Nasreen and Hasan Askari’s second edition of The Flowering Desert – Textiles from Sindh is a well-researched archive of the stunning textiles, embroidery, and weaving traditions of the Sindh region in Pakistan.
The book is based on the textiles of Sindh from a private collection and includes 122 gorgeous photographs. Nasreen Askari’s historical research anchors the book, and in the introductory chapter, Trading Places, she underscores the strategic geographical position of Sindh as a significant crossroads of trade routes from the Indus through Central Asia, dating back to 300 BCE. In recent times, Sindh was the center for several influences from Punjab, Kashmir, Central Asia, and the Middle East through traditional caravan routes, and its maritime access to the Arabian Sea through the Port of Karachi. It was, therefore, inevitable that there would be an exchange and influence of artistic and cultural traditions in the region.
The arid, desert region of Sindh is historically significant as the fulcrum of lavishly decorated textiles in South Asia. This may be attributed to the practice of adorning oneself with colorful clothing, jewelry, and other embellishments to offset the starkness of the austere landscape.
The book is divided into five chapters, showcasing Sindh’s designs, motifs, embroidery, craftsmanship, and weaving techniques. The last chapter Threads in Time focuses exclusively on the different types of embroidery stitches, the significance of the stitches, the influences – cultural, artistic, and religious, and the stories threaded within the loops and the fabrics.
Due to Sindh’s proximity to the Indian states of Rajasthan and Gujarat, there are many similarities in the visual language of textiles, embroidery techniques, and designs. It was inevitable that the culture of the region evolved in a syncretic manner blending these diverse influences and traditions. The author notes that Sindh’s contribution to the cultural traditions of South Asia is not always recognized and repeatedly overlooked. For example, various designs and techniques, especially the block-printed cloth known as Ajrak, are frequently attributed to Gujarat or Rajasthan (India), and are in fact, Sindhi (Pakistan) in origin.
Nasreen’s in-depth research of Sindh’s unique style of embroidery and decoration as “markers of identity” is evident in some of the examples illustrated, like the neck opening to the right side of a kurta (tunic) indicates that the wearer is Muslim and the opening to the left signifies a Hindu wearer.
Bright, colorful, high-resolution photographs comprise most of the book highlighting the richly embroidered and woven clothing (for both men and women), shawls, bedspreads, scarves, and objects of decoration and embellishment for livestock – camels, cows, and bullocks. Each plate has the name and a brief description of the object – what it is used for, the motifs and their significance, the name of the ethnic group it belongs to, the region/village it originates from, and the materials used.
While the language is accessible and easy to read and understand, some parts of the content may be challenging for readers with limited exposure to textiles and embroidery techniques as seen in the Threads in Time chapter that details the different types of embroidery stitches and motifs. The glossary at the end of the book is a useful resource for comprehending terms in the local Sindhi/Punjabi language.
The Flowering Desert – Textiles from Sindh will resonate with the scholar, and anyone interested in textiles. Nasreen Askari leverages her lived experiences and love for Pakistani textiles to document an important archive of the cultural traditions of various Indigenous communities in Sindh.
