PRESENTATION ON BAGRU PRINT OF RAJASTHAN

2. BAGRU
Location of Bagru
Bagru, a small town in Rajasthan.
 Located at a distance of approximately 32
Kms from Jaipur.
BAGRU is a centuries old centre for hand block
printed textiles.
 The patterned motifs and colours
of the Bagru hand block prints occupy
a prominent position on the textile
map of India

3.  In the past, textiles hand printed
by the chippas of Bagru were used
to produce fadats, lugdis,
angochas, rezais for the local
population
Bagru is the place of Chhipa
community people who are
involved in this printing tradition
since 100 years ago.

4. Bagru
Bagru is derived from the word’Bagora’the
name of an island in a lake
 This art is said to have started around 450
years back.
 The village had a community of CHHIPAS, or
traditional crafts people who printed fabrics
by hand.
 Bagru chhipas came from Sawai Madhopur,
Alwar, Jhunjhuna, and Sikkar districts of
Rajasthan to settle in Bagru and make it
their home outset around 450 years ago.

5. Until about fifty years ago, Bagru prints were still
used mostly for ghagras (skirts) and odhnis (scarves)
for women in surrounding communities, and csolely
soled in local market
.
 Printed lengths of rough cotton about 50 cms wide
were typically sewn color, different prints served as
identifying emblems for various Hindu castes.
 In this highly stratified culture, leather workers, for
example could wear the same floral prints as
blacksmiths, but the base color of dark green or red
distinguished the two groups. These lengths of uncut
material were made only by the Chhipas and were
worn only by Hindus.

6. C
L
O
U
R
S
Block printing has become
popular because of the simple
process which can create such
sensational prints in rich and
vibrant colours – originally from
natural dyes though today
chemical and artificial colours are
being used.
 The main colours used are red,
yellow, blue and saffron.

7. Red color for love.
Yellow is color of spring.
Blue color depict
the lord Krishna.
Saffron for yogi

8. Colors used in Bagru Hand Block
Printing
Bagru prints are done on off-white,
ivory white or beige background.
 These three main colors are
extracted from naturally occurring
sources: black is derived from worn-
out iron horse or camel shoes soaked
in water,
 Red comes from gum paste and
phitkari, and maroon is a result of
mixing the above two colors.

9. Colors used in motif

10. Collect the leave

14. Motif and designees
The Syahi-Begar prints are a
combination of black and yellow ochre or
cream.
Bagru prints are characterized by
circular designs, as well as linear and
floral patterns.
In building up patterns, geometrical forms
were adopted along with floral, animal and
bird forms.
 Everything seemed to be inspired from
local sources..

15. Traditional Designs
The patterns or designs/motifs which are
traditionally made in Rajasthan can be
classified as-
1.Boota
2. Bootie
3. Jal

16. 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”.

17. 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, which were
basically used for royal families of Jaipur for
clothing, whereas booties from Bagru are
slightly folk.

18. Jaal: -
‘Jaal’ is pattern, which gives
continuous interconnection surface.
‘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

19. Traditional Printing process of Bagru
:
1. Scouring- locally called ‘Hari Sarana’

The fabric that comes from mills of handloom sector contains
natural and added impurities such as starch, oil and dust.
To get goods and even penetration of colours, the fabric is boiled
with soap and desizing agents.
 Traditionally cow dung was used for scouring. Cow dung contains
a lot of alkali, Cow dung and water are mixed together and the cloth
(running cloth ‘than’cut in required length) is then left dipped in
that paste overnight.

20. The next day, the clothes are washed
and spread &the clothes dry completely.
This process of sprinkling water and
drying is repeated 5-6 times a day.
 This procedure is carried out unit the
cloth becomes white and bright.
Generally, as per requirement, this
process in done for 3 to 6 days.

21. 2.Tannin- locally called ‘Peela Karana’
‘Harda’Washed fabric is treated with
myrobalan (harda) which contains tannic
acid.
Tannic acid attracts the mordants, which
are applied with hand woodblock.
‘Harda’ powder is mixed with water, and
the cloth is submerged in it, squeezed and
dried flat on the ground.

22. Once the fabric is dried, it is folded
and beaten with a wooden mallet to
remove excess ‘harda’ powder and open
up the fiber to accept the dye.
 This process in known as ‘peela
karna’. The tannic acid of myrobalam
(harda) forms black colour with ferrous (
syahee )which is traditionally made by
reaction of old rusted horse shoe nails
with jaggery

23. 3.Printing (mordanting)- locally
called ‘chapai
’
The fabric is printed with two
mordant- ferrous (‘syahee’) made out
of rusted horse shoe nails, and alum
(‘begar’). Usually ferrous is printed
with the outline block (‘rekh’). As it
immediately shows a black
impression, it is easy for another
printer to place the filler block
(‘datta’) with beggar or alum. The
background block (Gudh’) comes

24. 4.Ageing-locally called
‘Sukhai’
The printed fabric is left hanging at
the printing areas for at least three-
four days so that the prints(mordant
paste) penetrates into the fiber
structure. Longer the ageing better is
the result.

25. .Washing- locally called ‘Dhulai’
The printed fabric is washed in running water.
It is important to understand the need of
running/flowing water.
While washing the printed fabric in running
water the excess mordants come out and get
washed away with the flow of water without
getting stuck back to the cloth.
 Water shortage has forced the printers to
cut short this process due to which, the colors
do not get fixed up properly and later “bleed”
and people think that natural dyes are not
fast.

26. 6.Dyeing (fixing of color) – 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 colors. As
mentioned earlier ‘alizarin’ is used as
the dye throughout Rajasthan. 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.

27.  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 staining.
 Once the dyed fabric is ready (usually
it takes half-an-hour), it is taken out
of the copper vessel and left on the
ground for drying

28. . Sun-bleaching- locally called ‘Tapai’

Alizarin often”over dyes” the unprinted area giving
an off-white or yellow tinge all over the fabric
which makes the print look dull.
 In order to make the ground look ‘white’ again
the fabric is sun-bleached.
 In this process the fabric is laid flat on a river
bed, a mild solution of cow dung and water is
sprinkled over the fabric.
This process is repeated again when the fabric is
dried.
The interaction of alkali (of cow dung) and
thermal heat (sun ray) bleach the ground color
making it look white again.

29. . Sometimes this process in carried out
before the tannin (‘harda’) treatment but
due to shortage of water this process is cut
short and these days the ‘off- white’ color
of the background has become a part of
natural dyeing process

30. Block making

31. The main tools of the printer are wooden blocks
in different shapes and sizes.
Blocks are made of seasoned teak wood by
trained craftsmen. The underside of the block has
the design etched on it.
Each block has a wooden handle and two to
three cylindrical holes drilled into the block for
free air passage and also to allow release of
excess printing paste.
WOODEN BLOCK
T
O
O
L

32. The new blocks are soaked in oil for 10-15
days to soften the grains in the timber.
 The printing table is long and rectangular over
which 24 layers of jute are stretched taut and
fixed to the table covering the entire upper
surface.
This padding offers resilience. The fabric to be
printed is pinned over the table and printed
block by block, creating beautiful designs.

33. Block Making
The craft of block making came to Rajasthan
along with printers from Sind-Punjab.
The basic carving tools are made by block
makers themselves form iron rods, bicycle
spokes etc.
The ‘design” is first drawn on paper and
stretched out on smooth surface of wood.
The motif or design is then pierced through the
needles so that the “impression” is transferred
on the smooth surface of wood, later the
unwanted areas are carved out.

34. Iron nails and woolen-
felt are also used to improve the quality of
impression. Wooden block can be classified in
three types viz ‘Rekh’- the outline block, “gudh”-
the background block, and “Datta’- the filling
block.
Rekh’: The key outline block (from the Hindi
word “ rekha” which means line) defines the form
of pattern. Normally rekh in considered the “key
block” which gets printed first in order to give
‘clue’ to other block to fit in. In some cases rekh is
split into two blocks in order to print two colours.
This kind of block is known as ‘chirai’ (splitting)
block

36. Difference between Sanganeri and Bagru
styles
The main distinguishing feature between Sanganer and
Bagru printing is that Sanganer print is usually done on
a white ground, whereas Bagru prints are on an Indigo
or a dyed background. Local water also has its
effects.
In Sanganer water, block comes out in its best dark
shade, while at Bagru block comes with a reddish
tinge. As water has always been abundant in Sanganer,
the washing of cloth has formed the main basis of
printing and dyeing there.
In contrast at Bagru, where water in comparatively
scarce, ‘Dhabu’ resist printing and indigo work is
mostly done.

37. Difference in motifs
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.

38. uses
Bagru prints are immensely used in contemporary
as well as conventional garments.
Bagru prints were used mostly for ghagras (skirts),
odhnis (scarves) and pagris (turbans).
The printed lengths of rough cotton about 50 cms
wide were typically sewn together for long skirts.
Today, the products made with Bagru block prints
have entered into Home Furnishings, apparel and
accessories.