Login Register
Follow Us

Rann of Kutch villages keeping centuries-old art and handicraft alive

Their embroidery, rogan art and fabric painting are famous the worldover

Show comments

Suman Bajpai

The Rann Utsav is a mesmerising event. Held in Banni region of the Kutch, it offers an opportunity to see nature in vivid colours and diversity of Gujarat. If you are in Kutch, you cannot resist going to its handicraft villages. These villages reflect Gujarat's tradition and culture through their art and craft, and their people and lifestyle. It is said that motifs of the Kutch can be traced to the ancient Harappan civilisation. Its craft is famous the world over, thanks to the innovative and entrepreneurial drive of spirited craftsperson.

Hodka village: Embroidery at its best

Hardly at a distance of 15 km from the tent city in the Dhordo village, Hodka village has traditional mud huts, which are called bhunga. These around 20 thatch-roofed mud huts scattered across the village house a select group of artisan families producing colourful Banni embroidery. This place, about 65 km from Bhuj, gives the impression of a deserted village. It was first inhabited by the Halepotra clan around 300 years ago. Now, it is inhabited by the Meghwal community, which is involved in producing leather goods, embossed with bright-coloured geometric patterns.

As you enter the village, the villagers start exhibiting their work. Children, especially girls, try hard to convince you to buy things. The women are camera shy and hesitant but good at selling stuff. All of them are clad in heavily embroidered and bright coloured dresses. The village is known for its leather crafts and embroidery work. Bright hues of red, green, yellow and myriad other shades, along with chain-stitched mirror, immediately catch your attention. Quilts of patchwork appliqués, home furnishings, apparel, jewellery made from clothes and mirror work and trinkets are sold here. Quilts, bedspreads, kanjiris (long blouses), hair accessories and neck pieces are also available.

Nirona village: Full of art

From Hodka, it takes 45 minutes to reach Nirona village, famous for rogan art, copper bells, and kitchen ware. It came into spotlight when PM Narendra Modi gifted Barack Obama, the former US President, a rogan art piece. The 10-member family of Gafoor bhai Khatri has kept this art alive. His is the eighth generation involved in this art. A special kind of paint, which is made using oil from the seeds of castor plant, a crop found in abundance in the area, is used in rogan art. A metal needle is dipped in vibrant oil-based paints to create designs on a fabric. Interestingly, these colours are mineral based, and kept in water all the time. They prepare only five colours, the rest are made by mixing these five colours.

A craftsman puts a small amount of this paint on his palm. Then, he twists it into motifs and images using a metal rod that never comes in contact with the fabric. Finally, he folds that design into a blank fabric to print its mirror image. Traditionally, it was done for making bridal wear, but now it is used to embellish everything from skirts to wall hangings and file holders. Natural colours, original designs, without doing pencil sketches and without using any brush… Creativity was hanging all over the room and Sumer bhai, the artist, was as enthusiastic as me while demonstrating his technique.

But that was not all. Another great experience was waiting for me. Nirona is also famous for copper bell art. “Creating different sounds is what matters the most,” says 75-year-old Hussain Siddiqui. His is the seventh generation involved in making these bells. Initially, bells were made to tie around cattle’s neck to help their herders identify them. Now, they make all kind of decorative bells — wind chimes, bird voices, sounds of musical instruments and, of course, for door bells. Said to be a thousand year old, this art uses scrap metal. Rectangular metal sheets are beaten into shape and joined together using a locking system. No welding is required for this.

At Nirona, lacquered wood objects are another traditional art form. Wadha families are associated with the craft. They make lacquered wood objects using lac extracted from a kind of ‘ber’ and mixing it with natural colours. One of the artisans, Lalji Mala Wadha, said: “Coloured lacquer is applied to wood using heat. During this process, to create patterns in kaleidoscopic designs, we apply lacquer of different colours. Finally, groundnut oil is applied to shine the objects.”

Ajrakhpur village: Hub of block printing

Ajrakhpur is famous for block painting, which is done on various fabrics. The Sindhi Muslims brought it to this village some 400 years back. The workshop of Sufiyana Ismail Khatri is very big, and piles of unfinished fabrics and sarees lie all over the place. “We make geometrical patterns to create starry constellations in indigo, madder, black, and white across the length of the cloth. The process of washing, dyeing, printing, and drying is done in 16 steps,” said Ismail. “Pomegranate seeds, gum, wood, flour of kachika, flower of dhavadi, alizarin and locally cultivated indigo are required in this art, nothing synthetic is used.” Besides sarees, they make turbans, lungis, and stoles also.

Show comments
Show comments

Trending News

Also In This Section


Top News



Most Read In 24 Hours