Z Chikankari

If you go down Victoria Street in Khala Bazar, you’ll find us in Wahab Mansion at 292/163. It’s a busy part of town and there’s always noise coming from the street. We do chikankari work here, which is mostly a lot of sitting and focusing on the fabric. The room is usually filled with the sound of people talking while they work. We don't have a big fancy shopfront with glass windows. It’s more of a workshop where the actual making happens. The walls could use a fresh coat of paint, and the floorboards creak a little when you walk on them. We have stacks of cloth everywhere, some white and some with colors. It’s been this way for years. Most of us learned how to do this from our parents or neighbors. We don't use big machines for the delicate parts, just our hands and some needles. It takes time and we don't like to rush it. Sometimes the light isn't great in the evenings, so we have some extra lamps around the tables. People stop by to see what we are working on or just to say hello. It’s a friendly place, even if it’s a bit cramped with all the material. We aren't trying to impress anyone with a shiny office. We just care about the stitching and making sure the fabric looks okay before it leaves the mansion for the customer.