Bagru Printing - A Traditional Printing Technique of Rajasthan

Bagru Printing

Bagru printing is a traditional printing technique that is done using natural colours. It is a craft practiced by the 'chippas' community in a remote town of Rajasthan. Bagru printing is generally done on a blue or indigo background. This region is popular for two kinds of prints: Dabru prints and seyali-bagru prints.

Doc2 (application/pdf)

Bagru Printing - History

No authentic literature is available to indicate the beginning of this kind of printing, but 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. They are known for their unique designs of luxuriant trellises in sophisticated natural colors.

History (application/pdf)

Bagru Printing - Method

The unique method for printing employs wooden block in it. In the process, the desired design is engraved on the wooden block first and then the carved block is used for replicating the design in the preferred color on the fabric.

Method (application/pdf)

Bagru prints are immensely used in contemporary as well as conventional garments. Conventionally, 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.

Bagru Printing - Uses

Uses (application/pdf)

The colors for the Bagru prints are prepared from natural dyes. The prints are essentially in two colors - Red and Black The base color of Bagru prints is off- white. Initially, natural dyes like madder, indigo, pomegranate rind, turmeric etc. were being used as coloring agents. For the past seventy years Alizarine has been introduced in place of madder (manzeet).Natural indigo has been replaced by Synthetic indigo.  

Bagru Printing - Colours

Colors (application/pdf)

All the motifs are first carved on wooden blocks which are made by craftsmen called KHARAUDI. They specialize exclusively in the skill of hand-carving the designs on the blocks and do not use the electric machinery. They work with their traditional tools which include a ruler, compass, saw and wooden maller. A single colored block measuring 5.5 cms by 9cms, can cost between Rs. 350 and 800, depending upon the intricacy of the design. One block lasts for a maximum of 800- 1000mts. of fabric. Each design usually requires a set of several different blocks, including an outline (rekh), a background (gad), and filler (datta). Main patterns carved on the blocks are: 1)       PATASHI with its tiny floral designs of buds, leaves and stems. 2)       JHAD with its interviewing trendrils and distinctive border lines. 3)       HATHI- the elephant

Bagru Printing - Motifs

Motifs (application/pdf)

Hand block printing is a complex and labor- intensive craft that involves a variety of skills at different stages: Carving the block (usually done by craftsmen) preparing the cloth, mixing the dyestuffs, and finally the printing, dyeing, and washing steps, which may be repeated several times to obtain a final color and designThe process of preparing Bagru print is quite easy and it looks like the practice and working of printing with natural dyes or elements which contains a critical series of steps as follows: a. Preparation of raw cloth. b.Making of dyes or natural colors c.Steps that involves different types of printing designs d.Developing complicated dyeing techniques for resist printing in particula

Bagru Printing - Process

Process (application/pdf)

Patterns - Created by NAISHA GHOSH (5A)

Patterns (application/pdf)

Caption: : Blue flower followed by Pink flower

Cam Scanner+06 27 2021+22.45.10 (application/pdf)

Caption: : Red box followed by Blue box