, but at a price point tailored for the everyday customer, shattering the notion that these artistic........

© The Better India