Tie and dye .......... Udaipur
Alfishan Khursheed | Kanistha Saha Choudhury | Maleka Rangwala | Nishant Thakur | Pritansha Shukla | Rishabh Kumar
Craft Cluster Initiative Cluster- Udaipur
A project by
National Institute of Fashion Technology NEW DELHI M.des (2017-2019)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We would like to gratefully acknowledge the contributions and efforts of everyone who made this endeavour possible. we express our sincere gratitude to the following members from the NIFT family for imparting valuable insights and serving as a guide light for all of us. Mrs.Kavita Yadav, CC M.des Mohd. Suhail, M.des We would also like to thank Mr. Shri Uday Kumar Singh Mr Ashok Sharma We are greatly obliged to the members of the Ngo Sadhna and Seva Member, who answerded our numerous queries with utmostg patience, helped us out in every possible way and shared their wealth of knowledge with us. We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation and precisely thank the people of Udaipur for treating us with warm hospitality and and extending their helping hands throughout our stay in Udaipur. Last but not the least we would like to thank our friends and family for their continous encouragement and support.
CONTENTS 1. Introduction 1.1 Background 1.2 History of Udaipur 2 .Demographics composition of Udaipur 2.1 Places to see and visit 2.2 City/ landmarks 2.3 Ghat of Udaipur 2.4 3. Around the world - Tie and Dye 3.1 Around India 3.2Tie and dye in Rajasthan 3.3 Cluster Profile 3.4 Major problems 3.5 Major Aspects 3.6 Approach to crafts 4. Methodology 4.1 Community participation 4.2 Materials tools, and dyes 4.3 Process of Tie and Dye used in Udaipur 4.4 Kinds of tie and dye( Mothra and Bhoopalsahi) 4.5 Design, Motifs and Colours 4.6 Products 5. Role of SHGs in Udaipur 5.1 Sustainability Issues 5.2 Artisan’s Profile 5.3 Designer’s Profile 6. Conclusions 6.1 Swot Analysis 6.2 Market Research 7. References.
UDAIPUR Udaipur also known as the “City of Lakes” or the “Kashmir of Rajasthan,” is a major city, municipal corporation and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in the Indian state of Rajasthan.It has been dubbed as “the most romantic spot on the continent of India” by British administrator James Tod. Udaipur is located in the center of a Saucer shaped (Bowl shapes) valley basin and is girdled Aravalli hills. In geographical terms, it covers an area that lies between 240 28’49’’ and 240 42’56’’ N longitude and 730 36’51’’ and 730 49’46’’ E latitudes. It has an altitude of 578 meter from Mean Sea Level. Udaipur is a popular tourist destination and is known for its history, culture, scenic locations and the Rajput-era palaces. It is popularly known as the “City of Lakes” because of its sophisticated lake system. Five of the major lakes, namely Fateh Sagar Lake, Lake Pichola, Swaroop Sagar Lake, Rangsagar and Doodh Talai Lake have been included under the restoration project of the National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) of the Government of India. Besides lakes, Udaipur is also popular for its massive historic forts and palaces, museums, galleries, natural locations and gardens, architectural temples, as well as traditional fairs, festivals and structures. Udaipur hosts several state and regional public offices, including offices of Director of Mines and Geology, Commissioner of Excise, Commissioner of Tribal Area Development, Hindustan Zinc Limited, and Rajasthan State Mines and Mineral Corporation Limited.
History of Udaipur This region did not exist as a city prior to 1553. In 1553, King Udai Singh II of Rajput shifted his capital from Chittorgarh, a hill region to Udaipur, a fertile region. It remained the capital of Rajput until 1818 when British took control of Udaipur. In 1947, when India got independence, Mewar region that included Udaipur was attached to Rajasthan. In 1553, Udai Singh planned to move to a fertile valley from the hill region. In 1559, the Udaipur area became famous. Udaipur was famous in the past for Ayad, a bustling trade town in Mewar region. Akbar attacked Mewar and threatened Udai Singh. Since then, he wanted to create a safer kingdom. When Udai Singh was in his exile, he decided to move his capital to a secured place and chose the eastern side of Lake Pichola. This was the place where he met a hermit while hunting in the ranges. The hermit blessed him to build a palace in the spot and assured him that the region will be well protected. The hills of Aravalli provided natural fortification and the hilly region made it difficult for armored Mughal horses to climb. He created a residence in the spot, as blessed. In 1557, he laid a foundation for the palace and it was completed in 1559. Still, Chittorgarh was the capital of Mewar. In 1567, when Mughal Empire was threatening Mewar and captured Chittorgarh fort, Udai built a large, six-kilometer long wall to protect Udaipur from attacks. The wall had seven gates. Later, when Mughal Empire became weak, Sisodia rulers announced themselves independent and recaptured Udaipur and other areas of Mewar except Chittor. Udaipur remained as the capital of the recaptured region. Even though Mughals tried to recapture Udaipur, it remained by Sisodia until it became a princely state under British control.
Demographic composition of Udaipur Udaipur district ranks 5th in terms of population, 8th in terms of area and 14th in terms of population density. Udaipur district has 11 tehsils, in which Girwa tehsil has the highest number of villages whereas Lasadiya tehsil has lowest number of villages.It has 2479 villages, out of them 2471 villages are inhabited and 8 villages are uninhabited. In Udaipur district 301 new villages and 8 new census town have been created. Vallabh Nagar (Tehsil: Vallabhnagar) is the most populous (8,053 persons) village; and Kamlod Ka Doongar (Tehsil: Girwa) is the least populous (03 persons) village. Udaipur district consists of 80.2 percent rural and 19.8 percent urban population whereas the state percent of rural and urban population is 75.1 and 24.9 respectively. The literacy rate in Udaipur district is 61.8 percent which is lower than the State Average (66.1 percent) and it ranks 21st among the other districts of the state. Gender Gap of the literacy rate is 26.3 percent in the district. The Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe population in Udaipur district is 6.1 percent and 49.7 percent respectively whereas the State percent of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe population is 17.8 and 13.5 respectively. The economy of Udaipur district is mainly dependent on agriculture as 61.7 percent workers in the district are either cultivators or agricultural labourers. However the district percent of such workers is lower than the state average of 62.1 percent. Work participation rate (WPR) of Udaipur district has recorded 44.5 percent and gender gap in WPR is 18.0 percent points. In Udaipur district among the workers the percentage of cultivators, agricultural labourers, workers in household industry and other workers (category of workers) are 39.5, 22.2, 2.5 and 35.9 percent respectively.
Udaipur (24.5854° N, 73.7125° E )
City Palace The true reflection of the grandeur of Rajasthan, City Palace is amongst the top architecture places in Udaipur.It is built in a flamboyant style and is considered the largest of its type in the state of Rajasthan. It was built atop a hill, in a fusion of the Rajasthani and Mughal architectural styles, providing a panoramic view of the city and its surroundings. It is conglomeration of several buildings and towers and is better recognized as a Palace Complex. Belonging to the royal Mewar family, City Palace has a number of features that greatly attract tourist. The architecture is exquisite, there are a few structures that leave the visitor awestruck. The crystal gallery, the vintage car museum, Daawat-i-Aam, Daawat-i-Khas, Maharani Palace and the view of the city and Lake Pichola are the major attractions of City Palace.
Lake Pichola An artificial fresh water lake, created in the year 1362 AD is named after the nearby Picholi village. It is a 4kms long man-made lake and is believed to be one of the most beautiful ones as well. The lake has two famed islands namely Jagniwas and Jagmandir. The lake’s surroundings and the several islands within the lake have been developed over the centuries, with palaces, marble temples, family mansions, bathing ghats or chabutaras (a raised platform, normally within a courtyard); some of the famous ones are the Lake Palace) or Jag Nivas located on the Jag Island, the Jag Mandir, the Mohan Mandir (in the northeast corner of the lake built by Jagat Singh between 1628 and 1652), the City Palace of Udaipur (Bansi Ghat) from where boats ply to all other parts of the Lake, the Arsi Vilas Island, which is a sanctuary for birds and the Sitamata Game Sanctuary on the western shore of the lake.
Bagore-ki-Haveli haveli in Udaipur is right on the waterfront of Lake Pichola at Gangor Ghat. Amar Chand Badwa, the Prime Minister of Mewar, built it in the eighteenth century.The palace has over a hundred rooms, with displays of costumes and modern art. The glass and mirror in the interiors are Haveli work. It also preserves an example of Mewar painting on the walls of the Queen’s Chamber. The two peacocks made from small pieces of colored glasses are examples of glasswork.
Monsoon Palace Also known as the Sajjan Garh Palace, is a hilltop palatial residence in the city of Udaipur, Rajasthan in India, overlooking the Fateh Sagar Lake. It is named Sajjangarh after Maharana Sajjan Singh (1874–1884) of the Mewar Dynasty, who built it in 1884. The palace offers a panoramic view of the city’s lakes, palaces and surrounding countryside. It was built chiefly to watch the monsoon clouds; hence, appropriately, it is popularly known as Monsoon Palace. It is said that the Maharana built it at the top of the hill to get a view of his ancestral home, Chittaurgarh. Previously owned by the Mewar royal family, it is now under the control of the Forest Department of the Government of Rajasthan and has recently been opened to the public. The palace provides a beautiful view of the sunset.
Ghats of Udaipur Ambrai Ghat It is located on the bank of Pichola Lake. City palace, the largest palace in Udaipur is in directly opposite of Ambrai Ghat. Ambrai Ghat holding full dignity faces Lake Palace or Jagniwas, which is an elegant hotel featuring white marble walls, located on a natural foundation of 4 acres rock. Especially at sunset, when it is lighted, it gives eye soothing view. In the Diwali, the fireworks from city palace, makes the view from Ambrai heart touching and you’ll be requiring a real good reason to leave the place before the fireworks are over. Laal Ghat An outrageously religious place of Udaipur, Laal Ghat witnesses a swarm of devotees throughout the year. Pilgrims from far and wide, travel to LAL Ghat for a holy dip. According to the Hindu beliefs, a dip in the waters of LaaL Ghat ensures your sins are forgiven and you will be reincarnated as a human in your next life. This belief draws thousands of devotees to the LAL Ghat for a dip. 3- Gangaur ghat- In the 1878, under Maharana Shakti Singh the three gates of Gangaur Ghat were constructed also known as Tripoliya for the haveli named ‘Baghor Ki Haveli’. .As its name is ‘Ganghor Ghat’, which symbolize the auspicious festival of Rajasthan and which is also practiced in Kolkata and West Bengal by the Rajasthanis over there. It’s basically celebrated so as to obtain marital bliss by the wives and even the one which are not married for their future husband.All these people gather over here and perform the religious rituals. Apart from this Ganpati Visarjan and Durga Visarjan are also performed here.
Around the world- Tie- dye Tracing the historical background of tie and dye, mordant dyeing was certainly first known in the ancient city of Mohenjo- Daro by about 2000 B.C, it is also possible that the resist dying was also practiced. In 1000 B.C clothes such as these were used to wrap mummies and were found in Egypt. Apart from the examples from the tie-dyed Peruvian culture which dates back to 1-2 century A.D, textiles were also excavated from a tomb at Astana in Chinese Turkestan dating from the 4th century A.D. It is also possible that the technique was brought to the Far East from India. Director of various internationally renowned museums and an expert of the ethnography noted that the earliest traces of plangi (tie-dye) in the continent of America dated to pre columbian times, with Peruvian fragments from the first millennium (CE).Anon (1967) [3] described that in Japan the technique is known as Shibori and was particularly popular during the eighteenth century. Combinations with other resist dyeing technique as well as embroidery were not uncommon. The technique was deemed to be best suited for use with soft pliable fabrics and was seemingly first used on silk and then, in the sixteenth century and onwards, for cotton. It was described by Buhler and Fisher (1980) that the technique was widespread in many other parts of Asia, and its use has been noted in Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia and Japan. Further, they state that Bandhej clothes have been vividly painted on the walls of Ajanta caves (6th and 7th century).
Around India Fossils of a red and white dotted cloth found in the Indus Valley Civilization proves the antiquity of Bandhej craft (Ahiwasi,1976). He says that we get to know from old Sanskrit literature and wall paintings that both men and women were fond of Bandhej clothes. Bandhej is an antique craft and has been being practiced for times unknown when the world was in its tender infancy, going back to the era of Indus Valley Civilization, the dyeing technique used in the prehistoric city of Mohenjo-Daro was by binding individual areas of cloth to shield them from the dye, today known as Bandhani (Mathur,2000).According to Abbott Indian Bandhani, a traditional form of tie and dye began some 5000 year ago. Its references are found in many old books and scriptures.
We can see the traces of tie & dye fabrics in India around 3rd- 5th century AD in the Guptas period wherein the dress of Goddess Parvati is covered with beautiful goose patterns as described by Kalidas. Later on, in the 5th-6th century AD, many sculptures from Udaipur region depict of the dyed odhanis as the head veil. Also, we see evidences from the use of bandhani cloth in India is its depiction on the walls of the Ajanta caves in particular those of cave I which dates from the 6th – 7th century A.D. Also, roughly contemporary with these paintings is the earliest written reference to bandhni, this appears in the much-quoted Harsha Charita, the history of King Harsha of Kannauj by his court poet Bana.12th century Jain manuscript paintings from Western India illustrate many garments with dotted patterns which seem to be tie and dyes. Several with tribuni patterns which are popular in Gujarat up to 20th century. Literary references in the 14th century A.D. describes about the pieces of silk, a single piece of silk which was dyed in five colours being sent to the emperor of China from Tughlaq’s court. True bandhani from Gujarat is mentioned in ‘Varnaka”, 17th century inventory under bandhalaya. Places in India where Tie & Dye is practised are Gujarat (Jamnagar, Morbi, Mandvi, Anjar, Deesa, Rajkot, Bhuj), Rajasthan (Barmer, Jodhpur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Bhilwara, Pali Jaipur, Kota, Baran, Alwar) and West Bengal. Specifically talking about Udaipur, there are three different methods of tie & dye practiced which are Bandhni, Mothra and Leheriya.
Tie- Dye in Rajasthan Rajasthan has been known for its skillful art of Bandhani. The sterile and physically impoverished
land of Rajasthan is frequently described as ‘colourful’ and ‘vibrant’. These epithets spring not from any natural luxuriance but rather from the traditional way of life and in particular the brilliant costumes of Rajasthan Is, which enliven the desert landscape and relieve the monotony of sands, rocks and scrubby trees. The saline water of the rivers of Rajasthan facilitated the development of dyeing and printing cottage industries. In the Rajasthan gorgeously coloured tie and dyed fabrics are associated in one form or other with every festival, season and celebration. Tie and dye work of Rajasthan is incomparable and bears a deep impression of Mughal style (Mathur, 2004). Handicraft an ancient art is a constant source of metal peace, equilibrium and revelation to both, onewho creates and the other who perceives it. The handicrafts in our country were in a manner reverenced as an important part of our rich cultural heritage. In India almost all handicrafts have a story which relates them to certain religious rituals and social customs, making them inherent part of its culture. One facet of such dazzling inheritance is the art of hand printed, painted and tie-dyed textiles with its infinite range of colors, designs and forms all over the country.
Nature had always a great influence on Indian artists and craftsmen. Bandhani designs normally derive their inspiration from stars at night (represented by dots) and sand dunes (the band or waves). These are the best of each Bandhani design. All the designs are made by clustering the dots in desirable shape so Bandhani is a complicated and skilled work of ornamenting the cloth with combination of colors. In Rajasthan – Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur are the main centers of tie dye work. The ‘lake city’ Udaipur has always been a center for production of Bandhani work. Different forms of tie and dye have been practiced in India. Indian tie and dye also known as Bandhani and Bandhej in Rajasthan is a traditional form of tie and dye which began about 5000 years ago. Today very few families are doing this work and the designs use are mostly traditional in nature. Presently, Government of India is giving a lot of importance of protecting the traditional textile crafts. Many schemes are being started to promote these traditional crafts by providing aids and motivating artisans by awards. Butin spite of this, these cottage industries are still underdeveloped and very few studies are available on focusing different aspects of these textile crafts.
Cluster profile Name of the cluster- Tie- dye cluster of Udaipur State- Rajasthan Dsitrict- Udaipur No of firms- 25 Major products- Safa, Chunni, Bed sheets, Dress materials, Handkerchieves, Shawls, Kurtas Major markets- Udaipur- Hathipole, Malla talai, Suraj pole. Major Problems --Lack of finance --Health issues --Social, cultural and religious constraints --Industrialisation and rotary, screen printing --Unavailability of water --Lack of government incentives Major prospects --Abundant Manpower --No interference from middle man --Decent marketing and Branding Skills --Easily accessible raw materials.
Approach to the craft The tie dye clusters is based in Udaipur from 7-8 generations, their ancestors have migrated from Multan.The cluster did go through its up and downs but in today’s scenario, its well established and flourishing. They are involved in this profession throughout the year for their livelihood. Families are self sufficient unit and they indulge in this craft along with block printing. Tie and dye is not limited to men, but also equal participation from women and children during their spare time. Usually women are more expert in intricate tying and men do the dying work.By involving children to the work, they pass their working tradition from generations to generations. There is very sparse amount of middlemen involved in this craft in udaipur as its a self sustaining one which involves help from extended family members in terms of marketing and branding. One side where other clusters of country are day by day getting better technological development, communication, recognition by help from government, NGO’s, electronic and print media but on the other side this cluster is refrained from many such facilities.
Methodology The study was undertaken at the tie- dye cluster in Udaipur. There are main 25 units of tie and dye which are distinctively spread through Udaipur, but mostly forced in Hathipole, which is also the main market and nucleus of the city. The primary data was collected from artisans through personal interview, observation and had participatory and non- participant type of research.The source of secondary research was government websites, internet, newspapers. • • • •
Perception of structured schedule used as an instrument for gathering information. Conduction of interview of artisans at the the respective colonies. Swot analysis Analysis of the information.
The work is carried out by artisans as household activity or within groups in guidance of senior craftsmen. The learning of skills of intricate bandhej and various types of leheriya is survived with families. The tradesman controls this craft, while artisan is mainly paid on job- dehari basis, they are focusing more on self- sufficiency by using the new available technology and resources.The financial conditions of the artisans are not sound.There is intense competition among producers due to low margin.
Community Participation The number of tie and dye centres in Udaipur is 25. The major communities involved in this craft are: • Khatri community • Rangrez community • Nilgars community The communities currently working in Udaipur are Nilgars and Rangrez. The age of the workers engaged in this craft range from 18 to 80 years. The families work as self sufficient unit. The women do the tying and men do the dyeing process. The monthly income of 50%of the workers range from Rs. 1500-2000. The monthly income of 30% of workers is Rs. 2500. The rest lies in between according to the data collected in December 2017. The art practise is inherited by their fathers and forefathers. The artisans usually start working with less skills and develop overtime with experience and practise. According to the survey, 60% of the artisans are full time workers and 40% are part time workers. The part time workers either have a subsidiary occupation alongside or practise other art form during the rest of the year. The above data has been recorded from the Vidya Bhawan jan Vachnalaya library we visited in Udaipur.
Tools used for tying Nakhli Nakhli is the Artificial nail worn on middle or ring finger. It is made of metal or plastic. Bhungli A thin small funnel like pipe used for a better grip while tying the knot on the fabric. Needles Perforated Polyethene Sheets Sheets on which patterns are made with tiny holes to print the pattern throughout. Threads (dori) Geru Red paste used for printing the pattern Robin Blue Substitute for Geru
Dyes and Chemicals Dies for various fabrics are as follows: Dies for cotton:
Napthol Dyes Dissolved with chemicals like Caustic soda, Sodium Nitrate, Hydrochloric Acid and Sodium Acetate.
Direct dyes used with common salt Congo Red Chlorozol Yellow CGS Chlorozol Fast Yellow CGS Chlorozol Brown
Napthol AS,Napthol ASSW Napthol ASG
Reactive dyes also used with solution of Common Salt, Soda ash and Lisopol D solution Procion Red Procion Turquoise Blue Indochroma Brilliant Orange Indochroma Brilliant Yellow
Dies for Silk Always dyed in Acid Dyes. Chemicals used are Common Salt, Sulphuric Acid and Acetic Acid. Navillion Yellow Navillion Orange Sandonal NBL Komose Blue Navillion Red RS Brown ZRL
Various combinations are made by mixing different dyes. These dyes are purchased from local markets as well as Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Surat. They are manufactured by CIB as well as local manufacturers.
Bandhani Bandhani from Rajasthan, is the process in which small parts of cloth is pinched and tied before the dying process begin. The processes of Bandhani in chronological order:1. Selection of the cloth to be tied and dyed 2. Pattern Making 3. Pinching and tieing 4. Preparing the Dye 5. Dyeing 6. Washing and Drying
Selection of the cloth to be tied and dyed. Mainly these types of cloth are used in the tie and dye of Udaipur; Chiffon, Muslin, Silk, Georgette, Crepe and Cotton The cloth is usually stark in colour or consists of a single shade of colour, supplied to the artisan from various places around the country. The most famous of them being the Bangalore Silk. The cloth is washed and dried as preparation for pattern making.
Pattern Making The prepared cloth is then imprinted with pattern the artisan wants. This is done using different methods like : Entire hand drawn Block printing Imprinting using a stencil The given list above is presented in a chronological order with respect to time, i.e the hand imprinting being the oldest and the stencil imprint being the latest. The material used for imprinting is usually Iron Oxide. The pattern making through stencil is now used as the most prominent method as a single patterned sheet can be used several times. However the older pattern making are not fully replaced as doing things the ‘good old way’ creates patterns different from each other, every time. The pattern on a stencil is first imprinted using a punch and hammer. Then that stencil is put over the cloth and then solution is applied over the stencil. The solution permeates only through the holes and gets imprinted as tiny dots over the cloth. Since the pattern is made using punch and hammer, it consists only of dots.
Pinching and Tieing The pattern prepared cloth now goes into the major step of Bandhani. The name bandhani is due to this step. The tiny dots prepared though pattern making now becomes points on which the cloth is to be pinched. The pinching process in Bandhani is a female dominant process, i.e it is mainly done by women. The cloth is pinched using long nails in mainly two ways:• Fingers used as tweezers on the cloth to pinch and raise. • Finger consisting of the longest fingernail (usually the third finger) going underneath the cloth and raising the cloth from below. In many cases, in the absence of a long fingernail, an artificial fingernail called Nakhliya is wore on the third finger to pinch and raise the cloth. The raised area is now tied around by a cotton thread (usually) to make it resistant to the Dye in which the cloth is to be dipped. The intensity or the amount and tightness of the thread tied around the raised area determines the resistance of the tied area. A tight and full winding ensures minimum permeability of the raised area and a loose or left out wind makes permeability permissible. Both of these tieing process are used equally as both these processes help in creating different variations of Bandhani. In some cases, polythene is used as a thin covering over the cloth and then the tieing is done over that thin plastic cover to ensure 100% dye resistance. This whole pinch and tie process brings the desired pattern to life and is done using a single reel of cotton thread without any breakage.
Preparing the Dye ‘The dye is prepared for the tied cloth to dye’, using either of the two major types of dyes:Natural (Indigo- indigo plant, Red- madder root, Yellow- turmeric, Purple- sunflower petals, Brown, olive- sunflower petals) Synthetic (Dry powders, Liquid concentrate) The synthetic dyes are now more in use due to their easy, cheap availability, better longevity and next to nil colour bleeding. The dye is usually mixed with water and heated to be ready for dying, especially in Bandhani. Many times alum is also added for fastening the dyeing process. It may be prepared either in a bucket or in a big water hole, depending on the requirement.
Dyeing The entire process of preparing the dye and later on, the dyeing part is male dominant. The tied cloth is further contracted, made into a roll and then tied like a thick braid (all done loosely). This braid’s one loop is tied with a thread (usually jute) with other end open. This thread is used by artisan to lift and drop the cloth in the hot dye, either by hand or using a long pole which is usually wooden. The artisan does this as both preparatory and precautionary measure as the prepared dye is set on high temperature. The cloth is dipped fully in the hot dye multiple times for the cloth to absorb the colour. The dyeing may be done again after the whole washing drying to add multiple colours.
Washing and Drying The final process consists of washing the cloth one last time to remove excess dye and then the cloth is unfurled and left to dry before being used as a finished product. All this is done with the cotton thread (used in tying) intact. The cloth is fully unfurled only in the presence of the customer to ensure authenticity. The thread is removed by stretching the cloth (sometimes requiring two persons) till the threads break loose to reveal the pattern.
Leheriya It is a process in which thin cotton and silk are rolled, tied at intervals and treated with a series of dyes and washes. Since both Bandhani and Leheria come under tie and dye methods, they share similarity in their processes of cloth selection, washing and drying and both of them share the same sequence and order of step. Unlike bandhani, leheriya does not involves separate tasks for tying and dying.
Selection of Cloth Only very thin loose cotton and silk cloth is used as this time the cloth is tied tightly and properly and dye need to penetrate several layers of cloth
Rolling The cloth to be tied is rolled from one edge to another diagonally since the patterns generated are usually diagonal on the cloth piece.
Dye preparation Bright shades of yellows, green and red are the favoured dyes used in leheriya. The synthetic dyes are prominently used due to the advantages discussed earlier. Dye is heated with water in solution for better results.
Tyeing This process is where the real difference occurs in leheriya as compared to bandhani. The rolled cloth is held at one end. The other end is held by the artisan who holds it by his foot. From that end, tying is done by tying the cotton thread vigorously across the length of the rolled cloth at specific intervals. The use of thread, like bandhani is continuous without breakage. The tightness, use of plastic, etc is also similar.
Dyeing The Dyeing process is similar to bandhani. The only difference is that since the dye is not heated. The artisan gets the freedom of dyeing by immersing his hands fully in the dye.
Mothra: Variation of Leheriya The process used in Mothra is just a repetition of leheriya applied at opposite angle or edge. The cloth is rolled and patterned from one end and then again rolled and patterned from another end with same or different coloured dye to get the check effect. Bhopal Shahi Multicoloured Zigzag Striped Tie and Dye The multi coloured zigzag striped tie-dye was named Bhopal Shahi, after the Maharana Bhopal Singh of Udaipur, who created the design, gave it to the dyers of Udaipur and asked them to prepare materials of this pattern to be used for Gangore Puja, the Hindu festival when new garments are worn.
Bhoopal shahi Shri Maharana Bhupal Singh( 22 february 1884-4th july 1955) ruler of princely state of Udaipur had ordered craftsmen to make a unique print for him which he could wear for festive ocassion, he was very impressed with the artisans talent and he asked them to settle in Udaipur and the print is named after him as , Bhoopalshahi. The cloth is prepared in the similar manner as leheriya. The prominent colours used are orange, rani, rama green, parrot green and naya firozi.The width of each colour band is almost 3 inches wide and then colours are repeated in same sequence. Use of kaccha colour is mandatory to bring about the brightness and only dry cleaning is done.Takes 4-5 days to to dye one chunni. Average costs ranges from Rs 25003000. Currently only three artisans are working for this print in Udaipur.
Design,Motifs & Colours The tie and dye motifs that they use are very elaborate .These include flowers, creepers, bells and jalas. Knots are placed in clusters each with a different name, for example, a single dot is called Ekdali, three knots is called Trikunti and four knots is called Chaubundi. Such clusters are worked intricately into patterns such as Shikargah (mountain like), Jaaldar (web like), Beldaar (vine like) etc Throughout India, Red is the colour worn by brides and this auspicious colour is often combined with yellow, the colour of rebirth and vital power of the sun, which also bears connotations of renunciation of the world, as typified by the saffron robes of priests. The red and yellow odhanis called piliya, from pila, yellow, or pomcha,from padma or pom , lotus, when it has a stylised flower in the centre is probably the most frequently seen garment in rajasthan as it is worn by practically all young mothers,especially in rural areas. The piliya has a red border and yellow body with quincunx pattern of a large red circle in the centre and four smaller once surrounding it. Odhanis with all over pattern of coloured diamond shapes, called laddu or the dabbi often edged with silver or gold ribbon is very famous as a merchandise. Dungar Shahi – the mountain pattern Chaubasi – in groups of four Tikunthi – circles and squares appear in a group of three Satbandi – in groups of seven Ekdali – a dot Boond – a small dot with a dark centre Kodi – tear or drop shaped Dabbi-- a small box Laddu Jalebi (after the name of Indian Sweets) – the swirling Shikari --- design of human figured horses, tiger,elephants.
Products Include images of various products. Safas, shawls, chunnis, sarees, dress material
Role of SHGs in Udaipur The Self Help Groups or SHGs are one of the very renowned and recognized mediums in alleviating the poverty of artisans and craftsmen around any area in the country. The Udaipur and Jhalawar district of Rajasthan in 2008-09 had 1123 number of such groups registered . At least 153 of them are registered under different financial units of government like NABARD, ICDS, DRDA and SAUs. These SHGs help in establishing a flow of fundings from banks and ensuring a stable income of the group. This can be well explained by an example of Shahnaz Husain of Bichdi village in Udaipur district.
Having lost her husband at 15 years before, her life and livelihood was greatly strained as she lost the sole bread owner of her family. However, Shahnaz took help of Jai Hind Self Help Group to learn new skills in order to support her family and now she is one of many businesswoman who work with Hindustan Zinc, a Vedanta Group Company, who are an investor in handicrafts, embroidery, terracotta, tailoring, saree decoration, jewellery making, cultivation, poultry, husbandry and beauty parlours.
For challenges with women. He told, “It was never easy to bring rural women together as they had clashes of interest or rural beliefs and also difference of temperament.” However he did points out that with time and efforts, things start taking shape and group dynamics increases. He later on added, ”Once they came together, they started working like a strong team where they extended a helping hand to one another and ensured their SHG came out with the best of products”.
The SHG, being the formal structure appeals to the banks and investors to invest in the crafts and hence form a source of income for the artisan. This example also showed how a woman got empowered with the help of an SHG. SHGs help in addressing various issues of that group or sometimes, even the whole community. SHGs, therefore help in battling out the social stigmas, specially of poverty stricken communities.
The SHG therefore perform as an alleviator of poverty as well as a resolver of communal differences.
The SHGs face several challenges while working. This was made evident by an interview of IANS with Pavan Kaushik, head of Hindustan Zinc’s corporate communications.
An SHG can be formed by various sources, which are broadly classified into government sources and non-government sources. One well known non-government source is the Non Governmental Organisation (NGO). NGOs played a pivotal role in the early years of SHG formation. Several NGOs encouraged the idea of SHG formation in the rural areas as a poverty alleviation system to the government at a time when government was searching for ways to finance the rural poor. Several NGOs still play an important role in SHG formation.
Saadhna An example of NGO in Udaipur would be Saadhna which was established in 1988 to provide alternate employment to women living in rural, tribal and slum belts of Udaipur. Based in Delwara, Saadhna is a sub branch of another NGO based in Udaipur, named Seva Mandir. Starting with only 15 members, Saadhna is now a successful venture with 714 members, 48 groups and 10-20 artisans per group spread over 15 locations in Udaipur. It even has its own online site for retail of its manufactured products.
Sustainability Issues Social No definite cluster for tie and dyeThe tie and dye craft community of Udaipur in itself can be said to be a scattered community. Specific families practice the craft, following the traditions of their previous generations and hence, utilizing the passed on practice of their forefathers. These family run small units of crafts are scattered through various places of Hathipole and Malla Talai in Udaipur. There is no coordination or relevance to what one family is making and what others is. This family based scattered community hence makes its own disadvantages. No union among the tie and dye craftsmen Craftsmen face competition not only from outside but also within Udaipur The lack of closed community for this craft removes the interest of the process from the craftsmen themselves. The family based scattered community also means the family burden cannot be distributed throughout the community. No sharing of knowledgeThe family restrict their knowledge and skill set to themselves and this leads to lack of spreading of the craft knowledge which further leads to stagnation of the craft itself. The craft hence is not able to modify and adapt to the present time and hence, slowly loses its touch when not shared. No Identity of craftThe tie and dye craft of Udaipur is yet to be recognised as a proper craft of Udaipur in the books of government. It is in desperate need of a trademark and other proper identity marks of a cluster.
Economical High raw material costThe raw material required for the craft namely the clothes, dyes, fuel and water have seen an increase in cost in recent years which has made the overall production cost difficult for the craftsman With the addition of GST on raw materials needed for the craft, the current prices have increased. This increased cost multiplies with labour, production, storage cost, etc. and hence increases the overall cost of the products. This discourages the consumers and they opt for cheaper print options. Lack of working spaceOften families practice their craft and in the limited spaces of their households only. This creates a problem in terms of number of products and their storage. Tie and dye craft becomes a space intensive craft especially in the last drying stages. This space crunch results in limited stocks, letting go of big orders, inability to deliver on time especially in case of medium bulk orders and longer time duration for complete manufacturing per product. Fuel CompensationThe dye solution needs heating before the cloth is dipped in tie and dye. For this, water is heated on a stove with the later addition of dye. The stove is fueled by lpg cylinders. In an interview with a craftsman conducted in Udaipur, it was known that at least 6 cylinders are bought in black to meet the fuel requirements of heating. This poses as a serious problem as craftsmen are resorted to illegal ways to meet their requirements.
Environmental Wastewater Management There is no definite structure in Udaipur to even address the waste water produced during the dying process of tie and dye. Tie and dye in itself is a water intensive process which requires a good water management system to work in a sustainable fashion with respect to the environment. The wastewater produced after dying is simply drained without any priority for reuse or recycle. In some cases water is used economically by addition of dye as per increase of grade in colours which reduces the wastewater but other than that, there is a need for wastewater management. Synthetic Dye problemMany artisans have resorted to using synthetic dyes and have abandoned the use of environment friendly natural dyes due to their longevity advantages and cheap and easy availability. This leads to several health related problems of synthetic dyes.
Artisan’s Profile Mohammed Ayub Khan “ Hum toh Tata , Birla se bhi jyaada kaam aur mehnat karte hai aur ek din ki bhi chutti nahi lete� Mohammed Ayub Khan is 60 years old, well known among all the artisans in Udaipur who has been in this family business since 35 years catering to a family of 10 people. Both his sons are involved in the same business, one helps him in the process and other son owns a shop where he handles the marketing and branding so that they can reduce the middle men interference. He has no online presence.They source their fabrics from Bangalore, Gujarat and Rajasthan. The dyes are brought from the local market in Udaipur. The men do the dying job and their wife and daughter in laws help them in tying. They used to receive government loans in the initall days but during the contemporary times, they are settled and content with the amount of work and money. The business is carried on in their residential settings so that they save the rent and also women can help them easily in their spare time. According to the observation, the family seemed ignorant about the health issues from the usage of hazardous dyes and the water drainage is not managed in a satisfactory manner.
Suresh Chandra Chippa “Akola mein toh log jyada tak dehari basis pe hi kaam karte hai, aur hume bhi wahi comfortable hota hai� Suresh Chandra Chippa, national award winner of 2012 has been in this profession since the age of 15 and he also owns land where he practices agriculture and farming in his spare time.He has a family of 13 people where 5 are dependent on his income and rest are involved in their own respective profession.Well educated and aware about the design trends of the market he often takes inspiration from Fabindia, Anokhi and such brands. He aims to collaborate with various designers so as to enhance his productions and market status.He sources his fabrics from various parts of india whereas the dyes are bought from the local set up. He is very effective in managing bulk orders while maintaining the quality. He has often been a part in Dastkar and other exhibitions held in various parts of India.
Jamila Banu “ Government thodi si madad kar de toh hum apna khud ka business kar sakhte hai, abhi toh hum dehari basis pe hi kaam karte hain� Shouldering the responsibility of two daughters along with her deaf and dumb husband, Jamila banu emerges out to be a strong lady. The family of four indulges in dying of the leheriya safas along with stitching ladies clothes. Dyes are easily sourced from the local market which are of medium quality and they work on daily income basis.G.S.T and other economic fluctuations have affected their lives but they manage to survive in the hope of improvement in the coming future. She and her husband suffers from high blood pressure and breathing issues and currently have no savings. The marriage of their two daughter often worries the parents.
Aejaz Ahmed Hailing from the family of tie- dye craftsmen, he inherited the skills from his father and got into the business since an early age.They also market the products online on Myntra and Flipkart. Design inspirations come from contemporary market.Raw materials are sourced from the local markets and fabrics from throughout the India.
The ladies of the house help in the tying and take almost 2 days to complete the work.They cater to products like saree, suit, dupatta and bedsheet. Work throughout the year except on fridays and after monetary fluctuations, resorted to using paytm.The waste disposal of the fabrics are converted to cushion covers and hand bags.
Sita Ram Owner of the Krishna stores along with three other shops has been practising this craft since he was 16 years old along with his brother. His children are well established doctors in Udaipur.He caters to various tie dye products in his shop along with block prints from Jaipur. Takes inspiration from the traditional designs and incorporates them into contemporary context. He boasts about his marketing skills and he is very aware of the design trends and knows best how to lure his customers. Initially he was involved in the process and making of the tie-dye products but today he is more involved in his shop and gets the work done from artisans around Udaipur and Jodhpur.
Designer’sProfile- Zakir Khan and Rajni Shah Zakir works in ministry of textiles office in Udaipur whereas his wife Rajni is a fashion designer. Zakir worked as a professor in Polytechnic college for designing before joining Ministry of textiles. The couple runs a small boutique from their house and are closely associated with a N.G.O called Sakhi, affiliated with Hindustan Zinc Limited. They collaborate with artisans from udaipur and give them work on dehari basis. Also Zakir being the head, he manages all the artisan related legal procedures in Udaipur and deals with the artisan’s identity card and their issues. According to the couple because of the time and monetary constraints, the craft skill level has reduced. However they are exuberant enough to work with the artisans and also help them gain recognition in the market. The brand FabIndia also approaches several tie and dye units of Akola, a village near Udaipur. Orders are given in bulk to Suresh Chipa’s unit before sale season. The product is finished and exported to various showrooms in Delhi, Chandigarh and various other cities in north India
Designer’s Intervention Strong Online presence
Threats
Extinction of craft Recognition of craft Competition from Screen print Flourishing cluster from Gujarat
Opportunity
O T
Skill set reduction Less finesse and intricacy in designs Space crunch No facilities for bulk order Scattered community among various places Internal conflicts among producers Water waste management
Weakness
W
Strength
S
No interference of middlemen Easily accessible raw materials from local markets Adequate water supply Sufficient availability of manpower Competent women participation Amalgamation with foreign techniques
Market survey Hathipole, Bapu bazar and Bada bazaar are the popular markets in Udaipur where the items include curios, antiques, tie- dye items, trinkets, miniature paintings, silver jewellery items.These colourful markets are always bubbling with natives, tourists and foreigners. Usually the artisans own their shops in the market and sell their products here.Bandhej and leheriya are priced in the market according to the intricacy level of design and motifs.Bhoopal shahi leheriya is heavily priced as it takes lot of effort and time to make them and they are usually worn on festive occasions by rajput women. Price range of tie dye products range from Rs 2003000 in the market.
Difference between Rajasthan and Gujarat Colours used for tie- dye in rajasthan are more colourful and vibrant while in gujarat it’s more of reds and blacks. Bandhej is more prevalent in gujarat with intricate tying while leheriya is more prevalent in Rajasthan and the motifs used are loud and huge. The prints in gujarat usually illustrates tales and stories while that of Rajasthan are more on decorative and adornment side.
References John Gillow, Nicholas Barnard, 1991. Traditional Indian Textiles. 1 ed. Singapore: Thames and Hudson. Kothari, G., 1995. Colourful textiles of rajasthan. 1 ed. Jaipur: Jaipur printers. Rupinder Khullar Kishore shingh, 1990. Golden Rajasthan. 1 ed. New Delhi: Prakash Book Depo. Veronica Murphy,Rosemary Crill, 1991. Tie-dyed Textiles of India. 1 ed. Ahmedabad: Mapin Publishing. Handicrafts,India,SouthAsia,SouthEastAsia,Bangladesh,Bhutan,Maldives,Nepal,Pakistan,Sri Lanka,Crafts,Handlooms,Textiles,Artisans,Craftspersons. 2017. Handicrafts,India,SouthAsia,SouthEastAsia,Bangladesh,Bhutan,Maldives,Nepal,Pakistan,Sri Lanka,Crafts,Handlooms,Textiles,Artisans,Craftspersons. [ONLINE] http:// www.craftrevival.org/ [Accessed 22 October 2017]. DesiCrafts. 2017. Featured Craft | Bandhani Of Rajasthan – DesiCrafts . [ONLINE] Available at: https://www. desicraftshop.com/. [Accessed 22 October 2017]. D’Source. 2017. D’source Tools and Raw Materials | Leharia Tie and Dye - Jaipur | D’Source Digital Online Learning Environment for Design: Courses, Resources, Case Studies, Galleries, Videos. [ONLINE] Available at: http:// www.dsource.in[Accessed 21 October 2017]. www.craftingluxurylifestyle.com www.divineexim.com/history-of-bandhani/ Bandhej- craft of rajasthan--Documentation and survey Unit Level Data of National Sample Survey Organization, Household Consumer Expenditure in India, 68th Round, 2011-12 Unit Level Data of National Sample Survey Organization, Employment and Unemployment Situation in India, 68th Round, 2011-12 District Census Handbook, Census of India, 2011 District Industrial Profile, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India. Government of India,Ministry of water Resourses.Central ground water board,Ground Water Scenario, Udaipur District,Rajasthan. Reports from Hydrogeological Atlas of Rajasthan, Udaipur District. Asimananda Khandual, S. B., 2016. International Journal of Engineering Research, tie and dye textiles in fashion domain. 05/20. Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation, The Office of Culture and Heritage Promotion Annual Reports from Sadhna Seva mandir. Primary Data collected from artisans via interviews and questionnaires, Market Survey by tallying 5 different shops in the Hathi pole market.
M.des (2017-19) NIFT New Delhi