Textile & Handicraft Tour Package in Gujarat

Early morning after heavy breakfast we will depart for Kutch. Kutch has rich and diverse creative traditions which are live at the intersection of cultures and communities. On way to visit Ajrakhpur for Ajrakh Block printing, the word AJRAKH means Keep Today. After the visit of Ajrakhpur reach to Bhuj. Check in to hotel fresh en up and in the evening free time in Bhuj Market.

AJARAKH:

Gujarat dominated the seaborne cotton trade through ages and is still today a major producer of block prints. The combination of printing with mordant dyeing is typical of the technique in many parts of Gujarat with hand carved woven blocks and prints on fabric. The Ajarakh resist printing Ajarakhpur in Kutch is well known. The process of Ajrakh is time honoured. The cloth is made in a sixteen step process of washing, dyeing, printing, and drying, which requires a high level of skill and concentration in order to keep colors fast and even. Pomegranate seeds, gum, Harde powder, wood, flour of Kachika, flower of Dhavadi, alizarin and locally cultivated Indigo are just some of the natural resources that printers in this craft. The Matani-Pachhedi used religious purpose made by the Devi Pujak community uses a combination of block printing for the outline of the pattern and the painting of the mordents. This is mostly made in Ahmadabad.

Overnight and Dinner at hotel Prince, Bhuj (Deluxe Room)

Early morning after breakfast depart for Mandvi for Mashru weaving – The meaning of Mashroo is allowed or permissible in Arabic. The port town of Mandvi is at the center of Mashroo legacy in Kachchh, historically creating luxurious bolts of the fabric that Muslims and Hindus enjoyed.it has a unique interweaved pattern that has cotton at the base but the upper surface has a rich sheen of silk. As the base of cotton gives cooling effect in the hot region of Kutch the usually bright and vibrant colours of silk reflect with visible contrast in the white barrens of Kutch and can be seen from distance. And then depart for Batik Printing Local legends share stories of the Batik practice of block printing being carried to Kachchh during the time of the Ramayana by seasoned, master craftsmen. In the evening visit Vijay Vilas Palace in Mandvi and free time on Mandvi Beach. After Depart for Bhuj.Mashru:
The weaving of Mashru fabric is an old tradition in India and it was a popular trading textile to the Ottoman Empire and Gulf countries. The word Mashru is said to have come from the Muslim community, where Silk fabric was banned since it was made by killing the cocoons and silkworms. This led to the production of Mashru fabric as it had a Silk exterior but the inner fabric which stays in direct contact with the skin was made of Cotton. Mashru became very popular in Turkey, Persia and many Mediterranean countries as it gave them the freedom of wearing Silk clothing without breaking their religious laws.

Batik:

The history of Indian batik can be traced as far back as 2000 years. Indians knew resist method of printing designs on cotton fabrics long before any other country had even tried it. Indian cotton and dyes were very popular. The indigo blue was one of the earliest dyes to be used. The elaborate process of dyeing and waxing was one of the hitches that caused the art to decline. Batik tapestries were elaborate illustrations of the art, culture and traditions of the days of the yore. Batik is a process of decorating cloth by covering a part of it with a coat of wax and then dyeing the cloth. The waxed areas keep their original color and when the wax is removed the contrast between the dyed and undyed areas gives the pattern. One of the significant features of this art is that it is very simple and can be done by anyone. Colorful batik prints grace the home furnishings with elegance and style. Beautiful bags, household linens, murals and wall paintings with striking batik works enjoy a great demand in the domestic and international market. The art of batik is a three-stage process of waxing, dyeing and dewaxing (removing the wax). There are also several sub-processes like preparing the cloth, tracing the designs, stretching the cloth on the frame, waxing the area of the cloth that does not need dyeing, preparing the dye, dipping the cloth in dye, boiling the cloth to remove wax and washing the cloth in soap. The characteristic effects of the batik are the fine cracks that appears in the wax, which allow small amounts of the dye to seep in. Batik wax exercises an important function in the process of batik printing. Proper usage of wax results into an impeccable batik work. 30 per cent beeswax and 70 per cent paraffin wax are generally applied. During application wax should not be overheated or it will catch fire. The common batik fabrics that make for excellent batik prints are cambric, poplin, voiles, and pure silk are used. Natural colors derived from barks of trees, leaves, flowers and minerals were used.

Overnight and dinner at hotel Prince, Bhuj (Deluxe Room)