Ajrakh: A Century Old Artwork That's Still Turning Heads
What the world knows about Ajrakh is that it's hand block printed with natural dyes, but the details often get missed out, and that is exactly where Ajrakh comes alive in its full glory.
Where It All Began for Madame Hall
Oftentimes, Madame Hall gets asked about her "love affair" with Ajrakh, and the smile that dawns on Lisa's face comes from a very significant memory from 2009, where she bought her first length of cotton Ajrakh from Sufiyan Khatri. On returning to Australia, she made a Ghagra style skirt simply for her own personal use. That skirt was spotted by celebrity stylist Judith Cook, and she asked to use it for an upcoming shoot. The answer was, of course, 'Yes' and the response was overwhelming! Lisa was suddenly flooded with orders. But Ajrakh is a uniquely Indian craft, and producing such skirts from Australia, far from the Ajrakh workshops of Ajrakhpur, wasn't realistic.
It was based on the popularity of that first Ajrakh Ghagra skirt, often lovingly referred to now as her 'Signature Skirt', that led Lisa to settle in Bhuj and become Madame Hall, designer of premium quality Ajrakh clothing for women wanting something that's extra special.
What is Ajrakh?
A century old artwork that has won the hearts of many is something to surely learn about. Especially when you're a fashionista who knows her textiles, the fabrics, and patterns that make the dresses rich in their being.
Ajrakh is a block print with natural dyes. It's a resist method of fabric printing known to have been practiced for at least 4000 years. Originating in Sindh, the Khatri community migrated to India around 400 years ago.
Ajrakh and Gujarat: An Inseparable Bond
When we talk about Ajrakh, or even hear about it in a fleeting conversation, Gujarat automatically follows in our minds, especially for Indians, almost like a Pavlovian response! And rightly so. In today's world, Kutch, Gujarat is a hub for Ajrakh block printing. It's where Ajrakh prints bloom and come to life under the supervision of generational artisans who have received the art passed down through generations.
The Artisans Behind the Craft
One such pair, the generational artisans from whom we source Ajrakh textiles to design your favourites, are senior Ajrakh master artisans and brothers, Jabbarbhai and Dr. Ismailbhai Khatri, who were originally both based in Dhamadkar village. But in 1989, the water level in the Dhamadkha well was getting lower, followed by damage caused by the devastating 2001 Kutch earthquake.
This led Dr. Ismailbhai to establish a new centre for Ajrakh artisans closer to Bhuj. The village of Ajrakhpur was purposefully created for the Ajrakh artisans. Ajrakhpur has now become the name synonymous with some of the finest Ajrakh block prints in India, and more recently, home to the fascinating display of Kutch crafts at Srugan's LLDC Museum.
Traditionally, Ajrakh is distinctive for its regular geometric pattern, however, Madame Hall loves that Ajrakh continues to evolve. Cousins Sufiyan Khatri (son of Dr. Ismail) and Adam Khatri (son of Jabar) are both technically brilliant and personally very artistic. To them, Ajrakh is far more meaningful than simply a skill passed down through the generations. It's a way of life. They're genuinely passionate about the craft of Ajrakh. Innovative printing techniques are their forte. A wooden block bound with string, multi-layered designs and unique visions of indigo make their fabrics a firm Madame Hall favourite.
The Making: More Than Just a Stamp
The process is optimised by printing on the finest quality fabrics for the most beautiful Ajrakh imaginable.
Their state of the art workrooms are bright and airy, well ventilated to keep the printers cool and comfortable. Complete with solar panels and water recycling systems, the repetitive rinsing process provides waste water for their farms, and the use of solar energy maximises the abundance of Kutch sunlight. A wonderful marriage between heritage craft, sustainable practices and commitment to eco-friendly ideals.
Too often on social media, one only sees the printer stamping the fabric. But there's a whole lot more to Ajrakh than that. Each design may require 6 to 7 different wooden blocks to complete the image. These blocks are meticulously carved by hand by a highly skilled community specialised in this particular craft. Before any printing can start, the raw fabric is repeatedly washed and beaten to remove all starch or oils. This makes the fibres soft and receptive to dye, before being soaked in Myrobalan and dried in the sun, which makes the finished result colour fast. Printing starts with a resist made from a paste of lime and gum arabic, printed where the pattern remains white. Jaggery and gram flour is added to rusty scrap iron for a mix that produces Ajrakh black, often used to print the outline of designs. Fermented indigo, kept in vats below ground, needs to be cultivated and tended daily for the highly desirable luminous blue results. Prepared indigo in vats is a pale yellow liquid with frothy blue foam sitting on the surface, because indigo needs oxygen to turn blue! Red from madder root is an orangish brick red, whereas red from ilziran is a slightly more bluish red. The block printing tables are around 8 to 9 metres in length, so cloth is cut to accommodate the length of the table. The fabric is repeatedly exposed to the sun between every step of the printing process, which helps set the colour. During the final rigorous wash, excess colour and resist residue is removed.
Beware of Counterfeit Ajrakh
In recent times, where counterfeits of almost everything are easily available, Ajrakh hasn't been spared. Screen-printed and machine-printed blocks appear on only one side of the fabric, and the back of the fabric will remain blank or look blurred and unfinished. Counterfeits often use synthetic chemical dyes that can look unusually bright, neon, or shiny, and the fabric may feel stiff or plasticky from synthetic coatings. Fakes often use cheap blended fabrics or pass off viscose as modal or silk. If you find an "Ajrakh silk" or "Ajrakh modal" for under Rs. 1,000, it is almost certainly a counterfeit. Last century, cheaper synthetic dyes were introduced to India. They were easy and quick to use, and during this time Ajrakh lost popularity. Ajrakh is currently enjoying a revival of interest!
Thousands of visitors flock to Kutch every year to learn about this natural dyeing method, take part in workshops and experiment for themselves. Ajrakh masterpieces are prized in textile collections and museums all around the world, and Ajrakh cloth is often gifted to esteemed dignitaries visiting Gujarat.
Madame Hall and Ajrakh: A Design Philosophy
At our atelier, we believe in the beauty of preserving this art. Each and every Madame Hall design is an ode to the artisans and their craft, a tribute to those who have been sustaining this centuries old culture. Handcrafted designs that are slow fashion centric, with a luxurious ease of comfort. Ajrakh is close to the entire Madame Hall team, the artisans, Lisa, and everyone involved in the creative process.
Lisa believes that the extra special something she brings to Ajrakh fashion is her skill for combining contrasts. Be it colour, fabric texture, print and pattern, the distinctive element running through all Madame Hall garments is her astutely tuned eye for a perfectly balanced mix of textile harmony. Of her pattern mixed designs, Lisa uses the word 'patchwork' sparingly. She says hours of consideration go into pattern placement to create visual excitement. Often punctuated with an element of surprise, Madame Hall's mixed Ajrakh block print designs are not random. They are highly intentional, created through intense brainstorming sessions with her colleague and co-designer Dipu Solanki. 'We are both fully invested in making textile magic with Ajrakh,' says Lisa.
If you are wondering where to find authentic Ajrakh-led handloom cotton dress pieces that earn your fashion game a brownie point, you're exactly where you should be!
Check out Madame Hall's unique, designer pieces, rich in Ajrakh detail. For the one who loves India and her textiles, welcome to Madame Hall.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I tell the real Ajrakh from imitations?
Look at the reverse side of the cloth. The back side of Ajrakh often has a dappled appearance due to variations of the printer's hand pressure. Screen printed imitations of Ajrakh have a rather flat appearance. Also, if dark blue colour is released when washing, it's not real indigo. Real indigo needs oxygen to turn blue, so any indigo released in water will be pale yellow!
2. Should Ajrakh be washed or dry-cleaned?
It's best to hand wash Ajrakh in cool water using a mild laundry detergent. You can add a little vinegar to the water if the colours need to be freshened up. Ajrakh fabric is already pre-shrunk due to the many times it's been washed during the Ajrakh process. Ajrakh can also be dry-cleaned by a quality dry cleaner. Avoid giving it to a laundry to wash, as they may use harsh chemicals, which can cause Ajrakh to deteriorate over time.
3. The Madame Hall collection features indigo/black/red Ajrakh a lot. Why not other Ajrakh colours?
Madame Hall prefers using Ajrakh fabrics with the best longevity. Indigo, Iron Black and Madder are strong colours with the greatest permanence, and with proper care, they will look good for a long time. Lac, Mendhi, Rhubarb root and Sappen Wood are also used. Turmeric and Pomegranate based dyes are more delicate and sensitive to chemicals used in deodorants, perfume and body lotions. For this reason, careful pattern placement is a consideration when designing with other less common colours.
4. Are there women Ajrakh artisans in Kutch?
I've never seen one! However, there is so much interest in the craft from fashion and design students. My guess is that one day there will be women involved in the production of Ajrakh.
5. Aside from the beauty of Ajrakh, what are its other benefits?
It's an interesting fact that natural dyes have slight wax-like qualities. In summer, the pores in the fabric stay open, aiding in air circulation. During winter, the pores close, giving extra warmth to the wearer.
Dr. Ismail Mohammad Khatri was awarded an honorary doctorate from De Montfort University (Leicester, UK) and has won the prestigious UNESCO Award Seal of Excellence for handicrafts.