The unique Thappa Chappai - Bagh Block prints

Bagh is a unique form of thappa Chappai or block print with natural colors, has evolved from a rudimentary tribal art to an cultural identity of Madhya Pradesh.

# History 

The origin of the bagh prints is propperly defined. Though the printing is operate over 1000 years old, while the techniques being applique by the generation.

The first possibly the craft traveled with settlers from ahead in the madhya Pradesh state in India or from printers Of Rajasthan state. Another possibility is that the Chhipas,  or traditional cloth printers, of Muslim khatri who presently practice the craft of Bagh prints,  travelled to the area around 400 years ago from Larkana in sindh province, of Pakistan, which is known for the arjak tradition of block printing. 

Though the main reason for the migration is not clear, but may be the river Bagh, who’s chemical composition of the water enhances the texture of the vegetable, natural and black dyes, giving them a high quality that differentiate Bagh prints in Madhya Pradesh  and Rajasthan regions. 

# Techniques 

Raw materials 

There are vivid range of cloth fabric like cotton, kosa silk bamboo chicks, cotton rugs, chiffon, crepe, georgette, silks, and printing wooden blocks from Pethatpur, Gandhinagar and Jaipur with desired pattern other materials required were raw salt, aarandikatel or castrol oil, grounded excreta of goat, fitakari or alum iron sulphate, jaggery, outer skin of pomegranate and leaves of indigo lime Sanjivbhai, leaves of Dhavdi, mengni, iron sulphate, chiyan, or tamarind seed powder, dhavdaphool (flowered) for polishing and fixing and Alizarine (flower) for polishing and fixing alizarine( Non red dyes) to fix colors. 

Name of few age old wooden blocks. 

Some of the old blocks have given names, they are – Aabotchabutta ,Ahmedabadisaaj, Attha chaukada, Nandana, Khedekabodh, Indoriaddya, indoribodh, indorisaaj, jawareya, jodhpuri, Laheriya, makhi, molya border, molyabodh, mungphali, nareyal, nandanakabutta, nandana kimirache, palliwallzanjira, Tekoni, Thuddi and zanjiri. 

 process 

Bagh printing is laborious manual process involve several repeated washing dying and printing. 

In the first step, which is called Khara to get read of impurities and scratch the fabric is washed and beaten on the river stones then it is then dunked in the vat filled with a mixture of Castrol oil,  goat dropping, raw  salt and water after a good soak, it is taken to special part of river called the hodi, where it swirled in the water for few hours before being dried. This process is repeated thrice  and fabric is stomped on to work up a frothy scum, which helps it become more absorbent and soft.

Peela or yellow comes next and then fabric is soaked in copper VAT with a solution of harada powder, rinsed and yellowed under controlled sunshine. If it is over dried or in a shadow can lead to an discoloration of green. 

After that, the dye paste is created. The four main colors are extracted from fruits, flowers,  roots, indigo leaves, and minerals . The colors are red, black,  khaki, and indigo. Alum is boiled and stored in a pot and Red color is created, fuchsia pink is boiled with tamarind seeds, then cooled and filtered for the color. For black sulphate, jagged, lime, wheat flour and water are boiled, cooled and strained. While leaves of dhawda plant and pomegranate skin are used for making khaki. 

The wooden tray with muslin layers is used like a pad for block design. After printing the fabric is dried and allowed to rest for the night for color to set. 

Now, the bichalna process is done in which the cloth is stretch and push into flowing of river before beating it on a stone to remove extra or residual dye. 

Bhatti is set to boil the cloth in a copper VAT leaf extracts, this is what allows the deep red, black and stark white to finally emerge.

The fabric is rinsed in clean water sun dried on the river stones for natural bleaching and then washed three times in running water, a process called tarai. Now the cloth is dried and final product of the bagh print is ready. 

# Bagh print lost it shine 

In the 1960s,  many craftman started using synthetic fabrics and chemical dyes. Because of easy to use and it is time effective with cheaper cost of production which means high range of profits.

However, few artisan are still involve in the production of Bagh prints with innovative method, in order to Float the fabric into market. 

# present day scenario 

There are problems of loss of supply of water and wood, and loss of interest in younger generation, they are not ready to continue the family craft business as other easy options are there in the market for jobs. 

Though, some are there who are being educated and have decided to continue their family legacy of Bagh prints with new Avatar ( innovation). 

We can have prints not just in cotton and silk, but variety of materials. Breath taking bed sheets, stole duppatas,  sarees,  pillow covers, table cloth, bag, and many more are seen in the market. Today top designers are known for the bagh prints and but for the effort, of khatris who have inspired thousands of craftsman to take up the craft, otherwise this is ancient art of blockprinting have been lost with the time. 

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