Dabu & Bagru Block Printing: The Art of Rajasthan

Beautiful imprinted designs have been found on scraps of cloth in the ruins of Mohenjo Daro which was an ancient city of the Indus Valley Civilization. This is evidence  that block printing in India was practiced as long as 3000 B.C. This labour intensive, painstaking process is still practiced in 21^st century by many artisans which makes India one of the largest manufacturers of block printed fabric. One of the main forms of block printing include the Dabu & Bagru Block printing of Rajasthan.

Amidst the dry barren desert land are places abundant of colour, heritage and culture. 30 kms south-west of Jaipur and along the Ajmer highway is a small village called Bagru. The residents of Bagru are the Chippa community who have been into the block printing art form for about 350 years. Also 60 kms from Chitthorgarh there is a small village named Akola where the first forms of Dabu printing was practiced. Dabu is a form of mud resistant block printing which is practiced mainly in Rajasthan. The uniqueness of Dabu print lies in its sublime quality and appearance. Also the printing involves lots of natural dyes and pastes made from vegetables which makes it environmentally friendly. The process of making these printed fabrics  includes a lot of manual labour and sheer hard work. It begins by mixing a special clay paste called “dhabu”. A particular design is then sketched on the cloth and is covered with clay and wooden blocks after which saw dust is sprinkled. Once dried the cloth is dyed with the chosen colour. After dyeing the cloth can again be dyed with a lighter colour to give patterns. The process is so lengthy and labour intensive that the end result is worth it.

Bagru is a named derived from “Bagora’” which is the name of a island where the city was built originally. It’s famous for palm fans and fadat patterns. Bagru block printing are usually practiced by the local women folk. Bagru prints can be characterized by their rich colour prints and patterns. Using indigenous methods of dyeing and printing beautiful colours like indigo blue, bright yellow, alizarin etc. are imparted to the cotton fabric. The three main colours in Bagru include black, maroon and red. Patterns involve geometric patterns combined with flora, animal and bird forms. Synthetic dyes have now replaced some of the natural dyes but the process of making the final products continues to be the same. Some of the motifs and styles too have been adapted with the changing trends. New bases like fabrics, motifs and layouts are now experimented instead of cotton and silk as traditional bases.

With many institutes such as the National Institute of Hand printed Textiles, NIFT, NID and other boutique owners and exporters, this traditional form of block printing is being given encouragement. With changes in traditional market the chippa community has successfully adapted to its customer’s needs..

 We offer a huge and exciting gamut of Dabu and Bagru print Stoles and Dupatta’s

This season we bring you Dabu and Bagru Hand block printed Chanderi Cotton silk and Soft mul mul Dupattas. 

- Contributed by Antorik Roy for Banna Creations ! 

Uncovering and rediscovering Madhubani Paintings

It is often baffling to discover something so beautiful and unique in the most unexpected places. One  such discoveries was that of Madhubani Paintings. It was during the year 1934 that Bihar had suffered one of the worst earthquakes in history. A magnitude of 8.1 on the Richter scale swept clean,  vast areas of many towns. It was  under this Natural devastation  that a British colonial officer William G. Archer caught the first glimpses of the Madhubani Paintings. Seeing a strong  similarity to works of modern western artists like Picasso, Miro and Klee and impressed by the beauty and geometrical patterns, it was first promoted through various art journals. As such the Madhubani Art form was first exposed to the whole world.

This art form’s heritage goes back at least 2500 years during the time of the Ramayana. It is believed that King Janak had commissioned artists to come up with paintings during the time of marriage of Sita and Ram. Through generations this folk painting of Northern India has mostly been practiced by women and their daughters in villages of Mithila , in modern day Bihar  an area near the border of India and Nepal. The paintings focus on nature and mythology and depict different events like birth, marriage etc. through the various cycles of life. The central theme revolves around love, valour, devotion and fertility. It is common to find various symbols of prosperity in these paintings such as fish, elephant, bamboo tree, moon, sun, parrot, peacock ,  lotus etc. The central figures in the paintings are the divine beings surrounded by colourful motifs and flora. The human beings are usually abstract and linear in form. It is also common to find Hindu deities depicted such as Durga, Krishna, Saraswati, Ram and Shiva.

The artists of Madhubani Paintings still use the traditional way of mixing colour derived naturally from nature. For example yellow is prepared from turmeric or lime is mixed with the white excretion of banyan tree to give it a yellow colour. Orange comes from palasa flower, green from bilva leaf and red from kusum. Twigs with cotton wrapped around their tips are used as brushes. Mithila is known not only for its paintings but also for its rich culture and various scholar, poets and theologians. Before painting on paper began the women of the village usually confined themselves to their homes and practised wall paintings during rituals.

Nowadays these same women are being given local, national and even international recognition. They have become an important part of the family income. The title has been changed from “folk artists” to “contemporary artists”. They are a few men however who too practice this so called “women’s tradition” with the same enthusiasm.

The Madhubani paintings can be categorized into Traditional, Monochrome, Tattoo, Contemporary and Animals & Birds. The paintings can be distinguished by the use of vibrant colours, geometric and floral patterns, abstract figures of deities. Versatility is another aspect of this art form due to which it has varied applications. Be it artefacts, Mask figures, saris and textiles, wall paintings, mud wall paintings, Tea coasters or coffee tables. It is surprising to find so much hidden talent in India.

Despite the recognition received,  many styles of Madhubani Painitngs have become extinct due to lack of encouragement and takers for the art. 1970 was a celebrated year as the government gave official recognition to this art.

At Banna we not only promote this art form but have also encouraged and supported several traditional Madhubani artists by extending the applications of their Madhubani art work.

We have our own line of custom made Madhubani Sarees and textiles, in specialised designs. Each of these pieces is not only reflective of this age old art form but is also an active and singular means of livelihood for the artists.
- contributed by Antorik Roy for Banna Creations ! 

Kinnal Art: Its history and Origins ... Join Banna's upcoming workshop

Kinnal or Kinhal as commonly known is a small town in the Koppal District of North Karnataka. It is like any other village except for the fact that it dates back to the 13^th century era of the Great Vijayanagar Empire where the first forms of Kinnal art was practiced. Through the test of time this art has continued to survive and is still being carried out by people whose families have been practicing through generations. Annappa, a Kinnal artist belongs to one of the few families who continues to practice this rare art form struggling to keep the long heritage alive. “It’s a full time job” he says sitting over a small table and making the final touches on a beautifully  decorated doll, he continues “9 am to 9pm, it’s the only job our family knows”. He recalls how with time they have incorporated modern tools such as watercolours, cardboards, acrylics etc. instead of tamarind seed paste, neem wood and brushes made of squirrel tails used by their ancestors.

A Kinnal art can easily be differentiated from other forms of art by its intricate design. The beautiful designs and patterns on wall mounts, dolls, cradles and swings is breath taking. The artists through their dexterity depict scenes from Deivapuranas or different avatars of Vishnu which brings life to the art. The speciality is in the paint that is prepared from liquid tin!. Tin is hammered for up to 4-5 hours till it gets into its molten form. It is then mixed with colours and is then ready for painting. This gives the paint a long lasting effect and does retains its glamour. The problem lies in the hammering of tin which requires manpower. With the advent of technology there are now machines that pound tin to get it into the liquid form.

Once final touches are done the arts make their way to various exhibitions, festivals, village fairs, art galleries or to the homes of art lovers. Kinnal wall hangings and showpieces are favourite among art lovers. Kinnal art has also found its place in many temples of Karnataka. This historic form of painting has also become popular worldwide.  Increasing presence of this art has recently been encouraged by the government by granting it the status of geographic indication. The illustrious heritage and the conventional methods employed have made Kinnal art one of the most respected art forms practiced in India.

 - Contributed by Antorik Roy for Banna Creations 

Banna’s  Kinnal Art workshop

 After much deliberation and Delay Banna Presents the first schedule of the “ Kinnal Painting workshop” in January …

11^th and 12^th and 18^th and 19^th January.

The workshop will be conducted by an artist with more than 30 years of experience in the field who has been teaching this traditional art form in an attempt to revive it and spread its awareness.