India has a rich heritage among the best textile traditions of the world. From centuries past, Indian cotton and silk have been the material of choice for royalty and the rich and the famous. Hand in hand with this evolved the art of making clothes beautiful, and embroidery continues till today as one of the most popular means of adding beauty to clothes of all kinds. Almost every region of India boasts of its own, unique style of textiles and embroidery styles.

One of the most popular types of embroidery is Maggam work or Aari embroidery. Once the preferred embroidery style of the mighty rulers of the Mughal line, it has widely spread across India and goes by the name Maggam work in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states. Ornate and delicate designs inspired by nature are brought to life by skilled artisans with precise stitches and the gentle gradations of the color of the thread.

Maggam work requires a tight frame to hold the cloth, and this frame is designed with the same principles as that of the traditional Khatla found in most Indian villages even today. This work, is hence also called Khatla work. Maggam work/ Maggam embroidery is done using an eponymous hooked needle. These needles are similar in design to crochet needles, but only finer. Some needles are also shaped like an awl, but with a small hook at the end of the needle.