The Century Old Tale About Bagru Printing
Are you fond of beautifully designed dresses in Bagru Printed Dress Material? Don’t they look traditional yet contemporary? But, do you know the story behind this amazing printing style? Wondering?
The Bagru block printing is one of the oldest techniques in India that originated in Rajasthan. It reflects the beauty of handcrafted Indian textiles blended with contemporary style. Bagru printing originated in a small village near Jaipur, named Bagru, which is a centuries-old centre for hand block printed textiles.
An Introduction
India has always been a pioneer in ancient cultures and crafts. The credit goes to the many communities and regions of India. And one of them is Bagru prints, which is a hand-block printing style to print and dye clothes using traditional vegetable dyes. For instance, indigo is used to make the colour blue, green made from indigo mixed with pomegranate, turmeric to make yellow and red from madder root.
While there is no literature about how this printing technique actually began, it is said that it started around 450 years back in Bagru. The village is known for its breath-taking craftsmanship till date. CHHIPAS - a community of traditional craftsmen who print and design fabrics by hand are the people behind this technique.
Process and the Intricate Designing
A manual process of fabrication, Bagru printing is used to produce some of the most amazing kurtis, bed covers, ghagras and other materials. Impressions that are printed repeatedly are blocked. Placing the next block a little different is the beauty of this art. It is difficult to understand the historical progress of these designs. Mostly, these are derived from the flora and fauna, hence entirely natural in origin. Mainly there are 5 types of motifs used in Bagru Printing – Tendrils, Flowers & Birds, Geometrical motifs, Trellis or Jaal Designs and human or animal figures.
Bagru printing is done on different dyed background, like indigo where the prints have a slight reddish hue to them. Conventionally, Bargu motifs are large with bold lines wherein most of the printing is done with relatively small blocks on very small & low tables called the ‘Paatiya’.
Bagru in Current Trends
Nearly 5 decades ago, Bagur prints were confined to fabricate ghagras and cholis for women of their own community. These were also sold in their local market. Also, these prints were identifications for Hindu castes, such as the leather workers used to wear the same print as blacksmiths. But, they were differentiated by the base colour.
Because of the fabulous prints, Bagru has a unique place in the international fashion and they are highly used in modern fashion today. The indigo colour with beautiful block work on pants, kurtis, skirts, jackets and more deeply attracts many Indians. Moreover, the summer fashion is incomplete with Bagru prints. Further, these prints are greatly used in home furnishing items and accessories, other than the fashion.
Using Bagru in Daily Life
- Apparel – Bagru block printed skirts, kurtis, jackets, pants, scarfs, ae must have in the wardrobe. Girls love to wear such clothes paired with kolhapuri chappals and silver jewellery for that ethnic plus contemporary look.
- Home Furnishing – To give a refreshing look to home interiors, Bagru printed bedsheets, cushion covers are used immensely. They also make the room looks brighter and more colourful.
Maintenance of Bagru Printed Dress Material
They are eco-friendly fabrics, but it is important to take special care for their longer life. Therefore, the first thing to keep in mind is that these must be washed in cold water, separated from other fabrics. Secondly, one should not dry them in direct sunlight to prevent colour fade.
Wrap Up
It feels great to know the untold stories of craftsmen that remain embedded in these beautiful fabrics. Truly, these patterns have made a space into our life. Undoubtedly, these prints have always been the cultural identity as well as the life of this small unknown village, Bagru. So, if you too are fascinated by the charm of these dress material and wish to make them a part of your life, check out our collection. We are the manufacturers and wholesalers of Bagru Printed dress material.
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