Akola village of Rajasthan is home to Dabu hand block printing, which employs a printing technique called 'mud-resist.' The word 'dab' originated from 'cabana' in Hindi, which means to press, as the Dabu designs are created by pressing hand blocks on clothes. The technique is said to have been brought to Rajputana (present-day Rajasthan) from China in 675AD.
Involving skill, craft, time, and a lot of back-breaking work, the result of this traditional printing method is nothing short of art. Dabu, like another artisanry, flourished under the patronage of Rajasthan royalty, who had an indisputable role in keeping it alive and relevant.
Like any other method of the conventional block printing process, Dabu is a step-by-step process that requires careful planning and preparation. The process involves:
Handcrafting wooden printing blocks.
Concocting dyes.
Washing the fabrics.
Making the mud resist.
Once the clothes are etched with designs hand pressed by carved blocks, the mud-resist paste is applied on parts of the fabric and dried. Saw dust is periodically dusted onto the mud paste to speed up the drying. The cloth is dyed again, leaving out the portions covered with the mud-resist to preserve the original colour of those portions. Finally, the cloth is cleaned of all excess dyes and mud residues.
The main ingredient of the mud-resist is black clay, known for its stickiness. Wheat chaff adds to the adhesive property of this mixture, along with gum Arabic and lime water. Lime water also prevents the clay from cracking.
Motifs and Designs of Dabu
Though the techniques are different, Dabu prints are very similar to Batik. Dabu draws inspiration from nature for its designs, using leaves, flowers, fruits, cornstalks, peacocks, and animal figures. Geometrical patterns, undulating lines, recurring dots, etc., also find their way into these designs.
Dabu Colours
Depending on the design, fabrics are printed and dyed repeatedly to layer and add depth to the hues. This repeated dyeing creates a double, triple Dabu effect on the fabrics and yields mesmerising results where the cloth carries layers of patterns and shades.
Traditionally Dabu uses eco-friendly and skin-friendly natural colours and vegetable dyes. Indigo, pomegranate, kashish, etc, are used to prepare the dyes. But these days, artisans use synthetic alternatives to these dyes.
Dabu Hand Block Printing Today
In the 1700s, mass production of Indian floral cotton in Britain, owing to surging demand among locals, almost closed down the export market of hand-printed fabrics. Indians themselves were forced to buy imported cotton from the British crippling the market even further. Artisans were on the verge of extinction before fashion connoisseurs revived it.
In today's digital world, Dabu is still struggling to make its presence felt.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of dedicated artisans and loyal admirers, Dabu is regaining its popularity. Today this block printing technique is preferred not only on clothes but also furnishings and jewellery. Klum's Dabu collection celebrates the earthy essence of Indianness and brings you closer to the vibrance of Rajasthan.
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