A cluster is defined as a geographic concentration(a city/town/few adjacent villages and their adjoining areas)of units producing near similar products and facing common opportunities and threats. An artisan cluster is defined as geographically concentrated(mostly in villages/townships)household units producing handicraft/handloom products.In a typical cluster,such producers often belong to a traditional community,producing the long-established products for generations.Indeed,many artisan clusters are centuries old Artisan.

About Malout  Cluster:-

Malout  Cluster falls under Punjab State in Muktsar district.

The malout cluster is able to form 200 plus Artisans & 15 SHGs supporting the strong work force. The mobilisation gains momentum day by day.

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Zari, Zardozi:- (Embroidery)

Patiala is well-known place for the Tilla(glittring golden and silver threads) jutis(flat foot wear), decorated with tilla zari traditional and phulkari embroidery, The leather is embroidered, studded, sequined, and stitched in a variety of attractive traditional designs. These jutis are very comfortable and are usually intricately decorated with gold and multicolored threads.
 
Zari thread is used widely in weaving but more selectively in embroidery.For intricate patterns gijai or a thin, stiff wire is used; sitara, a small star-shaped metal piece is used for floral designs.This type of embroidery is called salma-sitara.The thicker kalabattu is a braided gold thread used for borders while the thinner variety is used at the end of the drawstring of purses or batwas, and in tassels, necklaces, and strings.Tikora is a gold thread spirally twisted for complicated designs.The dull zari thread is called kora and the more shiny one is called chikna.The equipment that is used for embroidery is a rectangular wooden-frame called karchob and a wooden leg called thapa used for sewing laces.Listed below are different kinds of zari work.
 

Zardozi: This is a heavy and more elaborate embroidery work which uses varieties of gold threads, spangles, beads, seed pearls, wire, and gota.It is used to embellish wedding outfits, heavy coats, cushions, curtains, canopies, animal trappings, bags, purses, belts, and shoes.The material on which this kind of embroidery is done is usually heavy silk, velvet and satin.The kind of stitches found are salma-sitara, gijai, badla, katori, and seed pearls, among others.The main centres are in Delhi, Jaipur, Banaras, Agra, and Surat.The old teach the young and the skill continues from generation to generation.
 

Kamdani : This is a lighter needlework which is done on lighter material like scarves, veils, and caps.Ordinary thread is used and the wire is pressed down with the stitching producing a satin-stitch effect.The effect produced is glittering and is called hazara butti(thousand lights).

Mina Work : This is thus called owing to its resemblance with enamel work.The embroidery is done in gold.

Raw Materials:-

Basic Material: Silk, zari, cotton, polyester, jacquard loom; dori (thread; 80no./60 no., mercerized yarn(dhaga)30 no.

Decorative Material: Peacock feathers.

Coloring Material: Bukani (colour powder).

Process:-

A pattern of the design to be woven is drawn on paper.The design is transferred on the cotton yarn with the help of tilli through the warp and weft grid.This contrivance is known as jala, which contains the total graphic pattern.This jala is hung from top of the loom and tied to the warp threads only the controlled warp threads are lifted as per the design.Extra weft threads of zari/silk are inserted in the raised portions, row by row, along with the running weft thread.Jala device has been replaced by the punched cardson; the jacquard looms for these brocade decorations.Gyasar the Tibetan woven offerings are very closely woven.Apart from the silk/zari thread peacock feathers are used in a satin weave to produce an entire surface of the feathers.The motifs are woven on dark red, yellow, blue and white satin ground with use of gold and silver zari.

Techniques:-

Applique-and-Cut technique:-
 
Normally, fine white stranded cotton is used for chikan embroidery.Some stitches are worked from the front of the fabric, others from the back.Sheila Paine, in the book Chikan Embroidery, observes that there are six basic stitches, which are used in combination with a series of stitches for embossing flowers and leaves.Pulled work(known in chikan work by the Hindi word jali, which means a window with a pierced lattice, which can be looked out of but not into)and khatao(an applique-and-cut technique, where one piece of fabric is hemmed on to another piece and then cut away) complete the repertoire.

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How to Reach:-

By Air:-

Chandigarh and Amritsar are the two major airports, connected to other cities in India by regular flights. Indian airlines do have regular flights from Chandigarh to Delhi, Lucknow, Leh, and Amritsar.

By Road:-

Highways connect major cities to the state capital. NH 1 or the Grand Trunk Road connects the state with most of the north as well as east India.

By Train:-

Punjab is well connected with other parts of the country by rail. Chandigarh, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Pathankot and Jalandhar are the major railway hubs in Punjab.