salu (cloth)

Salu appears to be an ancient fabric; trade references to the Persian market from Hindustan in the 14th century are documented in the Divan-i-Albisa by Mawlānā Mahmud Nizan Qari.{{efn|Divan-i-Albisa{{cite book|author=Mahmud Nizan Qari|title=Diwan-i-Albisa|language=fa}} Constantinople H, 1303 manuscript {{rp|17}} cited as Diwan-i-Albisa by Nizan al Din Mahmoud Kari in Encyclopaedia of Untouchables Ancient, Medieval and Modern{{Cite book|last=Kumar|first=Raj|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e8o5HyC0-FUC&q=salu+cloth&pg=PA227|title=Encyclopaedia of Untouchables Ancient, Medieval and Modern|date=2008|publisher=Gyan Publishing House|isbn=978-81-7835-664-8|pages=227|language=en}}}} According to a 16th-century Mughal Empire record (Ain-i -Akbari), Salu cost two mohur per piece at that time.

The original salu was made in India from materials sourced entirely in India, but a dyeing process introduced by refugees from the French Revolution using English-made cloth called mārkīn ("American") later became common India. {{rp|819}} Accordingly, salu has also been described as a red-colored mārkīn cloth by certain sources.{{Cite book|last=Hadi|first=Saiyid Muhammad|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1p1CAQAAMAAJ&q=salu+cloth|title=A Monograph on Dyes and Dyeing in the North-Western Provinces and Oudh|date=1899|publisher=North-Western Provinces and Oudh Government Press|pages=34|language=en}}

Salu is distinguished by its red color, which is achieved through the use of Indian madder (rubia cordiofolia) in a red shade. {{Cite book|last=Watt|first=Sir George|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Oc_oAfZLKnoC&q=salu+cloth|title=Indian Art at Delhi 1903: Being the Official Catalogue of the Delhi Exhibition 1902–1903|date=1987|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ.|isbn=978-81-208-0278-0|pages=528|language=en}}{{Cite book|last=Kausar|first=Zinat|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TogbAAAAIAAJ&q=salu+cloth|title=Muslim Women in Medieval India|date=1992|publisher=Janaki Prakashan|isbn=978-81-85078-74-8|pages=65|language=en}}{{Cite book|last=Chaturvedi|first=Archna|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DmOzAAAAIAAJ&q=salu+cloth|title=Encyclopaedia of Muslim Women: Muslim women and society|date=2003|publisher=Commonwealth|isbn=978-81-7169-785-4|pages=160|language=en}} Turkey red is one of the alizarin colours that can be extracted from Indian madder.{{Cite journal|date=1 January 2008|title=Ecofriendly sonicator dyeing of cotton with Rubia cordifolia Linn. using biomordant|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0143720806003482|journal=Dyes and Pigments|language=en|volume=76|issue=1|pages=207–212|doi=10.1016/j.dyepig.2006.08.023|issn=0143-7208|last1=Vankar|first1=Padma S.|last2=Shanker|first2=Rakhi|last3=Mahanta|first3=Debajit|last4=Tiwari|first4=S.C.|url-access=subscription}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5NQ7AQAAMAAJ&q=TURKEY+RED.|title=The New International Encyclopædia|date=1911|publisher=Dodd, Mead|pages=571|language=en}} Baden Henry Powell mentioned salu as a madder-dyed cloth in his book Hand-book of the economic products of the Punjab, with a combined index and glossary of technical vernacular words.{{Cite book|last=Baden-Powell|first=Baden Henry|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HnAIAAAAQAAJ&q=Salu+in+Punjab|title=Hand-book of the Economic Products of the Punjab: With a Combined Index and Glossary of Technical Vernacular Words|date=1872|publisher=Printed at the Thomason Civil Engineering College Press|pages=8|language=en}}

• Kharua was another red cloth that was coarser in texture than salu.{{Cite book|last=Department)|first=L. Liotard (Of the Agricultural|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y4kIAAAAQAAJ&q=salu+cloth&pg=PA69|title=Memorandum on Dyes of Indian Growth and Production|date=1881|publisher=Home, Revenue and Agricultural Department Press|pages=|language=en}}{{Rp|3}}{{Rp|139}}
• Mahyu-salu was a type from Mau, Uttar Pradesh.{{Cite book|last=Lewandowski|first=Elizabeth J.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PeXfpsvFyysC&q=salu+cloth&pg=PA182|title=The Complete Costume Dictionary|date=2011|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-8108-4004-1|pages=182|language=en}}

Salu is used as a foundation cloth for embroidery alongside variants such as markin, which is slightly coarser than salu.{{Cite book|last=Naik|first=Shailaja D.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oNAwl-jS3gwC&q=salu+cloth&pg=PA96|title=Traditional Embroideries of India|date=1996|publisher=APH Publishing|isbn=978-81-7024-731-9|pages=|language=en}}{{Rp|96}} Salu is also used in kantha, which is an embroidery craft in Indian subcontinent.{{Cite book|last=Talukder|first=Shahariar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vnLWAAAAMAAJ&q=salu+cloth|title=Folk Art of Bangladesh Through Ethno-archaeological Perspective|date=2001|publisher=Bangla Academy|pages=187|language=en}} Embroidered with silk threads, it is a popular type in Punjabi weddings. The famous red salu was used for ladies' dresses, borders of ladies coats, turbans, and curtains.{{Rp|68}} It is also known as Saloo{{Cite book|last=Basu|first=Trailokya Nath|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xPIhAAAAMAAJ&q=salu+cloth|title=Tant-o-rang: A Book of Textile Technology|date=1964|pages=105|language=en}} in Punjab and is also used as a veil or wrapper.{{Rp|108}}

• Nupe ladies were also noted for their use of salu, a red cloth.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=22JUAAAAMAAJ&q=salu+cloth|title=African Arts|date=1978|publisher=African Studies Center, University of California, Los Angeles|pages=57|language=en}}
• Salu was given to Dogra ladies in dowry.{{Cite book|last=Delhi|first=All India Radio (AIR), New|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZdUGEAAAQBAJ&q=salu+cloth&pg=PA16|title=AKASHVANI: Vol. XLVII. No. 45 ( 7 NOVEMBER, 1982 )|date=7 November 1982|publisher=All India Radio (AIR),New Delhi|pages=16|language=en}}

• Phulkari
• Turkey red
• Nillaes

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

Category:Woven fabrics

Category:Embroidery in India