Khatris of Dhamadka Block-Printed and Resist-Dyed Textiles

Khatris, a community of fabric dyers and printers living mainly in states of Gujarat and Rajasthan are known for their age-old art of fabric printing and dyeing. They exude immense prowess in making resist-dyed fabrics using wax resist (batik) and tied resist (bandhani) fabrics. They are also responsible for making Kutch as a major center of handmade textiles. They also work in handmade block printing on cotton with handmade natural dyes. In the 17th century, the khatri community settled at the banks of the Saran river in a town called Dhamadka Dhamadka district has become known for their expertise in high-quality block printed textiles and for the use of natural dyes.