Enduring Threads of Tradition : The Block Printed Cottons of Rural Rajasthan

The hand printed cottons of India are historically world-renowned for their rich fast colours, elaborate designs, and matchless quality. Until the discovery of synthetic dyestuffs in the latter part of the nineteenth century, the unsurpassed master dyers of cotton were the craftsmen of India-birthplace of cultivated cotton. The Indian printers and dyers monopolised this arcane art of permeating cotton cloth with richly hued, colour-fast designs, and the fruits of their labour proved hugely influential in international trade and the development of modern textile technologies. This paper focuses on a lesser-known body of hand printed cottons, traditionally produced in rural Rajasthan for everyday use by the local pastoral communities. Drawing on extensive research carried out with the region's Chhipa community of hereditary cloth printers, the complex and multiple applications of mordant, dye and resist are illustrated. Often taking months to complete, the enduring popularity of these labour-intensive hand printed cottons is then discussed, particularly in the light of the hugesocial importance borne by cloth in Rajasthan. Cloth and clothing are widely recognised as indicators of social status, gender, rank, and individual and group affiliations. In addition, cloth and clothing have been established as indicators of social, economic, political and technological change. The paper concludes by drawing attention to the recent influx of machine-printed polyester textiles, often replicating the designs or colours of the traditional locally produced cottons. Thus women of the region, whilst using these modern synthetic textiles as part of newer ways of expressing their identity, also visibly retain the values associated with hand printed cottons and traditional dress codes.