100. Toda Embroidery

Toda Embroidery is done using red and black threads on a white background producing a rich effect is practiced exclusively by the Toda women of Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu. The thread is generously looped on one side of the fabric only. This embroidery is so fine that it is often mistaken as a weave at the first glance. 

The Toda term for the act of embroidery (and indeed for all forms of “stitching”) is kuty (or, more correctly, awtty), while the word for something that has been embroidered or stitched is kutyvoy. The Toda word for an embroidery motif is pukhoor and there are more than 15 (fifteen) traditional designs. 

The designs or patterns of the Toda embroidery are mostly symbolic ranging from floral and plant motifs to motifs representing animals, birds and insects. The majority of these traditional motifs are inspired either by nature or elements of nature such as sun, moon, stars, hills, slopes, etc. The Patterns are repetitive and No design or pattern is traced or implemented as outlines.

The Toda women embroider with factory made needles. The threads used by them are traditionally black and red only. The threads so used are in wool. The fabric is a coarsely woven white cloth. The main and only stitch used in this embroidery is darning stitch, done from the back of the fabric.  

The Toda’s basic embroidery technique is to count the threads of the white base woven material and then cross-stitch to form the desired pattern It is done in the counted thread technique, following the right angles of the warp and weft threads of the coarsely woven off white material and according to the required pattern, by executing the necessary stitches.  

In the Toda embroidery, the way the pattern is produced, is of “reverse stitch”, which means that the thread is carried on the reverse aspect, while the numeral that follows denotes the number of threads the embroiderer counts before reinserting needle. 

Similarly, “obverse” means that the needle is taken on the obverse side of the cloth and the numeral that follows denotes the number of threads counted. 

This results in geometric patterns and this hand embroidery looks like a woven technique. The Toda embroidery is reversible and one can use both sides. What is unusual, however, is that the embroidery is done in wool on a cotton background. The reason given is the fast colours in red and black in cotton yarn cannot be guaranteed.

The Todas consider the ‘rough’ obverse side as the front side, with its generous looping of threads that is the display side and the not the far neater, reverse side. However, most outsiders feel quite the opposite. 

The Toda embroidery is the most visible expressions of the artistic heritage of the Todas. However, “traditional” patterns are used to embellish the cloak in which to wrap a corpse, while “modern” designs are those embroidered near the coloured stripes and borders of a modern-day cloak for the living. 

Apart from the cloak, nowadays Toda embroidery is used for adorning a range of products like pouches, spectacle cases, luncheon sets, table cloths, table mats and other similar accessories, bedspreads, runners, shawls, stoles / dupattas (veils), which brings them a steady income.

GI Tag Registration Date         : 04 March 2013

GI Tag Number                         : 135

Certificate Number                  : 187

Geographical Area                  : Tamil Nadu

Special Cover Release Date   : 26 August 2021

Cancellation                             : Udagamandalam 643 001

Type                                          : GI Tag Cover

Cover Identification Number  : TN/18/2021

The cover has an replica of Toda Embroidery. 2000 Nos of covers are issued and each cover is numbered.

Enlarged View of Illustration

Enlarged View of Cancellation

Back Side Scan of Cover

India post has also issued a postage stamp on Toda Embroidery. Details of the same are furnished below

Sheetlet - Embroideries of India - Toda Embroidery
Issued on 19 December 2019

Enlarged View of Postage Stamp

India post has also issued a picture post card on Toda Embroidery. Details of the same are furnished below

Toda Embroidery Picture Post Card
150 years of Nilgiris District - TamilNadu Circle
Issued on 17 September 2018

Back Side Scan. Cancellation from Udhagamandalam - 643 001