Bagh - the hand block printing craft of Bagh, Madhya Pradesh

This bold and vibrant hand block Bagh printing has its origins in Bagh village in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh and from where it also derives its name ‘Bagh prints’. This unique craft was started by the Chhippas of the Khatri community who migrated to Bagh around 400 years ago  from Larkana is Sind which is famous for its Ajrak prints.

Bagh was chosen as a suitable place for this craft as the high copper content in the waters of Bagh River adds depth to the color.

Like most handicrafts, Bagh printing is a tedious and time-consuming process but the end results are worth the wait. The whole process of block printing involves '15 STEPS' and a single Bagh print composition may comprise of as many as 1300 different block impressions.

Picture Credit: MP Tourism

Picture Credit: MP Tourism

The process starts by treating the fabric by soaking it in raw sea salt, non-refined castor oil and goat dung; it is then dried three times in succession.

Picture Credit: Hand Block Print India

Picture Credit: Hand Block Print India

 After the final drying the cloth is dipped in a solution of harada or baheda powder. After drying the cloth again for fifteen days, it is washed in flowing river water and finally boiled in water mixed with dhavdi flowers and roots of aal tree in a copper vessel to give colors a deep hue.



Picture Credit: Hand Block Print India

Picture Credit: Hand Block Print India

Bagh prints are characterized by geometrical patterns of floral motifs, usually using tones of black, red and blue. Many of the Bagh print motifs are imitations of the drawings made by the Pandavas during their stay in the caves in exile.


Making the printing blocks is a tricky task, wherein teak blocks are carved patiently with sharp carpentry tools. They are immersed in oil for days upon completion to prevent insect attacks.

Natural colors are extracted through various raw materials. Tamarind seed mixed with alum creates the characteristic red color of Bagh and black color is obtained by leaving a mixture of iron fillings and jaggery together for a fortnight. Whilst the artists try to experiment with new colors using peels of different fruit and vegetables, the traditional dyes still yield the best result, being tried and tested for years.

Picture Credit: The Color Caravan

Picture Credit: The Color Caravan

Picture Credit: The Color Caravan

Picture Credit: The Color Caravan

Owing to the process, the craftsmen of Bagh manage to produce only 1,000 to 1,500 meters of cloth in a month.

Imitation prints have flooded the market and can easily mass produce 20,000 meters of cloth a month. Hence, these imitation prints are threatening this craft, its value being lost in the dilution of quality process.

Authentic Bagh prints have a distinctive smell of alizarin (organic dye).

The Color Caravan has partnered with the Bagh block print artists of the Khatri community to expand the reach and extent of this craft form.
 

Picture Credit: The Color Caravan

Check out our complete range of casual Bagh Block Print Shirts for men on our eStore.

Chikankari : a delicate embroidery technique from Oudh

 

Native to the city of Nawabs - Lucknow, earlier known as Oudh or Awadh, Chikankari embroidery dates back to the 17th century when it was introduced as a court craft by the Mughal empress, Noor Jahan.

 
Over time it spread to the cities of Kolkata, Delhi, Dhaka, Varanasi and Bhopal when court patronage was offered to the artisans. However, Awadh remained the home of this art as the finely embroidered Muslins of Chikan became a prescribed requirement of the Mughal Court.

 
 
 The word chikan comes from the Persian word chikaan meaning drapery.
 
Originally done on Muslin cloth with raw thread, white on white, Chikankari is a form of subtle embroidery in which minute and delicate stitches stand out as textural contrasts, shadows and traceries. In a unique form of this art, 'anokhi chikan' the stitches do not appear at the back.

International Trade fairs in the nineteenth century such as 'The Calcutta International Exhibition of 1883-84' and 'The Indian and Colonial exhibition of 1886' imparted a huge impetus to the universal demand for chikankari. It was no longer dependent on court patronage as commercialized demand grew.

Like most handicrafts, Chikan embroidery undergoes a laborious process.

The pattern to be embroidered is stamped onto the fabric by hand with a wooden pattern block that has been coated with neel (indigo).

 
The fabric now has the outlines of the designs that will be embroidered into the delicate ‘shadow’ embroidery motifs that are the defining feature of Chikankari.

  

 

After this the embroidered product is washed. Washing is very important. After the product goes through the preceding steps it becomes so dirty that the finer flaws are not seen unless it is washed. Clipping extra threads, fixing any flaws, and putting finishing touches on product are some of the final steps.

Chikankari has six basic stitches and 'over thirty-five' other traditional stitches used in various combinations based on what the pattern to be embroidered requires. 
 
 
 

 
The names of some of these stitches are phanda, chana patti, ghaas patti, bijli, jaali, tepchi, bakhiya, hool, zanzeera, rahet, banaarsi, kharau, keel kangan, bubul and hath kadi.
 
 

Depending on the type of garment and the pattern to be embroidered the entire process happens in a series of stages over a period of months or even years.

Also, the embroidery itself is divided among the artisans, with pairs or groups of three or more specializing in one particular stitch. When one group completes their particular stitch for a garment, it is passed on to the next group to add their specialty stitch.

 
 
After surviving the loss of royal patronage, Chikankari suffered deeply at the hands of commercialization and lost its way in mediocrity  as traders flooded the markets with coarse work and thoughtless design owing to growing demand in the 1980s.

Off late, organizations have intervened with sensitive design solutions and have worked with artisans devoted to Chikankari to re-create its original charm.


The Color Caravan along with its partner organization in Lucknow is striving to do the same, shaping the craft to the needs and demands of its patrons whilst maintaining its authenticity and intricacy.

Check out some elegant Chikankari stoles created by craftspeople of our partner organization on our eStore.


(The Color Caravan owns the copyright for all the photographs in this post. Cannot be used in any form without written permission.)
 

Madhubani Art

The Madhubani meta-cluster districts of Madhubani, Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur lie upon the ancient land of Mithila famed for its cultural heritage, finding its origins in the Ramayana. It is believed that on the occasion of his daughter's wedding, Janaka; the ruler of Mithila asked his kinfolk to decorate the floors and walls of the kingdom with painting and thus Madhubani originated. True to their land, the people in this region continue to maintain a unique sense of culture and art.

Surrounded by the Himalayas on the north and the Ganga's water-network in the other three directions, it is believed that Madhubani's geographical seclusion aids the flourishment of this unique cultural mileu. Headed by the conservative Maithil Brahmins, this region is home to a strict caste discipline which seems to dictate all aspects of socio-cultural life, including its rich craft heritage.

Madhubani artist at work

 

 

Mithila's crafts exist within a delicate balance of all these factors, coupled with gender
roles - it has been observed that Madhubani paintings are only done by women; murals painted by Dushads (those on the lower boundaries of castes) depict the harsh realities of social divide.


Madhubani artist at work

Madhubani seems to draw its main influence from Hindu rituals, mythical figures, gods and goddesses. The artists also draw symbols from their natural surroundings which abound in aquatic flora and fauna. These natural motifs and linked with symbolic meanings - the turtle is a symbol of Vishnu, the Snake is perceived as the guardian of the underworld, and the lotus and bamboo symbolize female and male sexuality respectively. Ritual paintings accompany auspicious occasions and find their way on the walls of people's homes when newly weds arrive, or on the birth of a child.



Madhubani artist at work

                                            
Madhubani paintings have been prevalent in three forms, Aripona or floor art; Bhitti Chitra or wall paintings and Godana meaning tattoos. Natural colors of rice paste, turmeric and sindoor are traditionally used by the women to create such paintings. Wall paintings made by upper caste Brahmin women derive their themes from mainstream Hindu worship, whereas the mud murals made by the Dushads revolve around their epic, Mahagatha, and its protagonist, Raja Sailesh.

Though it is rather well known today, Madhubani was originally discovered by co incidence. Government officials touring the region in 1966 due to an ongoing drought discovered this art form and realizing its true potential, urged the women to start painting on paper for commercial purposes.That was the time when Madhubani broke free from its ritualistic ties and truly blossomed as an art form.

Most commonly sold as paintings on paper and saris, the commercialization of this art has come to empower the women of this region, otherwise plagued with gender differences and a strong patriarchy.

We at The Color Caravan have tried to further the scope of this art-form by partnering with individual artists and self-help groups co-creating one of a kind Madhubani crafts, hoping to reach more people and creating awareness.

Following are some of the products that we've created with our partner artists over last 2.5 years.

 

 

 

 

 

Check out some of our Madhubani art products currently available at our eStore.

(The Color Caravan owns the copyright for all the photographs in this post. Cannot be used in any form without permission.)

Bibliography: Handmade in India