Bagru Hand Block Print
Hand Block Printing
History
Bagru block printing originated in the town of Bagru, Rajasthan, and is primarily practiced by the Chippa community. The town’s location near the Sanjariya river and its clay-rich soil made it ideal for the repeated washing and drying required in this printing technique. Historically, Bagru prints were worn by peasants, pastoral communities, and Rajputs, with different motifs and colours distinguishing various social groups.
Raw Materials and Tools
Bagru printing uses natural materials such as cotton fabric and natural dyes. Black dye is made from iron filings, jaggery, and gum; red from madder and alum; and grey, khaki, and brown from kashish. Indigo, green, and yellow are also used. Printing is done with hand-carved sheesham wood blocks, each floral motif requiring a set of three blocks: rekh (outline), gadh (background), and datta (detailing). These blocks take about a week to carve and season.
Process
The process begins with washing and beating cotton fabric to remove impurities. The cloth is soaked for up to 72 hours, then treated with castor oil, camel or goat dung, and soda ash (saaj process). It is then soaked in harda paste for a yellow tinge that aids black dye absorption. Printing follows, using direct and dabu (resist) techniques. Outlines are printed first, then filled with colour using successive block applications. Multiple rounds of printing and dyeing may be needed, depending on the complexity of the design.
Design and Color
Bagru designs are floral-based and often feature buti and butas like gainda, gulab, badaam, kamal, and bel, arranged in various sizes and combinations. Smaller jaali patterns are also common. Natural colours such as black, red, brown, grey, indigo, and yellow dominate the palette. Traditional motifs are symbolic and rooted in nature and community identity, with design sequences built using multiple blocks for depth and detail.
Product Range
Bagru prints were used on garments such as ghagras, odhnis, sarees, and turbans (pagdis), and household items like bedspreads, cushion covers, and razai. Today, Bagru printing has expanded to fine cotton and other fabrics for a global market, including garments, scarves, upholstery, and fashion accessories. Some workshops now use screen printing and chemical dyes to meet larger demands.