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AJRAKH FABRIC-
Talking about Indian crafts without mentioning Ajrakh Fabric is highly prohibited. Ajrakh fabric holds a prominent place in the world of fabric. In India Ajrakh of Khatri community in Kutch, Gujarat and Barmer, Rajasthan. It is linked with the azrakh, an Arabic word for Indigo. The history of India has proven that most of the wide varieties of fabrics have been made here.
The first appearance of the fabric will give a feeling of the richness and versatility of our tradition and culture. It takes a long time to process the conversion of raw material into the deployment of the final product. A summation of fine craftsmanship and artistry is seen in the production of Ajrakh. Unlike another process of printing the fabric, in Ajrakh block printing, the fabric is printed with a resist paste and then dyed.
The fabric is soft against the skin and jewel-like appearance, soothing to eyes, and feels great to touch.
The world is all about the new and modest designer fabrics, but there is a fashion enthusiast who still appreciates the traditional fabrics. The most important thing about this kind of fabric is its eco-friendly nature and the way they are produced, the process itself is an art.
History
It is believed that the name Ajrakh is derived from Sanskrit work ‘A-jharat’ or that which does not fade. ‘Azrak’ is also an Arabic word for blue. This craft was mastered by the civilizations, which flourished around the Indus River in the Sindh area. Apart from the ancient civilization, ajrakh printing got fame in the 16th century with the migration of the Khatri community to the Kutch district. The history of Ajrakh is well known by the attires worn by both men and women over some time. During British rule, the British Presidency uplifted the art of resist dyeing and ajrakh printing.
Importance of Ajrakh fabric in Fashion Designing Industry
Ajrakh prints are mesmerizing in their way. Hues of red, blue, and black depict a sense of power. The Indo-Western tailored Ajrakh jackets are very much in demand and adopted in fashion industries. Sarees, suits, and dresses with unique designs that uplift the texture of Ajrakh printing are always appreciated. Ramp-walks are added with more stars when a model walks with Ajrakh fabric on and it highlights the show.
Production of Ajrakh Fabric
There are usually 4 main themes used for making Ajrakh:
- Teli Ajrakh
- Do Rangi Ajrakh
- Sabuni Ajrakh
- Kori Ajrakh
The prominent steps that are necessary to complete the process of making Ajrakh are as follows-
1)Churrai (Fabric washing)
Fabric washing is done by the local people so that all the dirt is removed from the fabric and after that, the fabric is dried up, which takes a couple of days.
2)Printing
Resist printing, that is printing the Ajrakh on either side of the cloth material is done. Ajrakh printing is done with wooden carved hand blocks, manually.
3)Bleaching
Another washing process awaits Ajrakh consisting of water, soda, and bleaching powder. This adds more vibrancy to the fabric colors and the realness can be seen in the Ajrakh fabric.
The above steps are done with proper care and precision so that there are no defects in the final product. Skilled artisans play an important role in the manufacturing of Ajrakh Fabric.
Price Range-
The price range of Ajrakh starts from 239 Rs./meter to 639 Rs./meter. The flexibility of the price is directly related to the quality of the Ajrakh Fabric.
Uses-
Ajrakh fabric can be drawn into various attires such as suits, dresses, sarees, tops, and many more. The hues are quite attractive and when blended in the proper form they enlighten the person wearing it.
