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Welcome to Sahaj

Women’s work cannot be understood within the dichotomy of paid and unpaid, or the public and private. May it be the unpaid, invisiblized and unacknowledged household and care work, or the paid participation in the labour force, or the subsistence activities women engage in, women’s work is always mired within the politics of gender.

Sahaj – An Organization for Women’s Development

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3802, 2nd Floor, Above Hutaib Stationary, Kathiria Bajar, Dahod. Gujarat. 389151. 0091 7016415689 mktsahaj@gmail.com

Block Printing – From 4000 Years Ago To Sahaj

Block Printing – From 4000 Years Ago To Sahaj

Block-printing is also known as Woodblock printing. Block printing is the process of printing the patterns on cotton, silk or linen using the wooden block. Wooden blocks are incised on the cloth. It is the earliest and slowest of all methods of textile printing aka block printing. Block printing is a very slow process by hand. It is, however, accomplished by yielding highly artistic results, some of which are unattainable by any other technique.

Origin
Block printing is a very old and heritage method. It is said that it is originally from china over 4000 years ago before coming to Asia and throughout the world. Block printing is the favourite of the builder of the Taj Mahal – Shah Jahan. It is said that he has an expensive taste in textile printing. This process is very similar to painting, dyeing or weaving. Wood is cut or carved to make impression on the surface. In India, block printing was introduced in Rajasthan by the old chippa community in the bagru district. There are various methods in block printing that are passed down by generations like bagru printing, sanganeri printing, kalamkari block printing, ajrakh printing and dabu printing. The state is known for its colourful prints of gods, goddesses, humans, animals and birds is the famous centres in Rajasthan are the cities of Jaipur, Bagru, Sanganer, Pali and Barmer. While Bagru is renowned for its Syahi Begar and Dabu prints that come in yellow and black and are done using the resist printing technique, Sanganer is famous for its Calico prints recognised by their dual colour prints done repeatedly in diagonal rows and Doo Rookhi prints that come on both sides of the fabric. Barmer is known for its prints of red chillies and trees featuring a blue-black outline, while Sikar and Shekhawat prints feature motifs of horses, camels, peacocks and lions.

Block Printing – From 4000 Years Ago To Sahaj

Block-printing in Gujarat

The Paithapur families of Gujarat passed the knack of block printing from generation to generation, forming the trader or sodagiri print. The Kutch district in Gujarat was, and still is, a place where block printing thrives, not only Kutch but also in eastern Gujarat. The Ajrak print is said to have originated from this region. Ajrak incorporates bright colours such as red or yellow printed on dark blue-dyed or black-dyed fabric. Ajrak prints can be identified by their elaborate geometrical patterns.

Block Printing – From 4000 Years Ago To Sahaj

Block printing in Sahaj

We start block printing years back; we celebrate the art of block printing on fabric. Sahaj builds its own blocks and uses them to design products. However, the block printing procedure goes afar from pressing blocks onto fabric. There are so many steps involved, from carving each wooden block to preparing fabrics, mixing dyes and applying final touches. Each block printing technique requires artistry, skill and patience. It is the sum of these tasks that produce our gorgeous block printed fabrics. We are pioneers in eastern Gujarat who created block print art with tribal artisans. At Sahaj, we have designed special blocks on pithora motifs and other designs. We at sahaj make sure every product/design done by block printing is taking utmost care and patience. We create products like sarees, bags, coasters and danglers in vibrant colours.

 

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