Bandhani- Tie and Dye

The Technique of Tie & Dye

The technique of tying and dyeing is probably the oldest form of creating patterns on a piece of cloth, all it includes is tying the cloth with thread and then dyeing it....This Art is also taught to students interested in Bandhani in Art classes. It is recognized as the oldest form of decorating textiles in Central Asia.
This is not as easy as it seems to be...it actually requires a mastery over dyeing.

The cloth after dyeing is washed. Mostly it is also dipped in a mordant so that the absorption of the dye is made easy. The cloth is folded first, first lengthwise, then widthwise into four folds. Before actually applying the color, the patterns are indicated all over the surface by using blocks dipped in geru(a red color mud). The cloth is then pinched with the left hand, one knot follows another, using the same thread. After the section which are to be retained in the background color has been tied, the process of dyeing comes into action....Slowly the cloth is dyed(color by color) to its darkest color, which is, on most occasions a brilliant red, purple, dark green and also a deep ultramarine blue etc. In a sari, if the border is to be created than the sari is tied with thick threads and then covered by a plastic sheet, which is tied firmly to the sari with thick threads...Then, the border of the sari is dipped into the color
This is the traditional technique used for tying and dyeing...!

RAJASTHAN...over the years has devoloped another technique over the years....This new technique also uses a lot of colors....a wide range of colors are used.In this technique, its the background which is in the lighter shade and the patterns are in a darker shade. Mostly this technique is used for sarees....This done by dyeing sections of the saree in the desired color using the same Tie - and - dye technique.....the saree is also bleached so that only the tied sections of the saree retains the colour. Next, the background is dyed and we end up with a finised piece of Bandani!!The red chundari, which is used as a veil by young married women in rural areas, is never dyed in fast colors bandhanis.

KUTCH produces the finest bandhanis in India.Other important Bandhani producing centres are MANDVI AND BHUJ. The "Khatri community" of dyers are known for their fine work of Bandhani, which has quality reflecting from every corner!!They control the trade and the craft, purchasing and processing the material themselves. The dress of the Khatri women, the aba, a long chemise, carries the finest bandhani. It is tied and dyed at the neck, the side openings, the lower border and the sleeves. The end of the salwar and matching ordhnis are also worked with tie and die designs.But, the best of them all all is their wedding dresses!!!! It is enriched with silver and gold thread embroidery!!

More Techniques

Gharchola

The Gharchola is a saree traditionally made for the weddings...for the bridegroom....it has a check made of gold thread...also there can be seen a motif of a lotus or a peacock made in gold in the center....This great piece of Bandhani hails from Jamnagar(mostly habitated by Gujaraties).It is also made in Kutch. The gharchola is brought to Bhuj and with help of the local khatris very fine quality tying and initial dyeing is carried out. The final red color of the gharchola is dyed in Jamnagar, as the quality of water is supposed to have properties which produces the brilliant red preferred for the marriage ceremony.A lot of the traditional patternslike the Bavan bagh-fifty two gardens, Ras leela- depiction of the Hindu God Krishna dancing along with his 'gopis' etc; started out as designs for ordhnis,which are worn over skirts....but now they are also created on sarees.

Saurastra has its own important bandhani centres.....some of them are Jamnagar and Rajkot...The ordhnis used by different tribes are produced in a large number of centres....The Bhil wear a brilliant red ordhni with black borders and roundels. The Rathwa community also wears a similarly style ordhni, though of a thicker material. The nomadic Rabaris and Bharwads, who keep sheep and use their own wool, also have tie and dye ordhnis and skirts which are worn by married women. The main color worn by the Rabaris are black with red or maroon tie and dye worked in simple patterns. The Bhawards have more elaborate design with bordered running the length of the ordhni while the body has elaborate patterns of parrot, women and trees, as well as flowers. The color is generally a deep russet brown with the designs worked in yellow, green and orange

Lahariya And Mothra

Lahriya And Mothra are another form of tie-and-die......it is a speciality of Rajasthan.....In this technique the end f the opposite sides(length) are pulled rolled together.Ussually they are tied and dyed in different colour which produce diagonal multi-coloured.If the same process is repeated by using the other two opposite ends, a check, known as 'Mothra' is created!!! This technique is used only in Jodhpur and Jaipur.Recently, even Ahmedabad has started creating some simple forms of Lahriya....this technique was generally used for making turbans for Rajputs in Rajasthan......

Bandhani technique is used in North Bihar to make bold patterns out of a n single color...... The same technique is also used at Madurai in Tamil Nadu in making Sungrdhi sarees. These are made by a group of people who originally came from Saurashtra...... It was considered essential to wear a tie and dye saree at the time of marriage.