Sanganeri prints

-: Introduction:-


Rajasthan is world famous for hand block - printing. An age - old tradition in India. During the wars of aurangreb many of the craftsmen of Gujarat migrated to seek more settled employment in rajasthan which was dominated by the royal families who could afford to pay handsomely for the exclusive and artistic work. This led to a close interchange of design and technical methods between Gujarat and Rajasthan, and many of the sanganer patterns have a strong affinity with Gujarati work, the clear bold outline being a distinctive feature. 

The main centers of block printing in rajasthan state are bikaner, jaisalmer, jodhpur, udaipur, chittorgarh, jaipur sanganer and bagru. Of these sanganer and bagru are solely devoted to the art of printing in nathdwara. Sandalwood blocks used to be made. Which left its perfume in the folds of the cloth a large part of rajasthan is desert. The harsh, dry natural landscape of rajasthan is contrasted by the bright colours of the dresses and costumes worn by people of this region. Innumerable shades of red, green, yellow, blue, and saffron, are known in rajasthan. The craftsmen have highly developed colour senses and handle their cloth - material with fine artistic sensibilities.


Centres of block printing in rajasthan sanganer is situated about 15 miles to the south east of jaipur. The sanganeri hand block - printing industry is blessed with natural factors that suppart it, such as water, sunshine, atmospheric humidity and the local herbs and flowers used during the printing process.

Design/motifs:-

Fine lines and intricate detailing are specialties of the sanganeri style block printing which displays an extensive variety of butas. The designs are based on the traditional motifs


Paisley flowers leaves birds centreline pattern, and borders with grapevine movement with black or dark outline. Various floral designs and geometrical 


And religious figures are included in its prints. Now - a - days modern designs are also found on black- printed cloth. Folk designs are also found quite often and are famous, as they retain the basic sanganeri printing style. Fine lines and intricate detailing are specialties of the sanganeri style. It is noteworthy that all the design of printing have been named after vegetables, birds or animals and other objects of nature.

Colours:-

Originally, printers used the colours derived from natural dyes. Yellow from turmeric and butter milk, green from banana leaves, black from iron rust, blue from Indigo plant, red from sugarcane and Sunflower and purple from kirmiz insect. The names of colours were not red, green or yellow, as they are called today. Instead the colour names reflected nature and life. The terms usually used were kasumal for red, Toru for yellow, moongiya for dark green etc. Traditionally, the chippas used Indigo and manjistha ( a local herb ) for the blue and red hues. A trademark of sanganeri prints. They also used turmeric roots and pomegranate peels to make green and yellow. Red and Black


Are the two main colours used all over the state. Both these colours are given multiple shades for use through dyeing. As the dyeing is from vegetable colours, the cloth emits a peculiar smell of its own. These colours look soothing and do not hurt the eyes. Har do they fade in the sun as the present day chemical colours do. As local vegetation is used in dyeing and printing, it costs less colours are prepared keeping in view the local demand. Small communities of chhipas have been doing the work of printing at local levels. In rajasthan gold printing


Is also centuries old. Colours were obtained from vegetables and metals as per their local availability. The art of overprinting in gold is practiced in sanganer.

Utility articles and material:-

An endless range of articles, like mainly saris, dress material, turbans, razais, quilt - covers, table cloth, bedspread etc. Made of malmal (very fine, thin, light cotton) and cotton are being made with the beautiful art of block printing.

Techniques:-

Sanganer became the prestigious work center for block printing with elaborate techniques:

1. Direct process 

2. Resist method

3. Discharge process

4. Rogan printing 

1. Direct process:-

Two blocks are used one for filling and the other for Outline. They are used in direct technique of printing. These blocks are manufactured at sanganer and purani basti, from seasoned teak wood with designs on the underside of the block. The new blocks are soaked in oil for 10-15 days to soften the grains in the timber. Each block has 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. The blocks are dipped into dye to print the pattern on the cloth. The blocks have different floral motifs carved on them.

2. Resist method:-

For this method colouring matter obtained from plants and vegetables was resisted using wax.clay and raisins as in dabu or lha method.

3. Discharge process:-

In the earlier part of the ninetieth century it was discovered that it was possible by chemical means to bleach out or 'discharge' a pattern in re - printing.

4. Rogan printing:-

In this technique the cloth has outline over - printed with gold it was released for the more luxurious work for gold printing could not withstand heavy wear - and - tear and could not be washed the design was used for the royals now - a days chemical dyes are being used for Rogan style which is for less expensive.

The fabric to be block printed is washed free of starch and soft bleached the fabric to be printed is pinned over the table and printed is pinned over the table and printed block by block. The printing starts from left to right. The colour is evened out in a tray with a wedge of wood and the block dipped into the colour when the block is applied to the fabric. It, is slammed hard with the fist on the handle so, that a good impression may register.


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Written by:- Rashmi
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