Ajrakh Prints

Rajasthani Ajrakh Saree

Ajrakh block prints are originally from the Sind but have, for generations now, been printed in Rajasthan and Gujarat too. They were traditionally printed using indigo for the blue, and alizarine for the red. Both indigo and alizarine were historically extracted from plants of the indigofera and madder genera respectively although synthetic dyes of both are now available. In fact, in 1869, alizarine became the first natural pigment which was synthetically replicated.

In India, Indigofera Tinctoria tends to be used to make the dye (when a natural pigment is used), and Ajrakh seems to have got its name from ‘Azrak’ which means ‘blue’ in Arabic. That said, there is also a tale (that sounds rather revisionist, it must be admitted) which says that Ajrakh derives its name from being set aside for a day after each stage in the printing process.

Ajrakh may be either one- or two-sided (ekpuri or bipuri), and the process of creating it is rather long drawn out with the cloth being washed, having resist applied, having designs outlined in black with a ferrous paste, being dyed in indigo, and then, finally, having designs filled in with alizarine. The designs themselves are often structured and floral betraying an Islamic influence.

Although contemporary Ajrakh may occasionally feature black, Ajrakh differs from the black on red Malir prints of Meghwal Hindu leather workers. Also, unlike traditional Ajrakh prints which were on cotton, contemporary Ajrakh may also be printed on to silk.