Sanganeri Print is famous for its specific appearance, wide range of floral motifs on fine cotton cloth. The recognizing characters of Sanganeri Print are fast colors, meaningful, well-proportioned lyrical motifs designed to suit the occasion, place and patrons. The design forms of the Sanganeri Print can be described by one or more of four Terms i.e. Butis, Butas, Jhar and Border. Traditional Sanganeri Print is known due to its delicate floral sprays spaced regularly mostly on a white and sometimes on pastel blue or yellow ground of fine cotton. Thus Sanganeri Print design appears equally vividly on the underside of the cloth. Fine lines, soft curves, and refinement are the characteristics of Sanganeri Prints. Stylized flower and plant motifs dominate Sanganeri Print designs. A special feature of Sanganeri Print is the use of variety of designs in the same piece of cloth, and these are beautifully harmonized. Sanganeri printed cloth mostly impart a flavour of old paintings like that of stylized sun flower, narcissuses, roses and other flowers with luxuriant foliage. Another distinguishing feature of Sanganeri Print lies in the fact that these motifs are a result of stamping by wooden Hand Blocks. All Sanganeri Prints are produced by Hand Block Printing and not by any mechanical device.
Sanganeri Printed textiles are mostly on cotton cloths and sometimes on cotton x silk. A wide range of Made ups, Home furnishings and Garments are produced from Sanganeri Printed Cloth. All Sanganeri Prints so produced display an extensive variety of Butis and Butas where as dyeing shows a variety of natural colours. It has various traditional sheds of colours and designs created by the skilled Chhipas who only have the expertise of preparing colour mixture using desired ingredients in specific ratios. Dyeing of Sanganeri Printed Cloth is by use of natural colours (vegetable colours) as such, the finished cloth often emits very pleasant odour. Sanganeri Print Textiles do not fade even when exposed to sunlight or washed many times. Colour preparation and printing is a highly skilled job. The creation of rich and wide range of print designs lies in stamping by Hand made wooden blocks. Turners locally known as Kharadiyes posses the skill of producing desired blocks using dried wood of plants like “shisham”, “gurjan”, “mango”, “teak” and “ardu”. Thus it is the skill of Chhipas and Kharadiyes that results in production of well known Sanganeri Prints.
Sanganeri Print Sari is a variously dyed and printed cotton or silk or cotton x silk fabric. Special features of these sarees are:
- These are printed fully by hand blocks
- These have mainly red and black as two main colours with a multiple of shades -yellow, brown, indigo blue, green etc.
- These have Sombre colours and fine-lined designs. Designs usually represents a variety of flowers e.g. motifs based on Lotus, Iris, Rose, Poppy, Water Lily, Narcissus, Marigold, Sunflower, Chinese rose, Chrysanthemum, Champa etc.
- Saris have usually motifs consisting of flowers, buds and leaves composed in the form of a mango, betel leaf, dagger and Jhumka (earring)
Chintz ( Chheent ) is cotton, cotton x silk, silk Sanganeri printed cloth of various length and width used mainly for Skirts (Ghagharas), and other made-ups for men and women.
Several Home Furnishing items are produced using Sanganeri printed cotton cloth. The print and colour mosaic varies to a large extent depending on their end use. Common Home Furnishing items are Bedspread, Pillow cover, Quilts, Table Cover, Cushion Cover, Bolster Cover, Curtains, Table Mats, Napkins, Oven Gloves, Tea Cozy etc.
Headgear (Safa) is of white background, black outline and red under line variously printed. It is usually of length 8 mtrs and width 0.9 mtrs. and is printed on fine fabric called ‘Mulmul’
“A town founded by a Kachhawaha prince Sangaji in the early 16th century, Sanganer developed into a printing centre in later centuries. Sir George Watt wrote in his monumental work Indian Art at Delhi in 1902 – 03: “The Sanganer town of Jaipur State must, however, be regarded as the very metropolis of the Calico-Printing craft of India so far as art conceptions and technique are concerned. Besides, being a calico printing centre it was a prosperous town as the Jaipur State records (preserved in the Rajasthan State Archives, Bikaner) suggest. Sanganer was known for its bright and fast dyes. A collection of miscellaneous-sayings (dated Vikram Sanwat. 1853 = A.D. 1796), while mentioning characteristics of various objects and places refers to “colours of Sanganer.”
When and how did this charming art of printing start ? The East India Company records of the 16th and 17th centuries do not mention the name of Sanganer; nor have we come across anything dated prior to 1764 (Cat. no. 2080), so far our present knowledge goes. But dastur-al-amal reports of 1703 gives detailed description of taxes levied on the printed fabrics, so does the rangkhana records of 1727. Though in rangkhana papers the word jaxkbZ (dyeing) is used instead of NikbZ (printing). At this point one should remember that at Jaipur jaxkbZ stands sometimes for printing also. For instance a leaf from rangkhana records (1727) reads, Þ egewnh jaxkok us nh cwVS ikeß gave mahmudi for dyeing motifs (to be printed) in fugitive colours.
Therefore one can safely presume that by the beginning of the 18th century the town was known as a printing centre, otherwise its name would not have appeared in the records of dastur-al-amal and rangkhana (one of the thirty six karkhanas of the royal household). This department looked after the dying and printing of fabrics. Moreover, the above mentioned text- Phutkar kata or miscellaneous sayings- also tells us that Sanganer was known for its colours. This would indicate that Chhippas of this town were already famous in early decades of the 18th century. A dated example in the City Palace collection – a head-dress –also support this saying. The head- dress, with date V.S. 1856 (A.D. 1799) in a square octroi seal, has a simple leaf pattern arranged closely on the ground along with a twig motif on the pallava. This is a highly finished work produced with fine blocks and sombre colours. It is interesting to know that this leaf motif also appears on an eighteenth century pattern sheet in the same collection. (Dr. Ms. Chandramani Singh, Textiles and Costumes from the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum; Jaipur Printers; 1979, p. XXX and XXXIII at Annexure – 4.3 & 4.4)
How did printing develop in Sanganer
As far as tradition goes, it is said that the great astronomer king-Sawai Jai Singh was responsible for giving impetus to the art of printing. Archival sources confirm the oral tradition that Sawai Jai Singh invited artists and craftsmen from different parts of the country to settle at Jaipur, among whom were zari workers from Surat and printers from Gujarat in general. Presumably he also brought some craftsmen from Malwa because the Sanganer cotton prints show an excellent combination of both of these traditions-the fineness of Malawa, particularly of Sironj, and the lyrical quality of design from Gujarat. This conjecture seems possible also as Malwa is to the southeast of Sanganer and Gujarat is to the south in geographical proximity. John Irwin does not go into details on the problems of migration but feels that, “Gujarat suffered badly during the wars of Auranzeb, and later in the plundering raids of the Marathas. Many of the craftsmen migrated to seek more settled employment in Rajasthan and other parts of north-west India. (Dr. Ms. Chandramani Singh, Textiles and Costumes from the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum; Jaipur Printers; 1979, p. XXX and XXXIII
Another useful historical evidence about Sanganer Print is given by the famous Textile Designer Ritu Kumar in her Book titled Costumes and Textiles of Royal India: Some excerpts are produced here “In the, Sanganer just 10 miles sought of Jaipur, the art of hand-block printing and design was developed to a high level of sophistication, and this small sixteenth-century village blossomed into one of India’s busiest artisan centers. The block-makers were among the most innovative and creative of the royal craftsmen. They understood how to produce texture on cloth and how to enhance the richness of the base cotton fabric. The genius of their print designs lay in their understanding of patterning fabric surfaces and the use of space. The traditional Jaipur buti, usually a floral or animal motif, was carved on to a small square wooden block. The carved block was pressed on to a piece of padded fabric dipped into a vegetable dye and the motif was then printed on to the cloth at carefully measured intervals. The same process was repeated with different blocks and colours, resulting in beautiful geometric patterns of astonishing regularity (page 134).”
“The process of transferring the design on to cloth also requires skill. A piece of fabric is spread over a low bench which is covered with a thick pad made of several layers of heavy cloth. The printer squats in front of this bench with the dye in a pan or earthenware vessel by his side. Inside this vessel is thick cloth pad saturated with dye. The block is pressed on to this pad and motif is then stamped on to the fabric. Different elements in the design require different colourings. For each colour impression the printer will have prepared a separate pan. A design may consist of 10 colours or more, some of which may overlap or be circumscribed by others. A high degree of skill is required both for the placement of the design and even application of pressure. Blocks are also used for applying mordants, wax, or any other resist in the same way.”(317)
“Sanganer in Rajasthan, became an important block-printing centre in the eighteenth century. The main contributions of Sanganer printers to the Indian printing industry were fast colours, and well-proportioned lyrical motifs designed for dupattas, odhanis, dress materials, soft furnishing, quilts and upholstery. These motifs had to suit the occasion, location and requirements of the patrons who commissioned the textiles. (Ritu Kumar, Costumes and Textiles of Royal India; Christie’s Books Ltd; 1999, p. 134 and 317
Jaipur prints are in a class by themselves. As a result of their having been directly under the patronage of the rulers who used them they attained a fines and sophistication of their own with stylized designs in delicate shades with a wider range, to cater to the select elite as distinct from the rough fabrics of big bold patterns and deep colours preferred by the common people. Sanganer, a village near Jaipur, became the prestigious work centre for such prints with very elaborate techniques. A special feature of these prints is the use of variety of designs in the same piece of cloth, but beautifully harmonized. Gold and silver effects are also introduced. In the older pieces one sees flower petals worked with gold or silver wires. The present process is after the basic colour printing has been done, the portions to be done is gold or silver are printed with an adhesive which is then allowed to dry while the leaf adheres to it. In the Jaipur Sanganer designs there is more of the flavour of the paintings of the earlier days, like stylized sunflowers, narcissuses, roses and other flowers with luxuriant foliage. The religious textiles consist of pieces in various sizes printed with the deity’s names: a special one used in Shiva worship has the tiny drum (Damru) and the trident forming the cross border and the dhatura flowers distributed in rows (Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay; Handicrafts of India; Indian Council for Cultural Relations in 1975; P.45
Gulab Kothari, presently the Chief Editor of Rajasthan Patrika has beautifully described Sanganeri Print and its origin in his book “Colourful Textiles of Rajasthan”. Relevant portion from the book as produced heare testimonizes the origins of colorful printing at Sanaganer in 18 th century. “Ancient and medieval literary texts often mention colourful textile produced in this region but actual example prior to 17th C. are not available in Indian collection with one exception that is Calico Museum of Textiles, Ahmedabad; which has acquired to number of small fragments found at A1 Fostat (Egypt). In the beginning of the century French archeologists while excavating at A1 Fostar, old capital of Egypt, found dead bodies wrapped in coarse cotton fabric printed with bright colours. Motifs printed on these were exactly alike to the motifs painted on the costume in Jain miniature painting from Western India Rajasthan and Gujarat. Print with those motifs is being printed even today. This finding brought tremendous change in ideas and scholars started believing that India was producing colourful printed fabric in 14-15th C. Which was exported to European and African countries? Old folk songs and popular proverbs often refer to Chhint – printed fabric of Pali and bright colours of Sanganer. A number of headgears, safas and pagaris and material printed in the 18th C. Sanganer are preserved in private and public collections.” (Gulab Kothari, Colourful Textiles of Rajasthan; Jaipur Printers Pvt. Ltd.; p. 41-42
“As far as the aesthetic imagination and technique is concerned the town of Sanganer in Jaipur may be considered the capital of the art of textile printing in India”. This is true even today. Sanganer has earned a name not only in Rajasthan but in Europe, America and Japan also. Fabric printing is done by Hindu Chhipa families while most of the Muslim families make handmade paper. Fabric printing factories dominate the suburbs of Sanganer. The fabrics printed here are exported to several countries. The exports include various types of dress materials, readymade garments, bed sheets, pillow covers, curtain, cloth, dupattas, veils, sarees and quilts etc. The Chhipas adept in traditional art have kept alike the rich heritage of hand printing with the choice designs of various classes and communities. The rich gentry prefer dark yellow, green and pink colours and natural designs of wild flowers and leaves, creepers and plants and groves whereas the local people prefer red and black prints (Kamlesh Mathur, Crafts and Craftsmen; Pointer Publisher, 2004, p. 59
The Imperial Gazetteer of India Vol. XXI Oxford 1908
“The dyeing and stamping of cotton cloths is carried on largely in several States, particularly at Sanganer in Jaipur. The chintzes are printed in colours by hand blocks, but the industry is decaying owing to machine competition.”
A very interesting account with reference to foundation of Sanganer and popularity of Sanganeri Prints as reflected in local/tribal songs:
1- lkyw Fks ykbZtks lkaxkusj jks Egkjk jkt
pwMyks Fks ykbZ tks gfLr nkar dks lkyw jks dksj]
nsjk; tks js rksjs vko tks A
2- mejko cuk th lkyw Fks yk;h tks lkaxkusj jks
¼ MkW- vk’kk Hkxr] jktLFkku] xqtjkr ,oa e/;izns’k dh NikbZ dyk dk losZ{k.k jk/kk ifCyds’kal ubZ fnYyhA ist 13&14 ½
This further confirms that Sanganer was a highly popular textile printing centre during 18th century
“The block printed cottons of Sanganer, near Jaipur has been renowned for their precious pattern and colouring for at least two hundred and fifty years” Handcrafted Indian Textiles , (Martand Singh, Rita Kapur Chisti & Rahul Jain, Handcrafted Indian Textiles; Luster Press Roli Books, 2000, p. 79
Based on all the above citing the general information and belief of the Chhipas and other inhabitants of the area, the fact remains that Sanganeri Printing was a traditional craft at Sanganer since as late as 18th century and the existence of Sanganeri Print items in the collection of Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum; Jaipur and other museums is a live testimony to this fact. Since 18th century, the production and marketing of Sanganeri printed cloth and made ups is continuing till today. At present there are three hundred and fifteen production units and more than twenty Exporting units in Sanganer. Sanganeri Prints are, therefore, considered very famous world over.
8.1 Sanganeri Printed costumes preserved and Displayed in M. S. Man Singh II Museum, Jaipur
The textile collection of Maharaja Shri Man Singh II Museum includes costumes of kings, queens, their employees and children in the royal household. It is a treasure house for the study of social and cultural life of 17-19th century northern India. The Museum has a comprehensive collection of dupattas, which are pieces of cotton material of different sizes, with printed borders and pallava. These were to put over the shoulders or sometimes to wrap round the upper part of the body of the priests. It was an important part of a Brahman’s costume. Though people in the royal household never wore dupattas, the museum has a large collection of them which were received as gifts from the priests on different occasions such as festivals and birthdays. It was customary for a priest of a temple to present a dupatta and sweets (Prasad) to the Maharaja. Every year, hundreds of such dupattas were received, which form this collection. A number of them were printed at Sanganer and are still displayed in Museum. The year of production of these Dupatas is evident by the octroi stamp on these dupattas. Description of some of these dupattas is given below :-
• Dupatta, cotton, white, printed in red and black- lhrkjke in red, narrow border in red and black, pallava has floral butas in red and black, octroi seal has date-V.S. 1963 (A.D. 1906. Sanganer
L. 292 X W. 170 cm.
• Dupatta, cotton, white, printed in red and black, ground-Nagri letters Jh gjhgj in black and floral stripes in two reds; border has narrow floral stripes; pallava-narrow border, stylized lotus flower butas an single flower butas, all printed in two reds.
First quarter of 19th century, Sanganer
L. 295 X W. 149 cm.
• Dupatta, cotton, white, printed in red and black, ground-benediction to shiva in Nagri letters: ue% f’kok; in black, stripes in red ; both sides have border with damaru and dhatura pattern printed in two reds ; pallava- stripes consisting of dhatura, damaru, trident and belpatra ka jhar motif.
First quarter of 19th century, Sanganer
L. 243 X W. 111.5 cm.
• Dupatta, cotton, printed, red print on orange ochre ground, this dupatta is from a Shiva temple and therefore has motif associated with Shiva temple and therefore has motifs associated with Shiva, printed on it ground has “f’ko ‘’kfDr lgk;” in Nagri letters and border consists of rudraksh motif.
Early 19th century, Sanganer
L. 287 X W. 109.3 cm.
• Dupatta, cotton, white, printed in red and black- floral stripes on ground, narrow border and pallava with butas. A faded square octroi seal reads “ lokbh tSiqj laor 1910” Swai Jaipur samvat 1910 (A.D. 1853). Sanganer.
L. 257 X W. 144 cm.
Damaged.
• Dupatta, cotton, white, printed in red and black; ground has black patterned stripes; border- jhar buits in red, peacock motif in black, creeper design.
Description: - Cotton white printed in black leaf motif on ground pallava with lotus missing.
Octroi seal: - Swai Jaipur Sanwat 1856 “Sanganer”
Thus it becomes quite clear that Textile industry existed and was in full swing at Sanaganer from 18th century.
8.2 Rajasthan State Archives, Government of Rajasthan, Bikaner: Some leaves from Rangkhana Records A.D. 1729 as preserved shows year of manufacturing and stamping. These are at Annexure 4.1 & 4.2
8.3 Mr. Hanuman Sharma in his book t;iqj jkt; dk bfrgkl 'kCn efgek izdk’ku 1996 page no 45 & 46 mantioned that Sanganer was founded by Sangaji the son of Maharaj Prithviraj ji of Amber province at Annexure 4.10
uniqueness of Sanganeri Print
• Sanganeri prints are known for specific appearance and wide range delicate of floral sprays.
• The base colour of Sanganeri print is mostly white. However, base colour is changed as per demand
• The print design is equally vividly seen on the underside of the cloth.
• The textile is printed by using a Stamp or Wooden Block’s and no other device.
• The printing requires a high level of judgment and coordination of eyes and hands of the artisans.
• The design forms of the textile are usually described in terms of one or more of four terms i.e. Butis, Butas, Jhar and Border.
• The design of the Sanganeri Print necessarily demonstrates a repetitive nature.
• The forms are more or less stylized and are generally based on natural forms mostly of flowers, petals, fruits or leaves.
• In the case of Buti designs which are by their nature small, individual motifs are repeated regularly within the size of the block at fixed intervals to create a pattern. Sanganeri Print textiles have a distinctive formal and repetitive nature.
• The skill involved in producing Sanganeri Print is available and restricted to a community known as Chhipas who have acquired this skill from their parents and grandparents through generations.
• Sanaganer had and still has very conducive geographical and climatic conditions.
Statement
India’s royal costumes were the fruit of affluence and leisure. With the possible exception of those designed specifically for battle, they were not in any way related to cloths for work. Often, they were manifestations of Imperial caprice: cloths to be seen in, cloths to be comfortable in or cloths fashioned for the pursuit of pleasure. The flavour of Indian costume is sensed through movement, drape and detail. The Indian woman, for example, is never still. Every movement allows her attire to be viewed afresh. She constantly re-arranges its drape over the head, the shoulders or around the ankles. The lifting of the head permits not only a glimpse of her kohled eyes and jewelled hair, but also the detail of the weave or embroidery, colour and pattern, of the fabrics. The smallest detail, such as the fine edging of her dupatta or ghaghra, is conceived of and revealed in a most enticing manner.
No less important is the association of the colour of apparel with custom and ritual. Even today, many women in India continue to wear a specific colour for each day of the week. Apart from the codes prescribed for religious observances, the change of the seasons and rites of passage are also marked by a change in the choice of colour. In Rajasthan, for instance, princesses and peasants alike celebrate the advent of Basant (spring) by wearing yellow. Rajasthan is a multiplicity of crafts, which are both useful and significant. They have not only dazzled the world market with their fascinating designs and fine finish but have also won accolades and carved a lofty niche for themselves. One of the most popular craft is Sanganer Block Printing. As far as the aesthetic imagination and technique is concerned the town of Sanganer in Jaipur may be considered the capital of the art of textile printing in India. This is true even today. Sanganer has earned a name not only in Rajasthan but in Europe, America and Japan. Fabric printing factories dominate the suburbs of Sanganer. The fabrics printed here are exported to several countries. The exports include various types of dress materials, readymade garments, bed sheets, pillow covers, curtain cloth, dupattas veils, sarees and quilts etc. The Chhipas adept in traditional art have kept alike the rich heritage of hand printing with the choice designs of various classes and communities. The rich gentry prefer dark yellow, green and pink colours and natural designs of wild flowers and leaves, creepers and plants and groves whereas the local people prefer red and black prints.
It is interesting to note that printed fabric of Sanganer which has caught the fancy of so many persons across the country and abroad has evolved over a period of more than three hundred years. Although the beginning of this exquisite fabric is mired into mystery and not much is known in written form about the exact date/period of its initiation of Sanganeri print in its present form. Its origin as a craft is shrouded in mystery and several tales passed on by way of mouth can be heard. As far as tradition goes, it is said that the great astronomer king-Sawai Jai Singh was responsible for giving impetus to the art of printing. Archival sources confirm the oral tradition that Sawai Jai Singh invited artists and craftsmen from different parts of the country to settle at Jaipur, among whom were zari workers from Surat and printers from Gujarat in general. Presumably he also brought some craftsmen from Malwa because the Sanganer cotton prints show an excellent combination of both of these traditions-the fineness of Malawa, particularly of Sironj, and the lyrical quality of design from Gujarat. This conjecture seems possible also as Malwa is to the southeast of Sanganer and Gujarat is to the south in geographical proximity. John Irwin does not go into details on the problems of migration but feels that, “Gujarat suffered badly during the wars of Auranzeb, and later in the plundering raids of the Marathas. Many of the craftsmen migrated to seek more settled employment in Rajasthan and other parts of north-west India.
Available evidence in the form of Dastur-al-amal reports of 1703 gives detailed description of taxes levied on the printed fabrics, so does the rangkhana records of 1727. Though in rangkhana papers the word jaxkbZ (dyeing) is used instead of NikbZ (printing). At this point one should remember that at Jaipur jaxkbZ stands sometimes for printing also. For instance a leaf from rangkhana records (1727) reads, Þ egewnh jaxkok us nh cwVS ikeß gave mahmudi for dyeing motifs (to be printed) in fugitive colours. Therefore one can safely presume that by the beginning of the 18th century the town Sanganer was known as a printing centre. The number of artisans increased slowly a new famous of the family also grew at this resulted in the increase in production of printed fabric and made ups.
It would be important to provide a clear picture of origin and beginning of Sanganeri Print and also to reaffirm the claim that Sanganeri Print has been a traditional skill of this town and a lot of this can be attributed to the geographical conditions of the area. Some of the historical evidences that can be cited to substantiate the presence of highly skilled block printers in this area are given below:-
1. Sanganer, a township 16 KMS in the south of Jaipur has a very rich and glorious historical heritage. It is the headquarter of Sanganer Tehsil. This Tehsil of population 5,73,171 is one of the most prosperous amongst twelve Tehsils of Jaipur District. Sanganer town is well known world over due to its colourful block printed textiles and hand made paper. It is also in the excursion route for tourist. At present more than 315 Micro, Small and Medium size Sanganeri Printing units are operating at Sanganer. Total numbers of employees vary between 1800 to 3000. More than 1200 families are directly dependent on these units. In addition more than 3000 persons are indirectly involved in the business of Sanganeri Prints by providing supporting services like supply of raw materials, sale of finished products, production of blocks, designing of prints, garment making, packaging transportation and handling of exports. It is estimated that 25% population of Sanganer is directly or indirectly dependent on Sanganeri Print Industries for their livelihood.
2. Sanganer was a place of historical importance. Rulers of the then Amber used to assemble here to discuss political matters. (Annexure 4.10) Jaipur Rajaya ka Itihas
3, The Chhipas of Sanganer with their hereditary craftsmanship and ingenuity have laboured hard to preserve the dyeing and printing technique. They have prepared new designs to suit the emotional tastes of various castes and communities. These skilled artisans produce splendiferous prints which have earned a name for them not only in India but over the whole world. Kokyo Hakanaka a award winning painter and Prof at Kyoto College of Arts., Japan, He studied miniature paintings and textiles from India. Hundreds of full colour photographs taken by him are given in the famous book “Textile Art of India” which presents a glorious array of Sanganeri printed textiles and block printed. Amongst these are several Sanganeri Printed items. Photocopy of a few as annexed at ….. clearly shows that block printing was a flourishing trade at Sanganer during early eighteenth century
4. According to Gulab Kothari, the Chief Editor of Rajasthan Partika “Ancient and medieval literary texts often mention colourful textile produced in this region but actual example prior to 17th C. are not available in Indian collection with one exception that is Calico Museum of Textiles, Ahmedabad; which has acquired to number of small fragments found at A1 Fostat (Egypt).
5. Sanganeri Print is quite well known due to its varied and wide range of floral designs, softness of the cloth, soothing colours and variety of motifs. Sanganer Block Print has been a fascination for all regimes that ruled over the state of Rajasthan.. A head-dress with a simple leaf pattern arranged closely on the ground along with a twig motif on pallava shows production date as V.S. 1856 (A.D. 1799) in a square octroi seal, as displayed at Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum, Jaipur indicate production of these items at Sanganer before 18 century This is a highly finished work produced with fine blocks and sombre colours. It is interesting to know that this leaf motif also appears on several other collections kept in the same museum and shows production of these items in early 18th century.
6. “The format for a design directory of Sanganer Prints was inspired by that of a historic example conserved at the Textile Museum in Washington. Dating from the late eighteenth century, but of uncertain provenance,” (Annexure4.12) Handcrafted Indian Textiles p. no. 80
7.. In fact, at the end of the nineteenth century, a flourishing production was still in evidence at numerous printing centers across the subcontinent. In his catalogue for the Delhi Exhibition of 1902-03, George Watt listed several dozen important centres: Aj,edabad. Sirat. Bhruch, Baroda, Deesa, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar, Jetpur, Bhuj, Mundra, Dhamadka and Khawda in Gujarat; Sanganer (Annexure4.12) Handcrafted Indian Textiles p. no. 70
8. According to Kamla Devi Chattopadhyay author of the famous book “Handicrafts of India” Sanganer, a village near Jaipur, became the prestigious work centre for such prints with very elaborate techniques. A special feature of these prints is the use of variety of designs in the same piece of cloth, but beautifully harmonized. Gold and silver effects are also introduced. In the older pieces one sees flower petals worked with gold or silver wires. The present process is after the basic colour printing has been done, the portions to be done in gold or silver are printed with an adhesive which is then allowed to dry while the leaf adheres to it.
9. According to Ritu Kumar the famous Textile Designer, “The process of transferring the design on to cloth also requires skill. A piece of fabric is spread over a low bench which is covered with a thick pad made of several layers of heavy cloth. The printer squats in front of this bench with the dye in a pan or earthenware vessel by his side. Inside this vessel is thick cloth pad saturated with dye. The block is pressed on to this pad and motif is then stamped on to the fabric. Different elements in the design require different colourings. For each colour impression the printer will have prepared a separate pan. A design may consist of 10 colours or more, some of which may overlap or be circumscribed by others. A high degree of skill is required both for the placement of the design and even application of pressure. Blocks are also used for applying mordants, wax, or any other resist in the same way.”(costumes and Textiles of Royal India page 317)
10. That dye preparation and printing on the treated fabric is a great skill acquired by limited number of craftsmen locally known as Chhippas. Carving on wooden blocks is again a highly skilled job carried out by limited number of the turners. Locally known as Kharadiya
11. Sanganer, a small township, situated in the south of Jaipur, has its own rich tradition of hand block printing with vegetable/natural dyes ie, has Sanganeri Print, which is about 500 years old. (Preparation of Cotton Shade Card Printed with Vegetable/Natural Dyes based on Traditional techniques and printing of Rajasthan), Weavers Service Centre, Ministry of Textile, Govt. of India, Jaipur.
12. That demand of Sanganeri Print has been continuously increasing due shortage of skilled and trained artisans a need for training new entrants was felt. Accordingly several training programmes were organized at Sanganeri Printing units. These were sponsored by government organizations like (i) D.C. Handicraft, Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India (ii) RUDA Govt. of Rajasthan (iii) Deptt. of Industries Govt. of Rajasthan (iv) Women Polytechnics, Technical Education Govt. of Rajasthan etc. Several Educational Institutes have introduced hand block printing as one of the chapter in their course curriculum, It is therefore apparent that Sanganeri Printing is very important and therefore to meet the shortage of trained and skilled men power, government is already active to develop required human resources.
13. Most of the regional, National and sometimes Internationals Trade Fairs and Exhibitions have one or two stalls of Sanganeri Print products. This further shows popularity and demand of Sanganeri textiles.
14. The Sanganeri print skill (dyeing and block printing) by craftsmen of Sanganer is well recognized by State and Central Government as is evident by a number of State and National Awardees amongst the entrepreneurs of Sanganer.
15. That abundance of water and day sunlight and cool nights of Sanganer were very conducive for the production process of Sanganeri print. It is said that Drauravali or Saraswati river having regular flow of water all throughout the year could provide required water. Traditionally all the printing centers in India were developed and flourished near the source of water. Water is the backbone of any textile industry, specially dying and printing. The quality of water, the hardness, softness, play a very important role in the quality of colour achieved. The traditional dyes (Natural dyes in particular) needs a soft water to bring the bright colours on the cloth.
16. For Block Printing basic requirement is of well designed (carved) wooden hand blocks and vegetable dyes. Natural availability of plants like Ardoo, Sisham, Gurjan, Aam, Sagwan offered easy availability of wood for block making. This is evident by a study carried out by Dr. D.P. Sharma and P.C. Trivedi University of Rajasthan, Jaipur
17. That Sanganer is a Training Centre for several trainees from USA, Europe, Japan, France, UK, Nigeria etc. which amply conveys that Sanganeri Printing occupies a special place in the printed textile products liked and purchased all over the world. (Ref. Photographs of trainees.
18. The production process of Sanganeri print is quite unique and traditional. Various steps involved have been shown in the process flow chart
Scouring is the process to remove impurities such as starch, oil and dust from the grey fabric. Cow dung and water are mixed together and the cloth is then left dipped in that paste overnight. The process of washing is a long one, generally carried out by the ladies. The washed cloth is then spread on open ground for drying. This process is repeated 5-6 times. Since it is tedious and time consuming, soaps have replaced the cow dung.
Tannin or ‘Peela Karana’ Washed fabric is treated with myrobalan (harda) which contains tannic acid. ‘Harda’ powder is mixed with water, cloth is submerged in it, than it is squeezed and it is dried. Dried fabric is than folded and beaten with a wooden mallet to remove excess ‘harda’ powder and to open it up to accept the dye
Printing (mordanting) locally called ‘Chapai’ The fabric is printed with two mordant – ferrous (syahee) made out of rusted horse shoe nails, and aluminum sulphate(beggar).
Ageing locally called ‘Sukhai’ The printed fabric is left hanging at the printing areas for at least three-four days so that the mordant paste penetrates well into the fiber structure. Longer the ageing better is the result.
Washing – locally called ‘Dhulai’ The Printed fabric is washed in running water to remove excess of mordants and to avoid getting them stuck on the cloth.
Dying (Fixing of colour) locally called ‘Ghan Rangai’ Dyeing is a process in which the dye reacts with two mordants at two different locations on the same print giving two different shades of colours. Alizarin is used as a dye by all the Sanganeri Printers. The colours obtained in conjunction with the two mordants are red(with alum) and block (with ferrous). Dyeing is carried out in large copper vessels (tambri) which are heated by wood fire. Alizarin is filled in small cloth bags (potali) and dipped in the vessel. The quantity of alizarin dye is calculated by the experienced dyer. ‘Dhawadi phool’, a local flower is boiled along with alizarin to avoid patches and stains. Once the dyed fabric is ready it is taken out of the copper vessel and left one the ground for drying.
Sun bleaching or Tapai In this process the fabric is spread on the river bed and a milled solution of cow dung and water is sprinkled over the fabric This process is repeated till the fabric is dried . Interaction of alkali and thermal heat bleach the ground colour of the fabric to look it white again.
Resist printing locally known as Dhabu Datai Dhabu is a special technique of traditional printing and is carried out by Appling a special past consisting of clay, lime, gum, insect eaten wheat mixture. Dhabu acts as a mechanical resist and prevents penetration of dye during dyeing on areas covered with ‘Dhabu’. It is applied with wooden block on the fabric and saw dust is sprinkled over it. Saw dust absorbs access water from the dhabu pest and give additional layers of resists. After printing, the fabric is left in the sub for drying and then it is dipped in indigo tanks. Small printing table ‘patias’ are used for dhabu printing by artisans who cannot stand for a long time. The recipe and art of making dhabu is a guided secret of the craft persons.
Indigo dyeing locally called Neel rangai It is the process for blue colouring of the fabric Indigo tank preparation is tedious and complicated. Since it require exact quantity of lime, indigo and jaggery. Indigo dying requires lot of experience. The Printed cloth is folded like saree pleats and lowered gently into the indigo tank. While the cloth is totally submerged in the liquid dye the dyer opens each pleat to allow the fabric to have the indigo dye evenly. An experienced dyer will always unfolds the pleats neatly and gently to avoid cracking of Dhabu. The fabric is then taken out of tank, gently squeezed and opened out to react with the atmospheric oxygen and turn the reduced indigo into oxidized indigo. Indigo has poor affinity to the fabric in the presence of water, so the first dip gives a pale sky blue shade. The process is repeated till the desired blue shade is achieved The fabric is dried carefully on the ground avoiding creaking of dhabu . For turning the fabric green it is taken for further process of yellow dyeing but before this it is printed with dhabu to retain some blue areas. Yellow dyeing – Locally called Haldi naspal putai which involves rubbing the fabrics with a sponge containing extract of haldi (turmeric) and naspal (pomegranate rinds) is than followed by dipping
Post mordanting with alum locally known as Fitkari Rangai In this process the fabric is dipped in a big copper vessal filled with water and diluted alum. After leaving it for a few minutes it is taken out, gently squeezed and dried. When it is completely dried it is folded and stored in dark places for at least 3 to 4 days till the yellow dye sets in. Finally it is taken out for washing to take out resist paste and excess of dye. The fabric is left in big tanks for at least 3 to 4 hours. The fabric is beaten over a flat stone slab to remove the resist paste and excess dye. The beating of the cloth is generally done under flowing water.
19. Sanganeri Print is unique because it is a block printed product. No mechanical device is used for printing. The blocks are of such a size that they can be applied only by hand and requires judgment of human eye. The design forms of the textile are usually of one or more of the four i.e. Butis, Butas, Jhar and Border. The design of Sanganeri print necessarily has repetitive nature corresponding to repeat of the block. Print designs are stylized and based on flowers and leaves of the trees. Butis designs are by the nature very small. Individual Butises are repeated regularly within the size of the block at fixed intervals to create a pattern. Traditional Sanganer print is recognized due to delicate floral sprays spaced regularly on a white or pastel blue or yellow ground of fine cotton fabric. The print designs can be seen equally vividly on the underside of the fabric. Fine lines soft curves and refinement are the characteristics of Sanganeri cotton prints.
20. It is estimated that the total turnover of Sanganeri Print has been continuously increasing except after 1974-75. With the passage of time fashion and people’s taste have changed and the mainh (wax) printed sheets, black veils, red sarees together with grapevine, square and check designs, the specialty of Sanganer print have been disappearing. There is acute shortage of water in Sanganer and washing-tracing-dyeing have been adversely affected. The quality of work has deteriorated and the poor printers have to spend a lot on procuring water. Now the washing is done by professional washermen, it has, no doubt, expanded business but colours and designs are losing their brilliance and originality. Because of cut throat competition amongst the producers and emergence of a large number of Screen Printing units, which are employing traditional artisans, the business of Sanganeri Print is suffering. Screen Printed Textiles look alike block printed therefore, it is quite usual for a common man to purchase screen printed cloth which are much cheaper than real Sanganeri print. It is, therefore, a matter of great concern and distress that Chhipas who are able to produce excellent quality of Sanganeri Print are in a state of sheer misery. Many Micro level block printing units are on the brink of closing their units and take up employment in screen printing units. Thus the fear of loosing the heritage craft of block printing looms large at Sanganer. The Single factor for the decline in the number of Sanganeri Print units and the pitiable condition of the fine craft is the duplication of the textile by self centered screen printing units for their petty gains of profits. This scenario has been captured by several writers nobody less than Mr. Gulab Kothari the Chief Editor of Rajasthan Patrika in his book Colourful Textiles of Rajasthan and also by another writer of repute Mrs. Kamlesh Mathur in her book titled ‘Crafts & Craftsman’ The writers have clearly stated that the “looks alike” of Sanganeri Print i.e. fakes Sanganeri print are produced at Sanganer and supplied in the country and abroad in the name of Sanganeri Print. This deceitful trading of Sanganeri Print adversely affects the sale of real Sanganeri Print. Hence protection of Sanganeri Print is pertinent in view of the misguiding and deceitful business being done in the name of this traditional and fine craft.
Dabu printing
The cloth which is to be printed is soaked in cold water on the preceding night. Cow dung is then mixed in this water proportionate to the length of the cloth. On the next day morning, this cloth is thoroughly washed with action repeated after another two days. Thereafter the cloth is soaked in ‘harda’ powder (obtained from the fruit of a tree) for 10 to 15 minutes so that it turns yellow. It is then dried in the sun till the fabric becomes hot. The side of cloth exposed directly to sun rays absorbs the colors well so that they appear sharp and fast. After this treatment, the cloth is beaten and kneaded to make it print worthy. Traditional block printed products are known by their ethnic appeal and eco-friendly vegetable dyes, appreciated worldwide by the domestic and international buyers. The range of products that are printed comprise of bed spreads, made ups and ready made garments. However, among these, printing of bed spreads remains the main stay business of the printers. The connoisseurs however value the hard work that goes into block printing and the preparation of natural dyes, that makes it eco friendly.
Buyers from high end market though the ethnic designs explore and savour the culture and heritage depicted thereon with ecofriendly vegetable dyes. Demand of hand block printed textile in fashion garments is also picking up. Buyer from this segment demands exclusive designs that may be custom made as per the buyers’ requirements. It is the block printing which displays extensive variety of `butas’ (leaves and flowers). The dyes
for block printing are mainly obtained from herbs, roots, flowers, local minerals and iron pieces. In 'dabu' printing, coating is initially done on the fabric with material that comprises of largely wax, clay and raisins. The preparations are all made by the printers themselves. Thereafter the cloth is dyed. The coating applied on the fabric in the form of a design does not allow the dyed colour to spread on the coated surface. The processing involved is an art developed with experience.Some of the new substances which are being put to use for the purpose include madder, kesula flower, bark of the babool tree, rattan jot, blue vitriol, heerakashish, red vitriol and alum
SANGANER
SANGANER: A small town near Jaipur, the area is known for small decorative floral designs called boota and bootie. Printers from here always supplied the royal court. Traditionally in produced fine small floral motifs white backgrounds for the royal court,
Sanganer hand block printing known the world-over by its name has been recognised Internationally its traditional style of printing as Sanganeri block prints. hand-block printed fabrics great heights in the 16th and century in all European countries became one of the greatest exported by the East India Company,thereby making the Sanganer print 500 years old.The process of hand block is very elaborate and interesting.Shortened now due to technology,earlier it used to take six months produce printed cloth! Natural along with natural fabric, for the skin. They do a job of improving the human body’aura. Natural dyes are used on fabrics. Natural dyes are the extracted from plants and minerals. Many of the natural dyes medicinal as they are extracted herbs, which have an endless list therapeutic benefits.
There are several modes of printing that can be seen in Rajasthan. They are hand block printing,printing ‘dabu’ (resist printing ) and 'chhint' (sprinkling of colour) printing. However the more famous among them is the hand block printing and has become generic word for all types of traditional printing styles. According to the kind of printing, the printer artisans, called 'chhipas’'(both Hindus and Muslims) were classified as 'rangrez’ (ordinary dyer who dyed in colours) and 'nilgar’ (dyer who dyed in indigo). The type of fabric printed included 'chaddar' (bed-sheets), 'safas' (head gears), 'pagris' (turbans) and 'ghaghras' (skirts). Hand Block Printing and ecofriendly vegetable dyes.
This industry is influenced by the natural environment around such as level of water availability, sun shine duration, atmospheric humidity and the local herbs and flowers. As water had always been available in abundance here, washing of fabrics has formed the basis of dyeing and printing at Sanganer.It is usually reja (course cloth) which is prepared in Rajasthan and used for printing.
The printing was then done with the help of wooden hand blocks of the size upto 6"X 6. The base of hand block was engraved manually to provide various shapes and designs. The printer then used the block and the natural dye prepared for this purpose to stamp the impression on the cloth one after the other for printing. However preparing the cloth ready for printing took rounds of washing and drying manually which was very time consuming and would often run into a few weeks.Preparation of natural dyes also took days of soaking flowers, leaves, cereals and metal strips.
The printing dyes are made either from the herbs or minerals by the traditional printers.The vegetable dyes are made from red soil, jaggery, various parts of pomegranate, a spice called `harda’, iron filings and horse-shoes. Some flowers are also used.
The red dye is developed from MADDER . The black dye is made through a long drawn process. In it, the iron-filings, horse shoes and jaggery are placed in a jar of water and kept there for a fortnight. The extract becomes the black dye. When this very extract is applied on cloth in combination with 'harda’, it produces a yellow tint.
These printers have a strong affiliation to their respective deities,About 30 years ago this industry was mainly catering to the Domestic market. From last two decades the export of hand printed textile has picked up with the worldwide appreciation for ethnic designs and ecofriendly dyes. hand printed textile Industry of Jaipur enjoys a share of almost 15 percent with an export of Rs 100 crores in the Rs 690 crores national export market.The major destination from Jaipur are USA, UK, Japan, Italy, France, Australia and Canada.
colour red
R E D
They craft the entity called India, full of colours, bubbling with variety. Yet the artisans who make these exquisite works are often hand to mouth, India has been renowned for printed and dyed cotton since the 12th century and creative processes flourished the fabric received royal patronage.Though earliest records mention printing centres in the south, the seems to have been prevalent all India. However, the idea of using object to impress repeated designs cloth can be traced to prehistoric times. Textile hand printing is geographically and in terms of its product range, a well diversified industry.
The first application of colour on was probably by hand. This to twigs and brushes and then made from clay, metal and wood. Hand block printing is an integral part of the cultural heritage of Rajasthan. Jaipur is well known internationally for its ethnic designs printed on pure cotton base with the help of natural vegetable based dyes. Cotton, the base raw material of Cotton textiles on which printing is done in Jaipur is available in plenty in India.
The color red is the color of fire and blood. Hebrew words for blood and red have the same origin: "dm" means red and "dom" means blood. Blood and fire have both positive and negative connotations. Bloodshed, aggression, war and hate on one side and love, warmth and compassion on the other side. Ancient Greeks associated the bright, luminous red with the male principle, red was also the color of the greek gods of war Phoebus and Ares.
Adam was created out of red clay. In the prehistoric cultures, however, red was associated with the female principle. Mother Earth provided the neolithic peoples with red ochre which was credited with life giving powers. The relation of the red color to the female principle in Japan survived up to the present day.
Christ in the Isenheim altarpiece wears a vermilion red robe. The red color entails a whole series of symbols: It is martyrs' red blood, it demonstrates power over life and death, but it also stands for faith, fullfilment and love. The red robe invokes a blazing flame striving towards heaven and towards the Divine.
Altars in catholic churches are decorated in red for the Feast of Pentecost to symbolize the Holy Ghost. Christ's head is surrounded by an yellow glowing corona: Christ defeats Darkness and leads the way to Light.
RED
The most emotionally intense color, red stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing. It is also the color of love. Red clothing gets noticed and makes the wearer appear heavier. Since it is an extreme color, red clothing might not help people in negotiations or confrontations. Red cars are popular targets for thieves. In decorating, red is usually used as an accent. Decorators say that red furniture should be perfect since it will attract attention.
Red is associated with the base chakra in the sacral region. It promotes vitality, strength, sexuality, willpower, and alertness. Red is used to counteract anemia, lack of energy, impotence, and low blood pressure. Its complement is turquoise.
On the psycho-spiritual level, this chakra relates to self awareness. That is to say our awareness of ourselves as human beings and our place on earth. It is the area of survival and relates to our basic human instincts of fight or flight. Red gives us courage and strength. The colour relates to stability and security.
When we are angry and frustrated we see red. It stands for power, our own, others and the power struggles that can sometimes ensue between the two. This is the colour of being in the physical and the need for material possession.
The power of red can be the power of emotion, finance, or power in relationships.
Red is indicative of a strong willed person. It can relate to pain on the physical or pain in the emotions that are so strong it is felt in the physical.
Red gives energy to excitement and with impatience it can cause frustration.
Following feelings of anger and frustration we can often feel depleted of energy.
If a person sacrifices oneself for others they may become physically vulnerable. Red relates to the physical in all it’s aspects and often it can show that the person is not satisfied with the surrounding physical environment , or even their own physical body.
Red is the colour of blood, the heat of the temper, and also to inflamed
physical conditions. The Christ energy...sacrifice at it’s ultimate.
Positive and negative aspects of Red
Some positive aspects of this colour
Some of the negative aspects of this colour
Courageous
Fearful
Pioneering spirit
Fear of progress
Leadership qualities
Ruthless
Strong willed
Brutal/ Aggressive
Confident
Domineering
Energetic
Resentful
Determined
Self pitying
Spontaneous
Obstinate
Quick tempered
Red is the lowest of the seven colours in the visible spectrum and is known as a "warm" colour. It is stimulating and energising therefore it is helpful for tiredness and lethargy, to stimulate low blood pressure, to boost sluggish circulation. NB Red should not be used on anyone, with hypertension/high blood pressure since this colour increases blood flow. (That is to say as a colour treatment). Pink may be used instead in such cases.
Red, in its most positive sense, is the colour for courage, strength and pioneering spirit. However, in the most negative aspect, it is the colour of anger, violence and brutality and, interestingly, before world war two it was noted that a lot of red was being worn.
Using colours well in the home is a way of creating a balanced environment. Red is energising and excites the emotions, and can stimulate the appetite.(Often used in restaurants). It can be used in any activity area but red needs careful choice of tone and depth and the space in which it is to be used as it can make a space look smaller and can be claustrophobic or oppressive. However, used well, red and its variations, can make a space feel warm and cosy.
RED IN DREAMS
• Passion
• Anger
• Any Strong Feeling
• Warmth
• Life Vitality
• Blood
• Excitement
• Fire
• Volatility
• Instability
• Lust
• Danger
• Vitality
• Potential
• Covert Desires
• Warnings
As you can see, there are many converse meanings. On the one hand, you have the vitality of life blood, and the other the possibilities for both renewal and destruction of fire. Many associate red with danger and excitement, others with death and loss. Only you can tell which red association works for you based on your personal mythos which manifests in your dreams over time.
You should write down color in your dream journal whenever it manifests. If you're one of those nightly vivid color dreamers, this may mean that you only note color that seems peculiar to your regular dreams. You may also want to note the shade of color. Was it a fire engine red, or a deep maroon? A watery red verging on pink or a more purple hued red? Over time you may find that the presence of the fire engine red means danger or warnings of some sort, and the purple hued red means a comforting warmth and strong feelings toward another person. You may also find the paired colors mean specific things to your dream realm.
MADDER ( RED )
This plant has elliptical leaves in whorls of 4-6. It develops small, pale yellow flowers and black berries. The stems are brittle and often straggle along the ground or scramble through other plants. The stems have downward pointing thorns. The plant may grow up to 3 feet. Madder is native to western and central Asia but was brought to central and southern Europe for cultivation. Cloth found on Eygptian mummies of long ago were found to be dyed with madder. The red dye from this plant was prized in ancient Greece and Rome as well as in the Middle Ages in Europe. Madder supplied the red of the British armies redcoats. In colonial times in the U.S. it was imported from France and Holland though it was also grown in Virginia and sold by peddlars. Some American Indians used it to dye woll, quills, or horsehair. Today it can be bought at some garden centers and grown from seed.
Madder is the common name of the plant genus Rubia, the type genus of the madder family Rubiaceae.
The genus contains about 60 species of perennial scrambling or climbing herbs and sub-shrubs native to the Old World, Africa, temperate Asia and America.
The best known species are Common Madder (Rubia tinctorum), Wild Madder (Rubia peregrina), and Indian Madder (Rubia cordifolia).
The Common Madder can grow to 1.5 m in height. The evergreen leaves are 5-10 cm long and 2-3 cm broad, produced in whorls of 4-7 starlike around the central stem. It climbs with tiny hooks at the leaves and stems. The flowers are small (3-5 mm across), with five pale yellow petals, in dense racemes, and appear from June to August, followed by small (4-6 mm diameter) red to black berries. The roots are between 20-30 cm long, up to 12 mm thick and the source of a red dye known as rose madder. It prefers loamy soils with a constant level of moisture.
Madders are used as food plants for the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Hummingbird hawk moth.
Species
Rubia akane
Rubia alaica Pachom.
Rubia angustifolia L.
Rubia angustifolia ssp. angustifolia
Rubia angustifolia ssp. caespitosa
Rubia chinensis Regel & Maack
Rubia chitralensis Ehrend.
Rubia cordata Thunb
Rubia cordifolia L. : Indian Madder
Rubia cretacea Pojark.
Rubia deserticola Pojark.
Rubia dolichophylla Schrenk
Rubia florida Boiss.
Rubia fruticosa
Rubia jesoensis (Miq.) Miyabe & Miyake
Rubia komarovii Pojark.
Rubia krascheninnikovii Pojark.
Rubia laevissima Tscherneva
Rubia laxiflora Gontsch.
Rubia pavlovii Bajtenov & Myrz.
Rubia peregrina L. : Wild Madder
Rubia rechingeri Ehrend.
Rubia regelii Pojark.
Rubia rezniczenkoana Litv.
Rubia rigidifolia Pojark.
Rubia schugnanica B.Fedtsch. ex Pojark.
Rubia sikkimensis Kurz
Rubia syrticola Miq.
Rubia tatarica (Trevir.) F.Schmidt
Rubia tibetica Hook.f.
Rubia tinctorum L. : Common Madder
Rubia transcaucasica Grossh.
Rubia yunnanensis (Franch. ex Diels) Diels
Uses
It has been used since ancient times as a vegetable red dye for leather, wool, cotton and silk. For dye prediction, the roots are harvested in the first year. The outer brown layer gives the common variety of the dye, the lower yellow layer the refined variety. The dye is fixed to the cloth with help of a mordant, most commonly alum. Madder can be fermented for dyeing as well (Fleurs de garance). In France, the remains were used to produce a spirit as well.
The roots contain the acid ruberthyrin. By drying, fermenting or a treatment with acids, this is changed to sugar, alizarin and purpurin. Purpurin is normally not coloured, but is red when dissolved in alcalic solutions. Mixed with clay and treated with alum and ammonia, it gives a brilliant red colourant (madder lake).
Common Madder (Rubia tinctorum), from Thomé, Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz 1885.
The pulverised roots can be dissolved in sulfuric acid, which leaves a dye called garance (the French name for madder) after drying. Another method of increasing the yield consisted of dissolving the roots in sulfuric acid after they had been used for dyeing. This produces a dye called garanceux. By treating the pulverized roots with alcohol, colorin was produced. It contained 40-50 times the amount of alizarin of the roots.
The chemical name for the pigment is alizarin, of the anthraquinone-group. In 1869, the German chemists Graebe and Liebermann synthesised artificial alizarin, which was produced industrially from 1871 onwards, which effectively put an end to the cultivation of madder. In the 20th century, madder was only grown in some areas of France.
History
Dioscorides and Pliny the Elder (De Re Natura) mention the plant (Rubia passiva). In Viking age levels of York, remains of both woad and madder have been excavated. The oldest textiles dyed with madder come from the grave of the Merovingian queen Arnegundis in St. Denis near Paris (between 565 und 570 AD). In the "Capitulare de villis" of Charlemagne, madder is mentioned as "warentiam". The herbal of Hildegard of Bingen mentions the plant as well. The red coats of the British Redcoats were dyed with madder.
According to Culpeper's herbal, the plant is ruled by Mars and has an opening quality, and will bind and strengthen afterwards. It was used in the treatment of jaundice, obstruction of the spleen, melancholy, palsy, haemorrhoids, sciatica, and of bruises. The root should be boiled in wine, and sugar or honey added. The seed of madder, drunk with vinegar and honey is used for the swelling of the spleen. Leaves and stems are used when the monthly female menstrual bleeding is late. Leaves and roots are squashed and put on freckles and other discolorations of the skin.
Madder processing: The madder plants must be grown for three or more years before they can be processed for dyes. (Some roots should then be saved for replanting.) The outer covering is peeled off the roots and the inner roots are washed and pounded into a paste. The paste made a stronger color of used right away with a mordant of alum, chalk, slaked lime, or tin. The roots were sometimes dried, then peeled, and the inner roots dried again before being ground into a fine powder. This powder was fermented and diluted with sulphuric acid. Other processes used blood, rancid fat, charcoal, cow or sheep dung, or liquid from animal stomachs.
Producing RedThere is only one dye plant available for red: madder (Rubia titictornm). In many places, and in the regions where it was previously cultivated, madder grows wild — particularly in cotton fields, where it is a weed. Experiments with the cultivation of madder have been undertaken on state-owned plantations in the Dardanelles area, but cultivation on a larger scale is not necessary yet, because there are now tons of madder roots on the market.
Introduction For centuries people have used natural dyes to bring color to something bland, they would use a mordant or a treatment to make the dye-stuff’s hold fast to the fabric and make the colors come alive. Things like salt, a type of plant, or a mineral worked well enough to hold the dye-stuffs for hundreds of years, until they are later discovered by an archaeologist and then put into a museum and preserved. The information gained from ancient times has helped us to advance in the dyeing industries to make more brilliant colors. To this day many people still use natural dyes.Natural Dye A natural dye is a solution containing a colored substance dissolved in it. During dyeing, pigments molecules have to be deposited into the fabric. The colorants may be added to a cool liquid or a hot liquid. Most dyes are made with a base of coal tar or crude oil. Until recently, dyes were extracted from plants such as catechu, henna, madder plant, crocus, indigo, logwood, insects, shellfish, and commonly found plant leaves, fruits, and roots. These dyes are called natural dyes and chemically based dyes are called synthetic dyes. Beets The beets we eat as a vegetable (also called red beets, root beets, and table beets) are root vegetables with two parts, the root and the edible green leaves. They belong to the botanical species Beta vulgarism most things in this group were grown for their greens leaves. All these vegetables descended from a wild slender-rooted plant that grew abundantly in southern Europe. In ancient civilizations the roots (which did not look like modern day beets) were used medically to treat headaches and toothaches. Beets with good size and rounded roots like those we eat today, were probably developed in the 16th century. Beets were also popularly used as a dye most oftenly used with a cotton, wool, twine, or silk fabric. Natural Cloth A natural cloth is a fabric made out of a natural source such as cotton, silk, or wool. Throughout the years human beings have used vegetable and animal fibers to create textiles, ropes, and paper. Now manufacturers use chemicals to create fibers even though natural fibers fulfill the uses and needs of many people today. A majority of these natural fibers are produced from cellulose, which is obtained from cotton. These fibers may be spun into thread, woven into an intricate blanket, or made into a textile that would later be used in a design. The natural qualities of fibers suit them for special uses. Wool is best for temperature extremes and wet weather, because of the countless spaces between the scales in the fiber the air becomes trapped. Silk has a much smoother surface and is well used for making elegant dresses. It is also used to weave into soft textured cloth. Cotton The natural fiber cotton, although very similar to silk in its uses, has a much more texturized surface and is not as expensive. Cotton grows on the cotton plant inside the seed head, which bursts open when it’s ripe to reveal a ball of cotton wool. This is then separated from the seeds and other parts of the plant in a machine called the gin. The plant then goes through several processes to clean and remove matted fibers, finally the clean cotton goes through a carding engine that produces a loose rope of fibers called silver. This can then be spun and twisted to produce yarn. Fabrics that are made from cotton can either be woven or knitted. Cotton is quite strong and comfortable to wear. It also dyes easily and holds the dye well when used with a mordant. Mordant A mordant is a chemical that combines with dyes to prevent the dye from dissolving easily. Years ago people would use a salt, mineral, or mud in their dying process. Mordant would be and still is used to treat leather or other materials before dyeing; this aids the dying process by making the dye-stuffs hold fast to the fabric when washed and dried. There are many different types of mordant. Most are versatile, but others are not some may work perfectly well with a natural dye and others may change the color of the dye or not work at all, when they would with a synthetic dye (chemically based dye). Common mordants include salts of chromium, iron, aluminum, tin, and other metals. Alum is also a commonly used mordant because it is affordable in price and easily found. Alum is anyone of a series of salts that are hydrated sulfates of aluminum, magnesium, or other metals.Summary A natural dye is a solution containing a colored substance dissolved in it. These substances can be anything that has color, such as flowers, berries, bark, and minerals, leaves, or beets. Beets originated from a wild slender rooted plant that grew in southern Europe. When dyeing people may use a mordant to make the dye -stuffs hold fast to the fabric. They would use salt or a chemically based mordant in the dyeing process. The cloth that we used years ago was natural; it would come from a vegetable fiber, animal fiber, or plant fiber. We would use these to make textiles. Now we can make chemically based fibers that are used widely in richer countries. Today many people choose to use what the world gives them naturally.
This is almost a lost art.
Vegetable dyeing and printing has been developed without using any harmful synthetic/chemical product for dying & printing processing of a textile product at any stage with a sole aim to avoid these synthetic/chemical products that not only disturb our ecology the Mother Nature but also harmful for us. This is a perfect combination of ancient wisdom and the latest present time technologies available to we human beings. For that matter we only use Natural Dyes, especially herbs with their known traditional medicinal properties with the help of latest machinery applications for overcoming all the limitations attached to the Natural Dyes (such as Harad, Manjith, Anar Chilka, Tesu, Katha, Indigo Neem , Babool , Annatto, Turmeric, Patang, Red sandal wood e.t.c.),the rich tradition of natural dyes was gradually lost in 1856 Sir William Perkin discovered the first synthetic colouring: malvein. Synthetic dyes were simpler and less costly to produce,
Vegetable dyes are pioneer craft, one of its dye indigo was found almost 7000 years ago which become cool in summer and hot in winter and also made fabric with soothing smell.
Vegetable dyes are biodegradable dyes they are harmless unlike chemical dyes. This age-old process requires a particular attitude and special skills.
Vegetable dyes are colours that ARE MADE BY MAN FROM ALL THE ECO FRIENDLY FRUITS FLOWERS FOOD STUFF, THAT MOTHER NATURE AND THE SUN GOD HAVE CREATED IN ABUNDANCE FOR USE BY MANKIND.
These are non-harmful to human beings, and many of them are found in ayurvedic medicine recipes, another ancient tradition. Therefore it is possible to say that these materials used in the dyeing process have beneficial effects.
For example, the tannin used as a mordant is a powerful antiseptic; the turmeric revitalises the skin; and the indigo (Indigofera tinctoria) yields a cooling sensation and is relaxing. Water used is stored after each step of the dyeing process and recycled for agricultural use.
The Colours of Nature intends to take a holistic approach to the use of natural dyes, integrating all aspects of the process. From archaeological discoveries we know for certain that civilisations of Central Asia, China and South America were using dyes of organic origin 5,000 years ago. For many centuries an important sector of world agricultural production was dedicated to the provision of raw materials for this industry.
The awareness of Natural/Organic products is on the all time high as of today in the International market. This technology will add distinctive new dimensions to our sick textile units as the way we have perceived this technology; this can blend beautifully with all kinds of natural textile products. We are already getting amazing response from our International contacts in this context.
Exports Potential / Foreign Revenue Generation
The awareness and acceptability of Natural / Organic products have increased manifold in the recent past and still growing tremendously especially in the developed countries. This kind of consumer products not only have great acknowledgement but also command premium price. For that matter we have got a very positive feedback from countries like U.S.A., GERMANY & JAPAN. There are so many chain stores, which deal only in these kinds of products.
I sincerely hope that this above-mentioned information will satisfy all your queries as of now. Moreover I will give you the detailed presentation about the other aspects of this,
Sanganeri prints all are made with natural dyes
Sanganer is situated about 14 kilometers southeast of Jaipur city. Prior to the 17th century, there is no mention of Sanganer as a center of printing. At that time Sanganer was known as a center 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 Auranngzeb 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. There are at present, about 225-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. 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. 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 background on base colour with colours of the prints.
Traditional Designs
The patterns or designs/motifs which are traditionally made in Rajasthan can be classified as ‘boota’, bootie’ and ‘jal’.
‘Boota’: ‘Boota’ is normally referred to as design which is single and complete in itself. The word ‘boota’ is derived from the Persian word ‘Butteh’ which means complete tree. ‘Bootas’ depict the flora and fauna of the region and sometimes birds are also seen. Since it is a single unit the spacing between the two impressions can be varied normally a ‘boota’ is not bigger than 3”x5”.
‘Booti’: ‘Booti’ is a smaller form of ‘boota’ and the spacing between one ‘booti’ and another is predetermined. There could be up to 20 booties on one block *, depending on the size and space, Like ‘boota’ most of the ‘booties’ depict the flora and fauna and birds of the area. Sometimes the geometric forms like dots, circles, squares and lines are also used. Sanganeri ‘booties’ are classic, decorative delicate, refined and exquisite, which were basically used for royal families of Jaipur for clothing, whereas booties from Bagru are slightly folk.
‘Jaal’: ‘Jaal’ is pattern, which gives continuous interconnection surface. ‘Jaals’ were not very popular in Sanganeri prints but other centres have ‘Jaal;’ Patterns which are floral, paisley (‘keri’) and geometric. Narrow borders of 2”-4” width are also used in all the centers. The designs are similar to ‘booties’ in form and decoration.
Motifs of Sanganer
Finesse in flowers-petal designs, curves and delicacy are the prime specialties of Sanganer prints. The curvature of flowers in the’bootas’ is generally shown on the right side. 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. Various other flower creations are also found in old Sanganeri prints. 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.
In ‘booties’, generally, only one type of flower-petal and bud creations in the following forms : ‘badam, (almond)’, ‘paan’ (beetle leaf), ‘mukut of ‘kalanga’, While printing a saree, if the ‘booti’ is of ‘sosan’ flower or plant the ‘bel’ will also be of ‘sosan’ flower and the big’boota’ to be done on the ‘pallu’ (the end part of a saree) will also be of ‘sosan’ flower decoration. Hence, for printing one sari, a large number of blocks need to be made. In some ‘booties’ one finds a collection of more than one flower in the same product. Sometimes two different blocks of two different ‘booties’ are printed together to form a third type of ‘booti’ e.g. ‘Singhbal booti’. By printing different booties together, the Sanganeri ‘chhipas’ have portrayed excellent know how. Sometimes more than three flowers are fitted beautifully in a single ‘booti’ e.g. in ‘Latkan booti’ banana tree, sosan tree and saro tree collection in assembled beautifully in one pattern.Different ‘boota’ booti, and ‘bel’ have been named by the ‘chhipas’ according to their shape find according to the flowers and fruits used in those. These were very appropriate and interesting.
Many flowers used in Sanganeri prints are not found in Rajasthan, and which ever 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. Inspite 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 colour 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.
Traditionally, motifs printed at Bagru are large with bold line, as compared to sanganer, where somber colours and fine lines, intricate detailing are practiced. Sanganeri motifs are naturalistically rendered, with motifs usually based on flowers i.e. iris, rose, poppy, marigold, sunflower, chrysanthemum etc. Bagru motifs are more geometric than the sanganeri motifs.
Vegetable dyeing and printing helping to revive many traditional Indian crafts, which are literally on the verge of extinction such as Sanganeri Hand Block Printing, As this will help in enhancing their existing techniques along with new innovations and will also help in creating more awareness about their craft.
Haath Thappa Chhapai
Woodblock printing on Textile
This process, though considered by some to be the most artistic, is the earliest, simplest and slowest of all methods of printing.
In this process, a design is drawn upon, or transferred to, a prepared wooden block. A separate block is required for each distinct colour in the design.
A blockcutter carves out the wood around the heavier masses first, leaving the finer and more delicate work until the last so as to avoid any risk of injuring it during the cutting of the coarser parts. When finished, the block presents the appearance of flat relief carving, with the design standing out.
Fine details are very difficult to cut in wood, and, even when successfully cut, wear down very rapidly or break off in printing. They are therefore almost invariably built up in strips of brass or copper, bent to shape and driven edgewise into the flat surface of the block. This method is known as coppering.
To print the design on the fabric, the printer applied color to the block and presses it firmly and steadily on the cloth, ensuring a good impression by striking it smartly on the back with a wooden mallet. The second impression is made in the same way, the printer taking care to see that it fits exactly to the first, a point which he can make sure of by means of the pins with which the blocks are provided at each corner and which are arranged in such a way that when those at the right side or at the top of the block fall upon those at the left side or the bottom of the previous impression the two printings join up exactly and continue the pattern without a break. Each succeeding impression is made in precisely the same manner until the length of cloth is fully printed. When this is done it is wound over the drying rollers, thus bringing forward a fresh length to be treated similarly.
If the pattern contains several colours the cloth is usually first printed throughout with one, then dried, and printed with the second, the same operations being repeated until all the colours are printed.
Block printing by hand is a slow process it is, however, capable of yielding highly artistic results, some of which are unobtainable by any other method।
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Excellent and deep knowledge of subject....
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this information.