Rang Manthan: A Virtual Craft Cluster Narrative
Rang Manthan: A Virtual Craft Cluster Narrative
Rang Manthan: A Virtual Craft Cluster Narrative
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eyes and ears throughout the “visits”. for us and we have experienced the city of
The Craft Cluster visit is perhaps the most way things had been. The Craft Cluster visit
exciting period for any NIFT student and
the usual hustle bustle of travelling with
classmates is coupled with the excitement
too went online.
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We extend our gratitude to our department We would like to pay our highest gratitude to Mr.Bijan Behari Paul belongs to Anandapur,
faculty, Dr Purva Khurana, Dr Banhi Jha, Ms Mr Vinayak, our convenor, for his enthusiasm, West Midnapur in West Bengal. He studied
Nayanika Thakur Mehta, Ms Shresha Rai, support and insight while being proactive Handloom Technology from Indian Institute
Dr Monika Gupta Ma’am and Ms Anuttama and taking us on a virtual tour of the craft Of Handloom Technology, Varanasi and Project
Chakraborty for equipping us with insights, clusters and enabling us to interact with our Planning and Infrastructure Management
and skills pertaining to how a document is designated artisans through video interviews. from Rajasthan University, Jaipur. He taught
prepared and what to keep in mind through in Indian Institute of Handloom technology,
our craft interactions. The support extended to us by Mr Badshah Varanasi for 3 years. He worked for Weaver’s
Miyan and Mr Suraj Narain Titanwallah, Service centre as a designer and retired as a
We would like to thank our faculty mentor both national award-winning craftsmen in Zonal Director after serving there for 40 years.
and Centre Coordinator Ms Anuttama the fields of Tie and Dye and Bagru/ Dabu
Chakraborty for her constant support and respectively, enabled us to conduct our After retirement, he was engaged as
guidance. research in as detailed a manner as possible. and colours of handloom sarees. She also Consultant in the office of Development
opened our eyes to the various problems that Commissioner for Handlooms, Ministry of
arise when it comes to quality control and Textiles for 3 years. He now is associated
standardisation. with Taneira, a Tata Group company as a
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Mr. Bijan Paul has received a National Award caused by the pandemic. As a group, through She is one of the founding members and
from the President of India in 1991 for his session we gained an understanding of current secretary of the ‘Textiles and clothing
‘Innovative design of Handloom products’. how an idea and inspiration can take shape research centre’.
He has been associated with many NGO’s, into a tangible design. We also gained a deeper
research and educational institutes like understanding of how rich the country’s craft She has been a faculty at the National Institute
NID, NIFT, Banasthali Vidyapith, Tata Trust, heritage is. of Fashion Technology (New Delhi) from 2005
Women weave etc. to 2011.
During his Guest lecture session, he shared Dr Toolika Gupta Through her guest lecture session, she
myths related to the origin of Bandhej/ enlightened us about the current state
Bandhani, Leheriya and Mothara of Dr Toolika Gupta is presently the director of affairs with respect to craft clusters in
Rajasthan. The process and materials used of the Indian Institute of Crafts and Design India and the need for the amalgamation
in these crafts was explained in great detail. (Jaipur) , She holds a PHD from the university of sustainable growth and innovation with
Limited. He is a womenswear designer and
We were acquainted with local terms used by of Glasgow , her PHD Thesis was titled ‘The technology. We were shown examples of how
previously worked for Sabyasachi Couture,
the artisans. We were also taught about the influence of British Rule on Elite Indian traditional crafts have been used intelligently
Rivaayat and Raghavendra Rathore. He has an
changes that have been made to the crafts Menswear: The Birth of the Sherwani.’ She was in products to suit modern needs, hence
ambition to revive Indian craft and present it
due to the introduction of synthetic dyes. As a also selected as one of the ten ambassadors at drawing our attention to the role of crafts in
at a global platform with an artistic approach.
group, through his session we gained a deeper the costume society of the UK for 2016 and today’s world.
He shows great believe in his roots, people,
understanding of the technical aspects and 2017.
heritage and rich culture of the country.
importance and origin of traditional motifs of A discussion about the definition of a craft and
these crafts. Through his guest lecture session, he has the extent to which one can modify it to suit
shown us collections that he worked on during current needs also ensued. We came to the
his time at Taneira. He shared his experiences conclusion that as long as the key techniques
Mr. Debiprasad Chhualsingh of working with the artisans of the Jaipur of a craft are not meddled with, one could
craft cluster. He has also taken us through bring about other kinds of innovations to
Mr. Debiprasad Chhualsingh is an alumnus ensure greater relevance in a craft.
the design process they follow at Taneira. We
of NIFT New Delhi from the Fashion Design
were shown examples and technical aspects
department. He has expertise in understanding
of motif and block development. He also The need for more scientific research and
of fabrics, construction and finishing and is
shed some light on the effects on the market documentation about the rich craft traditions
a senior designer at Taneira, Tata company
in our country was also brought to light. As a
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group we gained some perspective as to what
is lacking with respect to research about the
specific crafts that we were working with. Rajasthan
We referred constantly to the learnings from
this Session with Dr Toolika Gupta Ma’am Rajasthan, India’s largest state, known as with numerous palaces and forts like
through our Craft Cluster Research and are the land of kings, is located on the north- the Udaipur palace, Mehrangarh Fort
immensely grateful for having been given this western side of India across the Thar dessert. and the Hawa Mahal, which are often
opportunity to learn from and interact with Earlier part of the Indus Valley Civilisation, considered marvels of Indian architecture.
her. Rajasthan takes pride in being the home of The majorly Hindi speaking population has a
numerous ruling tribes like the Chauhans unique palette for food as well as clothes and
and the Rajputs, who can be credited for the art. Traditionally they can be seen wearing
Mr. Vinayak Sharma creation and preservation of Rajasthan’s vividly coloured indigenously made fabrics.
having Mr. Vinayak as our mediator, he himself rich and sophisticated lifestyle and culture. Rajasthani cuisine is a result of the warrior
Mr. Vinayak Sharma is an alumnus of is extremely knowledgeable about crafts and Rajasthan comprises of 19 princely states, lifestyle that the people lived in order to
NIFT New Delhi from the Fashion Design his inputs provided us with immense clarity. called the Rajputana and is scattered protect the pristine state from invaders.
department. Post working as a menswear We would certainly have not overcome the
designer for a premium brand he decided to shortcomings of being a part of a virtual
call it quits in the corporate garment sector
and bring about change by starting a brand of
his own. Thus, was born ‘Cotton rack’ a mid-
craft cluster initiative without his proactive
endeavour in ensuring that all went smoothly.
Apart from encouraging conversations with
Jaipur
segment apparel brand that he co-founded the crafts persons, interacting respectfully
with Ms. Rameshwari Kaul, a post graduate and asking pertinent questions he also had Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan, was Initially, his capital was Dausa, which lies
and craft enthusiast from NIFT New Delhi. All insights about how brands function and view founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja 51 km from Jaipur. He identified the need of
fabrics used by the brand are hand spun and crafts. Sir very graciously also took us through Sawai Jai Singh Il, the ruler of Amer from 1688 shifting his capital city with the increase in
handwoven, a USP that continues to hold the the design process that is undertaken by his to 1727, after whom the city is entitled. The population and growing dearth of water. The
brand in good stead. brand and the crucial role that crafts play in city today has 6.66 million citizens, making it King consulted several books on architecture
the same. We, as a group, would certainly have the tenth most populous city in the country. and architects before making the layout
As a group we are extremely grateful and been unable to do justice to the craft cluster of Jaipur. Finally, under the architectural
honoured to have had the good fortune of initiative without the efforts put in by him. It is also known as the Pink City of India. guidance of Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, Jaipur
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Image 1.1
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• Muslim - 14% Some of the crafts incorporate block printing,
• Jains - 4.5%
bandhani,stone carving and sculpture,
tarkashi, zari, gota-patti, kinari and zardozi, Tie & Dye Traditions Across The
World
silver jewellery, gems, kundan, meenakari and
• Christians - 0.5% jewellery, miniature paintings, blue pottery,
ivory carving, shellac work and leather ware.
• Sikhs - 1.0% Jaipur illustrates a cool presentation of urban
Tie-dye has existed for over two thousand Designs in Central Asia tend to be designed
lifestyle with a marvellous combination of
years, and is understood everywhere the in orderly grids, while those made by the
While 47.49% people reside in rural sectors, ancient royal legacy and ultra-modern life
globe by different names; ‘shibori’ in Japan, Berber artists of geographical regions usually
52.51% reside in urban sectors. The overall method.
‘bandhani’ or ‘leheriya’ in India, ‘plangi’ or incorporate circles into fluid, morpheme
literacy rate for the region was 76.44%. ‘tritik’ in Indonesia, ‘adire’ in Nigeria, ‘amarra’ patterns. Japanese shibori displays elaborate
in Peru, and ‘zha-ran’ in China. Most of those graphics made from countless small-scale
87.27% males and 64.63% females were literate. terms translate as something near “tie and circles, while West African artists enlarge
The sex fraction was 898 females per 1,000 dye”. their circles to form bold, graphic, oversize
males. motifs. By recognizing the breadth of styles
Early trade routes between ancient China, that originated from this kind, we will begin
Egypt, and Turkistan are often traced through to understand the infinite possibilities that
Culture archaeological findings of tie-dyed textiles tie-dye holds for current and future designers
that originate to 400- 500 CE. The spread of and admirers.
Jaipur has several important cultural sites. tie-dye and Islam occurred in tandem and will
Cultural centres like Ravindra Manch and be attributed to the technique’s inherently It is very hard to trace the origins of this craft
Jawahar Kala Kendra have helped encourage abstract nature, which must be particularly to any particular region. In keeping with some
the culture of the state of Rajasthan. Albert Hall enticing to artists working within Islamic references, it first developed in Jaipur within
Museum hosts several antiquities and arts. laws that prohibit representational art. Later the variety of leheriya. But it’s widely believed
The Town Hall is suggested to be converted European colonization of the region and that Muslim Khatris who are still the biggest
into a museum.There is an art gallery at geographical area revolved largely round the community involved within the craft brought
Viratnagar and a government museum at trade of those textiles and also the export of it to Kutch from Sindh.
Hawa Mahal. There are various statues that dyestuffs.
express Rajasthani culture around the city.
Image 1.3
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Leheriya - An Introduction
Leheriya is a traditional tie-dye technique. The of the water with his arrow, myriad rainbows
word “leheriya” comes from the Rajasthani filled the sky, lighting it up in colours like
word for wave because the technique results never before.
in diagonal and chevron patterns on the
fabric. These patterns on the fabric are formed The samudra leheriya patterns are said to be
by rolling the fabric diagonally and tying the inspired by these colours of the rainbow. This
fabric in specific areas. is also where the word “indradhanush” comes
from.m
The craft originates in Rajasthan (unlike
Bandhani), It found patronage amongst the 22
different states that constituted the erstwhile
territory of Rajputana. Every royal family
had a distinguished kind of leheriya that was
worn by them.
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The Process
Leheriya is fabric with colourful diagonal or chevron striped patterns that have been created
through resist dyeing.
Illustration 2.2
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One end of this rolled fabric is tied to the Bandhere.
khoota, a wooden stand, usually while it is
still wet or in a semi dry state. Leheriya ties are made with multiple ply
untwisted yarn.
Pulling one end, a cotton thread is rolled
around the fabric from the other end of the Keeping a tie to the width of their two
fabric three to four times and cut, at regular fingers, each Bandhere imparts her embodied
intervals. This process is repeated throughout uniqueness into a leheriya.
the length of the fabric, in accordance to the
desired design If the distance is shorter, then greater skill
is required in preventing one colour from
Tying of fabric for leheriya resist done by spilling into the other. The thickness of the
women artisans in their homes who are called thread and the distance between the ties may
Illustration 2.4 Illustration 2.5
be varied to obtain stripes of different width. left in a pot to ferment. After a couple of days,
when the froth collects on the pot’s mouth, it
These traditional and time-tested techniques is removed and the remaining water is boiled
infuse a distinctiveness at every turn of the till it forms a thick paste-like consistency.
process, each singular object retaining a
harmony with the craft form through the The semi-dried paste is cut into square blocks
rhythm of method. called cakes, which are put in moulds for 21
days to dry up completely. They are covered
with rice husk ash, which soaks the moisture.
The Mixing of Colours
A small piece of the dry cake is mixed with
The process of making natural indigo dye water to make a fine paste, which is mixed
with water and left for a day after which
Making natural indigo dye involves a jaggery and limestone are added to it. Once
Illustration 2.3 laborious one. Indigo leaves are washed and the liquid takes on a bright green hue in a
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couple of days, it is ready for use. Some dyes need to be heated with the use of A dryer machine, also known as Hydro
a chulha before dyeing the fabric so that the Extract, is used to remove excess water from
Fugitive or kaccha colours are used, so that colour seeps into the fabric properly. Also, the the dyed fabric and finally a khoonti is used
the unwanted colour is removed, in order dyed fabric is boiled in the dye and salt so that to twist the fabric for removing excess water.
to give a pure colour with lines of graphic the dyes fix permanently to the fabric.
quality. The fabrics used are usually very The fabric is then left to dry. The drying has
fine cotton and silk, which allow the dye to After dyeing, the fabric is twisted and beaten to be done early morning before sunrise so
penetrate the inner layers during production. continuously on a low stone platform. The that the colour sets in deep and strong. Sun’s
Their diaphanous properties also allow for an beating action loosens the fabric a little so presence leads to oxidation, which will not
interaction of colour and pattern when the as to allow the dye to penetrate deep into it. allow the colour to catch on strongly.
fabric is worn. The fabric is dyed again and beaten again till
it takes up the colour completely and evenly.
The tied fabrics are soaked in the water before
dying, to ensure that they soak the dye. Illustration 2.7
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Removing the ties Mothara
Once the fabric is dry, it is rolled in the toe to This is another technique in leheriya that
untie the fabric which is done by pulling the produces a checkered pattern, which is
loose ends of the knots. mothara. In this, at the first stage, the unfolded
fabric is again folded and the resists are dyed
The leheriya pattern is revealed when the in an opposite diagonal direction. After that,
resist ties are removed and the fabric is the fabric is dyed in the usual way. In order to
opened out. get multiple colours, this is also tied and dyed
multiple times. This results in a criss-cross
The leheriya fabric is often unfurled upon checks pattern with some spots left undyed,
sale, to mark its authenticity. the size of a lentil; which is why this pattern is
also known as ‘lentil design’.
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discharge used to remove the colour after it
The art of making leheriya has evolved a lot over the years and has come to cover countless
patterns and styles that can be achieved through variations in tying, folding, dye colours, and the
number of times a fabric is dyed. Illustration 2.13
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Raw Materials And Tools
• Following are the tools and raw materials • A wooden stand, made up of a horizontal
used for the process of leheriya tie and wooden plant with a vertical pole, onto
dye: which the twisted cloth is wrapped
• A piece of cloth, made of either cotton or around, for tighter grip.
silk, onto which dyeing has to be done. • Chemical dye of various colours and
• A reel of thread used to tie the twisted shades, used in colouring the cloth piece.
cloth piece acting as resisting agent for • A large copper vessel in which clothes are
dye. dyed.
Contemporisation
bringing back to life many textile traditions
Badshah Miyan and handicrafts.
There is perhaps no one other than Shilp Guru
His understanding of colour is stupefying
award, Leheriya Master Craftsman, Badshah
and has especially made a name for himself
Miyan, who has reinvented leheriya in the
through the use of natural dyes. His study is
truest sense of the textile art. He hails from
packed with techniques he has come up with,
a family of rangrez and has spent several
and rigorously documented, and dye recipes.
years attached with the ministry of textiles, Image 2.1
This is the real treasure that he holds.
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Badshah Miyan has experimented with Anupama Bose is a fashion designer that
tie and dye not just on fabric but also on
unconventional materials like wood and
was born and brought up in Shekhawati,
Rajasthan. She was attracted to embroidery SWOT Analysis
metal along with other challenging materials and fashion from a very young age.
such as leather.
She was drawn to leheriya due to its seemingly
global appeal and transformed it from a Strengths Opportunities
Design Intervention with ceremonial rani pink mothra to a fabric that
Leheriya can be worn across board rooms, book clubs Leheriya is a versatile craft and can be done
on different fabric bases. It has an aesthetic
It has Global appeal and has a potential
for international collaborations. Product
and polo parties. All the leheriya pieces are
designed on paper and communicated to the appeal and has immense potential in the global development and extending the product
Anupama Bose craftsmen who work behind the scenes to market. Practice of Leheriya is concentrated categories to home decor, leather and metal
produce the stunning pieces. in and around Rajasthan and has the potential can be a budding opportunity for the craft. The
to generate more employment in that region. rise in the tie-dye trend is also an opportunity
Leheriya as a technique is simple and does for Leheriya.
not rely on local raw materials, which means
it can be practised globally.
Threats
Weaknesses Cheaper and easily available counterfeit
products available in the market can be a
Leheriya is practiced by very few artisans threat to the craft. Competition from other
today. Through time, the craft has also seen crafts from the same region can also be a
dilution in quality due to many reasons like threat to Leheriya. Middle men earning
cost cutting, introduction of synthetic dyes major profits and craftsmen earning less can
etc. Leheriya’s production consumes a lot of make the crafts men’s future generations not
water which may lead to water pollution and practice the craft and choose a more lucrative
lead to water scarcity. profession. This can lead to fewer and fewer
artisans following the craft and be a threat to
Image 2.2 the craft.
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Bandhani - An Introduction
Bandhani is a type of tie and dye textile created century AD.
by plucking the cloth with the fingernails into
many tiny bindings, in a cluster, that forms a A reference to Bandhani can also be found
figurative design. It involves dyeing the fabric in Banabhatta’s Harshacharita (606-648AD)
which is tightly tied with a thread at several where it is referred to as Bandhya Mana. The
places to produce different patterns. word Bandhni comes from the Hindi word
‘Bandhan’ which refers to the act of tying
The term bandhani is derived from the something. With the advent of The Mughals,
Sanskrit word banda, which means to tie or new colour combinations emerged, such as
to bind. Bandhani is also known as Bandhej, blue and pink. There are two main reasons
Bandhani, Piliya, and Chungidi in Tamil for Jaipur being referred to as the Pink city,
and regional dialects. At present, most of the first being that pink sandstone is used
the Bandhani making centers are located in abundantly in the architecture and the
Gujarat, Rajasthan, Sindh, Punjab region and second being that the people of Jaipur took to
in Tamil Nadu where it’s known as Sungudi. wearing pink dyed fabrics abundantly with
Bandhani work done in Rajasthan uses the advent of a pink chemical dye in 1850,
different types of colours and designs than that was brought in by the Britishers. This of
that in Kutch and Saurashtra of Gujarat. course, brought about an immense change in
the colour palette of Bandhej designs.
The History
The earliest evidence of the eviction of Lord Parvati looks on as an enraged Shiva ( in the
Bandhani in India is found in the murals of form of a shiv ling) calms down post the application
the Ajanta caves which date back to the 6th of a dot of the saffron paste on his forehead.
- A creative take on the mythological inspiration
behind Bandhni
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Mythology Social context
According to Hindu mythology, before the A community called ‘Bandhere’, would earlier
earth was formed, when the universe was fulfil the task of tying the fabric, the ‘Chadve’
divided into the Rakshas (demonic creatures community would then dye the fabrics, the
from hell) and the Devas (Gods who reside in ‘Neelgar’ community would dye fabrics that
heaven), Lord Shiva decided to undertake a were meant to be dyed only in Indigo.
particularly difficult penance. While he was
immersed in meditation, the Asuras conspired The grass of ‘Aire’ and ‘Naiche’ were used for
and began to disturb him, in the hope that he tying, which get stronger when soaked in
would retract from his trance. fabric.
An enraged Shiva reacted by opening his third The various communities of dyers in Rajasthan Image 3.1 Image 3.2
eye, all hell broke loose. The petrified Asuras (Rangrez), can be classified into the following
ran away into the oceans to hide. sub-communities:
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The fabric is then folded into two or more printing the design. Printing is traditionally
layers and sometimes lightly hand stitched done using wooden blocks with ‘Geru’ (red
along the edges, to keep the layers together oxide with water). Then a plastic sheet, with
for printing. pin holes, is used as a stencil.
Illustration 3.3
rubbed over the plastic, so that the design This skill is taught from a young age and
transfers onto the fabric in the form of dots. is passed down through generations. The
worker sits on the floor and places the fabric
in her lap. The thread used for tying is usually
Tyeing a plain cotton thread and is sometimes
moistened and is usually run through a metal,
After printing, the cloth is handed over to ivory, plastic or millet stem bobbin, so that it
tying artisans or ‘Bandhanara’. The work is runs smoothly and evenly while tying.
Illustration 3.2 mainly carried out by women.
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The artisan raises the fabric in the marked hand thumb presses the material together. The larger dots are called the ‘kodi’ design and As these dyes do not need boiling water
design using her pointer small finger nail or The fabric is tied into tight knots with a the finer dots are called the ‘boondi’ design. conditions, it’s easier for the dyer to
a metal ring with a pointed tip (Nakh). The continuous thread that fully covers the raised manipulate the fabric with his hand in the dye
thread tying is then led by the thumb and the portion. bath.
forefinger of the right hand while the left- Dyeing
After the tying, the material is procured from Washing and Drying
the households and is washed in a hot water
solution to clean the cloth. The fugitive dyes After dyeing in each colour, the fabric is
used to mark the pattern will be washed away washed in plain water to remove any excess
during this wash. dye and impurities. After washing, the fabric
is then left to dry for several hours.
For dyeing, the fabric is immersed in the dye
solution for about 5 - 7 minutes (time may The ties are not removed until the product
vary with the type of dye, colours used and is sold to the customer to be sure of its
preferred darkness of the fabric). When there authenticity.
are multiple colours, the dyeing starts with
the lightest shade (usually yellow). The thread
is opened and tied multiple times. Hitching
In this process, some colours are also A corner of the fabric is usually opened to
discharged using hydro sulphite to achieve show the consumer the design before selling.
the desired design. The tied areas retain the The consumer can see the design unveiled for
original colours. For silk fabrics, direct and the first time after purchasing the product.
acid dyes are used and for cotton, direct, vat Two ends of the fabric are pulled crosswise
and naphthol dyes are used. tightly, loosening and opening the ties. This
reveals the colours and patterns in the fabric.
Illustration 3.4
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However, it is more common to see designs
Geru
Raw Materials & Tools Geru is a paste made from red or orange earth
being transferred through holes made in
plastic sheets over which a mixture of dye and
water is passed.
that is used to mark out the designs on the
fabric using either wooden blocks or ‘dori’.
Image 3.3
40 41
through a metal, plastic, ivory or millet stem
The Thread (Dori) tube known as ‘bhungri’ that provides a better
grip to the tier (Bandhanara).
The threads used for tying the knots are 2 ply
cotton threads, since they are the easiest to
The dori is also used to mark out straight
work with and can be broken with just a swift
lines by dipping it in ‘geru’ or ‘neel’ and then
pull of the hand. The thread is usually passed
pressing it along the fabric.
Image 3.6
42 43
Large wooden boards are used to print the
The Nakh
‘Nakh’ is a metal ring with a pointed nail
design onto the fabric. These are raised about
9” by wooden blocks or bricks and are about Motifs
5ft by 3ft in dimension.
that assists the tier (Bandhanara) in typing
the several layers of the fabric at once. They
Traditionally, ‘tambe ke bartan’ (copper In Bandhani work, knots are placed in
can be extremely intricate or rudimentary. A
vessels) were used to dye the fabrics but now different clusters forming designs, that draw
skilled tier can tie up to 2000 knots in a day
the vessels for dye baths may be made out of inspiration from a variety of things. Each
and these knots are often preserved when
steel, copper or plastic. These are changed has a different name, such as, a single dot is
handing over the fabric to the customer as a
every time a new colour has to be made and known as ‘Ekdali’, cluster of three knots is
mark of authenticity.
preparing the dye baths is a cumbersome called ‘Trikunti, cluster of four knots is called
process that can take about a day. ‘Chaubundi’ etc. Such clusters are worked
Miscellaneous Tools and intricately into patterns like Shikargah
(mountain-like), Jaaldar (web-like), Beldaar
Materials (vine-like) etc. Some of the most common
designs are as follows:
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5. Ekdali - a dot
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10. Kerri Butti - mango shape with
dots around
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16. Pan Bel 23. Jalebibhaat
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animal/bird motifs and rasleela are very
minute and involve much time, labour, cost
and skill and are hence, used by royals or
well-off families. Modern designs are not very
intricate and designers reduce the cost, time
and labour in order to make them available
for the low and medium income groups.
Consequently, in present times, there are
fewer skilful designers who can make those
traditional designs. Market demand, fashion
trends and consumer choice have compelled
the artisans to modify the traditional motifs
into stylized forms.
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globe. We believe in sharing stories and include cotton kurta sets from Sayogini, that
Retail Value of Tie & Dye celebrating how each handmade object can
come to represent something much bigger
retail at Rs. 5,500 and the pieces can be bought
separately as stoles, kurtas, salwars or palazzo
than itself. Travelling to the colorful corners pants at anywhere from Rs.1,500 to Rs.2,500.
of this fascinating country, we curate unique Sarees from The Libran, Kapaas Katha, and
and exclusive collections that represent Indigo House, range from Rs.16,500 to about
Leheriya Bandhani India’s finest craft-based designs, so that you Rs.62,500 and come in a variety of fabrications
can savor the delightful treasures at leisure, such as handwoven cotton, Gajji silk, Tussar
The production of exquisite Leheriya Fabrics Bandhani, as a craft, is growing in popularity with us.” silk, georgette. Premium stoles from Kapaas
is time consuming and owing to the fact that with the re-emergence of trends such as tie Katha, that are handwoven and have zari in
very few craft families continue to produce and dye and growing conversations around Curated collections of Bandhani products them, range from Rs.15,500 to Rs. 26,000.
authentic pieces, the price point falls into the the craft sector and supporting the artisans
premium sector. On itokri, for instance,where behind it.
Mr Badshah Miyan sells his wares, the starting
range of a meter of the most simple leheriya A lot of e-commerce platforms have been
designs begins at Rs 800/- and goes onto hosting craft based products for a couple years
about Rs 4000/-.
The Effects Of Covid-19
now and while this segment has definitely
come under scrutiny for inauthentic products
The starting price on other ecommerce or for being beneficial only to the middlemen,
websites vary from 1393/- (Jaypore), 1700/- there is no doubt that it is a highly lucrative
(Shop.Gaatha.com) to even 3000/- for sarees. economic opportunity.
A Basic cotton dupatta Produced by Haji Artisan Haji Badshah Miyan, during his Kerala, Maharashtra and Karnataka remains
Badshah Miyan would come to about Rs600- One such platform is Jaypore.com. In their interview mentioned that due to covid many more or less the same.
800, a silk dupatta would start from Rs2500, own words, “We are dedicated to creating customers started preferring softer and
a silk scarf would cost Rs1500 while chiffon a unique interpretation of age-old crafts, more soothing colours. There is a demand Artisans also mentioned that there has not
sarees start at Rs3000. Silk sarees remain the we partner with artisanal communities, for breathable fabrics like Khadi and Malmal. been much business during the winter season
most expensive item, selling upwards of at textile designers, independent artists (and Demand from northern states like Delhi and and their unit is working on projects for
Rs4500 a piece. the occasional maverick) to showcase a new, Punjab have reduced due to the weather summer 2021.
contemporary design language that comes conditions.The demand from Andhra Pradesh,
from India and belongs everywhere on the
54 55
In an interview for Sahapedia he states that when he would have had to depend on
He began to experiment with adopting He retails his wares through online portals
Leheriya to Sarees etc. He then began his including Good Earth, Jaipur Online and
association with Japanese textile artist Itokri.
Hiroko Tatawate for whom he produced
innovative pieces With Indigo on fabric that When asked if he feels fulfilled about what he
was completely Hands-on, Handwoven, and has achieved he replies that “with the grace
Hand dyed. This was in the years 1985-1986. of Allah, my hardwork and the goodwill of
Image 3.8
The Mulmul fabric was exported from Bengal several patrons, I am in a much better position
for production of these pieces. than when I started, and when eminent
Haji Badshah Miyan is a 63 year old Master Indigo (neel) and Ghar ( House) Indicating that individuals like APJ Abdul Kalam compliment
practitioner of Tie and Dye in Jaipur. His they were indigo dyers traditionally who had His association with Hiroko has now lasted my work it makes me immensely proud.” He
Family has been into the craft for generations indigo pits in their houses. He traces his roots over 30 years. Badshah Miyan also visited hopes to create an archives museum in the
together. He hails from a community known to Uzbekistan and his family came to India Japan in 2010 to conduct workshops. Through coming year at his studio.
as the “Neelgars’’ which derives its name from with emperor Taimur. his association with Japan he receives orders
through the year as opposed to otherwise
56 57
SWOT Analysis
Strengths Opportunities
Bandhani is an extremely popular craft and There are many opportunities for bandhani
can be seen worn by women from almost to be used in different fabrics and on more
every part of the country. As a technique, it is contemporary garments. The craft has a
simple, albeit intensive and can be practiced luxury market appeal to it because of the
almost anywhere since it does not rely on detail involved in tying the fabric. A lot of
localised raw materials. design intervention could also take place
when it comes to the motifs that are used in
the craft. Training centers could also be very
Weaknesses useful when it comes to education relating to
the practice of the craft.
The product range of bandhani has been
limited so far to sarees, stoles, and ghagras
and does not see much use in contemporary Threats
fashion or decor. The technique itself is very
time consuming and the really intricate pieces Counterfeiting of bandhani through screen
take up to a year to tie. printing, rotary printing, and digital printing
is a major threat to the survival of the craft
among the less aware consumer base. Another
major threat is the lack of skilled people who
are willing to take up the craft as a full time
employment opportunity.
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clientele within the high end domestic market sparingly practiced in various other places
Hand Block Printing in the Jaipur led to these opportunities being exposed to
only a few printers who remained affiliated
near Jaipur, including the villages of Jahota
and Kaladera. Finally, a few printing units and
Cluster
with these designer boutiques. about 40 exporters are present in the city of
Jaipur.
Sanganer - a semi-urban locality, 10 kms from
Jaipur city has an illustrious history of over With the advent of globalization and Jaipur and Bagru - a village 35 kms. from Jaipur The total turnover of the cluster is estimated
500 years towards the patronage of naturally mechanization this balanced economy got are the major centres of hand block printed at Rs. 400 million per year with an estimated
dyed hand block printed fabrics. The block disturbed. factory production of counterfeit textiles in and around Jaipur. Around 125 employment of 5,000 persons. The product
printers hail from a community known as the textiles, with inexpensive products deprived units are based in the township of Sanganer range of the cluster includes furnishings,
“chippa” community who originally hailed the craftspersons of their position in the and around 110 units are based in the village dress material, running cloth and accessories
from several parts of north and west india market. The easy availability of cheaper of Bagru. hand block printing is also being of hand block printed textile.
but eventually settled down in Jaipur. These factory made raw materials like fabric and
block printing traditions have been carried dyes has resulted in the extinction of certain
out by members of this community from one natural materials used in the printing
generation to the other. process. Monetary exchange for goods came
as a replacement to the age old barter system.
Before the 1950s,these fabrics were also
purchased by the majority of the local In this new system, this safety net was lost.
community, hence ensuring a balanced As a result, only a few printers survived
economy that sustained the crafts. and became owners of new age printing
workshops while a majority had to turn to
Factors such as the Societal norms , local daily wage work and some left the industry.
flora/fauna and climatic conditions were
intrinsically related to the survival of the Declining opportunities for the sector led to
craft. Another key factor was the patronage the younger generation looking elsewhere
from the royal family that ensured relevance, for more lucrative job opportunities. This,
resource for innovations and basically acted coupled with the rise of a new kind of industry,
as a safety net. one that catered to a specialised, premium
60 61
Bagru & Dabu Printing - An Intro-
duction
Bagru and Dabu both refer to exquisite hand that are flooding the market, more viable
block printed textiles from Rajasthan. While chemical dyes polluting the environment and
the former takes its name from the place lack of skilled block printers who can take
where the style of printing originated and the craft forward. These factors have dealt a
is primarily practiced today, Dabu takes its heavy blow to the crafts of Bagru and Dabu.
name from a mud resist step that is often On the flip side, We have craft practitioners
executed onto a bagru printed fabric. like ,National award winner, Mr Suraj Narain
Teetanwalla with whom we had the good
The two crafts primarily use only three colours, fortune of interacting with, who has dedicated
Red ( Begar), Black ( Syahi) and Neel ( Blue from his entire life to the upliftment of these two
indigo). The motifs printed traditionally take crafts. Mr teetanwalla practices printing
inspiration from the immediate environment, with only natural raw materials and also
this includes household objects, flora fauna has a museum in his name to preserve and
and even recitations of mythological tales. showcase the nuances of these two exquisite
crafts.
What strikes one most about these two closely
interlinked crafts is their complete dependence Bagru and Dabu crafts are indeed textile
on the immediate environment . Right from treasures and it’s imperative that we as a
the materials sourced, to dependence on other generation do our bit to help sustain it.
fellow craft communities, the entire process
is a closed circle,r at least was intended to be.
Today , due to several factors, this balance has Rain laden clouds fill the sky as a group of
been broken. We have counterfeit products blissfully unaware women craftswomen rejoice
with their freshly dyed Bagru Fabrics, several other
pieces are strewn to dry in the background.
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‘It was a particularly hot summer day when riverbank had clung onto his dhoti; Perhaps
The History the rangrez went about his day dyeing fabrics
in hues of blue the sky would be envious of;
by accident, perhaps in looking for a new
way to traverse the desert. When his fabrics
Perhaps it was the heat, had dried the next day, along with his dhoti,
he noticed the mud that had left behind in its
Many researchers agree that block printing as Dabu Printing, which is a type of resist perhaps the daze that his work put him in, wake, parts of undyed fabric creating patterns
a textile art likely originated in China about printing, is believed to have originated around he let his dhoti from the previous day at the that reminded him of stars in the night sky.
4,500 years ago, however India has been 675 AD and this is confirmed by the oldest riverbank fall into the vat with the rest of the It was this whisper of the riverbank to the
home to the finest block printed textiles since dabu printed textile samples ever found that fabric. Unbeknownst to him, little bits of the rangrez that led to the birth of Dabu Printing.’
the ancient world. Evidence of block printed date back to the 8th century AD. It was in the
textiles from India can be traced as far back village of Akola in Rajasthan where the craft
The Process
as ancient egypt. found its footing and bloomed, however few
artisans practice it in the same splendour
No authentic literature is available to indicate today.
the beginning of Bagru printing, but this textile
art is said to have started about 450 years ago. The craft is often grouped with other
The material was soaked in this mixture so as
The village had a community of ‘chhipas’ or Rajasthani textile art forms such as Bagru Scouring (Hari Sarana) to get rid of the starch.
traditional crafts people who printed fabrics and Sanganeri Prints. It is often compared to
by hand, they are believed to have migrated other resist printing styles such as Batik but Scouring refers to the destarching process
from Sawai Madhopur, Alwar, Jhunjhuna, and the Process and of course, the materials are
Sikkar districts of Rajasthan to settle in Bagru far from similar.
where the greige cloth is soaked in turkey oil, a Tanning or preparation of
natural soap like material, for about 12 hours,
and make it their home all those centuries this ensures that any starch within the fabric fabric for printing (“Peela
ago where they still reside in. Conventionally,
Bagru prints were used mostly for ghagras The Secret Whisper of the is removed. Turkey oil is employed nowadays
but earlier, when the river in Bagru hadn’t
Karna” or “Harda Rangai”)
(skirts), odhnis (scarves) and pagris (turbans).
The printed lengths of rough cotton of about
Riverbank gone dry, white mud residue from the river
The purpose of harda treatment of cotton
bed was accumulated in a deep pit, this was
50 cm wide were typically sewn together for fabric is to retain the metal content in the
As with any craft as old as Dabu, there are mixed with water and dung from either goats,
long skirts. fabric by reaction with tannin present in
many tales surrounding the birth of the craft. buffaloes or cows and mixed thoroughly.
harda. This metal ion is then subsequently
The most popular one goes along like this,
64 65
available for reaction with the colouring
component/s of the vegetable dyes applied
Mordant salts printing
later by dyeing or printing techniques. (“Chapai”)
Harda refers to a fruit of a tree abundantly Bagru print has two main colours, red and
found in India. Dried fruits of harda are black.
rich in tannin to about 30-32%. Tannins are
complex compounds of high molecular mass. Black - ‘Syahi’ , the black colour is obtained
The tannin present in harda reacts with metal primarily from iron. Earlier this was obtained
salts of iron, Aluminium, chromium, copper from iron horse, donkey shoes but today, stray
and tin to make coloured metal tannate. The articles of rusted iron, nails etc are used. These
reaction product is understood as metal are soaked in water together with Jaggery
complex formation or ‘chelation’. The metal for about 45 days in winter, this duration
complex formed between tannin and metal can reduce to about 25 days in the summer.
ion is insoluble in water. Post this duration the water is strained from
the iron particles and depending on the
There are two specific varieties of Harda that consistency required this can be mixed with
are employed in Bagru; these are “Bal Harda” either natural gum (Gond) (for finer blocks) or
and “Jawa Harda”. the ratio of the two vary Tamarind seed powder ( for filler blocks) by
based on design. The Harda is powdered and hand for a day. This mixture is then sieved by
mixed in a water bath for the fabric to be using a fine muslin cloth.
soaked in.
Black colour is directly produced when the
The harda lends it’s yellow colour to the iron solution reacts with harda. Black colour is
material. Post soaking , it is left to dry on even obtained due to interaction of tannin in harda
ground. with iron . Red - Phitkari ( Alum) is mixed with
Gond (natural gum) and Red soil ( Lal Mitti)
.This is further mixed with water and sieved
Illustration 4.1 through a fine muslin cloth and collected
66 67
in a vessel. The design of motif dictates the Based on how complex the design is, the
consistency . amount of colors and blocks used, the fabric
is hand block printed. Earlier this used to take
Reaction between harda and alum doesn’t place on the ground but because of this scale
produce red colour. Harda only helps to retain of production the material is mounted onto
alum on ‘harda treated fabric’. Red colour is tables for printing.
created during the next dyeing process with
madder or Alizarin. Alizarin reacts with alum
to form a metal complex with Aluminium Drying of printed fabric
in alum resulting in the formation of red (“Sukhai”)
coloured dye.
Drying or ageing process helps to provide
Chhapai sufficient time for the interaction between
harda and the metal salt to take place so that
68 69
the metal is fixed on the fabric properly. This is Alizarine could be a modern alternative to
important to induce good fastness properties “Aal ki Lakdi” which is difficult to source now.
of the color developed. The dauda flower helps in neutralising the Ph
of the water used.
Post the printing process the material is left
to dry (sukhai) for a day. The fabric is boiled in this solution for about
four hours in the copper vessel. After which
This step is extremely important to get rid of it’s again washed in clean water and left to
the unfixed metal salt mordant applied during dry.
printing operation. If the unfixed mordant
isn’t removed then tinting of the ground
would occur during subsequent dyeing Resist Printing or mud clay
process.Along with Dhulai, a process called printing (“Dabu Datai”)
“Haath se pithai” ( to beat by hand) takes place
wherein the material is beaten by hand to get The term “Dabu ‘’ comes from the Hindi
rid of excess gum. word “Dabaana” (to press) pertaining to
the application of the dabu resist paste.
The fabric is then again left to dry on flat The viscous consistency of which is called
ground for a day(sukhai) “Raabdi”.
70 71
Beedan Dabu the designs don’t stick to each other.
72 73
treatment the natural colouring components
(“Haldi Naspal Putai”) Post mordant or fixing of present in Haldi and Naspal will react
Final washing (“Dhulai”)
If yellow colour is desired in the background
yellow dye (“Fitkari Rangai”) with Aluminium to create water insoluble
Final washing of fabric helps to get rid of
Aluminium salt and thus making the yellow
instead of blue, then dyeing with Haldi and any unfixed colour, metal salt and residue of
This process involves the treatment of yellow colour fast to wash.
Naspal (Turmeric+ Pomegranate) is done. the Dabu paste. This is important to induce
dyed fabric with alum solution. During this improved brightness and fastness of colour
this ensures that the fabric becomes soft.
Raw Materials
Raw Materials used for Raw materials for dyes and
cleaning and destarching: mordants:
• Turkey Oil (used in present times) Harda(myrobalan)
• Cow dung diluted in water It is a natural tanning acid from the fruit of
the myrobalan tree that acts as a mordant for
• Foamy water along the river the iron of the printing colour and results in
formation of the Bagru black. Fabric is dyed in
• Cow dung, soda ash, sesame oil cool water and harda powder, which gives a
yellowish tint to the fabric that differentiates
• Reetha(soap nut) ‘Bagru’ from ‘Sanganer.’ It facilitates a uniform
Illustration 4.7 absorption of colour.
74 75
Begar Imli Seed powder • Yellow colour using dried pomegranate • lime
rinds, turmeric and dried Dhabaria
It is a dye made from natural tree gum, alum It gives stiffness to the fabric before ‘Chapai’ flowers Dabu is of three kinds based on the color
and red sand. The dye is fixed with the help required and end result:
of a mordant made of Dawdiya flowers and The main raw materials are the colors/dyes • Blue from indigo plant
alizarin. used in the printing. Different types of dyes • Kaligar Dabu- It is processed only once.
used are: • Red kashish with water
Lal-mitti(red sand) • Dolidar Dabu - It contains more gum
resulting in better adhesive strength and
• Vegetable/Natural dyes
Materials required for is able to withstand about two trips to the
It gives a red colour to the beggar mixture.
• Discharge dyes making Dabu Paste dye vats.
Fitkari(alum) • Reactive dyes • Dabu paste is prepared by a mixture of the • Gawarbali Dabu - It contains oil and gawar
following: seed powder that give strength to the
It fixes the dye to the cloth. cloth which helps it go through repeated
• Rapid fast Colours
• wheat flour spoiled by worms (Bedhan) dyeing.
Alizarin • Pigments
• black clay (kali mitti), Additionally, saw dust is used to sprinkle
It is a mordant, used to fix dye to the cloth over the cloth before the dabu print dries
Common vegetable dyes used in Bagru
which is found in the root of the madder plant. completely to avoid sticking with each other.
printing are: • gum (from babul tree)
76 77
Tools
blocks to be carved out, the wood is required
Wooden Block to be seasoned properly.
The first requirement for block printing is
Iron/steel chisels of different shapes and sizes
the print to be carved out on wooden blocks.
are used to carve out the design from the
Artisans have been carving blocks out of
wooden block.
shisham or teak wood, for generations. For
Image 4.2
Oil is used to soak the block for about 10-15 relief with intricate details of the motifs
days after it is made to soften out the grains
of the wood. • Datta (filler) block which is carved in bold
relief
The three main kinds of blocks are:
• Gadh (background) block which is carved
• Rekh (outline) block which is carved in in intaglio style to print the outline of the
Image 4.1
motif
78 79
block makers of Farrukhabad, U.P., they are Traditionally the handle was made of
known for their resilience. Gurjan but limited availability and stricter
environmental laws have resulted in use of
• Ardu (Ailanthus excelsa): the more readily available ardu wood.
Image 4.3
Various types of wood used to make It is harder than gurjan, this wood doesn’t
compress as easily, but forms beautiful
the blocks for printing: outlines for simpler designs.
• Gurjan (dipterocarpus turbinatus)
• Rohida (Tecomella undulata)
It is ideal for printing intricate faded prints
It is the lightest among all the woods, it is used
with clear outlines. These traditional fabric
to make filler or background blocks
lengths are used to make ghagras (ankle length
panelled skirts). Once very popular, today
there is a ban on the felling of the gurjan tree. • Shisham (Dalbergia sissoo)
80 81
Traditional tools for making blocks: • Lac ki chapdi (glue), to join separate parts and other fabrics to provide a cushioning for The printer needs his colours next to him
of a block easier and clearer prints. while printing, so he does not have to carry
Karauti (saw), to cut the block them around because it breaks the flow of the
• Lac aur Khadiya mitti ki chapdi (lac and Colour Plates: process.
• Multani Mitti (fuller’s earth), to trace the alabaster), to trace the impression of the
design design
• Kabana, Muthiya and Shaari (bow and drill Fabrics are printed on tables that have varied
arrangement), to carve the design specifications as well. Block printers often
customize them but mostly it measures 3 feet
• Chota tikora (small tri-edged tool), to in height, 3 feet in width and 9 feet in length
shape the edges approximately and it allows about 3-4 printers
to stand and work on it simultaneously.
• Bada tikora (big tri-edged tool), to shape
and sharpen the metal chisels However, earlier, the tables used to be about 1
feet high, 2 feet wide and 5 feet long, because
• Chorsi (flat blade tool), to cut the wood there would usually be only one printer who
would be sitting on the ground and printing.
• Thappe (tools for carving); traditional
tools have wooden handles while modern The fabric to be printed is not placed directly
chisels are without one on the wooden table because when the block
printer hits the block to get a proper print
• Kil (nails), to fix the handle to the main while printing, it would damage the block
block and the colour would smudge. To avoid this,
the table is covered with layers of canvas, jute Image 4.5
82 83
So, block printers use a wooden tray in The trolleys are made of wood which have • Chalk: Dyeing and washing of clothes are traditionally
which they keep colour in, called ‘saaj’. The two shelves and wheels at the base to make done in copper vessels.
mechanism of the tray makes sure that the the movement easy. They are locally known Tailoring chalk is used for marking. Fine lines
colour just dabs onto the wooden block to as ‘patiya’. are made with the help of the sharp edges of • Mogari (wooden roller):
avoid smudging on the fabric while printing. the chalk.
They have a height of 3 feet and are suitable Mogari is a cylindrical shaped wooden roller.
Colour is poured into the tray and a wire for working on the printing table. The upper • Brushes: The cloth is kept on the roller and beaten.
mesh is placed on it, followed by a piece of shelf is used to keep the colour tray and the
felt being kept over it so that it can soak the lower rack is used for keeping blocks. After use, the metal and wooden blocks • Kotan (Wooden mallet):
colour properly. Finally, a fine cotton (malmal) are cleaned with the help of metal or nylon
cloth is kept on the cloth. • Scale: brushes, which maintains the life of the block. The cloth is beaten on the kotan which is kept
on the mogari to remove starch from the
• Tray Trolley: With the help of scales, the areas to be printed • Tambadi (Copper vessels): fabric.
on the fabric are marked.
Motifs
Bagru prints are known for their wealthy
colour prints and intricate patterns. The three
main colours of Bagru include maroon, red
(Beghar) and black (Syahi). It is usually done
on an indigo or blue background. The region is
popular for two kinds of prints – Dabru Prints
and Seyali-bagru prints. While Seyali-bagru
prints are known for their characteristic black
and yellow ochre/cream colour combinations,
Image 4.6 Dabru (Dabu and Bagru) prints are an Illustration 4.8
84 85
additional resist print technique. category you’ll be able to see spiralling or
inter- twisted stems with flowers, leaves
Most motifs within the olden days were or buds, they’re utilized in bels. Bels are
derived from nature. Within the olden style, the borders you see along the sides of the
the motifs were placed in linear pattern and material. When such motifs are utilized in
were comparatively smaller in size. The print combination with other forms to hide the
blocks were smaller and therefore the spacing whole body of the fabric it’s called ‘Jal’. Most
between the motifs was minimal. Initially of those motifs have a standard name bel and
the motifs were mostly floral and vegetative, don’t bear any specific individual name. The
whereas within the later periods different older motifs however have such names as
geometric motifs and kinds of arranging Jhad, Kesi, Kamal kali, Panadi and Kanta.
motifs in circles, squares, cones etc, were Illustration 4.10
introduced. 3. Motifs of Trellis Designs- These are
distinct groups - Motifs of Flowers, Leaves popularly called as ‘Jals’ in Bagru. they have Illustration 4.12
The Bagru motifs is segregated into five and Buds, Motifs of Intertwisted Tendrils,
Motifs of Trellis Designs, Motifs of Figurative Persian influence. They cover the whole body
Designs and Motifs of Geometrical Designs. of the fabric and any borders.
1. Motifs of Flowers, Leaves and Buds- The 4. Motifs of Figurative Designs- you’ll be able
names of the motifs represent the arrangement to see the figures of animals, Birds and humans
of leaves, flowers, buds etc., other motifs during this category. Hathi (elephant), Hiran
you’ll be able to see are- Patashi, Kachnar, (deer), Sher (tiger), Mayur (peacock), Kabutar
Chheonra, Suraj ka phool (sunflower), Chakri, (pigeon), and Sua (parrot) are the common
Golab ka phool (rose), Tilak, Laung (clove), animal and bird figures. Human forms as
Chhatri (umbrella), Divi ka chirai, Gobi, Aam, fairy, men and girls are used. Such motifs are
Dipak, Mirchi (chilli), Bada bunta, Laddu, either printed to hide the whole body of the
Nargis, Mugal, Badam, Pankhi (feather), Titli material or are printed on the borders and
(butterfly), Hajuri, Gamla (pot), Dhania etc. selvedge only.
86 87
Straight lines, circles, squares, triangles sell for anywhere between Rs.600 and Rs.1,000 depending on the size and style of the design
used either separately or together. Lahria, and sometimes even more. Bagru Dabu fabrics and length of the cloth, while middlemen get
Choupad, Kangura, Sidhi line ki dhar, Bindi, are also available for Rs.200 to Rs.300 per away with a sizable portion of the profits.
Chaubandi, Chatai, Chhedani, Chundri, meter. Bagru sarees can cost around Rs.1300 When the market demand is good, the artisans
Sona, etc are some motifs commonly seen. a to as high as Rs.5000. However, an artisan can make up to Rs 1 lakh in a season, otherwise
number of these motifs cover the entire body can earn between Rs.10 and Rs.50 for a piece they end up earning Rs 30,000 to Rs 35,000.
of the material and a few are exclusively used
for the borders.
Contemporisation
The Effects Of Covid-19
With time, a number of the styles and motifs
are adapted with the varying trends. New
bases like fabrics, layouts and motifs are now Illustration 4.14 The Covid-19 Pandemic has spelled doom for income and had to exhaust most of their
tested together with silk and cotton because nearly every sector economically and hand savings. No relief was provided to these
the traditional bases. to form the prints became less dense and therefore the block block printing in Bagru is no different. The families as well.
cheaper and faster manufacturing the motifs size has increased. craft is heavily dependent on the constant
inflow of raw material and fabrics from Another devastating effect was the shutdown
other states as well as from within Rajasthan of workshops conducted by the artisans for
and the complete lockdown called by the tourists and designers alike. These workshops
Retail Value government led to a complete halting of all of
these activities. Work for the bagru artisans
gave them an additional income and also
fulfilled perhaps the more important purpose
also stopped as a result. of exposing the world to Bagru Block printing
and giving them economic opportunities in
Carved wooden blocks range between Rs.800 intricacy of the design. Wooden tables used Although the lockdown has been lifted and terms of collaboration with designers who
to Rs.1200, per block, while single coloured for printing alone cost Rs.20,000 each. economic activities have begun in full swing have already captured the market.
blocks measuring 5.5cms by 9cms cost for the most part, the gap in supply of raw
between Rs.350 to Rs.800, depending on the In the market, Bagru’s block-printed textiles material posed a severe issue for a lot of
artisans who were dependent on their daily
88 89
similarly as extend invitations to Japan to
90 91
Opportunities
SWOT Analysis Work by Brands such as the “Block shop”
come as a beacon of hope as they bring in a
new design aesthetic to the craft and shine
Strengths Weaknesses light on a growing international market.
The inspiration for Both Bagru and Dabu hand The first point in this section is both a boon and Furthermore there has been tremendous
block printing are primarily drawn from the a curse, it is about how dependent the craft of awareness about natural dyes, the interest in
flora and fauna that is found around, this bagru and dabu are on the local environment. using the same has increased exponentially
lends itself to an organic, aesthetic appeal, it is Raw materials such as “aal ki lakdi”, gum from , pointing towards a bright future for the Image 4.11
for instance more rustic and ‘raw’ as opposed the babul tree, natural indigo, ‘phitkari’ etc authentic crafts of Bagru and Dabu.
to the more intricate sanganer prints. would be hard to procure elsewhere. This has Threats
restricted the spread of the authentic craft. The painstaking work that goes into producing
This aesthetic distinguishes the craft, enabling This for instance is not that much of a concern these exquisite textiles points towards it Mr Suraj Narain Teetanwala emphatically
it to have a unique selling point. for a craft such as ‘Bandhani’ , where versions being an ideal craft to be actively inculcated pointed out that his unit was the only one
of it can be found in other parts of the world. into the Indian luxury market. in the entire village that was truly authentic
Having said that, in recent times, there have and used a 100% of natural ingredients , This
been attempts to bring in a more modern, Mr Suraj Narain Teetanwala briefly spoke of is a reminder that chemical dyes dominate
minimalist design viewpoint to the craft. the lack of driven, passionate youth who are the market and the possibility of losing these
Brands such as ‘block shop’ (One co-founder keen on taking the craft forward from the wonderful natural printing techniques is
can be seen in this image with a craftsperson, village, and hence some craftspersons are worrisome.
holding up their designs) and studios are compelled to employ individuals from other
trying to adapt the craft to a different clientele. parts of the state, or even the country. When Counterfeit products are flooding the market,
This is against the versatility of the craft and this happens, the fresh lot of apprentices, this for any industry is a problem, but more so
its ability to adapt to different requirements. although they bring in a new perspective, in the crafts sector where many craftspersons
Bagru and Dabu printing in particular can be might lack the cultural context of the craft, it’s survival is on the line, these fake products are
quite complex, and can have several different motifs etc that naturally comes with having certainly a threat to the continued existence
blocks for one motif alone. grown up around it. Image 4.10 of the craft in its original form.
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Banabhatta’s Harshacharita. Chungidi - Word for Bandhani in Tamil.
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Gangaur - Festival celebrated by womenfolk, Harda rangai - harda treatment of cotton fabric for Leheriya on the fabric.
worshiping lord parvati for fertility and the fabric is to carry the metal on fabric by
arrival of spring reaction with tannin present in harda. Khoonti - Pole like tool used to twist fabric to
remove excess water M
Gadh - Background wooden block Hari sarana – local term for scouring which
refers to the process of destarching of greige kaccha - Raw Malmal - Muslin
Geru - Dye made from red oxide and water fabric
Kashish - Potassium Permanganate Mehendi - Henna
Ghagras – skirts Hindu - A person who practices hinduism, an
Indian Religion. Karauti - saw Mothara - Variation of Leheriya technique,
Gond - gum from the babul tree that results in a criss cross or checkered
pattern.
Kota Doria - a light weight fabric made of
Gurjan - dipterocarpus turbinatus
I tiny woven squares which is handwoven on
traditional pit looms in Kaithoon near Kota, Multani Mitti - Fuller’s Earth
Itajime - Fold and clamp resist dye technique
Rajasthan.
H from Japan Mogari - wooden roller
Kali Mitti - black clay
Haathi - Elephant Indra Dhanush - Rainbow
Kesar - Saffron
Haath se pithai – a process wherein the Imli – Tamarind
material is beaten by hand to get rid of excess Nakh - a metal ring with a pointed nail that
Kotan - Wooden mallet assists a bandhanara in typing the several
gum
K layers of fabric at once.
Haldi Naspal Putai - Dyeing with yellow dye
Katva Patta Leheriya - Leheriya that has
L Nageena Mothara - Variation of Mothra which
Bands at equal intervals consists of small equidistant squares that look
Harda- It is a natural tanning acid from the Lal mitti - red soil
like gems, hence the name Nageena Mothara.
fruit of the myrobalan tree that acts as a
Khatri - Craft community hailing from Gujarat
mordant Leheriya - Originating in Jaipur, a tie and dye
Neel – Blue colour from indigo
technique that results in wave like patterns
Khoota - Wooden stand used in tying the
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Neelgar - The indigo Dyers power. Rajputana - The word Rajputana literally Shekhawati - Community of Bandhani dyers
translates to ‘ The land of the rajputs’ , it refers who do dying in Multi colour but no black.
Patang - Kite, Diamond shape to the collection of erstwhile princely states
O in Rajasthan Shibori - Japanese, manual resist tie and dye
Plangi - Tie and dye technique , like Bandhani technique.
Odhani - Shawl but from Indonesia Rajshahi Leheriya - Variation of Leheriya
technique that features diagonal lines Shiva - also known as Mahadeva ( lit. ‘the
P Piliya - A variation on Bandhani in Yellow and
Reetha – soap nut
great god’), is one of the principal deities of
Hinduism.
Red colour.
Pagris – turbans
Pratap Shahi Leheriya - Variation of Leheriya Rekh - Outline wooden block Shisham - teak wood
Paithani - a variety of sari, named after the technique that features diagonal lines
Sinhh - Lion
Paithan town in Aurangabad from state of S
Maharashtra R Siyahi - Black dye from different materials
Saaj - wooden tray used to keep the colour like Horseshoe rust, Jaggery and fermented
Pattas - Bands that are formed due to resist Rajawati - The dyers for the King and the
tie dye solution of iron, molasses, gum and the starch
other members of Nobility. They would not Samudra manthan - An episode from the of tamarind flour.
be equipped to dye black/blue coloured dyes. Bhagavatha Purana .
Patiya - wooden tray trolley They would dye using Pink, Yellow, Orange Sukhai - Drying of printed fabric or Ageing
colours. Sanganeri - Community of Bandhani dyers before dyeing the material in natural dye
Peela karna – another term for harda rangai who would dye only black colour.
that gives the fabric a yellowish tint. Rakshas - A demonic creature from Hell. Sungudi - is a cotton fabric of Madurai,Tamil
Samudra leheriya - Variation of Leheriya Nadu which is an exclusive textile product
V Rangai – local term for dyeing or fixing of
colors after washing
technique, that takes inspiration from the
colours of the rainbow.
traditionally produced using tie and dye.
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season
Z Leheriya
Tritik - stitch and gather resist dye technique, Cover Illustration by Anmol Venkatesh
Zari - is an even thread traditionally made of
primarily used in African textiles.
fine gold or silver
Illustration 2.1 - 2.10 by Delphi Das
U Zha-Ran - Traditional technique of stitch
resist and tie and dye technique from China. Illustrations 2.11 - 2.15 by Amulya Kanukuntla
Undi - Large copper vessel that is used for
dyeing
Bandhani
Cover Illustration by Anmol Venkatesh
Bagru / Dabu
Cover Illustration by Anmol Venkatesh
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