In the village of Bagh in Madhya Pradesh, artisans use hand-carved blocks to stamp vibrant patterns onto crisp white cotton. With each press of the block, colours extracted from native flowers, seeds, and leaves bleed into the fabric. Reds as rich as a rose, mingle with blacks as deep as midnight, creating compositions that are unique to the Bagh style. This is an enchanting craft passed down through generations and is ready to live on for more generations in your wardrobe. To add another gem of Indian handicraft art to your wardrobe, The India Craft House (TICH) has launched its new collection of hand-block printed saris. Called Bagh, the collection also includes handwoven tant Bengal saris.
“Each of our collections comes from different parts of the country. These are different in terms of the wider range of colours and options included in the range,” says Sona Puri, director of TICH, which was founded in 2010, in Gurgaon.
Bagh printing is a unique art form and a traditional hand block print technique practiced in Bagh, Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh, recognised for its replicated geometric and floral compositions as well as the imaginative use of natural colours using vegetable dyes, predominantly in red and black over a white background. This technique lends a unique appeal to this popular fabric.
Handloom locally called tant in Bengal is one of the richest hand-weaving traditions — interlacing of two sets of yarns, called the warp and the weft, placed perpendicular to one another on the loom. Before yarns are fitted in looms for weaving, there is an elaborate pre-processing of yarns, which is done mostly by the women from the weavers’ community. It often starts with spinning thread or yarn from fibres with a hand-driven device called called charkha or the spinning wheel.
“The sombre colour palette makes these saris a versatile option for office wear as well as daily use. The natural colours complement all Indian skin tones and make you stand out in the crowd. The replicated geometric and floral compositions keep the design of the sari interesting,” says Sona, adding, “Bagh typically follows a traditional palette of black, white and red; for the Bengal saris, we have used myriad hues, some vibrant, some earthy.”
Bagh saris come in cotton and modal silk; Bengal saris come in linen, khadi cotton, matka silk, and resham. “We work with village artisans who hand-weave/hand-blockprint/hand process these pieces. Their talent is expressed through their craft and we are grateful to them,” Sona says, excitedly adding, “We have some beautiful new editions coming up in Bagru and Dabu block prints as well as Orissa weaves.”
Price ranges from Rs 3,000 to Rs 8,000.
Available online.
Email: rupam@newindianexpress.com
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