A hundred-year-old tradition, it is bright and vibrant
In the well of traditional art forms that exist in Indian culture and one’s that are dying, there lives a hundred-year-old art form called Rogan art. Originating from the Persian language, the word Rogan means varnish or oil, a term adopted under the Mughal Empire.
And the process of applying this oil-based paint to fabric using either a metal block with motifs and symbols on it or a stylus – a writing utensil or a tool – is called Rogan art. The paints are made from boiled oil and vegetable dyes. It is an art of cloth printing that is practiced in the Kutch District of Gujarat began among the Muslim Khatris, a community in Kutch.
The history of Rogan art
Initially, the art was practiced in several locations in the Kutch region. However, in the late 20th century the craft nearly died as it was practiced by only two families in the same village.
This painted fabric in hues of yellow, orange, and red was mostly purchased by women of the lower castes to decorate clothing and bed coverings for weddings. Hence making it a seasonal art at that time since the work mostly took place during the months when weddings took place.
This intricate hundred-year-old art form took a big hit with the rise of cheaper, machine-made textiles in the late 20th century. With the easy minting of cheap clothing, the Rogan-painted products became expensive leaving many artists to pick other occupations. Ultimately, leaving only one family - the Khatris in Nirona, Kachchh, Gujarat who are continuing the craft.
How the Rogan art is done and on what it is done
For colouring the motifs - floral, animals, and local folk - bringing them alive on the piece of cloth, a special paste made of castor, is used. The castor beans are hand-pounded to extract the oil - a colourless or very pale yellow liquid – which is then turned into a paste by further boiling for about two days.
The paste is then preserved and made into various other colours by adding vegetable pigments and a binding agent; making the paste thick and shiny. The cloth that is painted or printed on is usually a dark color, as that makes the intense colours stand out on the cloth.
While the elaborate designs are made with freehand, dipping the stylus into the paint and trailing the thread-like strands of paint along with the design. Once half the design is painted, the cloth is folded in half, thereby transferring a mirror image to the other half of the fabric.
The Rogan art today is made on cushion and bed covers, skirts, curtains, tablecloths, and wall hangings.
