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Product Description

Truly lovely Ajrakh loose weave cotton stole made using natural vegetable and mineral dyes, measuring apporox 198cm x 56cm.  These are unique, one-off pieces.

Ajrakh craft products are made with natural dyes. The entire production of the products includes both vegetable dyes and mineral dyes. Indigo is a key dye.  Ajrakh printing involves resist dyeing and block carving on natural fabrics and is dyed with natural, traditional colours. The paste is removed, and the fabric is immersed in different dye baths for more intricate designs.  The process of 'Ajrakh' is a long drawn process with many stages individually taking days to finish. 

To identify ajrakh  look for fabric with a background of red or blue (though other vegetable dye colours like yellow and green have been introduced) Traditionally four colours were used red (alizarin), blue (indigo), black (iron acetate) white (resist).

True ajrakh blocks are square, must match up on all four sides, and also reflect to allow the reverse of the cloth to be printed - an error of just a few millimeters from one corner of the block to the other renders printing of the cloth impossible.  The commonly used colours to make these patterns are red, blue, black, green and yellow.

Some information about the artisan.

Dr. Ismail Khatri is an artisan expert in Ajrakh from Kutch, Gujarat.

He is a famous master craftsman of traditional ajrakh block printing that can be traced back to more than nine generations in his family. Being an archaeologist, Dr. Ismail Mohmed Khatri discovered the oldest art form in South Asia. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from De Montfort University, Leicester, the UK in 2003 for his deep knowledge of his tradition and craft processes. He has also won the UNESCO Award Seal of Excellence for handicrafts. Dr. Ismail Khatri has shared his vast experience and knowledge about Ajrakh block printing. Ajrakh is a subtle block printing artwork that came into existence back in the civilization of Indus Valley around 2500 BC- 1500 BC. His finely designed ajrakh block print products include sarees, dupattas, stoles, dress materials, and fabrics.

In Ajrakhpur, 6km east of Bhujodi along the Bhachau road, Dr Khatri heads a 10-generation-old block-printing business of real quality, using all natural dyes in bold geometric designs.  
Ismail is Mohammadbhai Siddhikbhai’s son, and today he is one of the most famous block printers in India. 
 
In the conventional sense, Ismail is an uneducated craftsman. He studied up to class seven at a Gujarati medium school, in Dhamadka village. He wanted to study further but family commitments did not allow him to pursue his education, which was not considered essential in those days, although his father, Mohammadbhai had made it a point to teach all his three sons about their traditional craft.
 
He became a remarkably skilled printer, and learnt everything he could about the process of printing, including how to carve the wooden blocks used for the process. Ismail had always been driven by a sense of curiosity. So apart from his desire to learn more about his forefathers, their history and their traditional craft, he also developed an interest in reading Ayurvedic manuals and old texts about herbs and medicinal plants. This knowledge of traditional herbs proved very helpful in his work as a dyer, and he experimented with herbs, barks and minerals to create new shades and colours for dyeing and printing.
 
Many scholars who wished to document the traditional craft of Ajrakh, approached Ismail for information. Dr Ismail learnt to speak English, and over the years many scholars have worked on their PhD theses with Ismail as their main source of information, and many short documentary films have been made about ajrakh and block-printing at Dhamadka with Ismail as the chief consultant.
 
Ismail has passed on his knowledge to his two sons and today, both Sufian and Junaid have expanded their block printing business and are known for their high quality Ajrakh printing. They are often invited to demonstrate their craft at many national and international events.
Dry clean only

loose weave cotton hand block printed Ajrakh stole

$195.00
Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.
Style: #1
I would like this gift wrapped.

Usually ready within 24 hours

Truly lovely Ajrakh loose weave cotton stole made using natural vegetable and mineral dyes, measuring apporox 198cm x 56cm.  These are unique, one-off pieces.

Ajrakh craft products are made with natural dyes. The entire production of the products includes both vegetable dyes and mineral dyes. Indigo is a key dye.  Ajrakh printing involves resist dyeing and block carving on natural fabrics and is dyed with natural, traditional colours. The paste is removed, and the fabric is immersed in different dye baths for more intricate designs.  The process of 'Ajrakh' is a long drawn process with many stages individually taking days to finish. 

To identify ajrakh  look for fabric with a background of red or blue (though other vegetable dye colours like yellow and green have been introduced) Traditionally four colours were used red (alizarin), blue (indigo), black (iron acetate) white (resist).

True ajrakh blocks are square, must match up on all four sides, and also reflect to allow the reverse of the cloth to be printed - an error of just a few millimeters from one corner of the block to the other renders printing of the cloth impossible.  The commonly used colours to make these patterns are red, blue, black, green and yellow.

Some information about the artisan.

Dr. Ismail Khatri is an artisan expert in Ajrakh from Kutch, Gujarat.

He is a famous master craftsman of traditional ajrakh block printing that can be traced back to more than nine generations in his family. Being an archaeologist, Dr. Ismail Mohmed Khatri discovered the oldest art form in South Asia. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from De Montfort University, Leicester, the UK in 2003 for his deep knowledge of his tradition and craft processes. He has also won the UNESCO Award Seal of Excellence for handicrafts. Dr. Ismail Khatri has shared his vast experience and knowledge about Ajrakh block printing. Ajrakh is a subtle block printing artwork that came into existence back in the civilization of Indus Valley around 2500 BC- 1500 BC. His finely designed ajrakh block print products include sarees, dupattas, stoles, dress materials, and fabrics.

In Ajrakhpur, 6km east of Bhujodi along the Bhachau road, Dr Khatri heads a 10-generation-old block-printing business of real quality, using all natural dyes in bold geometric designs.  
Ismail is Mohammadbhai Siddhikbhai’s son, and today he is one of the most famous block printers in India. 
 
In the conventional sense, Ismail is an uneducated craftsman. He studied up to class seven at a Gujarati medium school, in Dhamadka village. He wanted to study further but family commitments did not allow him to pursue his education, which was not considered essential in those days, although his father, Mohammadbhai had made it a point to teach all his three sons about their traditional craft.
 
He became a remarkably skilled printer, and learnt everything he could about the process of printing, including how to carve the wooden blocks used for the process. Ismail had always been driven by a sense of curiosity. So apart from his desire to learn more about his forefathers, their history and their traditional craft, he also developed an interest in reading Ayurvedic manuals and old texts about herbs and medicinal plants. This knowledge of traditional herbs proved very helpful in his work as a dyer, and he experimented with herbs, barks and minerals to create new shades and colours for dyeing and printing.
 
Many scholars who wished to document the traditional craft of Ajrakh, approached Ismail for information. Dr Ismail learnt to speak English, and over the years many scholars have worked on their PhD theses with Ismail as their main source of information, and many short documentary films have been made about ajrakh and block-printing at Dhamadka with Ismail as the chief consultant.
 
Ismail has passed on his knowledge to his two sons and today, both Sufian and Junaid have expanded their block printing business and are known for their high quality Ajrakh printing. They are often invited to demonstrate their craft at many national and international events.
Dry clean only
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Style: #1