To the tune of old folk songs, a gathering of women in rural Punjab, India creatively embroider shawls, everyday clothes and gifts, sewing brightly coloured silk thread on to <em>khaddar</em>, a cotton-based fabric in the earthy tones of the Punjabi countryside. Young girls keenly copy their mother’s motifs; older women embroider for future weddings. This is <em>phulkari</em> (<em>phul-kari</em> or “flower-craft”), a traditional Punjabi folk art dating from the 15<sup>th</sup> to the mid-20<sup>th</sup> century, when increasing commercialisation led to its decline within rural communities, implicitly ending a practice of female bonding.<br><br>A young bride’s maternal grandmother would gift a <em>chope</em> (a <em>phulkari</em> identically embroidered on both sides of the cloth), which she had begun upon the child’s birth. Similarly, a boy’s grandmother created a <em>vari da bagh</em> (<em>bagh</em> means “garden”, in reference to the dominant floral motifs) to present his future bride. The <em>bagh</em> is held above the bride by female relatives during the ceremony, who also shroud her upon arrival at her marital home, signifying kinship amongst the women.<br><br>Today <em>phulkari</em> is produced to commercial specifications, using synthetic thread and frames to aid faster production; <em>khaddar</em> is no longer used. These lack individuality but the attractive designs have gained international popularity due to their availability online.<br><br>Traditional <em>baghs</em> retained as family heirlooms are still presented as part of a trousseau, continuing the practice of <em>phulkari</em> as a symbol of happiness and prosperity for a married woman.<sup>1</sup><br><br>In 2011, a Geographical Indication patent was awarded for <em>phulkari</em>,<sup>2</sup> helping to preserve the heritage of this uniquely Punjabi folk art.<br>