BLOCK PRINTING OF RAJASTHAN AND GUJARAT

Printing Techniques

There are basic three types of printing techniques that is used for printing, in both, Rajasthan and Gujarat. Those are:

• Resist Printing: In this technique of block printing, the area which is not needed to be colored are protected from the dye by covering with a mixture of clay and resin.

• Discharge style: In this style, dyed ground is removed leaving white or coloured patterns on the original ground by using a various types of reducing agents. Following ground shades are commonly used for getting white and coloured patterns. Direct dyed ground, azoic dyed ground, reactive dyed ground, aniline black ground, Indigo sol ground.

• Direct Printing: The fabric is bleached first and then dyed in the desired color of background and then its printed directly by the wooden block.

Hand Block Printing

Rajasthan• The printers of Jaipur city used to supply the

requirements of the court and the city dwellers. • As a result, the designs printed were delicate and

influenced by the court traditions. • Jaipur palace had its own printers who printed on fine

mulmul, muslin, for turbans, ordhnis, quilt covers, and even chaddars for use during worship.

• Many of the old printed cotton textiles carry the court seal.

• The printed patkas, sashes, which formed an important part of the dress of men, were a speciality of the printers.

MOTIFS

• Motifs of flowering shrubs carry the imprint of the Mughal painters who during the reign of Jehangir and Shahjahan specialized in making superb stylized drawing of flowering plants.

• High quality printing of dupattas, pagris and waistbands was undertaken in Udaipur.

• Floral butas and kalangas in maroon and a light shade of red was used for printing on a white or cream ground.

• Sometimes flowers and leaves were also printed in green, as has been shown by Watson in his book 'The Textile Manufacture and Costumes of India' (London, 1866) which depicts printing in green, blue and dark red on white cotton ground, with butas on its anchal (body).

RESIST PRINTING• Resist printing was undertaken in Kota,

the patterns printed with resist paste on white cloth and the cloth dyed in blue or red.

• On drying, the pattern showed in white, and the ground was blue or red.

• The iris, the sunflower, the crocus, the daffodil, and the narcissus are drawn with their foliage with consummate skill.

• The cross-borders and pallus and the ordhanis also show a masterly handling of motifs to produce a harmonious and rich effect.

Sanganeri Printing• Sanganer is situated about 8 kilometers

south-east of Jaipur city. Prior to the 17th century, there is no mention of Sanganer as a centre of printing.

• At that time Sanganer was known as a centre of plain and dyed clothes. It was probably towards the end of the 17th century that this art form developed here.

• Probably due to war with Emperor Aurangzeb and the repeated invasions of the Marathas, many craftsmen (Printers) from the neighboring state Gujarat came and settled in Rajasthan.

• By the end of the 18th century this industry was fully developed in Sanganer.

• It is famous for dyeing and printing of colorful dresses, bed sheets, curtains, dress material and variety of other textiles.

• Bulk of the textile products of these industries is exported. The total area of Sanganer is about 635.5 Sq. km out of which, 12.9 Sq. km comprises the urban area. 

• Most of the textile industries of Sanganer are concentrated in this urban area.

• There are estimated to be around 500 block and screen printing units in Sanganer.

• There are at present, about 125 hand block printing units in Sanganer.

• Sanganer was renowned for its small decorative and delicate floral patterns, called, ‘boota-booties’ which was printed on fine cotton and silk.

History of Sanganer• The dyers and block makers came from Sindh and Punjab and

settled here. The printers belong to chhipa community. • They are all Hindus and are followers of the renowned Marathi Saint

Namdev. Almost every member of the ‘Chippa’ family is involved in the washing, dyeing and printing of clothes.

• While, the printers are predominantly Hindus, majority of dyers and block makers are Muslims.

• Water of the Saraswati River that used to flow graciously through Sanganer, was known for its special quality that used to bring out radiance from the natural dyed fabric.

• This was major source of inspiration for the printing community.

• In olden days, the fabric was printed mainly for use of royal families and rich traders but now it is used as part of clothing for urban families and also exported. 

Products made

• The principal items printed here include sarees, dupattas, salwar-kameez, bed cover, curtains, scarves, and printed yardages (running cloth material), etc.

• Both local and imported cloth material are used. At present,’ mulmul’ (cotton voile), ‘latha’ (sheeting fabrics) and cambric etc. are sourced from Jaipur.On Sanganeri ‘chintz’ (printed cloth) usually, yellow, green blue (with different tones) are used as the background.

• These days one rarely comes across the variety of shades that were found in the old Sanganeri ‘chintz’, but still the ‘chhipas’ for Sanganer have the incomparable know-how of matching the back ground on base color with colors of the prints.

Sanganeri motifs• Finesse in flowers-petal designs, curves and delicacy are the prime

specialties of Sanganer prints. • Different types of flowers and plants are displayed in the form of

‘bel’ (a border) and ‘boota’ very naturally and in a really attractive manner.

• Some of the flowers used in the prints are roses, rosettes, lotuses, lotus bud, sunflower, lily, ‘champa’ ‘canna’ ‘nergis’, marigold etc.

• Other flowers used are locally known as ‘sosan’, ‘gainda’, ‘gulmehendi’, ‘javakusum’, ‘guldaudi’, ‘kachnar’, ‘jatadari lily’, ‘kaner’, ‘kanna’, ‘gullalla’, etc. ‘Sosan’ and ‘gullala’ prints are probably very suitable to sanganeri prints, therefore they are used in various forms.

• Many flowers used in Sanganeri prints are not found in Rajasthan, and whichever the craftsmen of Rajasthan have never seen.

• On this basis, Historian James watt has said, “Obviously many of the Sanganeri designs portray flowers that in not likely to have been seen by the calico printers nor by the block engravers of Rajputana.

• In spite of these circumstances, however, there seems every reason to believe that the craft has been handed down for centuries and has come to use in all the purity of original inspiration.

• The nature, feeling and color reciprocity, as also the technique in printing are all perfect while the absence of machine regularity gives a charm that place these goods above and beyond anything as yet accomplished in Europe.”

• Apart from flowers, fruit trees of banana, dates, grapes pomegranate etc. have also been recreated in a very attractive manner.

• In some old prints figures of parrots and fish are also seen. Since about fifty years, elephant. Horse, camel, peacock and human figures are also used. These are mostly seen on curtains, bed-covers, table clothes etc.

• The doo-rookhi style of printing is also popular in Sanganer. This is printing done on both sides of the fabric.

Bagru Prints

• Jaipur is perhaps one of the most culturally rich areas of Rajasthan. From this city, the Chippas moved to Bagru around 300 years ago. They made it their home, and one of Rajasthan's most important centers of hand block printing .

• The Sanganer and Bagru prints are very similar, but the latter employ a narrower range of colors. Moreover, unlike the Sanganer prints which are always on a white or off-white background, the prints of Bagru are mostly red and black and blue. The Syahi-Begar prints are a combination of black and yellow ochre or cream. The Dabu prints are created by hiding them from dye, by applying a resist. Bagru prints are characterized by circular designs, as well as linear and floral patterns.

• In both the Sanganer and Bagru prints, the colors are picked carefully. Each has a separate significance. For instance, red is the color of love, yellow of spring, indigo of Lord Krishna, and saffron of the yogi (seer).

• The wooden blocks that are used are made of teak wood. And traditionally, vegetable dyes made of madder, pomegranate rind, indigo, and turmeric are used. These have now been largely replaced by chemical dyes. Often, the fabric is dyed before it is printed.

Ajrak of Gujarat• One of the most specialised and finest kinds of block printing,

AJRAKH is a popular traditional art form of Kutch with its main centres in Dhamadka, Khavda and Bhuj in Gujarat.

•Ajrakh printing is one of the famous traditional special skills of Kutch. The word ‘Ajrakh’ means ‘keep it to day’ and perhaps served as resources of advertising. It also means making beautiful and in Arabia, Ajrakh indicates the blue colour which is an important technique. Khatri community has been occupied in this craft for many centuries and the technique is controlled down from father to son. In recent times, Harijan craftsmen qualified under Khatri craftsmen are also capturing this craft. Dhamanka and Khavda are the two most important centres.

Process:

• The entire process of printing Ajrakh thus involves 13 stages that are inevitably more expensive to produce, but the result is a wonderful depth of colour not achievable with surface printing.

• First, the material is preoccupied and progressed by washing. Washed cloth is dipped in a solution of microbalances and dried. Then, it is spread on printing table topped with sack made stuffing.

• The fabric section required to maintain the original white colour is first printed with defend against prepared by using lime, gum and water. Wherever red colour is required that segment is printed with Alum solution.

• The Alum sees through the cloth while lime acts as refuse to accept. Sometimes, sawdust or camel dung powder is spotted to strengthen the resist.

• The same process is repeated on the other side for both sides printing. Afterwards, the cloth is absorbed in mixture containing. Alizarine and Padvas in which the processed cloth gets a bright red colour on the portion provided with Alum. Again, resist print is repeated to maintain white and red colours.

• Then, the cloth is dipped in indigo solution prepared by mixing indigo cake, chajikar, lime and water by the exciting method. Even a type of yellow soil nearby identified as ‘Kaiya’ is used for black colour. The cloth is washed in flowing water, dried, ironed and packed.

• In the ‘Minakari’ process of painting, lime or terracotta resists is avoided and the white portions of Ajrakh twist into light blue. Minakari process makes possible the printers to get different shades from dark blue and red to deep maroon.

• To avoid the lengthy and time overwhelming method the craftsmen also make use of artificial colours. Nepthols for red and for blue colour indigo green no. 60 is also utilized.

• Champakali, Raiya, Kharek, Nipad, Grinari etc. are the main and famous traditional designs used in painting and they are used on cradle spreads, lungis, sarees, dress materials, pillow covers and table cloths. Main centres of

printing are Dhamanka, Khavda and Bhuj.