Threads of Empire: Visual Evidence of How Colonial Rule Altered Zardozi and Court Embroidery
By Alexander Ross
The visual record preserved in museum vaults reveals that the transformation of Indian embroidery during the British Raj was an economic displacement disguised as a change in taste. Master artisans did not abandon pure metals and complex motifs because tastes evolved; they adapted because the financial foundations of their workshops had been systematically dismantled.
Today, that tension between commercial mass production and heritage craft persists across northern India. In the narrow alleys of Lucknow’s Chowk and Hyderabad’s Old City, small collectives of embroiderers still stretch fabric over heavy wooden frames, threading fine metallic coils entirely by hand. Their work preserves centuries-old metallurgical and artistic traditions, demonstrating that despite colonial disruption and the modern flood of synthetic threads, the craft retains its deep connection to its royal origins.
Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.
