From Kalamkari to Ajrakh, let's explore 4 of India's richest traditional block prints and their origins

Indian traditional designs and block prints never fail to impress anyone. From Rajasthan's Bandhani to Gujarat’s Ajrakh, Indian art and craft are famous worldwide. Block Printing is one of the oldest stamping methods in the textile history and some of the best-knowns are from India.

Here are the 4 best known Indian block print artforms:

Kalamkari

Kalamkari is a traditional Indian art form that involves hand-painting or block-printing on textiles using natural dyes derived from plants, minerals, and other organic materials. The word Kalamkari is derived from two Persian words, kalam which means pen and kari means work.

This art flourished at Machilipatnam in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh and further was promoted during the 18th century, as a decorative design on clothing by Britishers in India.

Kalamkari involves intricate hand-painted designs or block-printing on cotton or silk fabrics. This art involves 23 tedious steps of dyeing, bleaching, hand painting, block printing, starching, cleaning and more.

Kalamkari has gained recognition internationally, with exhibitions, workshops, and collaborations with designers and artists from around the world. And, nowadays it's used in dress materials, bedding, home furnishings etc.

Bandhani

The word Bandhani/Bandhni has been derived from the Hindi/Sanskrit words ‘Bandhna’ and ‘Bandha’, meaning ‘tying’ or ‘to tie’.

Bandhani is believed to have originated in the regions of Gujarat and Rajasthan in India. It has been practised by various communities, including the Khatri and Muslim communities, who are known for their expertise in Bandhani.

Towns in Rajasthan like Jaipur, Sikar, Bhilwara, Udaipur, Bikaner, Ajmer, and Jamnagar in Gujarat are the well-known centres that produce world-class Bandhej odhnis, sarees, and turbans.

The making process involves tying small portions of fabric with threads before dyeing to create patterns. The fabric is tightly tied in various patterns like dots, squares, waves, or stripes using thread or tiny knots.

The tied portions resist the dye, resulting in areas of undyed fabric to form intricate designs. The fabric is then dyed using natural or synthetic dyes, and the tied portions are released to reveal the pattern.

In today's world, Bandhani has expanded its applications beyond traditional clothing. It is used to create contemporary and fusion designs, including modern dresses, tunics, tops, skirts, and even accessories like bags, stoles, and home furnishings.

Madhubani

Madhubani art, also known as Mithila painting, is a traditional art form originating from the Mithila region of Bihar, India.

Madhubani art has its roots in the ancient Hindu epic, Ramayana. It is said that King Janaka, requested an artist to represent the wedding of his daughter Sita, to Prince Rama. And since then, whenever any house of Mithila celebrates a happy occasion, people draw Madhubani paintings on the walls of their houses.

The paintings are created on a variety of surfaces, including walls, cloth, paper, and canvas, using brushes, twigs, and fingers with natural dyes made from plants.

Ajrakh

The term Ajrakh is derived from the Arabic word ‘Azrak’ which means blue. Ajrakh print is a traditional block printing technique that originated in the regions of Sindh (now in Pakistan) and Kutch in Gujarat, India.

Ajrakh print involves a complex and time-consuming process. It utilizes natural dyes and intricate hand-carved wooden blocks to create repetitive geometric and floral patterns on fabric.

Ajrakh print has gained immense popularity in contemporary fashion and textile design. It has become a sought-after choice for clothing, accessories, and home furnishings due to its unique patterns, rich colors, and sustainable production techniques.

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