Sequence and crystal work by EWM

Sequence and crystal work done by hand and it’s a very time consuming task but creativity is pass to one generation and to another generation. Artisans work in team of two or four and finish the whole project in a week time. Mostly they create saris, shawls and tunic or kamiz & dupattas (scarf).so order your dress at ewmkt@yahoo.com

Motif from Mughal inspiration

Celebrating heritage through motif designs

Celebrating heritage through motif designs


The legacy continues at East World Market design studio

The traditional crafts are found in every region of Pakistan with rich Mughal style and Islamic art form. With its emphasis on perfect synchronization, perfect balance and correct depicted floral and geometric patterns is predominated in Pakistani designs. It can be seen in different form of architecture to textile. Window and door grills and gates in Pakistan has very distinguished patterns so is the glazed tiles of different motifs found in pre and post historical period of Mughals, Indus civilization, Gandhara Civilization ,Islamic Period and Sikh Period.

Some of the most prominent designs are

Carrey or Paisley motif

This Is a droplet shaped vegetable (mango seed) motif and that also filled with geometrical lines and patterns sometimes it’s also called as Persian pickles. This is a very popular design in other countries also like Iran, India and central Asian countries. Paisley designs are used using gold or silver threads on silk and other textile. In Pakistan, these pattern are widely termed as the Carrey ,it’s the mango sometime also called as Ambia or Ambi.

Jaldar (netted) Motif
This is a repetition of the geometric motif. Mostly using circle, square, triangle and lines

Then there are motifs according to the regions

EWM scarves

Mirror and thread work

Tie dye or Bandhani

Tie and dye is one of the traditional dyeing styles in Pakistan, one of traditional form of tie dying began some 5000 years ago and called as bandhani or Chunri. This technique involves tying small dots with thread all over the fabric to create designs and motifs. After tying the fabric is dyed then the ties are removed and a beautiful pattern form on the fabric. Most popular material to use is cotton as its soft and easy to handle but now a day more fabric are used like silk, georgette, chiffon and Katan. 

Let me tell you the method how the artisans of East World Market make beautiful scarves.

Spice box or Masala ka dabbah

                                            Treasures from East


                                     Spice Box or Masala ka dabbah

Pakistan cuisine has its distinctive flavors .The magic of Pakistani cooking is in the blending of spices. All spices have a particular function in a recipe. While some spices are for aroma, some are for flavor and some give body to your creations. Spice blends differ by region. One factor that influences the blend of spices for each region is the climate. In cold climates there is heavy use of spices that create heat, such as fennel, saffron and ginger powder. To stores these spices in a little box made of stainless steel or copper filled with all kind of spices and use to give Pakistani cuisine its distinctive flavors.

jewelry group of EWM artisans

East World Market

Artisans of Jewelry group

Introduction of Pakistani jewelry or called as Zevarats

Pakistan is a land with vast treasure of arts & crafts and jewelry making is one of them. It’s a world of inspiration for the jewelry designs; one can go back to the Indus civilization. From that era the process jewelry making begins with shells, bone &stones then slow they move to bronze, copper, silver& gold.  

From the historical background of Pakistan now world can see the beautiful products in gold and silver finely crafted into masterpieces using precious metals and gemstone. Craftsmen are called 'Sunar' and they have their own trade serects and craftsmanship techniques .they also deal in Gemstones and offer different type  of metal jewelry. Pakistan has been gifted with abundant resources of several precious and semi-precious gemstones, at present mostly found in Northern Areas and NWFP, but with a huge future potential in Baluchistan. Most important of the currently found stones are emeralds of Mingora (Swat), pink and golden topaz of Katlang (Mardan) and aquamarine of Chitral and Neelam Valley. EWM artisans work on precious gemstone and manufacture all type of gemstone strings (necklaces) or bezel them into silver or gold to making rings, earrings or bangles and bracelets. Since all these artisans live in the mountains range and the raw material of gemstone are easily available to them at an amazing low prices.

East World Market women life style

Glimpses in the life of Pakistani Women

Glimpses in the life of Pakistani Women


Pakistani Women lives in two different regions i.e. urban and rural

In the urban living in big cities where the women are mostly educated and either take up a job different field or own a business. The Pakistani women of today enjoy a better status however different enlightened groups try to elevate the status of women in Pakistani society by giving training in skill development so they can earn extra money for the betterment of their families. As Women is half of this country's strength. Women are generally hard working, often taking care of the house and children as well as being involved in some type of work outside the house.EWM associates are from big cities but they work with hands and hands with our artisans living in the small villages.

Rural women lives are totally different atmosphere as Pakistan is an agriculture country so rural women also participates in the field work along with their men folk. Then to some women in parts of the world, working with thread has long been centuries old way to share their culture and traditions also life experience, and to earn a living. Weaving and embroidery are two important crafts practiced by Pakistani women. The women create folkloric embroideries of their daily lives and depict images such as harvesting the fields, feasts, and children playing to name just a few. Their embroideries, which can be used as wall hangings or cushion covers are quite heavily worked with stitches. Whole family share the project this means that sometimes a daughter will have to help with the weaving or embroidery work and sometimes a son or husband will do the design work. But the work is slow during the harvest season, religious occasions since they temporarily cease the crafts work.

Valima decoration of stage by Jasmina

Valima dinner party at groom house

Dinner party at  groom house


Valima is the last day of the wedding function, held by  parents of the boy,they usually host the dinner, announcing the couple as husband and wife. The groom's family invites all of the bride's family and their family and friends  to their home for a feast .it can be at a hotel ,house or marriage hall.

the purpose of function is to let bride or bride groom meet the new family and publicize their marriage. Bride wears a typical wedding dress and jewelry and groom wears a formal western suit. It’s more a family affair where the couple introduces each other relatives.

Rukhsati traditional Pakistani wedding

After the barat arrivals and different ceremony like Nikah & dinner take place then finally the Rukhsati time come, the bride leave with groom and family for her new house, she leave under Holy Quran (holy book) held over her head as she leaves her parent house .this is sober occasion for the bride family and specially for her parents as it marks the departure of their daughter to her new home. Traditionally, the groom travels by a decorated horse to the bride's house and after the wedding ceremony takes bride in a doli (cart)to his house. Now days the horse and the cart are replaced by car, it is typical to see a quiet bride with wet eyes as she sits in the car beside her husband leaving for her new home.


The couple bedroom is decorated with fresh flowers and candles and special fruits and goodies trolley is arrange by the groom sisters. on the arrival of bride as a new family member the sisters of groom close the door of the house and ask the brother for money, it’s a fun activities where sisters specially younger one collect money and have party with that money with all cousins or buy a token jewelry.

Once the bride arrives in the house she is offered with special gifts by groom family members and some sweet dish (kheer) is offered to bride & groom. The elder sister in law or sister perform a trick on groom by put the kheer(sweet dish ) on bride palm and ask groom to eat that then move the palm as he come close. Pakistani wedding is more a family affair so everyone enjoy and have fun.

The groom is also played with different tricks by the bride sisters and the cousins, they take a good opportunity to steal the groom's shoes and demand a sum of money for the return. This is a very popular custom and the groom usually carries a lot of cash, due to the popularity of this custom. He pays the money to get back his shoes and the girls divide the money among themselves so they can enjoy with that money later on.

shadi stage

Barat Wedding

Barat is the procession of the family, relatives, and friends of the groom and they accompany the groom to the bride’s home for the official wedding ceremony. The groom makes his way to the bride's home on a richly decked horse or car and the “barat” follows in different vehicles. Usually they are also accompanied by a band playing wedding songs. The groom is given a warm welcome by the bride’s family with flower garlands and rose petals thrown upon the procession by the bride's sisters, cousins and friends. Families and friends enjoy a wedding ceremony in a marquee well decorated with flowers, candles and well decorated stage for the bride and groom to it and greet all the family and guests.


A Wedding (Shadi) is  the bride's reception formally takes place. The event takes place at the bride's house where large wedding tents may be set up in the garden or a nearby place. It has also become very common to hold the event in a marriage hall or hotel. The bride's family is responsible for the reception and arrangements of the day.

Mehndi stage

Mehndi ceremony of traditional Pakistani wedding

Mehndi


Mehndi ceremony of henna (rasm-e-henna), usually takes place one or two days prior to the main wedding day. The event is traditionally held separately for the bride and the groom. The henna is symbolically placed on the couple's hands. The groom's friends and family bring along sweets and henna for the bride, and the bride's family does the same for the groom. On the bride's ceremony, the groom normally does not participate and similarly, on the groom's event the bride stays at home. Female guests are sometimes offering application of Mehndi and Bangles sets distributed.

In Punjab traditionally, since there were separate functions for both the bride and the groom, the groom's function was called 'Tael' (oil) where female guests put some oil into the groom's hair. With the ceremony now held simultaneously for both the groom and the bride, the use of the term 'Tael' has diminished greatly. In some cases, the entire ceremony is instead referred to as "Tael Mehndi" (Oil and Henna) ceremony.

The bride normally wears a green dress or yellows/orange for the Henna celebration and uses only shade of light yellow with no make-up. The groom will typically wear a casual Shalwar Kameez In this ceremony many traditional rituals and fun activities take place, like the bride and/or the groom are brought forward in the ceremony under a decorative dupattas hold by their brothers and sisters. In the bridal ceremony, a certain number of married women who are closely related to the bride apply henna to her hands, and feed her sweets. This ritual is supposed to bring good luck and longevity to the bride's married life. Similarly, on the groom's side, Mehndi and oil is applied to his head and sweets are fed to the groom.

A song competition also occurs in the Rasme Henna or Mehndi celebrations between the bride and groom's side. Young women and men will sing teasing songs about the other side (where the bride's side pokes good natured fun at the groom's side and vice versa) and try to compete in this ritual sing song. Sometimes elaborate musical and acting performances are part of the Mehndi celebrations. Many dance sequences and competitions between the bride and groom's families are also quite common these days.

Traditionally, the Mehndi was considered a women's event and men did not participate in it. The sing song etc. was left almost entirely to women. However, this has changed substantially in recent times with males featuring prominently in the Mehndi celebrations as well. A recent trend gaining popularity is to announce a colour theme for the Mehndi whereby guests are supposed to dress up in a particular colour. Commonly used colors are bright reds, oranges and yellows and, purple. So it’s a fun ceremony and both side enjoy and wish to be a happy big family.

Mayun Stage Pakistani Wedding

Mayun or Uptan Ceremony

Mayun or Uptan Ceremony


This is the first ceremony in a Pakistan wedding about eight to ten days before the actual wedding the bride enter a state of Mayun which means she will wear a yellow dress and is in seclusion this is the time that the beautification rituals commerce according to tradition the girl or boy family plays an important role in this function girl sisters, mother and friends bring the Uptan decorated tray with a mixture of turmeric, sandalwood powder, herbs and aromatic oils, along with a sweet candy called misri and a band called Allah zamni (money for charity).

First the mother put a little uptans then followed by seven married ladies apply the mixture and offer a misri to the bride ,they also give their blessings by putting some money on her head to remove the nazar(evil eye).(later that money given to charity) During this time the sisters and friends sing folk wedding song playing Dholk.

On each day leading up to the wedding the bride’s friends will apply this paste to her hands & feet so they become soft and smell good. She is stay in the company of her friends and sisters and enjoys all day listen to music as this the time for her to rest and relax her few days at her parent house.

Custom also indicate that at some point during Uptan ceremony a thick strings with bundle of rice wrapped in a beautiful fabric and sew in a shape of flower called a Ganey is tied on the arm of the bride. Same type of the ceremony take place at groom house but his Uptan application is one time only.

dholki music