![]() History of Dyeing in Rajasthan For almost 1000 of years, dyeing has been used by humans to decorate clothing, or fabrics for other uses, the primary source of dye has been nature, where the dyes being extracted from animals or plants. In the last 150 years, man has produced artificial dyes to achieve a broader range of colours and to render the dyes more stable to resist washing and general use. Process of Dyeing in Rajasthan Different classes of dye are used in Rajasthan for different types of fibre and at different stages of the textile production process from loose fibres through yarn and cloth to completed garments. Rajasthan also has a wealth of dye-yielding plants and the waters of its rivers seem to have special properties that derive the vivacity of the colours in which the materials are dyed. Each region in Rajasthan has its distinctive hues, which are rich and unique because of the quality of water and processes used. Traditionally, dyeing and printing centres were usually located near a river or some other source of water. The final outcome in shades of colour depends on various factors, like exposure to the sun, hardness of water and whether it was still or running water. The fabric that is used for dyeing is ‘Greige’ cloth or the unprocessed material, straight from the loom and in the traditional dyeing practice, is usually first treated with a ‘Telkhar’ emulsion. This emulsion is prepared with oil, khar or river residue and sheep or goat dung. It is applied to de-size, bleach and make the fabric soft and absorbent for further treatments. Harda powder or myrobalan tannin, a chemical agent that also acts as a mordant, is mixed with water to prepare the Pila Karna solution. This is used to treat cotton fabric, which has an inherently low affinity for natural dyes. The harda treatment improves the cloth's affinity to the dye and improves dye-fastness. The fabric is soaked in pits containing this solution and beaten for even penetration. This imparts a pale yellow colour to the fabric. Although chemical dyes are usually used in large-scale textile production, many artisans still retain the traditional methods and materials. Colours for Dyeing in Rajasthan Natural materials are commonly used for dyeing include alizarin, myrobalan, iron tilings, jaggery, turmeric, alum, kesula flowers, indigo and pomegranate rind. Of these, the most popular are alizarin, indigo and pomegranate rind. Each of these dyes combined with the various different dyeing and printing techniques creates the variety of designs and colours that are admired in the everyday life of the people of Rajasthan. Rajasthan has a number of dyeing centres. The most prominent dyeing centres in Rajasthan are at Jodhpur, Jaipur and Sikar. Sikar produces some of the finest dyeing fabrics and they produce a range of patterns, which are made for different communities in Rajasthan, Haryana and even Punjab. (Last Updated on : 18-11-2016) |
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Dyeing in Rajasthan