Sanganer near Jaipur has been a major centre for very fine block-cutting and printing

Sanganer near Jaipur has been a major centre for very fine block-cutting and printing, and has produced fine muslin saris printed on both sides of the fabric. This elaborate work needs expertly cut mirror images blocks to print the usually asymmetrical Mughal style designs. Although Sanganer is well known for producing fine block printed textiles on off white or pastel backgrounds, today a wide range of textiles are produced with both dark and pale grounds.

A strong Mughal aesthetic dominates the region's printed sari designs. Borders and end pieces consist of repeated bands of undulated twines (bel) of various sizes. Field are often covered with a repeat design varying from small simple dots or geometric shape to large complex buta and kalga.

Cloth printing blocks are usually made of 'teak' or 'seesum'. These dyes are printed on a textile by means of a relief covered block( a different block for each color). In India, the blocks are usually 23-30 cm (9-12") square in size.

Brij Ballabh Udaiwal
Shilpi
6/46 Near Silibery
Sanganer,
Pin-302029
Jaipur
01412731106
brij_ballabh@yahoo.co.uk
shilpihandicraft.com
pug-marks.com
prakhyastores.com
+919314505805

9314505805 Exploring a legacy

Sanganer is a place in Rajasthan that is famous for it's traditional hand block printing. Sanganeri prints usually consists of floral motifs and the colours used are natural dyes derived from Turmeric, Indigo plants, banana leaves and so on.

The colours are usually bright & vibrant which is synonymous with the colourful Rajasthan,

I am a trained textile designer who has now become a writer on the subject of Sanganer hand block printing and general design history.

In India, woodblock printing on fabric was widely practiced and large quantities were exported to Europe. artisan communities such as Chhipa in Sanganer in Rajasthan, India still practice this art form.