Block Printing in India

India has been renowned for its printed and dyed cotton cloth since the 12th century and the creative processes flourished as the fabric received royal patronage. Surat in Gujarat became a prominent center for trade of painted and printed textiles. The art of Hand block printing was passed from generation to generation and employed use of natural colors.

Today, this art has again received revival and has spread to the new centers like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore.

Block Printing in Olden Times

Records indicate that in the 12th century, numerous places in India, namely in the south, western and eastern coasts of India became renowned for their excellent printed cotton. The brush or kalam (pen) was used on the southeastern coast, and the resist applied by the same method. Rajasthan developed special technique of printing and dyeing of cottons. While, in Gujarat the use of wooden blocks for printing was more common.

From Buddha's time, Trade in cotton cloth is said to have existed between India and Babylon. Indian printed and woven cloths cotton traveled to Indonesia, Malaya and the Far East. Surat emerged as a prominent center for export of painted and printed calicos while cheaper printed cloth came from Ahmedabad and other centers.

Prominent Centers of Hand Block Printing

Ahmedabad, Sanganer, Bagru, Farukhabad and Pethapur, are the main centers of hand block printing in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

The Bagru and Sanganeri prints are not easily distinguishable but on a closer observation the difference between the two are revealed. The Sanganer prints are always on a white background, whereas the Bagru prints are essentially in red and black. Artistry and intricacy characterize the designs of Farukhabad. Other notable centers are Pethapur near Ahmedabad and Banaras. Banaras block prints which makers design their blocks to suit fine silk printing - sometimes each design has seven colors.

Block Printing Process

Block printing is popular because of the rich and vibrant colors. Originally natural dyes were used but today they have been replaced by chemical and artificial colors. The main colors used are red, yellow, blue, and saffron.

The main tools of the printer are wooden blocks in different shapes and sizes called bunta. The underside of the block has the design etched on it. Each block has a wooden handle and two to three cylindrical holes drilled into the block for free air passage and also to allow release of excess printing paste. The new blocks are soaked in oil for 10-15 days to soften the grains in the timber.

¤ Tracing of Prints on Cloth

Wooden trolleys with racks have castor wheels fastened to their legs to facilitate free movement. The printer drags it along as he works. On the upper most shelf trays of dye are placed. On the lower shelves printing blocks are kept ready.

The fabric to be printed is washed free of starch and soft bleached if the natural grey of the fabric is not desired. If dyeing is required as in the case of saris, where borders, or the body is tied and dyed, it is done before printing. The fabric is stretched over the printing table and fastened with small pins (in the case of saris the pallu is printed first then the border).

The printing starts form left to right. The color is evened out in the tray with a wedge of wood and the block dipped into the outline color (usually black or a dark color). When the block is applied to the fabric, it is slammed hard with the fist on the back of the handle so that a good impression may register. A point on the block serves as a guide for the repeat impression, so that the whole effect is continuous and not disjoined. The outline printer is usually an expert because he is the one who leads the process. If it is a multiple color design the second printer dips his block in color again using the point or guide for a perfect registration to fill in the color. The third color if existent follows likewise. Skill is necessary for good printing since the colors need to dovetail into the design to make it a composite whole. A single color design can be executed faster, a double color takes more time and multiple color design would mean additional labor and more color consumption.

Especially fascinating for foreigners is the printing of cloth with carved wooden blocks. Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Jodhpur and Bikaner in Rajasthan are the strongholds of this craft. The floral motifs favored by the printers of Bagru and Sanganer (Around Jaipur) are Persian in origin, though Sanganeri designs are more sophisticated. They usually have a white or pale background decorated with colorful twigs or sprays. The not-so-fine Bagru prints were initially meant for peasants and had a light brown background.


¤ Method of Printing

Rajasthan has a long and distinguished tradition of printing with finely carved wooden blocks. What you might have already seen in Delhi’s Rajasthali or Fabindia is merely the tip of the iceberg. Head for Bagru and Sanganer, not far from Jaipur, to see for yourself how cloth is printed by hand.

This method, though labourious, is actually quite simple and merely calls for precision. The cloth is laid out flat on a table or bench and a freshly dipped block is hand pressed on to the fabric to form a continuous, interlocking pattern. The block carries dye if the original colour of the cloth has to be preserved.

If the cloth has to be dyed, the block is used to apply an impermeable resist – a material such as clay, resin or wax – to demarcate the pattern that is not to be coloured. Later, when the cloth is dyed, the pattern emerges in reverse. Traditonally, block-printing relied on the use of natural dyes and pigments, but now synthetic dyes have gained currency as they are cheaper. If you belong to the green brigade, stick to eco-friendly naturally dyed cloth.