Motifs are worked, by counting the threads. Patterns used in the embroidery are similar to the ones used as tattoos by the Toda men and women in the earlier days, so fine that it resembles weaving. Reversible embroidery, on unbleached white cotton woven in a balanced weave structure are woven with three stripes- two of red and one of black. It is in these stripes that the embroidery is worked before the two lengths of the fabric are sewn together with the embroidery motifs and patterns in darning stitch.
The embroidery on the shawls which is done on the left of the black stripe (around the two red stripes) is called the karnol, while the embroidered pattern on the right is called the karthal.A close resemblance can be traced between the Toda embroidery with Anatolian motifs, in terms of the crosses and rosettes, along with the bull, an important symbol of a tripartite belief system involving a symbolic colour scheme where Black indicated the Underworld, Red the intermediate realm of Earth, and White the Celestial-the colours of the Toda.
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.
Zola India’s cascading Toda embroidery necklaces have been inspired by the waterfalls of Nilgirs and each piece is handcrafted first by the Toda community and then the beads are strung together by master craftsmen of the Patwa community of Rajasthan.
