Hand Block – Printing of Sanganer, Rajasthan

Sanganeri is a hand-block printing technique originating from Sanganer, a village in the southern part of Jaipur, Rajasthan. This form of textile printing is almost 5 centuries old and till date holds a prominent place in the world of weavers and craftsmen. Other than Sanganer, there are other villages like Bagru, Akola, Barmer, and Jodhpur that are famous for block printing.

The Sanganer block-print textiles gained popularity between the 16^th and 17^th century with the East India Company exporting them in large quantities to Europe. At present, Sanganer has more than 150 printing units employing over 20,000 workers. Sanganer block prints are primarily done on an off-white or pure white background with the use of wooden blocks or screen printers. You will find vibrant floral patterns and geometric designs imprinted on the fabrics. One of the most noticeable characteristics of Sanganer prints is their intricate detailing. Customers are often seen admiring the finesse in the designs of delicate flower curves and petals. The borders of the fabric also showcase a variety of different floral patterns in stylish designs. Gold and silver colours are also used in printing. The links with the paintings of bygone eras is visible from motifs like stylised sunflowers, narcissuses, roses, and other flowers of luxuriant foliage like daturas, rudrakshas, and arkas.

Both chemical and vegetable dyes may be used by the local Rajasthani artists to create beautiful Sanganeri prints. They typically employ a technique called ‘calico printing’ for Sanganeri block prints. This involves printing of the outlines followed by the filling in of colours. Local craftsmen then repeat these designs in diagonal sections. Another famous style of block printing in Sanganer is “doo-rookhi”, in which the fabric is printed on both sides.