2,500 To 5,000-Year-Old Dyeing Art To Get Global Recognition; GI Tag Certificate Handed Over To Traditional Ajrakh Artisans
The Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks (CGPDTM) officially handed over the GI certificate to the traditional artisans of ‘Kutch Ajrakh,’ the torchbearers of traditional craft from Gujarat’s Kutch region. GI tag is a geographical identification tag that helps identify a product/service/art as originating from a certain geographical region.
The Kutch Ajrakh art dates back 2,500 to 5,000 years and is practised in Sindh, Barmer and Kutch regions and is 100% eco-friendly and non-toxic.
Ajrakh art is mostly found on clothes made of cotton, woollen and silk textiles, traditionally made for the Maldhari (cattle herders) community for whom it was everyday wear.
Talking about the significance of Ajrakh art, Dr Ismail Mohamad who has been conferred an honorary degree of Doctor of Arts by De Montfort University, UK, said in ancient times it was a lifesaver for the Maldharis.
“Ajrakh was made mostly in dark colours as it helped spot a person lost in the desert . Also, the natural dye worked like a wax, which due to its unique characteristic could turn the cloth on which Ajrakh was made warm in winter and cool in summer. This was because the pores in the dye closed and opened in winter and in summer respectively,” said Dr Mohamad.
He further explained that making the Ajrakh dye is a 15-step process and it is made using only natural materials like food, fruits, flowers, trees, and spices among others which are completely eco-friendly. “Also, its design consists of circles and floral shapes; made by block printing, using resist dye.”
Interestingly, in Ajrakh art the design is made on both sides of a cloth.
Ajrakh art mainly flourishes in three villages of Kutch – Ajrakhpur, Dhamadka and Khavda. The community reportedly came to Kutch about 400 years ago and settled in Dhamadka village in Bhuj following an invitation by Raja Rao Bharmalji the first.
“However, in 1950 the use of chemical dyes in textiles began and since it was cheap this led to a major fall in demand for Ajrakh. However, when art students from India and foreign countries began taking an interest in this art, its fortunes changed,” said Khatri Ibrahim Isha, an Ajrakh manufacturer in Kutch.
He said as it started growing in popularity about 25 years ago, more youngsters began entering the business. “Today there are more than 170 industries/units involved in this business.”
Commenting on the GI tag, Unnat Pandit of CGPDTM said, “Kutch Ajrakh is characterised by its unique dyeing technique called resist printing. It takes skill and dedication to create a beautiful print with complex geometric and floral patterns.” He said the brimming profusion of artisan’s skill, culture and tradition, superfluity of colours, all together reflect its magnificence.
Making Ajrakh dye takes 15-step process. It is made using natural materials like food, fruits, flowers, trees, and spices among others
– Dr Ismail Mohamad
