JOIN USThe distinctive technique of tie and dye, popularly known as bandhni, enjoys an almost unparalleled admiration. Swapna Dutta follows the creative pattern
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I am in vibrantly crowded Jaipur, inside a shop that specialises in bandhni work. I am surrounded by gorgeously displayed saris, dupattas, turbans, dress materials and other things in silk and cotton, mostly in bright yellow, red, green, maroon and pink, some in the traditional pattern of waves known as leheriya (for which Rajasthan is famous), plus many more.
The word ‘bandhni’ originates from the Sanskrit word bandhan, which means ‘to tie’. It is also known as bandhej. The history of the ‘tie and dye’ technique dates back to prehistoric times. It was particularly popular in China during the Tang dynasty (618 - 906 AD), and in Japan during the Nara period (552 - 794 AD).
In India, the bandhni saree finds mention in Banabhatt’s Harshacharita. It was believed that wearing one would bring good luck to the bride. We find bandhni work in the frescoes of Ajanta, and find it mentioned in the texts of Alexander the Great where he speaks of the ‘beautiful cotton work of India’. The tying of cloth with thread and then dyeing is the simplest and perhaps the oldest form of creating patterns and decorating textiles.
It is generally believed that in India bandhni was first popularised by the Muslim Khatri Community of Kutch. The dyeing process involved tying the cloth into hundreds of tiny knots and then dyeing it in colour. The patterns thus produced were known by various names, such as khombi, ghar chola, patori, chandrokhani and so on. Rajasthan is famous for its leheriya or the pattern of waves where just two colours are used in a pattern of diagonal stripes.
Jaipur, Sikar, Bhilwara, Udaipur, Bikaner, Ajmer, and Jamnagar in Gujarat are some of the well known centres producing varied articles including sarees and turbans in bandhni in gorgeous yellow, red, green, pink, black and maroon. At one time, different communities had their own special patterns of bandhni and it was easy to identify which community a person belonged to by looking at his turban. Also, different colours conveyed different meanings. For instance, red denoted a bride while a yellow background suggested a new mother. In addition, the colours and patterns indicated the community the girl belonged to.
Making of bandhni
I am keen to know the steps involved in the creation of these beautiful products. One of the artisans in the shop tells me about it. It is quite a complicated process involving the transferring of different colours on the fabric, tying tight knots, and then washing it and dyeing it in one colour. Thereafter, it is rinsed, dried and dipped in a darker colour and kept for 3-4 hours for the colour to soak in. This is done in several stages. After the last round of dyeing, the fabric is washed and dried for the last time. Finally, the folds are pulled apart in a special way, releasing the knots and revealing the pattern comprising dots, squares, stripes and a variety of motifs.
The bandhni motifs include flowers, creepers, bells and so on. The knots are placed in clusters and each has a different name. For example, a single knot is called ekdali; three knots trikunti; four knots chaubandi and so on. These clusters are worked intricately into patterns such as shikargah (mountain), jaldar (web), beldaar (vine) and others. Other common designs include chaubasi (in groups of four), trikunthi (circles and squares in groups of three), satbandi (in groups of seven), boond (a small dot with a dark centre) and so on.
Tying of the border is made by a special process known as sevo bandhavo. The border is tied according to the desired pattern by passing the thread from one end to the other with a loose stitch so as to bring the entire portion together by pulling the thread from one end. The border portion is then covered up. Some sarees have broad matching and contrasting borders. The pallus are also done the same way. For a checkered pattern, the fabric is opened and diagonally rolled again from opposite corners, the rest of the process remaining the same.
I was told that usually men do the dyeing while women do the tying, which is more painstaking because sometimes each dot is as tiny as a pin-head. Bandhni material is sold folded and with the knots tied. One has to pull the folds apart for the knots to open. The price of the piece depends on the number of dots in the pattern. An intricate design in a sari could even have up to 75,000 dots. What one primarily needs in bandhni is the ability to manipulate one’s finger skillfully and also an extensive knowledge of colour schemes for dyeing the materials attractively. In fact, it takes several years for a craftsman to perfect his skill.
It is interesting to note that the process of bandhni in Gujarat is quite different from that of Rajasthan. Even the patterns, designs and craftsmanship vary in both these regions. The craftsmen from Rajasthan usually grow long nails on their little finger to facilitate the lifting of cloth for tying, or wear a small metal ring with a point. Gujarati craftsmen work without these aids and prefer to work with bare hands.