Nestled about 30 kilometers from Jaipur lies Bagru, a quiet village that hums with the rhythmic thump of wooden blocks hitting cotton. This is the ancestral home of Bagru block printing — a centuries-old textile tradition known for its earthy tones, natural dyes, and bold geometric and floral motifs.

Here, generations of artisans like Mohanlal have kept the art alive, using hand-carved wooden blocks and age-old recipes of mud-resist and plant-based dyes. His workshop is more than a studio — it is a living museum of Rajasthan’s textile heritage.

🌿 A Natural Dye Philosophy

The heart of Bagru printing lies in its eco-conscious process. Before a single motif touches the fabric, the cotton is:

• Soaked in a harad solution (a fruit-based mordant) to prepare the fabric
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• Dyed with indigo, madder, pomegranate, turmeric, and iron rust — all natural dyes
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• Sun-dried under the arid desert skies
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Mohanlal explains, “We don’t use chemicals. What we print can go back to the soil. It’s how our ancestors did it, and we still do it that way.”

The result is a soft, breathable textile that carries not just color, but earth-born stories.

🪵 The Art of Block Carving

Each design begins with a hand-carved sheesham wood block, often passed down through generations. Blocks vary in shape and intricacy:

• Rekh (outline)
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• Datta (filler)
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• Gudh (background shading)
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Mohanlal’s son, Ritesh, now carves new blocks inspired by both Mughal and modern aesthetics. Their inventory includes over 400 unique blocks, from traditional paisleys to minimalist stripes.

👣 Mud, Motifs & Manual Work

The printing process is slow, meditative, and highly manual:

1. The cloth is spread over a printing table.
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3. A mud-resist paste called dabu is applied through a block for patterns.
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5. The cloth is sprinkled with sawdust to dry.
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7. It is then dipped into natural dye vats.
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9. Multiple layers are printed and dyed in stages, often requiring 5–7 days per piece.
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Even slight misalignments or finger marks are part of the charm — signs that the fabric is Made with Love, not machines.

🔁 A Tradition Under Threat — and Revived

Bagru printing, like many Indian crafts, faced decline in the late 20th century. Synthetic dyes, digital printing, and cheap imports flooded markets. Artisans moved to city jobs. But thanks to ethical fashion designers and sustainable platforms, a revival is underway.

Mohanlal collaborates with slow fashion brands and handloom cooperatives, ensuring:

• Fair wages
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• Safe working conditions
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• Recognition for artisan names on tags
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• Preservation of traditional techniques
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Today, his fabrics are exported to Japan, Europe, and the USA, where buyers cherish the hand-touched authenticity.

🌏 Why Choose Bagru Hand Block Print

Each Bagru textile is:

• Sustainable: No chemicals or waste dyes
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• Handmade: Printed one block at a time
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• Unique: No two pieces are exactly alike
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• Durable: Natural dyes age beautifully
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• Culturally rich: Embodying stories from desert sands
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From saris and stoles to home linen and scarves, Bagru prints offer timeless elegance with a conscience.

🧡 Legacy in Every Thread

For Mohanlal, Bagru printing is more than a livelihood — it’s a responsibility. “Every time I dip the block in dye,” he says, “I feel my grandfather watching over me.”

His sons now blend traditional prints with contemporary designs — on organic cotton, linen, and bamboo fabric. It’s a bridge between old and new, rustic and refined.

🧺 Final Thoughts

In an era of fast fashion, Bagru stands as a quiet protest — a place where cloth meets conscience, where dyes come from the earth, and where every block stroke is a step back to roots.

Support artisans like Mohanlal. With every Bagru print you wear, you carry a story that was printed — block by block — with love.