Block Printing and Tie – Dye Workshops
Block printing is an ancient technique of printmaking over cloth and paper. This art form is very popular in Rajasthani textiles – bed sheets, quilts, tapestry, upholstery and even garments. Small palm sized wooden blocks are made and traditional motifs and patterns are carved out on them. These are then dipped in dye and stamped onto the tightly spread out piece of cloth. This traditional art form has become very popular all around the world and large consignments are shipped every day to various destinations by the exporters from Rajasthan. We take you to a work shop where you can see the detailing and nuances of this beautiful art. You must try your hand at printing a scarf or a shirt / skirt for yourself too.
Another very popular printing art form from Rajasthan is the tie and dye or bandhej where patterns are created by tying sections of the cloth into tiny knots and dipping it in different coloured dyes. These tiny knots are tied and untied to make beautiful dye patterns. The artisans can guide you to dye a lovely silk kurta as a souvenir for yourself.
Block printing at Sanganer or Bagru village : Bagru, a small town just outside of Jaipur is synonymous with traditional hand block printing and natural dye processes. India Beat work with a wonderful family of block printers who proudly collaborate with designers round the world to create exquisite collections of block printed art. We can arrange a private, block printing workshop where we will take to you Bagru to meet the printers that we work with. This is a fascinating opportunity to learn about the textile traditions of Bagru before starting your master class where you will create your own hand block printed textiles. We will book your class with our lead printer who will offer you a selection of his own blocks to choose from. Some of these blocks have been in the family for generations. We will prepare your fabric in advance so that once you have chosen your blocks and colour dyes you can start printing! Bagru is located outside Jaipur by an hour’s drive. Our workshops start early, you leave Jaipur at 07:00 and will be back in the city for lunch.
Bagru is 32 kilometers east of Jaipur city a small village, where there is a hum of activity in the field of hand block printing on textiles, using traditionally patterned blocks, and rich natural colours. The main colours of Bagru prints are Red and Black. The printed fabric can be dyed in different colour variations as per requirement. Initially, fabric, usually, cotton is cut into required size and then pre washed and soaked for at least 24 hours to remove starch and dust out of it.
Village Excursion: A trip to a village which is an hour drive from Jaipur takes you to the rural part of Rajasthan. This trip is combined with world famous block printing town “Bagru”, guest have an opportunity to visit “Chhipa Mohalla” printer’s quarter and know about methods and techniques of wooden block printing. After visiting Bagru town guests move to next point which is a local tribe (black-smith, snake charmer etc) settled out side village. After that they enter village where they have tea & biscuits and enjoy traditional folk music/dance. Experience a lifestyle still untouched by the hands of modernity. A guided tour to the village of Rajasthan is a unique way of exploring the tough life of Rajasthani people who thrive on the stubborn pulse of nature. An hour drive from Jaipur takes you to the rural part of Rajasthan. Village life still veiled from modernity, where you see women fetching a pail of water, grinding wheat flour by hand, the farmer’s use a method of plugging that dates back thousands of years to the Indus Valley Civilization. The typical village remained unchanged since centuries, consists of huts with thatched roofs, walls are covered with a plaster of clay, cow dung and hay, making a termite – free facade that blends in with the sand of the countryside around it. Boundaries for land holdings called “Badas” are made of the dry branches of a nettle – like shrub, the long sharp thorns a deterrent for straying cattle. Guided Village tour, an hour drive from Jaipur. Visit famous wooden hand block printing town “Bagru” and meet “Chippa” block printers & know about block printing methods & techniques. Observe how women grind flour (Wheat, Pearl millet) by hand grinder “Chaki” and how they bake bread “roti” on earthen kilns. Visit Village Talab (pond) and Community well. Watch the milking of cows, buffalos or goats, when they return from the fields. Watch the women plastering the mud walls with plasters of clay, cow dung and hay. Experience the melody of ‘sarangi’ (a stringed musical instrument) and enjoy the folk dance/folk music perform.
Hand Printing at Anokhi Museum : Following your visit to Amber, visit the Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing; situated in the shadows of historic 16th century Amber Fort in a painstaking restored old haveli. It is probably the only museum of its kind in the world where one can observe the entire process of hand-block printing from carving of wooden blocks to transformation of raw fabric into a piece of art.
