HANDICRAFTS FROM RAJASTHAN - BANDHEJ

- The second part of this series talks about Bandhej a traditional Indian tie and dye art used to produce beautiful, fine patterns on fabrics

The vivid colors of Rajasthan, folk dancers twirling away in their bright ghagras and majestic turbans are the kind of images that our mind conjures up when the word BANHDANI is mentioned, it is THAT symbolic a heritage of the desert state.  Seems like Bandhani isn't just an art or a fabric, it is a whole emotion, one that is full of the most vivid hues of our rich culture. Besides being one of the most sparkling jewels in the crown of Rajasthani handicrafts,  Bandhej is also popular in states of Gujarat, and parts of Uttar Pradesh as well.

The word Bandhani/ Bandhni has been derived from the Hindi/ Sanskrit words ‘Bandhna’ and ‘Bandha’, meaning ‘tying’ or ‘to tie’. Bandhej is just another variation of the same word.

To begin with, the fabric is tied using impermeable thread in various designs and patterns and then dyed using beautiful solid colors. When the experts dye these tied fabrics, the tied part doesn’t absorb the color and remains white or the same color as the cloth. Once dried, it is left in the open air to dry. The time taken by the fabric to dye depends on the weather. During monsoons, the cloth takes up to 2 days to dry up, while in the summer season, the entire process is done in a span of 4-5 hours. Besides the weather, the fabric also plays an important role in dyeing.