Ram Ram sa !!
In the previous blog, we have discussed about Traditional Handicrafts of Rajasthan. The most colorful of these handicrafts are the various clothing and Textiles of Rajasthan.
The purely handcrafted techniques of printing on Textiles of Rajasthan with varied patterns gives a distinctive and mesmerizing look to the cloths and furnishings. The hand embroidery, mirror and sequin work, patch patterns, applique work along with the printing techniques earns Textile of Rajasthan, a place in Handicrafts of Rajasthan.
Here we offer an insight on the different types of Textiles of Rajasthan and their printing techniques.
The textiles of Rajasthan are prominently made up of cotton fabric. The desert like dry and colorless cotton is then turned into bright and vibrant colorful dresses with various techniques of dyeing and printing. Ghaghra, Choli (Kurti) and Odhni are the traditional dresses of the women of Rajasthan. Bagru and Sanganer near Jaipur, Akola, Jodhpur and Barmer have their own distinct identity all over the world. Khajane walon ka Rasta, Bapu Bazaar and Indira Bazaar are the major cloth markets of Jaipur.
The prominent techniques of printing are Tie & Dye and Block printing. Bagru and Sanganer boasts of hand block printing styles while Bandhej, Bandhani, Laheriya, Mothara, Batik, Ekdali, Shikri and Chhint are the Tie & Dye techniques. Kota Doriya and khadi are the handloom style whereas kambadiya, patch work and hand embroidery are other styles that mixes traditional and modern techniques.
Tie and Dye Tecniques
Tie & Dye is the most colorful cultural product of Rajasthan’s textiles. Bright contrast colors are used for tie and dye. Work is done in different fabrics like silk, cotton, satin, georgette, chiffon etc. Laheriya, Bandhej, Mothra and Batik are common tie and dye patterns. Beautiful dress materials, kurtis, suit pieces and saris are made using these techniques. Jodhpur, Sikar, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Barmer and Pali are the centers where traditional tie and dye work can be seen. Tourists visiting Rajasthan love to pick up tie & dye products, quilts, bed sheets or garments as souvenirs of their trips.
Bandhani :-
Bandhej sarees also known as “Bandhani sarees” are found especially in Gujarat and Rajasthan. The beautiful Bandhej showcases the rich culture of Rajasthan. The meaning of name Bandhej is to tie. Women in Rajasthan wear bandhani saris during festivals, especially red and green dotted saris known as chunari. Men also wear colored turbans of bandhej cloth. Jaipur’s Johri Bazaar and Bapu Bazaar are the centers where a variety of bandhej suits, saris and skirts are available.
Laheriya:-
Rajasthan has a tradition of wearing Laheriya sarees during the Hindi calendar month of Shravan or Sawan. Laheriya is usually created using two alternating waves. These days multicolor laheriya is also in trend. Laheriya is used for making Odhni, Turban, Dress material, Saree etc. Udaipur, the city of lakes, is famous for its Laheriya work.
Mothra:-
Mothra is a check pattern that gives the impression of waves flowing in the opposite direction. Jodhpur in Rajasthan is famous for its Mothra sarees.
Batik
In Batik Prints, the fabric is dyed with molten wax and then dyed in cool colors after which the fabric is washed with hot water.
Hand Block Print
Hand Block print of Rajasthan in India is known for its intricate designs and details. The rich and vibrant colors used in block printing has given it prominence as a craft of Rajasthan. This traditional craft is practiced for almost 500 years. The printing is done by hand using wooden blocks of various shapes and sizes called boonta.
Block prints are broadly classified in two categories – Sanganeri and Bagru prints. Sanganeri prints are done on a white background while Bagru prints are done exclusively on red and black background.
Sanganer Block Print
Sanganer is the most popular center of block and screen-printing in Rajasthan. It is popular for its variety of folk patterns on white cloth. It is great for home furnishing such as bed cover, table cloth etc. Thin black outlines are used to make the motifs and red dye is used to color the figures and flowers.
Bagru Block Print
Bagru near Jaipur is popular for its hand block printing. It is famous for its palm fan pattern. The patterns in vibrant colors like indigo blue, alizarin, iron block and bright yellow are produced by indigenous process of dyeing and printing on thick fabric.
Barmer Prints
The bold geometric prints of Barmer set it apart from the rest of the Rajasthani wear. Additionally, in contrast to lighter floral colors, Barmer clothing shows darker colors as it takes inspiration from Barmer’s location in the Thar Desert, where locals believe dark colors are cool.
Kota Doriya
Kota in Rajasthan is famous for its Kota Doriya cloths. This fabric is special because of its distinctive weaving style. The soft and lightweight fabric of Kota Doria looks like a net where weaving is visible. It is now available in various colours.
Embroidery
Rajasthan is also known for embroidery styles like Gota, Zardozi and Banarasi. All of them use metal and thread embroidery.
Traditional Rajasthani embroidery work was done on cotton, silk or velvet with a variety of fine stitches. Embroidery designs were floral, geometric or mythological. The common people of Rajasthan embellished their clothes and things of everyday use with Rajasthani embroidery, which used simple embroidery stitches and designs. These motifs are taken from natural and familiar things from their day to day life.
In Sikar and Jhunjhunu districts of Rajasthan, the edges of the lehenga are engraved with designs of birds, animals, trees and flowers.
In Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan, an embroidered work patch called Ralli is made. Small pieces of fabric are stitched together in a decorative pattern to form the top of the garment. In Jaisalmer and Jodhpur, silk thread embroidery is done on leather, especially on shoes and waistcoats. Pads for the finger and knee joints are another item made of leather that is decorated with scenes similar to miniatures.
In Rajasthan’s Bikaner district, women created geometric patterns to embroider fabrics by counting threads and weaving in warp.
The glory of Rajasthan, apart from the bravery of its Rajput rulers, forts and royalty, is also associated with the production of colored cloth in the Maru-Gurjara tradition since ancient times
Hope you liked the same. Please let us know through the comment section and suggest any improvements or topics you would like us to write about. Also please do read about Handicrafts of Rajasthan and History of Indian Handicrafts .