HISTORY OF

INDIAN
TEXTILES
BLOCK PRINTING:
YRUJ MRET DNE

SANGANER, BAGH & BATIK

BRIGHT MARIYA SEBASTIAN
BD/19/518
 Select and study anyone Indian state or a category of textile( woven, dyed,
printed, painted, or embroidered) with respect to its textile tradition

Research to be based on :

BRIEF Analysis of the textile practices of the state including motif language,
color significance, nature of the product, layout, and historical
perspective of the textile traditions practiced
Influence of technique on fabric development
Influence of designers/ contemporary methods of practises and
recent developments
 Textile printing is the process of applying color in definite patterns

BLOCK and designs

Hand block printing is one such technique, which involves carving a
desired pattern or design on a wooden block, covering this block

PRINTING with ink or dye and then stamping it on the fabric. While blocks can
be made up of stone; but for better results they are more commonly
made from wood.
GNITNIRP KCOLB
 Rajasthan as the hub of craft and culture houses many traditional crafts
and among them, the most practiced and known craft is hand block
printing
The region of Sanganer has emerged as one such center for the age-old
craft of hand block printing. Sanganer is a small village situated around

SANGANER 30 km from the walled city of Jaipur and considered to be the most
prosperous place in Jaipur.
The village has been a major center for very fine block-cutting and
printing units accommodating more than 5000 block printers. The
water of the river Saraswati flowing from Sanganer is considered to be
having a special quality that brings out the radiance from the naturally
dyed fabric.
NOITCUDORTNI
 DESIGNS/MOTIFS
Fine line and intricate detailing
The designs are based on
traditional motifs, paisley
flowers, leaves, birds,
centerline, charming blend of
bel, flowers, buds, and leaves. kamal buti
There are also versions of the
mango motif, betel leaf, and
even jhumkas embedded in
these motifs
Normally, the corners or the
border of the fabric are
embellished with grapevine
movement with a black or dark Bichoo buti
outline.
SFITOM/SNGISED

The motifs are usually flower-

based, and some of the most
prominent flower patterns
include sunflowers, roses,
narcissus, and at times,
rudrakshas too. kharbuja buti
 PRINTS
STNIRP
 COLOURS
Originally the printers used colors derived from natural dyes.
Indigo Blue: Extracted from the indigo plant found throughout
India. -
Red: This is obtained by mixing alizarin with alum. The color
ranges from pink to deep red.
Black: This is an acidic solution of iron that is obtained by
processing rusted nails, horseshoes, iron scrap, etc. with jaggery
and salt.
The mixture is buried under the ground and allowed to rot for
about 10-15 days. It is then taken out and the color is prepared.
Green: The skin of the pomegranate is processed by boiling.
Apart from this artisans also use the bark of mango tree, vinegar,
slaked lime, etc.
Discharge Dyes: These dyes are used to print on dark
background. The printing colors have a chemical that reacts with
the dark ground fabric and bleaches out the dark color from that
particular place and prints the desired color.
In this process, a range of white and other light colors can be
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printed on a dark background

 Pigment Dyes:
These colors are readily available in the market and are easy to
use. The mixed colors can be stored in plastic buckets after use.
These colors follow the direct printing technique. The colors
applied are visible and do not change after washing. A number of
colors can be obtained by mixing two or more pigment colors.

Reactive Dyes:
These are the chemical dyes that when mixed with the second
chemical produce a third color. Artisans, therefore, dye the cloth,
to be printed, in one chemical and then print it with another
chemical.

Rapid fast Colors:

These colors are difficult to store and have to be used the same
day. In a rapid fast color process, the color in the design and the
ground color both are printed in one go. Generally, white or light
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background is used. T
 Cloth: Traditionally the printing was done on a white or pale background of cotton cloth. Today the craft is practiced on
any material ranging from cotton, silk, organza, jute, kotadoriya, chiffon, paper etc.

Color Plates: Colors used for printing are kept in a wooded tray called saaj. Once the color is poured into the tray wire
mesh is placed inside. This mesh is covered with a piece of felt. Felt soaks the color and finally, a fine cotton/malmal
cloth is placed on the felt. This preparation helps in proper application of color on the block.
SLAIRETAM WAR DNA SLOOT

Dyes Cotton cloth Color tray

 The datta is the filler block printed in A wooden block having buti carved in it.
Rekh of a buta. solid colors. These blocks are made in teak wood.

Metal block, were the motifs are made with

WOODEN BLOCK The Rekh of a jaal. Rekh is the outline
inlay of thin metal sheet. block with the minute line patterns.
These blocks are usually made
SLAIRETAM WAR DNA SLOOT

on teak or seesham wood.

Artisans make sure that the
wood is seasoned and then
carve the motifs on it.
Once the block is made it is
soaked in oil from10-15 days to
soften the grains.
The life of these blocks is
usually 600-800 meters of
print.
 WASHING

The fabric brought from the

market contains starch, dust, etc.
The water is dipped in water and
bleach for 1-2 days.
It is then boiled and washed with
water.
This process is called Hari Sarana
and it takes 3-5 to dry the cloth

The cloth to be printed is spread

on the wooden table
The cloth is stretched tightly to
remove any kind of wrinkles.
Stretched cloth is pinned using
ball pins at regular intervals to
obtain tightness.
Marking is done to obtain
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accurate printing
 The printer dips the block in the color and stamps the design on the cloth.
The blocks are then pressed hard with the fist on the back of the handle so
that the registration/imprint of the color is even. Printing starts from left to
right.
The outlines are printed with Rekh
The closer view of minute line patterns or rekh
Bold forms, datta being printed in solid color blocks
No of the colors used in the design defines the no of blocks used
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A specific point in the block guides the printer for the repeat impression. The
process of printing is called as Chapaai.
 The borders are filled with another color using Finally, the printed fabric is washed to remove
another block. excess color and dirt.
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 The main items that are printed includes, sarees, dupattas, salwar-kameez, bed cover,
PRODUCTS curtains, scarves, running material, bedcovers, angocha, stoles etc. Along with above
items, printing is also done on handmade papers.
STCUDORP
DECAF SEGNELLAHC

The gradual downfall came when artisans started palming off substandard cloth and prints to an eager and
unsuspecting foreign market.
Since block printing was a tedious process, the artisans in an illusion at their foreign clients would never know the
difference, switched to screen printing.
The importers caught on, reduced their orders, bringing down the export.
 The hand block printed fabrics from Bagh are popularly known as Bagh prints. Bagh is
a small tribal town in the Kukshi tehsil of Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.
Legend has it that the town of Bagh, the Baghini River, and the nearby Bagh caves (3rd
& 5th century AD, with rich carvings and paintings dedicated to both Hindu as well as

BAGH Buddhist deities) got their name from the baghs or tigers that inhabited the region.

Bagh Print has its roots in Larkana (Sindh) which is now a part of Pakistan.
The art of such printing moved eastwards to Marwar (Rajasthan), India.
Later it moved to Manavar (Madhya Pradesh), India.
From Manavar it descended to the Bagh village with Khatris (community), comprising
Chippas or Printers.
NOITCUDORTNI
 DESIGNS & MOTIF
Bagh printing basically involves
wooden blocks that are carved
into motifs that represent flora
such as Jasmine, Mango,
Mushroom, and many more.
Some prints are also inspired by
Jaali (net) work that is
embellished in Taj Mahal and
other Indian forts.
Inspiration is also drawn from the
landscapes and geometrical
figures.
The motifs evoke various
emotions in the serenity of the
prints and that is the best element
of Bagh prints.
Local names of some of the motifs
used are Nandana – Mango,
Tendu – Specific Plant, Mung ki
SFITOM

Phali – Bean, Leheria, Jowaria,

Phool buta etc.
 Wood is first cut to make a block and one of its sides is smoothened.
It is then painted white and the design is engraved and carved.
Holes are drilled up to two centimeters on the sides of the block to avoid air bubbles.
This also ensures that the block doesn’t stick to the fabric because of vacuum during printing. Handles are
made for easy grip.
Blocks are of two types: Rek and Gad. Gad is a ‘filled block’ and is used for printing the base of the pattern.
Rek is used for intricate prints that are done inside the spaces left blank by the Gad block.
GNIKAM KCOLB

Prints of patterns carved in the block Block making One carved unit out of many to be done still.
 The holes on the side of the block to
prevent a vacuum from being created while Spiral pattern block.
printing.

Warli art block.

Each block takes two to five days

to be made with eight hours of
GNIKAM KCOLB

work put in daily.

‘Rek’ block for printing the intricate

paisley. ‘Gad’ block for printing the base
 Fabric Treatment
Though fabrics like silk and georgette
are now being used, most of the
printing is done on cotton that comes
from Bhiwandi.
It is first soaked in water for about
twelve hours and then suckled with
legs to remove the starch. Rock salt.
Fabric soaked in water.
This process is called ‘kharakarna’. It
is then bleached and washed in
‘sanchorapaani’ (a mix of rock salt and
water).
TNEMTAERT CIRBAF

Fabric being bleached Rock salt being crushed.

 Fabric Treatment
. Harara powder (obtained from a type
of tree) is mixed in water and the
fabric is washed in it for about five
minutes.
This provides it with an off-white/ off-
yellow tinge and also aids in
Fabric soaked in sanchorapaani. strengthening the tones of black and Harara powder being mixed in
red colors printed later. water..
It is then dried in the sun.
About two hundred pieces of fabric
are made ready to print every day.
TNEMTAERT CIRBAF

Fabric being squeezed after the hararawash. Fabric being dried after the harara
wash.
 Printing
On top of this, a felt piece is kept to avoid excessive sticking of
Ferrous sulfate (used for making black dye) or alum color. Through this, the color is picked up an inappropriate
(used for preparing red dye) is first mixed with water. amount by the portion of the block that is to be printed.
After that ‘imli ka chiya’ (tamarind seed powder which Paper is used, whenever required so that the unnecessary part
is now a substitute for glue) is mixed into the alum or falls on the paper and not the fabric. This is usually done at the
iron sulfate solution. borders of the fabric.
A paste right for the consistency of printing is made.
Other shades can be created by varying the ratio of
different ingredients used.
It takes 2-3 hours to prepare these colors. Usually,
large quantities are prepared at once. A drum of color
lasts about four to five days. Color-containing trays are
covered with a bamboo frame.
GNITNIRP

A piece of felt on the bamboo frame Printing or 'Chapayi' begins

 The fabric to be printed upon is
spread over the table that has
several layers of jute, blanket,
and cotton cloth.
Blocks are carefully chosen and
then printing or ‘chapayi’ begins.
‘

Gad’ or fill block is used first to

‘Gad’ block printing.
create bold defining forms.
Then the designs are detailed out
with the ‘rek’ block that prints
intricate line motifs.
The print dries off in about half-
hour but the dress material is left
in the open for about fifteen-
twenty days.
This is for the color to be
absorbed properly into the fabric
GNITNIRP

and become ‘pakka’.

 Rek’ block printing

‘Gad’ block printing ‘Rek’ block printing in the blank paisley

spaces.

Paisley.
GNITNIRP

‘Rek’ block printing.

 Borders of the saree
being printed.
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The comfortable grip of Repairing a defective piece by

the block. ‘topping’ it with another layer of print.
 Washing
The next part of the process is to
take the printed bundles to be
washed in running water.
The fabric is first cleansed in Bed-sheet being laid
flowing water and then beaten out in the sun to dry.
Bed-sheet being beaten against stones. against stones. That clears the
material of any excess color. This
requires a lot of care else stains and
smudges would appear on the
printed surface. It is then left to dry
in the sun.
GNIHSAW

Patterns of the washed fabric.

Bed-sheet being washed in the river

 Boiling
Once the fabric is dried after washing in the
river, it is taken to a huge copper vessel to be
boiled.
This cauldron rests on a setup under which fire
is lit. It contains about a hundred grams of
alizarin (a type of vegetable powder to make
the colors fast) and two hundred liters of
water.
Dhavdikephool (a type of flower) is added to
lend shine to the print and prevent froth from
damaging the fabric. Water is poured into the copper cauldron.
The load has to be constantly stirred with a
stick to avoid stains because of the flame under
the copper drum.
A single load contains about thirty pieces that
have to be boiled for about two hours. This
process is called ‘bhattikarna’
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Alizarin mixed with water being poured in.

 It is at this stage that the block
prints take their actual color.
One can see the pinks and
purples turning into red and
black. The heat from under
does magic, quite literally.
The actual red and black Later, if needed, the off-white
colors being seen. base is dyed to bright colors like
yellow, green, blue, and orange
by adding different vegetable
dyes.
Bleaching is done once again
after boiling to remove stains
and colors that have bled.
One final wash in clean water is
done and the printed fabric is The boiled fabric
laid out in the sun to dry, ready being bleached.
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to be worn!

Dhavdikephool.
 That final squeeze before drying.

The difference in colors

before and after boiling
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Fabric’s final wash in clean water. The saree’s last sun-drying before
being worn.
 Though the fabric originally used was cotton, printing is now also being done on
tassar, crepe, silk, and georgette. Available in vibrant hues, the collection of bed
sheets, cushion covers, dupattas, dress materials, sarees, and pants reflects the true
mastery of the creators.
Actually, the international market of Bagh products offers immense prospects for a
PRODUCTS variety of reasons.
Organic clothing is increasingly becoming popular. Passion for vegetable colors is
growing. Thanks to the untiring efforts of master printers in Bagh, it has developed
into a premier cluster of hand-made textile printing in the country, giving a distinct
identity to Madhya Pradesh.
STCUDORP
 Coasters

Table mat
STCUDORP
 Hand Batik Printing is the art of decorating the cloth. It is
believed that the word Batik is derived from the word

BATIK
‘ambatik’ which means ‘a cloth with little dots’ whereas
‘tik’ means little dot, drop, point, or to make dots and it is
also believed that the word ‘batik’ originated from the
Japanese word ‘tritik’ that defines a resist process for
dying.
NOITCUDORTNI
 Batik print is a very old form of art, whereas
the evidence of early batik print has been
discovered in the Middle East, Egypt, Peru,
Japan, East Turkistan, Europe as well as
Central Asia (India and China) as far back as
2000 years ago.
Batik was initially practiced in China as early as
the Sui Dynasty (AD581 – 618). The history of
Indian batik traced back to the 1st century AD.
During that period, the Khatri community
people of Gujarat were the only set of artisans
for this Batik art.

Now there is no single community involved in

this work, there are artisans of various regions
who are trained in hand batik print.
NIGIRO DNA YROTSIH

In India, this Batik printing is done in many

places such as Rajasthan, Andra Pradesh,
Maharashtra, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh
and Gujarat.
 The traditional designs and
motifs in Indian batik are often
passed down from one
Design & Motifs generation to another.
These motifs generally fall
under two categories –
geometrical patterns and free
flow designs.
The former commonly involves
designs transferred from the
paper onto the fabric, while the
latter allows artisans to freely
express their artistic skills with
elaborate motifs.
SFITOM DNA NGISED

Traditional non-geometrical
batik motifs may represent the
beauty of nature such as flowers,
leaves, birds, fish, insects and
animals. Other more intricate
motifs depict humans, folk
scenes and Gods.
Design & Motifs
SFITOM DNA NGISED
 Crackling
The fabric is dipped into the heated wax and
then left to dry so that after the wax is dried it
will become hard and intentionally squeeze the
fabric creating crackles.
When it is dyed, crackled places would form a
vain-like structure on the fabric.
KITAB NI SEUQINHCET TNEREFFID

Canting
Canting is a Javanese technique in which pen-like
tool is used to apply the hot wax onto the fabric
creating desired designs
 The colors which were used
traditionally were indigo, red and
black.
Pure cotton and pure silk are used are the best fabric for batik as these are
Afterward due to more demand
strong enough to handle the heat of the wax.
for colors and modernization of
The other common fabric used in batik printing is cambric cotton and
chemical dyes are been used(
poplin.
Naphol dye) and even many of
the artisans are doing natural
dyes.
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Colors
12
The fabric is washed for the removal of starch and
other impurities so that printing can be done
properly.
After washing, it is kept for drying
PROCESS
noitatneserP erutcetihcrA

The paraffin wax is heated and then the

block is dipped in the wax and then
printed on the fabric.
The temperature of the heating wax is to
The table for printing is arranged. be maintained as the temperature
Sand is placed on the lower surface on which the fabric increases or decreases, the printing
is placed so that the wax can be absorbed by the fabric would be affected badly.
properly.
 The fabric is dipped in naphthol
dye for 10-15 mins.
The batik is not done in hot dyes
but in cool dyes.
If you want to double the color,
the process is repeated

o remove all water

After the dyeing is done, the

fabric is kept to remove all the
water as we cannot squeeze
the fabric.
Then the fabric is boiled at
100-degree celsius, hence the
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wax is melted.
12

After the wax is removed from the fabric

for recycling, the same wax is stored and
again used for printing
The patterns are filled with colors

Once the wax is removed it is washed

and dried twice so that the wax
remaining is removed and the fabric is
noitatneserP erutcetihcrA

ready.

Printing is completed
 Hand batik print is a very old and unique art. The colorful batik prints elegance the
home furnishings with classiness and style.
Household lines, beautiful bags, wall painting, and murals with batik works have a
PRODUCTS great demand in the domestic and also in international market.
The Batik wall hangings highlight the walls with their bright colors and motifs.
Whereas hand batik printed kurtis, sarees and wrappers are the favored choices of
the fashion populace.
STCUDORP
 Lakme Fashion Week 2017:
Paramparik Karigar present 'Craft Is
Cool'

Mohammed Yusuf Khatri, Master Craftsman

from Madhya Pradesh along with his sons, Bilal
and Kazeem has always created wonders on
fabrics as well as even bamboo mats and
leather.
The inspiration has been the fauna and
TNIRP HGAB HTIW GNIKROW SRENGISED

architecture of the land that enchanted lovers

of the Bagh hand block printing and dyeing
techniques.
Teaming up with Mohammed Yusuf Khatri
were Vineet Kataria and Rahul Arya with their
label 'Vineet Rahul'.
Using the fabrics cleverly, the duo unveiled
their collection called 'Raag' comprising neo-
Indian slim line kurtas; wrap trench coats,
quilted skirts; while the silhouettes moved from
kimono sleeves to detailing with pleated
hemlines.
TNIRP HGAB HTIW GNIKROW SRENGISED
 Urvashi Kaur ss15
KITAB NAIDNI HTIW GNIKROW SRENGISED