What is Bagh Print?

About Bagh Print:

• It is the name of a block printing technique unique to a small village called Bagh in Madhya Pradesh.
• The craft, as well as the village, derive their names from the River ‘Baghini’ that flows through the village.
• It was started by the community of Muslim Khatris (they were converts to Islam under the influence of a sufi saint) in 1962 when they migrated from Manawar to Bagh.
• Weaving and hand block printing process with the geometric designs, imaginative use of red and black natural colours and taking advantage of the chemical properties of the river and effective use of colours results in Bagh Prints in a unique art form. 
• Features:
  • In this printing technique, the cloth used is cotton and silk cloth which, are subject to the treatment of a blend of corroded iron fillings, alum and Alizarin.
  • The designs are patterned by skilled artisans.
  • They are created using natural dyes, which are eco-friendly and non-hazardous. 
  • On completion of the printing process, the printed fabric is subject to repeated washing in the flowing waters of the river and then dried in the sun for a specific period to obtain a fine luster.

Q1) What is Block Printing?

Block printing is the process of printing patterns by means of engraved wooden blocks. It is the earliest, simplest and slowest of all methods of textile printing. Block printing by hand is a slow process. It is, however, capable of yielding highly artistic results, some of which are unobtainable by any other method.

Source: Madhya Pradesh: Women learn to make Bagh print bags under ‘Safe Tourist Places project’

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