Sarees|Bagru

The exotic looking fabric comes from the smart use of wooden hand blocks that have etched in designs on the flat surface. From the simple to the intricate, the sizeable to the miniature, designs get transferred through dipping lightly in the color, placing the block lightly on the fabric cloth and delivering a sharp hit to the pressed block. The Bagru has shown splendid results on the plain South Handloom Cottons that are woven with zari borders.

Undertaken on both silk and cotton fabrics of varying counts, using different dyes for each, wooden blocks are hand carved by skilled artisans and the final printing done by a skilled block printer. Times may have changed with newer trends in designs from other providers in the market, Bagru has still stuck to its traditional methodology yet managed to hold out its own.

Bagru is an elaborate process of washing, cleaning, dyeing and then block printing. The fabric is printed with natural dyes or colorants derived from plants. Different blocks are used for different portions of the overall design. A majority of the natural dyes being from plants, Bagru Prints are also referred to as ‘eco-friendly’ prints.

Earlier prints were primarily floral and showed natural vegetation, but after the Persian influence tended to become more geometrical. The motifs of Bagru may be classified into five types: flowers and birds, inter-twisted tendrils, trellis designs, figurative designs, geometrical shapes.

The fabric is pre-washed and soaked for several hours together to allow for dirt, oil and other contaminants to separate out. The smearing of the fabric or cloth to be dyed, is with Fuller’s Earth, brought from the riverside. It is then dipped in turmeric water. Fuller’s Earth washed away imparts a creamish colour to the fabric.

Then it is soaked in the solution of Harda or fruit of the myrobalan plant and dried in the sun which gives it a yellowish cream hue. This is a unique feature of Bagru Prints and the process is instrumental for the colour fastness of the Print dyes that would be applied.

The fabric is then printed with natural dyes or colorants which are derived from plants and animals. Different blocks with different colours are used for the different parts of the overall design. Since a majority of the natural dyes are from plants, Bagru Prints are also referred to as ‘eco-friendly’ prints.

The primary colours are available from the following substances. Blue is available from Indigo, with desired shade got from increasing the concentration or diluting it. Green is available through indigo mixed with pomegranate. Red is through the Madder Root, while yellow is from turmeric.

After the fabric is completely block printed it is dried and later put in vats of boiling water containing alum and other agents. The solution with fabric in it is constantly stirred to prevent sticking to any portion of the vessel. The process is complete with the fabric being washed again to remove excess colour and any other sticking impurities.

Wooden Hand Blocks are blocks of wood with holding grips on one side and a flat smooth surface or pressing side with design engraved on it on the other. Designs engraved are transferred to the fabric by filling colours in the etched cavities and giving a sharp hit to the pressed block on the cloth.

Bagru prints are printed on an Indigo or a dyed background and one finds a reddish tinge in its textiles.

Till about 50 years back most fabrics that were being printed were quite coarse and thick cottons, usually hand woven. The printer often from women or older men sitting around on the floor outside the house would print during the day time, when free from the household work.

Printed on very small low tables called “Paatiya”, the blocks used were quite small in size. Once a small portion of the fabric was printed the printer very carefully moved the fabric forward. Due to the thickness of the fabric it was easier to restart printing without difficulty, from exactly where one had stopped.

If a bigger block would have been used, instead of the tiny block, the printing would have been done in less than half the time. But the fabric would still be wet with the colour, and thus when moved, the wet colours would have left spots. Thus it was necessary to use small blocks on the small tables.

In the finer fabrics used today, it is impossible to move the fabric during printing. Thus one must use bigger tables where there is no need to move the fabric during the printing process. The fabric is fixed portion by portion with pins on the table while the printer moves with a trolley having colours and other tools.

“Pavansaar” is an innovation introduced to facilitate printing. Basically small holes are created in the block so that air “pavan” can pass through and the block. The capillary action prevents colour from getting trapped in the fine carved area which otherwise would have spread on the fabric while printing. These holes also help in reducing the weight of the block.

Hand Block Printing using natural colours is done mostly on fabrics such as sarees, quilts, bed covers, though pillow covers, turbans and other smaller items of cloth are also taken up. Themes are generally floral prints, geometrical shapes etc.

Bagru prints are done on off-white, ivory white or beige background sarees. Motifs of circular designs, flowers, fruits, birds create allure on fabrics like crepe, georgette, chiffon, silk, cotton. Exotic Bagru prints are quite popular on south handloom cotton saris woven with zari borders.

While there are very many websites where you could be shopping bagru printed cotton sarees wholesale online, Unnati Silks is a good and reputed website for handloom fabrics in particular. You could get to buy a wide variety and interesting range when shopping for Bagru cotton printed sarees in wholesale and retail online at very attractive prices. You could explore to buy cotton Bagru Chanderi print sarees online.

The Unnati Silks range of handloom cottons showcases the craft and unique prints in sharp detailing and vibrant hues especially in non sliding surface fabrics like cotton, where colors adhere well. Sarees, salwar kameez, kurtas & kurtis in Rajasthani cotton with interesting Bagru prints could be viewed and shopped for on the online website.