The Aromatic Fabric -- Mendh Ki Chappai

Introduction 

Mendh means “honey”, ki refers to “of” and Chappai means “printing “. Mendh ki Chappai was performed locally in the town of Sanganer for the tribal Merna, Jat, and Mali women. There is a similarity between the Bagru printing and Mendh ki Chappai with few differences. 

History 

Mendh ki Chappai ,a kind of block printing employing wax resist technique, is the heritage of “chippa” community of Sanganer, Rajasthan. Mendh is carefully organizes composition of beeswax, castor oil,  and cheed ka ras. The senses of the users were detoxicates by the natural fragrance of cheed ka ras weaves through the soul of fabric and spread upon it a delicate aromatic. Though the proper period of origin is not mention, due to lack of documentation. 

Fabric

The Mendh printing has been mainly used to print Phardas.  The Phaedra were printed on Reja fabric, the thick heavy cotton handwoven fabric. Other than pharda, full length skirt, the ghaghras, and lenghas worn traditionally by the Jat, Meena, and Mali caste woman as daily wear. 

Motifs 

The design vocabulary were derived from nature and surrounding. The motifs inspired from flowers, leafs, shrubs, creepers, vines and plants, a stylised variant of day to day life. 

The most commonly used motifs was dhaniya leaf motif, lati, nathdi, panja, vegetable creepers, gulab buti, suya ka buta, daakh Bel, machhi or pandi, kele ka buto, pataau, turi, nargis , budaudi, bevdo, panchklya. 

Tools

Metal as well as wooden blocks were used, patiya ( table)  is used for block printing, gas stove or coal stove and other vassal is used for boiling and washing of fabric. 

Color

Red, indigo and black are the three main colors that are used in different shades from dark to deep. 

During the dyeing process with rangrez developed into multiple shades. Vegetable color were used in earlier days. This colors were more fasting, they didn’t Fade in sun or bleed in the wash unlike today’s Chemical dye. The red color commonly known as Begar , while black as syahi and indigo as aasmani. 

Process and techniques 

The craft were regenerated for the revival trust research team because Mendh ki Chappai is no longer in practised. 

Traditionally, the fabric was totally bleached by the sun rays. But, today the craftsmen Uses the hydrogen peroxide for bleaching along the sun rays. Then the pachdai and sukhai process is done which means washing and drying of fabric, after these process pila Karna or harada dyeing is done followed by drying process. Harada is used as the natural mordant for the fabric and this process takes at least an hour. 

Now, the printing phase will start traditionally Sanganeri  style. In this printing there three types of colors used red, black or indigo. After the printing process the fabric is dried and washed again. 

The next phase is important, as the ready mendh(beeswax) put in the weather vessel or iron vessel called mardiya, and mardiya is put over the heating coal. The temperature of about 65 degree Celsius is required. A wet cloth is put over the printing table reason is that this helps to cool off wax on the fabric. The drying process is also done on the shape or the wax may melt on fabric due to sun heat. 

The main dyeing process is done with select color For instance color is indigo.  Two dips in color vat gives green color while, 4-5 dips gives a darker indigo color. 

The final treatment of fabric ukala or removing of the wax. The fabric is dry in shade and then wash in hot water and some soda khar is add for cleaning the fabric. Lastly, the final wash is given to the fabric, then rinse and dry. 

Reinventing 

The craft is in extinction, because the families who were practicing it, has stop creating the craft. Though the memories are still alive in the craftspeople mind. It is required to documentation of the craft as there is no details of the craft on the book. 

This form of craft can work successfully on thick low count and heavy fabrics, where ordinary methods of block printing do not work so well as do problems in delineation and depth of colors. 

Thus,  the product development and proper marking can revive the craft, this is possible and other option is to appoint a designers and made them to use the craft in new innovative ways such as home furnishing and dhurries, enlarging the consumer base and encourage in the export as well local trade. The Indian institute of Craft and Design, an institution working on mandate of revival of this righteous craft. 

Conclusion 

We ardently hope that this craft flourish and the identity of place remains the ideology. Let the hard work bear wings of awareness and flourish the olden intelligence of craft. 

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