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OF SANGANER

Block Prints ofSanganer

Each village in Rajasthan

boasts of the Chhipa

caste engaging in block

printing- be it mud resist

or discharge or wax resist

process. This stable

tradition is still very much

in fashion, despite the

accessibility of modern

techniques like screen-

printing. The Chhipas

hand over their craft skills

down the generations,

from parent to child, the

expertise remains within

the family.

Image Courtesy

http://www.rikshawdesign.com

The beauty of the block

print is heavily reliant on

water sources; thus the

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3/14/2014 Block Prints of Sanganer | India1001.com

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commercial activities

sprung near water

resources- like Sanganer,

Bagru, Akola, Barmer,

Jodhpur, etc.

Over time, each centre for

block printing in

Rajasthan has developed

its distinguished design

style and techniques.

Goa collection from

http://www.rikshawdesign.com

Sober, low toned colors

and delicate lines,

creating finer designs like

the poppy, rose and lotus,

usually against a white

background, are well

known characteristic of

fabrics that are printed at

Sanganer. While the

motifs are conventionally

big and bold in Bagru,

with the dabu (resist-

printing) and the dyeing

process producing a

reddish black shade- with

wild flowers, buds and

foliage providing

inspiration to the printers

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3/14/2014 Block Prints of Sanganer | India1001.com

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of Bagru. In Jaisalmer, the

printers use wax resists

and create a dramatic

wedding odhna called

jajar bhat in red and

black.

Sanganer

The village of Sanganer

near Jaipur has been a

major centre for very fine

block-cutting and printing.

Almost 500 years' old,

Sanganeri printing gained

high popularity in the 16th

and 17th centuries in all

European countries with

its Calico prints and

became one of the major

exports of the East India

Company.

Woodblock for textile

printing, India, about

1900, 22 x 17 x 8 cm

http://Wikipedia.com

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Legend has it that it was

probably towards the end

of the 17th century that

this art form developed

here. Thanks to the

constant wars with the

Mughals and Marathas,

many printers migrated

from Gujarat to

Rajasthan. Under the

royal patronage, by the

end of the 18th century

this industry was fully

developed in Sanganer.

The United Nations

Industrial Development

Organisation (UNIDO) in

its report on the Jaipur

hand block printed textile

cluster, has mentioned,

"Shades of black come

out best after washing the

cloth in the waters of

Sanganer. Sanganer

motifs are mostly floral

based. Fine lines and

intricate detailing are

specialties of the

Sanganeri style."

Dyeing of Sanganeri

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Printed Cloth is by use of

natural colors (vegetable

colors) as such, the

finished cloth often emits

very pleasant odour.

Sanganer is famous for its

Calico printed bed covers,

quilts and saris. In Calico

printing, the outlines are

first printed, and then the

color is filled in. Bold

patterns and colors are

popular. They are printed

repeatedly in diagonal

rows. Doo Rookhi printing

is also famous here. In

this technique, artists print

on both sides of the cloth.

Sanganeri prints are

famous for their delicate

floral sprigs.

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 artisans

vary between 1800 to

3000. More than 1200

families are directly

dependent on these units.

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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.

The dyers and block

makers came from Sindh

and Punjab and settled

here. The Chhipas, all

Hindus, are followers of

the renowned Marathi

Saint Namdev. Almost

every member of the

‘Chhipa’ 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

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from the natural dyed

fabric.

Products

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.

Motifs

This elaborate work

needs expertly cut mirror

images blocks to print the

usually asymmetrical

Mughal style designs.

Although Sanganer is well

known for producing fine

block printed textiles on

off white or pastel

backgrounds, today a

wide range of textiles are

produced with both dark

and pale grounds.

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A strong Mughal

aesthetic dominates the

region's printed sari

designs. Borders and end

pieces consist of repeated

bands of undulated twines

(bel) of various sizes.

Fields are often covered

with a repeat design

varying from small simple

dots or geometric shape

to large complex buta and

kalga.

Usually, a motif that is a

blend of flower, bud and

leaves or other forms

such as keri (mango), pan

(betel leaf), katar (dagger)

or jhumka (ear-ring) is

created. Interestingly,

never was an animal used

on these fabrics meant for

costumes. Patronized by

royalty, exclusive and fine

printing in subdued

colors, are a

characteristic of the

Sanganeri Print.

The Sanganeri Print is

visible from small flower

motifs like stylized

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sunflowers, narcissuses,

roses, and other flowers

of luxuriant foliage like

daturas, rudrakshas, and

arkas. On Sanganeri

‘chintz’ (printed cloth)

usually, yellow, green

blue (with different tones)

are used as the

background.

Various floral designs,

geometrical and God

figures are included in its

prints. Sometimes, folk

designs are also found.

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

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of the flowers used in the

prints are roses, rosettes,

lotuses, lotus bud,

sunflower, lily, ‘champa’

‘canna’ ‘nargis’, 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.

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. In

the traditional Sanganeri

prints, the ground is in

white or pastel shades

with floral cones and

sprays scattered with in

symmetrical borders.

Cloth printing blocks are

usually made of 'teak' or

'seesum'. These dyes are

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printed on a textile by

means of a relief covered

block( a different block for

each color). In India, the

blocks are usually 23-30

cm (9-12") square in size.

Present Situation

In earlier times, the royal

family of Jaipur was the

chief patron of the craft.

After Independence, the

craft almost died till it was

revived in the 70s owing

to the patronage of

prominent exponents like

Kamala Devi

Chattopadhyay, the

person behind the cottage

industry movement,

Prabha Shah, Laila

Tyabji, Pupul Jayakar and

Faith and John Singh of

Anokhi.

But faces still look grim.

Faced with pollution

charges and that too, only

because of the screen

printing industry, life is still

dark.

The good news is that,

because of the persistent

efforts, Under

Geographical Indication of

Goods Registration and

Protection Act.1999,

Sanganeri Hand Block

Textiles and Furnishings

have been recognized to

have a unique identity in

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manufacturing and in

belonging to the area of

Sanganer. Consequently

sale of hand block or

screen printed product

from any other area as

Sanganeri will be

punishable under the law,

thereby giving a new e

trade and some 1500

artisans and about 5000

families indirectly or

directly dependent on

block printing.

Arvind Rajkumar

August 06, 2012

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Comments

Elizabeth

Ryerson

said:

Love this website! Do you

know of any short courses

for foreigners to come and

learn about block

printing? Thank you for all

of this beauty!

2Like

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rashmi said:

i like your

block print &

dresses & duttpta.

Pooja said:

I love actually

all block

printing work….!

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