Embroideries are not simply a particular way of making surface ornamentation but are intricately bound up with the structures, values, histories and identities of the communities in which they are practised. A Bengal nakshi kantha or a kutchi taka are both forms of running stitch, but they have different characters. While it is possible to identify areas in which embroidered surface can be seen to play a role, it is equally important to acknowledge the great ...