ZARDOSI - A DYING ART OF BHOPAL.
Bhopal once famous for Zardosi (Hand Embroidory with Gold and Silver threads), now the same craft is becoming a dying art, It was the Mogul Emperors who patronize this intricate style of embroidery, it was done in pure gold and silver thread, with semiprecious stones on it, the cloth was often brocade and tissue. It matched with their royal taste, later it was adopted by the princely rulers of the country, the foreigners who came to India always took back these priceless pieces, The brides of India wear these glittering garments, the purses of Bhopal till today are very popular, infact at one time Bhopal was known for its Zardosi.

The credit goes to the Muslim women who are keeping this craft alive, in spite of their deplorable unhygienic surroundings in which they are forced to work 18 hours a day, cooped up in dark suffocating rooms, completely depended on the middle man for business. Its pathetic to see these women suffering with tuberculoses and eye problems, plus most of them suffers from the poisonous Gas. The Gas affected women of Bhopal, are struggling to keep body and soul intact. Due to strict parda they cannot come out of their houses to earn their living,

In this position the role of Mahashakti become very important, since its all women organization" our work sheds have becomes a facility centers to help with raw material, designs by famous designers of metropolitan cities of Delhi and Mumbai. plus a secure, clean, isolated work place to work in, and a good marketing center. All this under one roof. 

Mahashakti caters for 500 women in 3 work sheds allotted to the organization by the State Government, in the Gas affected area. BLOCK printing and Zardosi, are the main trades.