Ajrakh Printing

Ajrakh
Ajrakh meaning blue in Arabic as traditionally, blue is one of the principal colors in Ajrakh printing.

Dhamadka village in Gujarat is known for a block printed fabric called Ajrakh. The other villages known for Ajrakh Printing are Khavda, Bhuj and Ajrakhpura.
The printers belong to a Muslim community called Khatri.

The block-makers are known as Purgar.

The artisans use natural colors such as red from the madder root, black from a rusty iron solution and blue from indigo. This style of printing is restricted to certain areas of western India and Barmer and Akola in Rajasthan excel in the art.

Ajrakh
Meghval and Sindhi Muslim women wear Ajrakh printed Ghaghra and Odhna. Ajrakh printed fabrics are used as head-cloth or shoulder cloth by Maldhari Muslims.

A red dominated Ajrakh Malir is preferred as a special

ceremonial cloth by Muslim grooms. Products made in Ajrakh are: Bed Spreads Blankets Turbans or Shoulder Cloth for men Veils or Skirts for women

Ajrakh
The borders are printed from left to right-always before the main body of fabric Ajrakh printing can be single Ekpuri or double sided Bepuri. When the reverse side is printed, the process is carried out while the material is still damp, as fabric tend to shrink when it dries. The Ajrakh is clearly distinguished from other block printing not only by deep red and blue but also in its structuring of motifs. Each motifs quarters is produced by an identical impression of the block, the four parts coming together to form the whole motif.

Fabric Processing
Washed with water and soda ash Steamed to soften Soaped and washed Dipped in mixture of oils, twisted and kept overnight Washed and dipped in mixture of oil and sakun seeds (tamarisk) Printing

Printing Process
First Print - on the areas which are to be kept white. Asul or Asil (Asule-jo-pur)
Gum Mimosa arabica + Lime + Alizarine

Second Print - Kot (Kot-jo-pur)

Ferrous sulphate + Clay + Gum + Tamarind seeds Syahi paste, which turns black on contact with alizarin, is used in the second stage of printing.

Third Print - Khor - Resist Print (Khor-jo-pur)

Clay + Flour + Aluminium sulphate + Jaggery All areas to be resisted for indigo are printed with gach, an alum resist-mixed with mordant.

Blocks

Blocks

Printing Process
Alizarine Dyeing Indigo Dyeing Dipping in water and fresh camel dung for 12 hours. Washing with soda ash and caustic soda. Mina is done for second shade of blue using the blocks Phuli made as star shaped or circular simple motifs.

Motifs in Ajrakh
Almond (Badam) Phul Millstone (Chakki) Khajur - Date (Khorak) Peacock (Moru) Sweetmeat (Gileb) Jewel Box (Dabuli) Love Affair (Ishq-Pench) Government Seal (Chalo Sarkari) Thi-hashe-jo-ajrakh