JOIN USFor travellers to Jaipur who regard art as the first of their many loves, hand-block-printed Sanganeri saris would surely steal their hearts. This 17th Century art form of Sanganer traversed the globe in the olden times and was a significant item of export of the East India Company. Patronised by the royal family of Jaipur sometime back in 18th Century, Sanganeri hand-block printing was subsequently revived by popular exponents like Pupul Jayakar and Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay (the brain behind cottage industry movement of India) and has come a long way since then. In today’s era, however, this art form is facing a bleak survival.
The significant hand-block printing destinations of Rajasthan are Jaipur, Bikaner, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer. Around 20 km from Jaipur is the miniature town of Sanganer, which that has gained quite a reputation as a centre of impressive, colourful hand-block printed works. Like Bagru, the town of Sanganer too has its Chhipa community that actively takes up the work of block printing.
Hand-block printing is an integral part of residents in Sanganer town with a population of about 5,73, 171 of which nearly 10,000 residents are involved in hand-block printing industry and majority are men. The Chhipas are Hindus and perform all the chores right from washing to dyeing and printing of the fabric while the dyers and wooden block-makers are mainly Muslims who have migrated from Sindh and Punjab. The printers are mostly Hindus who have migrated from Gujarat owing to the turmoil that brewed between the Mughals and the Marathas back then.
Till date, there are about 315 micro-, medium- and small-scale block printing setups in operation in Sanganer. Around 3,000 craftsmen and 1,200 families depend on these units. Nearly 25% of the town’s population eke out their living from Sanganeri hand-block printing.
Sober colours, vegetable dyes and floral motifs with delicate lines and intricate details are some of the distinguishing features of Sanganeri-printed works that portray a profound Mughal influence. Generally, Sanganeri block printing is done on a white or pastel background, and there are separate blocks for each colour. The wooden blocks are made of seesham or teak wood. In Sanganeri printing, the outlines are made first, and then the colour is filled in. Usually, there are bold patterns that are printed repeatedly in diagonal rows.
The motifs of Sanganeri prints comprise a melange of flowers, buds and leaves, while other designs include mangoes, betel leaves, daggers and earrings. There are little floral designs including those of rose, lotus, lily, sunflower and marigold. Sometimes, folk designs are used, and these prints are conspicuous with the absence of animal motifs. It requires at least one-and-a-half days to craft one piece of Sanganeri hand-block printed sari.