Bagh Printing | UPSC
HEADLINES:
Enhancing Livelihoods of Tribal Artisans Through Local Arts and Crafts Traditions: Bagh Printing Training in Madhya Pradesh
WHY IN NEWS:
Padmashri Yusuf Khatri Imparts Training in Bagh Printing to Tribal Artisans in Barwani Under Trifed Project
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 1 : Art and Culture
ISSUE:
TRIFED AND BAGH PRINTING
- TRIFED is the working with local tribals in the Bagh, Maheshwari and Chanderi (MP) textile crafts to ensure continuous livelihoods.
- As a part of this training, these tribal artisans have learned to print bedsheets as of now.
- They are in the process of learning printing on sarees and suit pieces.
- A second batch of tribal artisans have also been identified to undertake the same training.
ASPIRATIONAL DISTRICTS
- Barwani in Madhya Pradesh has been listed as an aspirational district due its poor socio-economic development conditions.
- These aspirational districts have been identified in order to bring about a sustained development.
- These are closely monitored by the senior officials of the Central Government.
- There are no traditional crafts in Barwani district.
- However in the surrounding districts of Khargone and Dhar, a substantial number of local tribal artisans are engaged in Bagh printing .
- In some places near by traditional weaving of textiles in the Maheshwari style is practised.
- Subsequently, TRIFED prepared a comprehensive proposal for training in these three craft traditions.
BAGH PRINTING
- The Khatri family are pioneers of Bagh Printing and have been undertaking it for generations.
- In it two main color red & black .
- Red color comes from alum and black color is iron oxide (Corrosion of iron).
BACKGROUND
- In the 16th century, when the King of Mewar Maharana Pratap held meetings with his officials, thick cotton jajams (sheets) on floor .#PATRONS
- These colourful floral and geometric patterns were spread on mattresses to seat people.
- They were hand printed using wooden blocks and natural colours by a community of Khatri printers.
- Nearly five centuries later, the descendants of these Khatris are keeping alive the traditional art by not only making cotton and silk sarees, dupattas and stoles.
- Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district is now known for Bagh prints.
PIONEER
- Mohammed Bilal Khatri received an excellence award from the UNESCO in 2016 for reviving Bagh prints.
- Bagh printing received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2008.
- Some of their relatives in Rajasthan are Hindus and ancestors settled in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
- They chose to settle down on the banks of the Bagh river from which the village as well as the block printing technique derive their names.
KEEPING TRADITION ALIVE
- Bagh block prints use natural colours made from flowers and other organic products.
- Khatris trace the age-old prints of paisley or geometric and floral compositions on graphs which are given to block makers.
- The teak blocks are sturdy and they are soaked in oil to further increase their life.
- A single piece can be used to print about 5,000 metres of cloth.
METHOD
- The whole technique of Bagh printing is very labour intensive.
- The plain cloth, mostly cotton or silk, is cut as per requirement, washed in Bagh river and dried.
- Subsequently, it is spread out on the mud floor for twenty four hours.
- The labourious process is called ‘khara’ is repeated at least three times.
- Khara washes away the starch of the cloth completely.
- The cloth is ready to absorb the colours well.
PRINTING
- Later the cloth is dyed in a paste of ‘harad’ (terminalia chebula, a component of triphala) and left to dry in the sun.
- For printing, the black colour is made using raw iron strips, jaggery, lime and a gum, all of which are put together in an earthen pot for about a fortnight.
SOURCES : 30stades.com
- The colours are poured into wooden trays in which blocks are dipped for printing.
- After printing, the cloth is left to dry in the sun and after 15 days it is again washed in the flowing river water.
- Bagh river has high levels of calcium and zinc.
- This improves the quality of prints and gives brighter colours.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- Bagh Print sells about 1.5 lakh metre cloth annually to retailers and aggregators .
- The handicrafts and products are showcased and marketed at all Tribes India outlets across their country.
- They will also be on sale on Tribes India’s e-market platform, where the artisans can themselves upload and sell their products.
- TRIFED continues to strive in its mission to empower these disadvantaged people by promoting the economic welfare of these communities.
SOURCES: PIB | Bagh Printing | UPSC
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