BY Admin
Jaipur, also known as the pink city, is famous for a rich and broad spectrum of traditional handicrafts and artistic heritage along with its fair share of palaces, elephant rides, historical tales and infamous Pyaaz Kachoris. But, among these undoubtedly exciting attractions, is the ancient art of Block printing; a craft that has been carried on by generations, for generations..
This historic art form demands a specialised skill set, vital prerequisites of which include patience, creativity, laboriousness, and eagle-eye precision. A host of artisans come together to weave this glorious piece of Indian textile – the kharaodi (block carver), rangrez (dyer), chhipa, (block printer), and dhobi (washer). Different blocks make up a particular print depending upon the complexity of design and number of colours it boasts. The luxury of this textile dwells in the intricacy and precision of handwork. During the early years, certain colours and motifs also demarcated caste, marital status, profession etc. of the wearer and these norms were strictly adhered to in the villages. While these rules are not followed anymore, and motifs are chosen purely on the basis of aesthetics, there are many prints which are no longer seen today because of the lack of experts required to carve such intricate blocks and the patience and precision required to print them.
Block Printing in Jaipur has committed itself to the cause of creating awareness and raising recognition towards the art of block printing and thereby, leading to upliftment of the block printing community. The idea is to create a systematically organised and planned course / way for understanding this art that dates back to the 17th Century, by means of a detailed and personalised tour, under the supervision of an escort who is essentially an expert in this field. Block Printing in Jaipur arranges and organizes Jaipur Block Printing Tours, this art known for the use of bright and radiant colors with quality fabric that has always added a glorious and soothing ambience to every house and personality that it touches. The initiative aims to provide a platform to these artisans that have lost their place in history and are in dire need of help to uplift their strata in life and showcase their invaluable skills.
These tours are focused towards bringing people in large numbers to the world of the printing houses by organizing a detailed textile tour accompanied by a seasoned expert. They are working incessantly to eradicate backwardness of the printing community by rewarding them for their hard work and providing them an appropriate platform to sell their creations armed with professional work culture. These textile tour experiences are not limited to earning knowledge but also to create memories for a lifetime in the form of candid photos and videography that is conducted during the tour.
The exquisiteness of the block print is heavily reliant on water; thus the commercial activities sprung near water resources- like Sanganer, Bagru, Akola, Barmer, Jodhpur, etc. The village of Sanganer near Jaipur has been a major centre for very fine block-cutting and printing. Almost 500 years old, Sanganeri printing gained high popularity in the 16th and 17th centuries in all European countries with its Calico prints and became one of the major exports of the East India Company. The Sanganeri block-printing art and craft has traditionally been carried on by the Chippas, an artisan community of Rajasthan. The Chippas never receive formal training. They learn by watching as a matter of daily routine. The whole process, from printing and curing, is executed manually at home by family members.
Block Printing in Jaipur runs half-day block printing workshops in Sanganer in two shifts, where you can visit a block printing studio run by an expert and his family, who will take you through the complete process - from hand carving the wooden block to watching the artisans print with precision, washing and sun-drying of the beautiful fabric. While on the tour you can interact with the artisans and get a deeper understanding on their craft. You will then be taught by a master craftsman who will show you the basics of block printing and guide you through the technique. After that you can get your hands dirty and print and create your own unique masterpiece. During the tour of the studio you will also get to see a curated collection of ancient intricate wooden blocks. Icing on the cake? You get a participation certificate to take home with you and flaunt!
You can find more details regarding this workshop at Half Day Workshop Sanganer
Dive deep into the colours of Block Printing with us and let the glory swallow you whole!