Toda Embroidery
The Toda Embroidery, also locally known as "pukhoor" is an art work among the Toda pastoral people of
Nilgiris, in Tamil Nadu, made exclusively by their women. The embroidery, which has a fine finish,
appears like a woven cloth but is made with use of red and black threads with a white cotton cloth
background. Both sides of the embroidered fabric are usable and the Toda people are proud of this
heritage. Both men and women adorn themselves with the embroidered cloaks and shawls.
This handicraft product is listed as a geographically tagged product and is protected under the
Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act (GI Act) 1999 of the Government of
India. It was registered by the Controller General of Patents Designs and Trademarks under the title
Toda Embroidery" and recorded at GI Application number 135 under Class 24, Class 25, and Class 26 as
Textiles and Textile Goods, clothing, and Embroidery, respectively, in March 2013. A certificate of the GI
registration was formally presented to the community leaders in June 2013. This was first initiated in
2008 and the agencies who supported this registration are the Toda Nalavaazhvu Sangam, Keystone
Foundation, and Poompuhar.
Location
This art heritage is practiced by the Toda tribe based in the Nilgiris (literally meaning 'neelam', the "Blue
Hills") located in an elevation range of 900 to 2,636 metres (2,953 to 8,648 ft)
History
The Todas are supposed to be remnants of the Greeks who came to India with Alexander the Great and
penetrated as far South as the Nilgiris where they settled down. Their women sport a fantastic hairdo.
The hair on top of the head is combed smoothly and is then shaped into corkscrew curls which hang
down to the shoulders. So smooth and precise are these curls that it seems impossible to believe that
they are not the result of the labors of an experienced hairdresser.
The Todas (also known by names such as Tudas, Tudavans, and Todar) who make this embroidery live as
one small community, population of 1,600 spread over 69 settlements, and about 400 of them are
stated to be engaged in the embroidery work in the Nilgiri Hills in the higher elevations of the Niligiri
plateau, in Tamil Nadu. Apart from their vocation as herdsmen of buffaloes and cultivation in the grass
lands, they are also involved in the tradition of making many handicrafts items which includes traditional
black and red embroidery practiced by the women of the community; the embroidery is usually made
on their cloaks called "pootkhuly" which is draped by both their men and women.
Murray Emeneau, a well-known linguist of the Toda language, had referred to nine Toda embroidery
designs in his paper published in 1937. There were earlier mention in the ancient ethnographic
documents of the Toda women working on this art form in the western region of the Nilgiri plateau.
Production process
The local terms used to describe the embroidery work are 'kuty' or 'awtty' meaning "stitching" and
'kutyvoy' meaning the embroidered piece. The materials used in this work are roughly woven white
cloth, woolen black and red threads with use occasionally of blue threads and manufactured needles.
The designs developed relate to nature and the daily cycle of life.
The fabric used is coarse bleached half white cotton cloth with bands; the woven bands on the fabric
consist of two bands, one in red and one band in black, spaced at six inches. Embroidery is limited to the
space within the bands and is done by using a single stitch darning needle. It is not done within an
embroidery frame but is done by counting the warp and weft on the fabric which has uniform structure
by the reverse stitch method. To bring out a rich texture in the embroidered fabric, during the process of
needle stitching, a small amount of tuft is deliberately allowed to bulge. Geometric pattern is achieved
by counting the warp and weft in the cloth used for embroidery. Patterns used for embroidery are
similar to the ones used for tattoo marks. In earlier times, Pukhoor [embroidery] was done with a
wooden Needle & Kaag [thread] but today, a metal needle has replaced the wooden one.
Though their favorite study is related floral landscape, the patterns used in Toda embroidery do not
cover many floral motifs but generally cover celestial bodies (like Sun and Moon), reptiles, animals, and
horns of buffaloes, made in crimson and black colors. Rabbit ears are a constant depiction on the
boundary of the embroidered cloth. Another common design in the form of black triangles in a box
design is done in honor of their first priest. Women who do embroidery consider their work as a "tribute
to Nature". A dead body is always wrapped in an embroidered fabric with traditional designs and then
buried. However, colored stripes are used in fabrics of daily use. As a traditional garment, it is worn by
both men and women at all ceremonial occasions and also at funerals. Elderly people of the community
wear this cloth daily.
The materials used in Embroidery
The embroidery has a fine finish. It is made on a coarse white cotton cloth using two color threads black
and white. The word for embroidery in Toda terminology is Kuty which means stitching. The colors of
these threads symbolize social values of Todas. White indicates purity. Red depicts youth, while black is
a symbol of maturity.
How are geometric patterns achieved?
Darning needle is used for the job. Embroidery on the cloth is done without even using any frame.
There are no set patterns, designs or drawings. The wrap and weft are counted to develop a uniform
pattern. The reverse stitch method is employed for the process. So, one can wear this fabric inside out
as well.
The remarkable fact is that Toda women have no knowledge of numbers. It is amazing how they are
able to achieve geometric precision without any external aids. Also, Toda girls start learning the art at
age 5. By ten years, they are masters at it. These girls are even able to create their own patterns by the
time they turn 15.
The main motifs for the embroidery patterns are nature and daily life routines. Sun, moon, reptiles,
buffalo horns and floral motifs are some regular motifs. Toda women embroider on the exquisite cloaks.
The borders of the fabric have rabbit ear designs. Black triangles in box is another frequent design which
is made to honor the Toda head priest.
SIGNIFICANCE, MYTHS AND BELIEFS
THE SACRED BLUE -Creation of the Toda Universe
In the beginning, there was only the sky & the earth, Haen, the first Toda flew across the open blue in
search of an ideal place for The Land of Belonging. After centuries of traveling, he finally found himself
hovering over the beautiful Blue Mountains of the Nilgiris. Circling the verdant region, he saw endless
cool grasslands, fruit trees, flowering shrubs, streams, rivers, waterfalls, wild animals, birds, insects & all
manner of living beings, except of course humans. It was then that he realized that in fact this was the
Land of Toda belonging that had been created especially for the community & had been waiting through
the centuries to be finally inhabited. And so, Haen descended & stood with his feet firmly on the soil of
the Nilgiris.
When he did this, an amazing power coursed through him like a brilliant white light. When surge of
energy subsided, he saw before him – his wife. Now the two of them created the first Todas on earth &
they multiplied like the stars in the heavens – hundreds of them, thousands. When the land was
sufficiently populated, he divided it into the land of the Living & the Land of the Dead [which he called
Amunore]. Once this was done, Haen decided that his task in the world of the living was over & he
retreated to Amunore, becoming the Lord of the Other World. He left the world of the living in the
charge of his beloved daughter Porshaey.
Porshaey was an enlightened young woman who was endowed with the power to create the religious,
social, cultural & economic identity of the Todas. She divided her people into 15 clans & gave each a
specific geographical location to settle & live in. Then she created a separate divine female force to be
worshipped by each clan in their mund [or settlement], along with prayers & family, religious & social
rites & customs, attire & eating habits. When this was done she chose a sacred space where she sat &
prayed.
TODA CATHEDRAL & HOUSE
One day, after she had concluded her prayers, she drew a magic circle on the earth. The moment she did
this, the earth opened up and she leaned in and began to draw out one sacred buffalo after another.
The people were amazed and watched in awe as 15 animals emerged from the earth. The 16 to appear
had deformed horns so they began laughing. The process of creation stopped. One sacred buffalo was
assigned to each temple of the fifteen clans & the sixteenth animal did not have sacred powers but it
gave birth to innumerable others who formed the vast herds of the Todas, supplying them milk – the
very basis of their economy.
Porshaey marked out the sacred & ordinary migration routes for buffalo herding & ensured that the
seasons provided the right support for special varieties of grass to grow that would provide feed stock
for the animals.
Since she ruled the Land of the Living & had placed female sacred powers in each clan temple, the Toda
woman became the embodiment of the community. This is why even till today Toda women do not
worship at the temples. In fact, they maintain a distance from the temple’s precincts. The men are
assigned the task of worship at the temple.
Muthanad Mund is the place where Haen first arrived on earth & created the first Todas. It is also the
place where Porshaey created religions, social, community & economic customs. Located near Ooty, a
popular hill resort, the Mund is tucked away among the woods. The sacred spot is marked by a Toda
‘Cathedral’. Not far from this spot is a circle of stones in an open field which marks the place where
Porshaey created buffalos.
The Todas have their own set of customs and traditions which have close association with nature and
life around them. They believe in 1600 or 1800 superior godlike beings, the two most important being
On and Teikirzi. On, is the male god of Amnodr, the realm of the dead and Teikirzi is a female deity who
lived in the Nilgiris and established Toda social and ceremonial laws. Other important deities are hill-
gods, each associated with a particular hill along with two river-gods belonging to the two main rivers.
Todas believed that Teikirzi and On first created the sacred buffalo and then the first Toda man. They
are believed to have created the first Toda woman from the right rib of the first Toda man. The revered
place of the buffalo in Toda society represents a remarkable feature of their life.
Though a shawl is a common utility feature in most traditional communities, it often also has family,
community, cultural, social & religious significance. For example, in some communities the designs,
colors and motifs on the shawls signify the family status of the wearer, in others – rites of passage such
as marriage, priestly ordination & death are marked. Then there are ‘honor shawls’ like those that the
Ao Nagas award to Battle Heroes. Across the Indian subcontinent, the colors of shawls vary, as do the
designs & symbols. Most of them of course are hand woven with designs & motifs painted, patched or
embroidered.
The Todas have a traditional shawl that they call the Pootkhuly – a dramatic red, black & white wrap –
over bearing intricately embroidered geometric patterns that are graphically impressive & symbolically
rich.
Their economic, religions, cultural & community life is based on this pastoral being, inextricably linked to
their life, death & after life. The Nilgiris, according to the Todas, is where the entire tribe & its various
clans were created. It is also the place of their existence and afterlife. Because of this, the entire region
is a sacred space for them. In fact every hundred yards of land has a special name endowing the natural
environment with a powerful symbolic presence. Flowers, Fruits, Trees, Grasses, Animals, Birds, Rivers,
Streams hills & Valleys all play a significant role in the life of the community & figure in their ancient
lore, their songs & stories. Images on the Pootkhuly represent many of these elements, becoming the
most significant social, community and ceremonial garment they possess.
The Pootkhuly is no ordinary shawl. It consists of two five meter lengths of fabric which are embroidered
with similar patterns & motifs and joined together [lengthwise] to increase the width of the shawl to
more than a meter. Tucked in between the fold of cloth is a pocket that is used to store valuables.
Before it is worn, it is folded in half [for warmth] & covering the left shoulder is wrapped around the
back & held under the right arm, then slung over the left shoulder. The sections that are visible along
the shoulders & back are usually richly embroidered.
This shawl is worn by men & women at all important social occasions. A newly embroidered shawl is
preferred for weddings and the designs and motifs on these are all related to prosperity, fertility &
security. A newly embroidered shawl is also used as a shroud during funerals. It is called a Pekhadaar
Pootkhuly. The inside pocket in this one is used to keep certain sacred objects which will help the spirit
of the person in the other world.
In addition to this the designs & motifs on its surface all relate to the guiding elements and forces that
will help the spirit along on its journey to Amunore, the land of the dead. This journey is as significance
as life’s journey. The spirit once it leaves the body travels from Mulli Mund, over land towards Amunore,
over densely wooded hills, across streams & waterfalls, past Mettine Karsh [Steps of Stone], Koche Arre
[Bangle Rock], Ovvunni Karsh, Maenbaem, Kojji Kochith Koer – the stream where the spirits from
Amunore come to meet the new arrivals, Tharsfole Karsh – and on & on until the spirit reaches
Pooverikaene, the Bubbling Stream. There’s a rope strung across the stream. The spirit has to cross,
walking along this rope. If it has not lived a just life, it will fall into the stream & a sacred buffalo will
offer its horn to rescue the drowning person. But if the spirit fails to climb out, it will have to wait one
year. There are only three chances. If it fails all three, the corridors to Amunore close forever for that
person. But if the spirit succeeds, it is truly liberated from all the rites and practices and shastras of Toda
life on earth and it travels on to Amunore. the Land of the Dead.
TODA SHAWLS USED IN FESTIVALS
On the Pekhdaar Pootkhuly some of the symbolic natural elements of this journey are depicted in
graphic representation. So subtle is the Toda life of seeing and deciphering.
Earliest Pootkhuly was made from white fabric which was brought up from either the Tamil Nadu or the
Karnataka plains & the embroidery on its surface was blue. This doesn’t mean that it lacked either the
intricate design or the symbolic motifs. They were all present, except of course in far subtler forms.
However, the significance of the shawl has always been the same.
Innumerable stories, songs & sacred chants that have come down to us through the ages feature the
Pootkhuly in various contexts.
As time changed the Todas were faced by either settlers drifting into the region or encountered
displaced hunting & gathering communities seeking refuge on higher grounds. In those times, the need
was perhaps felt to resort to all manner of protection against the intrusion& threat. Gradually,
protective mystic symbols began appearing on the Pootkhuly. And as for the shift from blue to red &
black, there are many theories.
Two seem the most plausible. The first is than when the Todas were exposed to the diversity of color &
design of incoming settlers they absorbed new influences. The colors that symbolize assertiveness and it
could very well be that their vulnerability in the face of change theories includes one that claims a
European Settler introduced red & black to increase the commercial viability of the garment. Whatever
may the reason, the Todas themselves don’t ever speak of blue but insist that red & black are the colors
best representing their identity & the power & significance of the Pootkhuly.
Attempts were made to introduce weaving in the Nilgiris so that the Todas could produce their own
fabric for their shawls but the effort failed & tradition prevailed. Till today, fabric is brought up from the
plains of Tamil Nadu & Karnataka.
MOTIFS
Because the Toda’s traditional way of life is so closely interwoven with the natural environment, motifs
& patterns are inspired by nature. Interestingly, there is a name for each motif. The mountains of the
Nilgiris have inspired the twedhr, the squirrel has lent its strips to the peshk, the butterfly has given the
kopan its chequered pattern held in the shape of a diamond, a beehive has inspired the Kwudrkorr,
yellow marsh flowers have given form to modhiry… the list is endless.
COLORS
The colors red, black, green, yellow, orange and white are used in various permutations and
combinations in the Toda embroidery works. A clever effect of light and shade is produced by using
alternating bands of color tapering from dark to lighter to light on the top half and then tapering again
from light to lighter to dark along the bottom half along a whole row of identical motifs.
TODA WOMEN – BACKBONE OF THE COMMUNITY
As much as the Pootkhuly is the Toda’s visible link with the natural world, he or she inhabits and a
symbol of identity & community spirit, the process of its creation has its own special importance. Being
an activity solely undertaken by women, it is the hub of their social, community & cultural interaction,
sharing & bonding. When household commitments have been met, women in each mund or settlement
get together and sit out in a common area, embroidered shawls. During this crucial time, not only are
craft skills & experience shared but community & family issues are discusses & often resolved.
Interestingly, although it may appear to the outsider that in Toda Society, it is the men who are in
charge, in fact, it is actually the women who are the backbone of the community. They preserve
traditional practices, ensure cultural continuity & most important of all, they are the embodiments of
the females’ force that rules the universe of the Toda. This is why their sharing & bonding is of such vital
importance. And the making of the Pootkhuly becomes the catalyst for this to happen.
PROBLEMS FACED BY THE COMMUNITY
The Toda daughters learn this skill from their mothers. Sadly, this is a dying art, though thankfully, there
are groups working hard for the revival of this art form.
Times are rapidly changing. As Toda grasslands steadily vanish due to social forestry programmes &
organized cash crop plantations, their vast herds of buffalos diminish, shrinking their possibilities of
earning a proper livelihood from milk & dairy produce. As such they are being forced to turn to various
means of sustenance. Some have taken to vegetable farming whereas others are trying their hand at
employment in local factories. Their seniority in the traditional hierarchy of the region prevents them
from doing jobs that involve manual labor or any activity that presents them as being inferior to the
other inhabitants. What further compounds the challenge is that Todas don’t generally leave the Nilgiris
for any sort of employment in other parts of the country because the Blue Mountains are their living
universe.
This situation has gradually prodded Todas to turn to the Pootkhuly & its embroidery tradition for
support. What was once a craft activity confined solely to the community is now becoming a potential
income generating activity. And so an aesthetic tradition continues & Toda women have gone beyond
merely producing the Pootkhuly. With the steady increase of market needs, they have diversified into a
number of other richly embroidered items. With the rapid evolution of Toda Embroidery & a growing
refinement of its patterns & forms, aesthetic impact has increased & the design elements of this
tradition have found a place in the visual idiom of contemporary taste.
As important as this, Toda design in uniquely traditional & contemporary. It is an excellent example of
an aesthetic form of expression that has appeal that goes beyond individual culture, verging on the
universal. Its geometric forms & dramatic flow & contrasts have echoes in design traditions of early
cultures in other parts of the globe.
In the last 10 years, a lot of funding from developmental organizations, has been provided to these Toda
settlements. Toda shawls are embroidered by women and sold as part of an income generating scheme
for the community. Today, the women make other products like bags and bed covers for the commercial
market.
Toda embroidery, was granted Geographical Indication (GI) status in 2012. Today, the new generation of
Toda’s are drifting towards the wave of modern city culture. You can still find them adorned in the
traditional attire. However, how long this unique craft will survive will depend on its interaction with the
world.
Where can you buy Toda Products
Many NGOs and the government have taken upon themselves to promote this form of embroidery to
the mainstream. Though, fabrics with Toda Embroidery is popular in countries like Germany and US, in
India people find them expensive.
To counter this, a novel idea of incorporating this embroidery in small products like mobile pouches,
pillows covers, shawls, home linen, shopping bags and key chains was developed. All these products
are easily available, online.
We are losing various traditions and values to modern life. Beautiful art forms are being lost on a
continuous basis. You can do your might to help keep the tradition alive by doing your might in
promoting or buying such beautiful products.
