Ajrak
Ajrak is a name given to a unique form of shawls and tiles found in Sindh, Pakistan. These shawls display special designs and patterns made using block printing by stamps. Common colours used while making these patterns may include but are not limited to blue, red, black and yellow. Over the years, ajraks have become a symbol of the Sindhi culture and pride.
History
The Ajrak is an essential part of the apparel of a Sindhi person. Men use it as a turban, a cummerbund and wound it around the shoulders. Women use it as a dupatta and chaddar, as a shawl and sometimes as a makeshift swing for children. The Ajrak is usually about 2.5-3meters. It is patterned in intense jewel like colors. The dominant colors are rich crimson and a deep indigo. A little bit of white and black is also used to give definition to the geometric patterns.
The history of the Ajrak can be traced from the times of the ancient civilizations of the Indus Valley. These civilizations have been thought to exist at around 2500 BC-1500 BC. A bust of the King Priest excavated at Moenjodaro shows a shawl draped around his shoulders. It is decorated with a trefoil pattern (like a three leafed clover) interspersed with small circles, the interiors of which are filled with a red pigment. The same trefoil pattern has been discovered in Mesopotamia. Also on the royal couch of Tutankhamen (of the ancient Pharaohs). The trefoil is a symbol of three sun-disks fused together to represent the unity of the gods of the Sun, water and earth. It is thought that the trefoil pattern survives as the cloud pattern in the modern Ajrak.
A UNIQUE PRINTING METHOD
The authentic Ajrak is printed on both sides by a method of printing called resist printing. The printing is done by hand with hand carved wooden blocks. Several different blocks are used to give the characteristic repeated patterning. Making the blocks is a considerable challenge since the pattern has to synchronize perfectly with the whole of the Ajrak as well as cover various areas against dye.
The block maker uses the compass and the ruler for precision in making the graphs for the patterns. The balance or the mizan has to be perfect for the final result. Various tools are used for carving the blocks (pors) There are very few poregars left in Sindh and it is a highly specialized craft. The blocks are thrown into the river when the craftsmen are done with a pattern. Block making is a family craft and passed down from generation to generation.
The process by which the Ajrak is made is considered intuitive to the Ajrak makers. It is part of the existence of the craftsman and therefore not a 'job' but a form of life.
The basic process is called the Teli Ajrak. However, variations on the theme have emerged. Broadly the main processes are:
- 1. Teli Ajrak
- 2. Sabuni Ajrak
- 3. Do Rangi Ajrak
- 4. Kori Ajrak
The Teli Ajrak When worn and washed, the colors of the Ajrak become more brilliant and luminous. This is the most tedious and time consuming process and very few craftsmen today go through all the stages.
- 1. The fabric used is usually Latha. (Pure Cotton/Calico). 40 pieces of 5 meter lengths are torn to make one lot.
- 2. The pieces are washed in the river. The cloth is also soaked in a solution of Soda Bicarbonate and water.
- 3. The fabric is then steamed to remove the impurities. (Chemical finishing). This is on a special mud stove called Khumbh for about 16 hours.
- 4. It is washed again in the river and beaten to dislodge the impurities.
- 5. Camel dung is soaked in water and the fabric is soaked in it to make the fabric soft and also acts as a bleaching agent (Alkaline). This helps the printing of the fabric.
- 6. The fabric is then soaked in a solution of a special oil and Soda Bicarbonate. This is quite a complicated procedure and takes several days. The treatment is alternated and there are several steps to this. By the end oil is completely impregnated in the fibre. This is what gives the suppleness to the Ajrak as well as making it virtually indestructible.
- 7. The next stage prepares the fabric for the printing stages. Gurrh (molasses), dried lemons, castor oil Sakun (tamarisk) and water are used to make a dough. This dough is mixed in a big vessel with water and the cloth is soaked in it.
- 8. Chapayi/Printing: Gum and Lime is mixed with Alizarine for Kiryana (Printing of the white outlines) Blocks are soaked in the solution (brown) and the white outlines are printed over. This will be washed later to give the white outlines.
- 9. Kut: Printing of the black areas: Gum, Ferrous Sulphate, Fullers earth and water are used to make the black outlines.
- 10. The fabric on which Kut and Kiryana have been printed are now reprinted with the Kiryana mixture. This ensures that when the cloth is soaked in dye these areas will remain sparkling white or black and the color will not dye these areas.
- 11. The next step is printing over the red areas. Amongst the ingredients used is Ata (wheat flour), Phitkari (alum), (Phitkari), Gurrh (molasses) and Saunf (fennel). The areas to be dyed red are printed and while still wet are dusted with ground cow dung or rice husk to protect against the indigo dye to be printed later.
- 12. Indigo, Chuna (lime), Soda and Gurrh (Molasses) is used to dye the Indigo parts of the Ajrak.
- 13. The dyed and dried Ajrak is taken to the river to be washed. The Ajrak is submerged in water to dislodge the gums, alums and dung.
- 14. The Ajrak is then dyed with red dye which dyes the parts left over. Care is taken that the white areas are not dyed inadvertently.
- 15. The Ajrak is treated with Camel dung and water to brighten the whites and make the colors brilliant.
- 16. The Ajraks are again washed in soda water and in the river beaten to remove the dung. After drying they are ready for meena.
- 17. All the areas except the ones dyed in indigo are covered by block printing with a mixture of Alum, gum and wheat flour. The resist print is then dusted with dry powdered dung to dry it.
- 18. The Ajrak is again dyed in indigo (natural or chemical).
- 19. The Ajraks are washed in Soda and water with bleaching powder to give a sparkle to the colors. Viola! Finally the Ajrak is ready.
The other three processes of Ajrak are variations on the same theme except that some short-cut or substitution is made. In the old days, only natural vegetable dyes were used for the Ajrak. Now, chemical dyes have been substituted. Natural Indigo is grown in Pakistan and is cheaper, therefore it is still used by some craftsmen.
The craft is an art in decline. Profit margins are low since the craftsmen are dependent on wholesalers who keep large margins and pay very low prices for the Ajraks. The cost of blocks is high in relation to the margins of the Ajrak making new investment in blocks difficult. Of-course, no credit facilities are available to the craftsmen. As a result, the younger generations are being weaned away from the traditional source of livelihood. The original Ajrak is disappearing; modern, quicker printing methods of copying the original patterns are fulfilling local demand.
Making of Ajrak
Ajrak is made in whole Sindh, specially in Hala New, Bhit Shah, Moro, Sukkur, Kandyaro, Hyderabad, and many cities of upper sindh and lower sindh. We can say that Ajrak is the sign of sindh.
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